UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for necessary dialogue with the Arakan Army (AA) to ensure the protection of Rohingya rights in Myanmar’s Rakhine State, while acknowledging that a dignified return of the Rohingya refugees would be difficult given the ongoing conflict between the Myanmar army and the AA.
During a joint media briefing with Bangladesh’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain, Guterres stressed the importance of engaging with the Arakan Army to ensure respect for the rights of the Rohingya population in Rakhine. However, he noted that the current situation, marked by heavy fighting, makes it extremely challenging to facilitate the safe and dignified return of the refugees.
Guterres urged the international community, including Myanmar’s neighboring countries, to increase pressure on Myanmar to end the violence and work towards restoring democracy. He emphasized that a peaceful, democratic Myanmar is essential for creating the conditions necessary for the Rohingya’s return.
He also called for intensified humanitarian aid within Myanmar to support any future return of refugees and highlighted the potential for a humanitarian aid channel between Bangladesh and Myanmar, contingent on the cooperation of both governments.
On the ground, rights groups have called for a humanitarian corridor to deliver life-saving aid to civilians in Rakhine State. Fortify Rights, in a statement on March 12, urged Bangladesh and the Arakan Army to facilitate humanitarian aid and cross-border trade to help communities affected by the conflict. Foreign Affairs Adviser Hossain acknowledged that while such issues have been part of ongoing discussions with the international community, the establishment of a humanitarian corridor was not directly addressed with Guterres during his visit.
Hossain reiterated Bangladesh’s commitment to ensuring the safe and dignified return of the Rohingya, but stressed that the solution ultimately lies with Myanmar. He called for unified international pressure on Myanmar authorities to facilitate the return of the refugees to their homeland.
During his visit to the refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, Guterres warned of a looming humanitarian disaster due to significant funding cuts from major donors, including the United States and European nations. He described the cuts as a potential “unmitigated disaster,” especially in Cox’s Bazar, where over a million Rohingya refugees are living. Guterres highlighted the critical role that Bangladesh and its local communities have played in hosting the refugees, describing their support as “enormous.”
The UN chief reaffirmed that the international community must not forget the plight of the Rohingya and vowed to speak out to global leaders to garner more support for the refugees. “We cannot accept that the international community forgets about the Rohingyas,” Guterres said.
His visit, which coincided with the holy month of Ramadan, was framed as a mission of solidarity with the Rohingya refugees and the Bangladeshi people who have generously hosted them. Guterres underscored the resilience and pride of the Rohingya refugees, stating that they need the world’s support now more than ever.
