 dissolution of 1982 law that fails to recognize the Rohingya as citizens.
Malaysia is not a signatory of the 1951 Refugee Convention that establishes a state’s responsibilities to refugees. Due to this, Rohingya refugees are labeled as “illegal immigrants” and are at risk of refoulement. Within Malaysia, the Rohignya refugees have fallen victim to imprisonment, harassment, extortion, and deportation.
Likely due to the lack of economic alternatives and little law and order, criminal activities within the Rohingya refugee camps have increased. 14 armed criminal gangs have emerged within the camps engaging in rape, murder, drug smuggling, kidnapping, and human trafficking.
Thailand restrictions on cross-border aid and the military junta in Myanmar have resulted in just 41% of those targeted receiving aid in the first quarter of 2022. Though, informal aid along the Thai-Myanmar border has proven vital for reaching people in rural areas.
India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) busted a human trafficking network from Bangladesh refugee camps to India. The victims were captured with a promise for better opportunities in India but then sexually exploited and resettled on forged Indian identity documents. Six people were arrested in connection to the case who will face persecution.
The ICJ rejected Myanmar’s preliminary claims which challenged the courts jurisdiction and Gambia’s response and legal standing in the case. The rejections will allow the case to proceed to further investigate the Rohingya genocide in Myanmar.
954 Rohingya have been diagnosed with AIDS indicating an increase in cases over the years within Cox’s Bazar. 612 are being treated and 61 have died due to the virus. Those concerned stress the importance of more testing to stop the spread of the virus throughout the camps.
Within the refugee camps, music has become an outlet for sharing emotional experiences and persevering their culture through the ethnic cleansing campaign in Myanmar. Thus, teaching the children music has become vital to expand their scope of learning and preserve the Rohingya culture.
Dengue, a mosquito-borne viral disease, is endemic in Bangladesh but there has been recent surges in cases through Cox’s Bazar. Dengue is recurrent in this area of Bangladesh placing the refugees at high risk of secondary infections which poses greater risk of developing a severe disease.
China has promised to support Bangladesh in repatriating Rohingya refugees to Myanmar. China has constructed approximately 3,000 houses in Myanmar for future repatriated refugees and will organize an initial food support program.
Human Rights Watch is calling for Japan to halt its military training program with Myanmar as some participants have been linked to the Rohingya atrocities. A high ranking general that is responsible for a massacre of civilians in Myanmar received training in Japan. Activists state that Japan must immediately halt the training program and investigate whether participants are linked to the war atrocities.
Provisions were previously discussed to supply well-equipped shelters to refugees in India. However, The Ministry of Home Affairs released a statement that there has been no direction to provide flats to “Rohingya illegal foreigners”. The statement stated “Illegal foreigners are to be kept in the Detention Center till their deportation as per law.”
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina told Michelle Bachelet, a visiting UN human rights chief, that hundreds of thousands of refugees must return to Myanmar. Hasina stated the camps in Bangladesh are overcrowded and “the Rohingya are nationals of Myanmar and they have to be taken back”.
Michelle Bachelet, the UN high commissioner for human rights, recently concluded her four-day visit to Bangladesh. During her visit, she met with the Prime Minister, civil society organizations, and traveled to Cox’s Bazar to speak with members of the Rohingya community. Bachelet concluded that it is unsafe for the Rohingya to return home and expressed the willingness of the UN to cooperate with Bangladesh to ensure t