UN Human Rights Chief Raises Alarm Over Escalating Conflict in Myanmar’s Rakhine State

Geneva, The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, has expressed serious concerns about the escalating conflict in Myanmar’s Rakhine State, particularly highlighting the increasing danger to the civilian population, including the Rohingya community. Turk stressed the urgent need for international intervention to prevent a recurrence of past atrocities in the region.

According to Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, fighting has intensified between Myanmar’s military and the Arakan Army since the collapse of a year-long informal ceasefire last November. The conflict has spread across 15 of Rakhine’s 17 townships, resulting in numerous casualties and pushing the number of displaced people over 300,000.

Turk emphasized that the situation in Rakhine State is particularly perilous for the Rohingya, who find themselves at risk from both sides of the conflict. “We must not allow the Rohingya to be targeted again,â€� he stated, referencing the violent history that the community has endured, including the large-scale military crackdown in 2017.

The High Commissioner reported that the Myanmar military is losing ground to the Arakan Army, with increased hostilities observed in Buthidaung and Maungdaw townships. These areas, with significant Rohingya populations, are now facing the potential of becoming central battlefields in the conflict. Turk condemned the military’s reported tactics of forced conscription and coercion of the Rohingya population into their ranks, a practice he deemed “unconscionable.�

Furthermore, Turk highlighted the alarming trend of misinformation and propaganda, including claims of “Islamic terrorists� taking hostages, which echoes the incendiary narratives that contributed to previous rounds of communal violence and attacks against the Rohingya.

The situation has deteriorated to the point where humanitarian access is severely compromised. Reports indicate that on April 15, a Médecins Sans Frontières office and pharmacy were destroyed in Buthidaung, alongside numerous homes. Civilians have been forced to seek makeshift refuge, as local hospitals have been closed by the military, leaving northern Rakhine without adequate medical care amidst the escalating conflict.

The High Commissioner concluded with a dire warning: “The alarm bells are ringing, and we must not allow there to be a repeat of the past.� He called on influential countries to act immediately to safeguard all civilians in Rakhine State and to avert further persecution of the Rohingya.