The Rohingya genocide is a term applied to the persecution—including mass killings, mass rapes, village-burnings, deprivations, ethnic cleansing, and internments—of the Rohingya people of western Myanmar (particularly northern Rakhine state).
International reaction focused on pressuring Aung San Suu Kyi to condemn the atrocities and address human-rights issues. Aung San Suu Kyi's power was restricted under the 2008 Constitution of Myanmar, which placed key ministries like home, border affairs and defense under military control and reserved 25% of seats in the legislature for serving military officers. Military dictator Min Aung Hlaing is regarded as the most powerful person in the country, and in 2021 he launched a military coup, seizing control of the government.
Background Since October 2016, thousands of Rohingya refugees have fled Myanmar due to persecution in the Rakhine State. The exodus has become a humanitarian crisis. The persecution was preceded by crackdowns in 1978, 1991–1992, 2012 and 2015. The United Nations believes that Myanmar wants to expel its entire Rohingya population.
The events have been termed a genocide by international observers.
On 25 August 2017, the Tatmadaw (the Myanmar armed forces) launched a military operation against the Rohingya civilian population in response to attacks by Rohingya militants on 30 police posts and an army base. The Myanmar military—with help from mobs of local Rakhine people—is alleged to have burned Rohingya villages, carried out summary executions and beheadings of Rohingyas (including children), raped Rohingya women; and planted landmines. Between 400 and 3,000 people were killed between 25 August and 11 September 2017. On 22 September 2017, satellite images indicated that Rohingya villages were still being burned. An estimated 655,500 refugees had fled into Bangladesh since 25 August 2017 (a larger weekly outflow of refugees than during the Rwandan genocide), out of a pre-violence Rohingya population of about one million in Rakhine State. In August 2018, study estimated that more than 24,000+ Rohingya people were killed by the Myanmar military and the local Buddhists since the "clearance operations" started on 25 August 2017. The study also estimated that 18,000+ the Rohingya Muslim women and girls were raped, 116,000 Rohingya were beaten, 36,000 Rohingya were thrown into fire Mass graves have been discovered in several parts of Rakhine State.Time (magazine) Evidence of atrocities emerged with reports of the Gu Dar Pyin massacre and Tula Toli massacre. Footage obtained by Reuters showed the summary execution of 10 Rohingya men. Two Myanma journalists who obtained the information for Reuters have since been arrested. Amnesty International has described Rakhine State as a "crime scene". There have been calls for the prosecution of members of Myanmar's military.
Despite centuries of settlement in the Arakan region (now Rakhine State), the Rohingya population are denied citizenship and other basic rights under several controversial Myanmar laws (particularly the 1982 Myanmar nationality law). Myanmar has been accused of genocide and ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya. Progress on a negotiated program for the return of Rohingya refugees from Bangladesh to Myanmar have been made much more difficult by the emergence of fighting in Rakhine State following the 2021 Myanmar coup d'etat.https://"The Rhohingya Situation on Myanmar-Bangladesh Border is Getting More Dangerous," by Tony Waters, The Irrawaddy. www.irrawaddy.com/opinion/guest-column/the-rohingya-situation-on-myanmar-bangladesh-border-is-getting-more-dangerous.html
The persecutions of ethnic Rohingyas in Myanmar continued up to 2018, and is viewed to continue until a lasting resolution is made between the Government of Myanmar (which has internal political disputes on the matter), the Government of Bangladesh, representatives from the Rohingya people, and states in the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations).
Countries Afghanistan The Afghan foreign ministry said in a written statement, "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan condemns in the strongest terms the devastating cruelty and murder of innocent Rohingya Muslims by Myanmar’s security forces. While vehemently condemning these vicious and inhuman attacks by the government forces against its Muslim population, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs calls on the United Nations and other International Human Rights Organizations to examine the genocide and massacre of innocent Muslim community in this country".
Algeria The Algerian foreign ministry expressed "great concern" about the persecution. According to a spokesman, "The tragedies that occur behind closed doors in Burma where Burmese Muslim citizens are the victims, reached unspeakable heights in horror, according to information reported by many media and diplomatic sources".
Australia In the spring of 2017 the Australian Senate passed a motion urging the government to call on the United Nations for a commission of inquiry. In early September 2017, as the Rohingya crisis became ethnic cleansing, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said that Australia was deeply concerned by the escalating violence in Myanmar's Rakhine State and would provide up to to help Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.
