Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh – ongoing persecution of Rohingya people in Myanmar has escalated, leading to a fresh exodus of refugees to neighboring Bangladesh. Harrowing accounts from survivors paint a grim picture of widespread violence, with reports of mass killings, bombings, and sexual violence emerging from conflict-ridden Rakhine state.
In a makeshift camp near Cox’s Bazar, 22-year-old Hamida, a Rohingya woman who recently fled Myanmar, shared a heartbreaking testimony. Tears rolled down her face as she recounted brutal attack by Arakan Army soldiers that left her husband dead and her traumatized. “y entered my home, hit me, and raped me,” Hamida said. “y slaughtered my husband after y raped me.” Her story is one of many, as new refugees bring tales of atrocities that echo horrors of 2017, when Myanmar’s military launched a violent crackdown labeled as genocide by United Nations.
situation in Myanmar has deteriorated rapidly in recent months, with Arakan Army, an ethnic Rakhine rebel group, being blamed for latest wave of violence. On August 5, an estimated 200 people were killed in drone strikes as y attempted to flee fighting in Maungdaw, a town in Rakhine state. Eyewitnesses described a scene of chaos and carnage, with bodies of women and children strewn across a mangrove forest along shoreline, ir belongings scattered around m.
Abdul Bashar, a 48-year-old far who survived drone attacks, described horror of that day. “When we reached border fence, we saw a large bomb fall on a group of people, killing many of m,” he said. “It felt like end of world.” Bashar lost his 17-year-old son and sister in attack, and now shelters in a Cox’s Bazar camp with his 10-year-old nephew, who survived despite severe injuries.
Human rights organizations have condemned violence, with Fortify Rights calling for International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate what it describes as a “massacre of Rohingya civilians.” Human Rights Watch has warned that attacks may constitute ethnic cleansing, raising alarms about potential for anor humanitarian catastrophe.
Despite dire conditions, Rohingya refugees continue to make perilous journey across Naf River, which separates Myanmar from Bangladesh. journey is fraught with danger, as refugees face risk of drowning, being caught by border guards, or falling prey to human traffickers. Mohammed, a Rohingya refugee living in camps, recounted agonizing waits for his sister, who attempted crossing. ” World is now dark for me,” he said after learning she had been kidnapped by brokers demanding ransom.
Bangladesh, which already hosts more than a million Rohingya refugees, is struggling to cope with influx. country’s interim chief, Muhammad Yunus, has pledged continued support for refugees but has also called for an end to violence in Myanmar. ” Rohingya people deserve to return to ir homeland with safety, dignity, and full rights,” Yunus stated.
As international community watches, Rohingya crisis remains a stark reminder of human cost of conflict and persecution. With no end in sight to violence in Myanmar, plight of Rohingya people continues to demand urgent attention and action from global leaders.
