Nine years on, the Rohingya are still waiting for justice: IIMM

Mizzima

Today marks nine years since the Myanmar security forces launched violent operations against the Rohingya in Rakhine State, resulting in widespread killings, sexual violence and destruction of homes and livelihoods, writes The Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM).

Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya were forced to flee to Bangladesh and other neighbouring countries. Nine years later they remain forcibly displaced, unable to safely return to their homes.

To date, no one has been arrested or held accountable for these crimes. While they still carry the trauma of what they endured in 2017, many Rohingya say that these are their darkest days. They want to return home, but they would be returning to a warzone – their communities devastated by years of violence, displacement, discrimination and insecurity. Those who remain in Myanmar continue to face serious threats to their safety including sexual and gender-based violence and unlawful killings, forcing many to risk perilous sea journeys to escape.