Australia had long interned some of its own Rohingya refugees in camps on Manus Island in Papua New Guinea (whose government ruled the camps unlawful in 2016). PNG and Australia committed to closing the Manus Island camps by 31 October 2017. By mid-September 2017, Australia committed A$70 million more towards the Rohingya refugee crisis."Rohingya asylum seeker claims he was pressured to accept cash from Australia to leave Manus," 20 September 2017, SBS News, retrieved 26 September 2017"Australia offers to pay Rohingya Muslims to return to Myanmar," 21 September 2017, News.com.au (News Corp Australia) retrieved 25 September 2017"Australia offers $25,000 to Rohingya refugees willing to return to Myanmar," 19 September 2017, South China Morning Post, retrieved 26 September 2017
Melbourne based Australian documentary photographer Salahuddin Ahmad organized a documentary photography exhibition series "Brutality Against Humanity" in many Australian cities (as well as many international locations) including street photo exhibition in Federation Square, Melbourne. This photographic exhibition showcases evocative photos of the Rohinghya people taken in October 2017 in Bangladesh. The exhibition is being held to raise global awareness and to protect Rohingya ethnic community. Later Mr Ahmad and his colleagues conducted a study which estimated that more than 24,000+ Rohingya people were killed by the Myanmar military and the local Buddhists since the "clearance operations" started on 25 August 2017. The study also estimated that 18,000+ the Rohingya Muslim women and girls were raped, 116,000 Rohingya were beaten, 36,000 Rohingya were thrown into fire. Photos below are the selected photographs from "Brutality Against Humanity" photography exhibition series:
Austria The Austrian embassy in Myanmar demanded humanitarian access to affected areas in Rakhine State.
Azerbaijan The government of Azerbaijan pledged to send material relief for Rohingya refugees and condemned the violence against civilians, saying that it supported Organization of Islamic Cooperation efforts to address the situation.
Bangladesh
Since 25 August 2017, Bangladesh has received at least 655,500 refugees. As of 11 January 2018, 971,627 refugees were registered in Bangladesh. The Parliament of Bangladesh adopted a unanimous resolution urging the international community to pressure Myanmar to provide citizenship and safe return for the Rohingya. The President of Bangladesh Mohammad Abdul Hamid suggested that a United Nations-administered humanitarian corridor be established in Myanmar for the Rohingya.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said, "They (Myanmar) should stop the violence. The Myanmar government should have handled this situation patiently and not allowed the army to attack the common people. What are the crimes of the women, children, the innocent people? They are not responsible". Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina accused Myanmar of trying to "provoke a war with her country". She has offered to help the Burmese military, the Tatmadaw, quash the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA)."Why do China, India back Myanmar over the Rohingya crisis?," South China Morning Post, retrieved 20 October 2017
Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmud Ali said that Myanmar's actions were being described as genocide. National Human Rights Commission of Bangladesh chairman Kazi Reazul Hoque alluded to the prospect of international prosecution of Myanmar forces: "The way the genocide has been carried out in Myanmar, the way the people were killed in arson attacks, we are thinking about pressing for a trial against Myanmar, and against the Myanmar army at an international tribunal". The Bangladeshi foreign ministry summoned the Myanmar envoy several times since the crisis began, protesting the refugee influx and alleged intrusions by Myanmar aircraft into Bangladeshi airspace. Major General Abul Hussain, a border force commander, promised a "befitting reply" to any "untoward situation" on the Bangladesh-Myanmar border.
Muhammad Yunus, recipient of the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize, made a seven-point proposal which included implementation of the Kofi Annan Commission report and UN-administered camps in Myanmar. In a rare moment of political unity, the BNP (Bangladesh's largest opposition party) supported Prime Minister Hasina's visit to refugee camps. Another opposition party, the Jatiya Party, demanded sanctions against Myanmar. The Bangladesh Armed Forces were reportedly placed on high alert. According to a Bangladeshi official, the government was focused on finding a peaceful resolution of the crisis and stated that "our goal is to ensure a stable, peaceful and safe environment in the Rakhine State so that people of all religion, color and community can live there in harmony, and we are holding discussions at various places to this end".
On 21 September 2017 Prime Minister Hasina addressed the United Nations General Assembly. She criticized Myanmar for ethnic cleansing, demanded implementation of the Kofi Annan Commission report and proposed a five-point plan for restoring stability in Rakhine State which included UN-monitored "safe zones".
On 29 September Masud Bin Momen, Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the UN in New York, informed the Security Council that Myanmar intended to depopulate Rohingya lands by burning villages and was using rape as a weapon. According to Bin Momen, Myanmar had deployed two army divisions with heavy artillery near the border with Bangladesh since the first week of August. Bin Momen also reported of 19 violations by Myanmar military helicopters of Bangladeshi airspace, and repeated the Bangladeshi government's demand for the establishment of UN-supervised safe zones in Rakhine State.
In August 2025, a demonstration in Dhaka was held to express solidarity with the Rohingya.
Belgium According to the Belgian foreign ministry, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Didier Reynders said: "The first urgency is for tensions in Rakhine State to abate and to allow unlimited access for humanitarian aid. But it is also important to be able to take long-term measures in order to guarantee decent living conditions to the Rohingya population within the framework of the Burmese nation. Only these will make peaceful coexistence among different ethnicities in this State of Myanmar possible". The Belgian embassy in Myanmar demanded access for international NGOs to Rakhine State.
Brazil Brazil has strongly supported resolutions adopted by bodies in the United Nations to find a permanent solution for the Rohingya.
Canada