Photo credit: DVB English
On the ninth anniversary of the 2017 military-led genocide against the Rohingya on August 25, a coalition of civil society organizations – including the Blood Money Campaign, Defend Myanmar Democracy, and Progressive Voice – issued a joint declaration calling for immediate international legal intervention, emergency humanitarian funding, and full citizenship rights for displaced populations.
DVB reports that over 1.2 million Rohingya refugees from Myanmar remain trapped in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, facing extreme hardship compounded by several reductions in international aid.
X Deteriorating Camp Conditions: Cuts announced by the World Food Program (WFP) have reduced monthly food assistance to vulnerable families to as little as $7 USD per month.
X Dangerous Sea Crossings: Data analyzed by ReliefWeb shows a 90 per cent increase in refugees attempting erilous sea journeys during the first quarter of 2026. In July 2026, two vessels carrying roughly 500 Rohingya capsized in choppy waters off the Myanmar coast.
“Words of remembrance hold little meaning unless they are matched by concrete action and sustained support. The conditions for a safe, voluntary return cannot be created while the root causes of genocide remain in place,” stated the three Myanmar civil society organizations in their joint statement on Aug. 25.
A four-point call to action was issued:
X Justice & Accountability: Accelerate proceedings at tha International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the International Criminal Court (ICC), while supporting universal jurisdiction cases targeting war crimes and genocide.
X Protection & Aid: Fully fund the $710.5 million USD UN Joint Response Plan, end forced pushbacks and deportations, and secure unhindered humanitarian access corridors.
X Telecommunications Access: Press for the immediate restoration of all internet and telecommunications networks across Araken State to enable human rights monitoring.
X Full Political Inclusion: Demand that the National Unity Government (NUG), Ethnic Resistance Organizations (EROs), and other resistance leaders guarantee unconditional citizenship, equal rights, and formal political representation for the Rohingya community within Myanmar’s future federal democratic framework.
