© WFP/Tet Wu Lin A woman who fled her home due to violence looks out the window of her temporary shelter in Sittwe, Myanmar. Nine years after Rohingya mass exodus: UN warns of deepening crisis in Myanmar Human Rights
Nine years after the forced displacement of the Rohingya community from Myanmar, their situation continues to deteriorate. A new report by the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) shows a further increase in violence against minorities and violations of their rights.
“Nearly a decade after the horrific events of 2017, the Secretary-General calls for renewed global attention to the plight of the Rohingya people and intensified efforts [to help them],” the UN chief’s spokesman said in a statement. 740 thousand people fled to Bangladesh, where the vast majority of them still live as refugees.
Violence and human rights violations
The salary published by OHCHR covers the period from 1 June 2025 to 31 May 2026. Its authors note that the human rights situation in Myanmar, especially the situation of minorities, has deteriorated to new critical levels.
Airstrikes, arson, forced displacement and restrictions on access to military assistance continue. However, according to the report, both the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army rebels are committing widespread and systematic abuses against the Rohingya. Witnesses have reported arrests and detentions of Rohingya trying to escape forced recruitment.
The situation of children is of particular concern.
“Children are systematically used as labor: children as young as six have been reported clearing jungles, constructing buildings, and doing heavy work. low-skilled jobs for Rakhine families. In one case, a child was forced to remove the bones and skulls of victims of a massacre,” the report says.UN Secretary-General Antony Guterres once again called for the protection of civilians in accordance with international law. He also expressed concern about the rise in disinformation and hate speech against the Rohingya.
Illegal resource extraction worsens crisis
The UN report also draws attention to the rapid expansion of the illegal economy that is fueling the conflict. These include illegal mining, drug production, human trafficking and scam centers.
Rare earth mining in Kachin and Shan states is of particular concern. Satellite imagery showed that Kachin has added 302 new mining sites since 2021, a 149 percent increase. In Shan, the number of such objects increased from 12 before the military coup to 85 after it.
Toxic substances used during mining end up in water bodies and agricultural lands. According to the report, local observers have seen a sharp increase in the number of miscarriages, heavy bleeding during pregnancy and childbirth, and other complications attributed to exposure to heavy metals and chemicals.
Mine workers also suffer from respiratory illnesses, chemical burns, and kidney and liver damage. Women increasingly forced to work in the extractive industries due to displacement, poverty and the forced conscription of men are at increased risk of sexual violence and harassment.
“This report paints a harrowing picture of suffering, deprivation and cruelty at many levels and throughout the country,” said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk.
Appeal to international action
Guterres thanked Bangladesh and other host countries for providing refuge to refugees and called on states to continue to protect people fleeing Myanmar. He also expressed alarm at the growing number of Rohingya dying at sea and called on countries in the region to cooperate in search and rescue operations and combating human trafficking. existence.