Rohingya: Five Years Of Crisis And Suffering

Rohingya: Five Years Of Crisis And Suffering
August 25, 2017 – An armed Rohingya group called the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) attacked dozens of police posts in Mynamar’s Rakhine state. A dozen officers were killed. The military retaliates by attacking Rohingya villages.

September 5, 2017 – Over 120,000 Rohingya refugees rush to Bangladesh. Due to violence before this, 200,000 Rohingya were already present in Bangladesh.

September 19, 2017 – Post international outcry of ethnic cleansing Myanmar civilian leader and Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi finally issues a statement pledging to hold violators to account. She does not blame the military.

November 23, 2017 - Bangladesh and Myanmar agree to start repatriating refugees.

December 5, 2017 - UN human rights chief Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein points out signs of a genocide and asks for an international investigation.

August 25, 2018 – It is the first anniversary of the Rohingya exodus. Protests are staged by the refugees to raise awareness.

September 3, 2018 – Two Reuters journalists working on a story about a Rohingya massacre are jailed for 7 years on the accusation that they breached Myanmar’s state secrets law.

November, 2018 – Despite efforts to repatriate 2,260 Rohingya they refuse to leave without guarantees for their safety.

July 16, 2019 – Sanctions are announced against Myanmar’s army chief and three more top officers by Washington.

August 22, 2019 – Efforts are made once again to repatriate 3,500 Rohingya refugees who are cleared to return home but no one shows up to undertake the journey.

November 11, 2019 -  The Gambia accuses Myanmar of genocide resulting in the filing of a lawsuit at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

November 14, 2019 - The Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC) approves a full investigation into the persecution of the Rohingya. Later on in the week, under universal jurisdiction a third case is filed by rights groups in Argentina.

December 11, 2019 – Aung San Suu Kyi leads Mayanmar’s defence while the Gambia lays out its case at the ICJ.

January 23, 2020 - The ICJ orders Myanmar to take urgent steps to prevent alleged genocide and report back in four months.

February 1, 2021 – Myanmar’s civilian government is removed by the military and launches a crackdown on dissenters resulting in bloodshed.

March 21, 2022 – The US officially declares that what the Rohingya suffered was a genocide as there is evidence of ‘destroying’ the Rohingya.

July 22, 2022 - The ICJ rules that the case filed by The Gambia can proceed.

August 10, 2022 - Two Rohingya leaders shot dead in Bangladesh refugee camp.