Rohingya demand justice for ‘genocide’, plead for repatriation

A number of programmes including street rallies, processions, and gatherings were held in the refugee camps of Cox’s Bazar on Monday, 25 August, to mark ‘Rohingya Genocide Day.

A rally was organised at the football ground of Kutupalong Modhur Chhara refugee camp in Ukhiya upazila of the district in the morning with the participations of 25,000 to 30,000 Rohingyas.

At the rally , Rohingyas pleaded for repatriation to Rakhine State in Myanmar, as well as demanded justice for the ‘genocide’ committed against the Rohingyas in Rakhine.

On 25 August 2017, influx of Rohingyas fled to Bangladesh leaving their homes in the face of persecution by Myanmar’s armed forces. Since 2022, the Rohingya community has been observing 25 August every year as ‘Rohingya Genocide Day.’

To mark the day, human chains, street rallies, and processions were organised from 7:00am across at least 15 camps in Ukhiya and Teknaf of Cox’s Bazar. Around 9:30am, a rally was organided at the football ground of Madhur Chhara (camp-4) in Ukhiya. Rohingya men and women from different camps joined the gathering.

Speakers at the rally sought cooperation and intervention from the United Nations and the international community for Rohingya repatriation. Since an international conference on the Rohingya issue was scheduled at a hotel in Inani beach of the district, the gathering ended hastily around 10:00am.

Visiting the rally ground around 9:00am, Rohingya people were seen gathering, wearing headbands with various demands and holding placards. From time to time, processions joined in, bringing more people of different ages. Many participants carried photos of their relatives killed by the Myanmar military. The placards demanded justice against the head of Myanmar’s junta government.

The rally began at 9:30am. Rohingya leader Mohammad Zubair said the Rohingyas are united in favour of repatriation. But the international community must think about how repatriation will be possible in the unstable situation of Rakhine. Action must be taken on this issue. If repatriation is done through agreements with the Myanmar government, the Rohingyas will face obstruction from the Arakan Army.

Another Rohingya leader, Kamal Hossain, said the Rohingyas have not yet been able to forget the scenes of that genocide in Rakhine. That day, the military shot and killed thousands of Rohingya men, women, and children in front of everyone. Houses were burned down. Rohingya women were raped. Hundreds of Rohingyas, crippled by bullets, are now living inhuman lives in the camps. The Rohingyas expect that the ongoing genocide case in the international court will be concluded soon and the killers will be punished.

At the rally, Rohingya leaders also said that Rohingyas want to return to their homeland, want security, and want their properties back. A stable situation in Rakhine is essential before repatriation can begin. Otherwise, the Rohingyas will repeatedly face the same crisis. Prayers were offered in remembrance of those killed in Rakhine.

Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC) Md Mizanur Rahman said the programmes marking Genocide Day were held peacefully. The Rohingyas have demanded sustainable and dignified repatriation along with the completion of the judicial process ongoing at the ICJ and ICC.

Currently, there are more than 1.4 million registered Rohingyas in 33 camps in Ukhiya and Teknaf. Among them, 124,000 arrived in the past 18 months. Besides the registered ones, many other Rohingyas remain unregistered. However, in the past eight years, not a single Rohingya has been repatriated to Myanmar.