Friday, 25 August, marks the sixth anniversary of the start of a massive offensive by Myanmar’s military against the mainly Muslim minority in Rakhine state.

Some 10,000 Rohingya men, women, children and newborns were killed, more than 300 villages burnt to the ground, and over 700,000 forced to flee to Bangladesh in search of safety, joining tens of thousands who fled earlier persecutions.

The then High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra‘ad al-Hussein called the brutal campaign to drive the community from their homes a “textbook example of ethnic cleansing.”

In all, over a million Rohingya fled persecution and systematic discrimination to seek international refugee protection in Bangladesh, and approximately 600,000 remain within Rakhine state, where they continue to suffer severe rights restrictions and the threat of further violence.

In a sign of their desperation, thousands more continue to attempt dangerous sea crossings from Myanmar and Bangladesh, too often ending in tragedy.

A ‘most fervent wish’

In a statement Mr. Türk expressed his “most fervent wish” for the Rohingya to be able to return to their homes to live in safety, dignity, and freedom, as recognized citizens of Myanmar, with their human rights fully respected.

“This is currently not the case given the precarious conditions in Rakhine State. Furthermore, the military has shown no willingness to address systematic discrimination against the Rohingya.”

Renewing his call for accountability, the UN rights chief urged the international community to continue supporting Rohingya refugees and their host communities in Bangladesh, amid dwindling funds for humanitarian assistance programmes.

“More must be done to hold the military to account for their repeated campaigns of persecution against the Rohingya, and for driving the country into its current human rights and humanitarian crisis.

“In the face of the impunity enjoyed by the Myanmar military for past and present crimes against the Rohingya as well as other groups, I call on States fully to support the ongoing international accountability efforts.”

End ‘deadly paralysis of indifference’

Also on Thursday, Tom Andrews, the Special Rapporteur on the situation in Myanmar, appealed to world leaders to end a “deadly paralysis of indifference” and take action to hold accountable the architects and perpetrators of the violence.

“Responsibility for the immense suffering of the Rohingya starts at the top. Min Aung Hlaing, who led the genocidal campaign, is now at the head of an illegal and illegitimate military junta that is attacking civilian populations throughout Myanmar. He must be brought to justice and be made to answer for his crimes,” Mr. Andrews said.

The independent rights expert also chided the international community for failing its responsibilities to the Rohingya, noting that after six years, the Security Council has not referred the situation in Myanmar to the International Criminal Court (ICC), despite overwhelming evidence of atrocity crimes.

Rohingya tired of ‘empty promises’

Mr. Andrews underscored the need for tangible action.

“The Rohingya are tired of empty promises. Their children cannot eat political rhetoric or UN resolutions that go nowhere. They need and deserve the world to end the deadly paralysis of indifference.”

“We cannot let another year go by without principled and decisive action to support justice and accountability for the Rohingya.”

Independent human rights experts

Special Rapporteurs are independent human rights experts, appointed by the UN Human Rights Council as part of its Special Procedures.

They are mandated to monitor and report on specific thematic issues or country situations and work on a voluntary basis. They serve in their individual capacity; are not UN staff and do not receive a salary.

The law was adopted shortly after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Special Rapporteurs said they had already raised serious concerns over the law with the Russian Government and through public statements.

“The decision to deny constitutional protection of the right to freedom of expression constitutes a new low in Russia’s clampdown on the freedom of expression and the free flow of information,” the UN Human Rights Council-appointed experts said.

“The interpretation of the Constitutional Court and the rejection of complaints challenging these legislative provisions will silence all those expressing critical views regarding Russia’s so-called ‘special military operation’ in Ukraine,” they continued.

‘A drastic step’

Russia has arrested nearly 20,000 people for protesting the war in Ukraine, while an additional 7,000 people have been arrested for actions that allegedly “discredited” the military, the Special Rapporteurs said.

“The law has no other objective than silencing critical expression in relation to the war in Ukraine. The legislation is a drastic step in a long string of measures over the years restricting freedom of expression and media freedom, and further shrinking civic space in the Russian Federation,” the experts said.

The Russian Constitutional Court has rendered decisions in 24 cases over discrediting the armed forces and rejected all legal challenges to the law. The Court based its decisions on the grounds that the use of the armed forces and the exercise of power by State bodies were prerogatives of the national Government.

‘Severe crackdown’

The Court also referred to the citizen’s duty to defend the fatherland, vague principles of trust between society and the State, and political and social solidarity.

The Special Rapporteurs warned that scores of activists, journalists, and human rights defenders face harsh punishments ranging from five to 15 years imprisonment.

“The Constitutional Court decisions will exacerbate an already severe crackdown on civil society, independent media, and critical voices,” the Special Rapporteurs said

“We respectfully urge the Constitutional Court to change course and guarantee freedom of expression in Russia, and urge Russian authorities to repeal the legislation,” they added.

Special Rapporteurs

Special Rapporteurs are part of the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council, work on a voluntary and unpaid basis, are not UN staff, and work independently from any government or organisation.

Marking the International Day to Protect Education from Attack, the UN Secretary-General António Guterres said it was important to defend “havens of education”.

“Education is not only a fundamental human right, but a pathway to a better future for every person, and a more peaceful, understanding world,” he underscored. 

He voiced a startling truth: around the globe 224 million children and young people are in urgent need of educational support – including 72 million who are out-of-school altogether – because of crises such as armed conflict.

Attacks double

According to a comprehensive report on children and armed conflicts published by the UN chief earlier this year, from January to December 2022, there was a 112 per cent rise in attacks targeting schools and hospitals, with hotspots identified in Afghanistan, Ukraine, Burkina Faso, Israel, Palestine, Myanmar and Mali. 

In Afghanistan, for example, the UN verified a total of 95 attacks on civilian targets, including 72 on schools. 

The report attributed 50 per cent of grave violations to non-State armed groups. The other half involved government forces, who were primarily responsible for the gravest offenses, including the killing and maiming of children, relentless assaults on schools and hospitals, and obstructing humanitarian access.

The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said on Friday that by the end of 2022, the total number of school-aged refugees globally jumped nearly 50 per cent from 10 million in 2021 to 14.8 million, driven mostly by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. 

Disrupted learning

As put by Mr. Guterres, “attacks on students, teachers, educational personnel and schools are becoming all too common, cruelly disrupting young learners’ education and inflicting untold psychological and physical damage that can last a lifetime.”

One of the clear signs of the education deficit is the startling statistic that 763 million people around the world – adults and youngsters – lack even basic literacy skills.

‘Havens of safety and learning’

The Secretary-General urged all countries to ensure the protection of schools, children and teachers at all times, through measures such as the Safe Schools Declaration and the Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack.

Through joint efforts, Mr. Guterres believes, schools can become “havens of safety and learning for every child, no matter where they live”.