The long-awaited United Nations High-Level Conference on the Situation of the Rohingya and Other Minorities in Myanmar, held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, was convened to refocus global attention on the ongoing crisis and to seek concrete, time-bound steps toward justice, protection, and lasting solutions.
The meeting reaffirmed the world’s concern but fell short of delivering the decisive action the situation demands. As Wai Wai Nu, founder of the Women’s Peace Network, reminded delegates in one of the conference’s most powerful interventions:
“You already have the evidence. You already have the power. What is missing is the political will. The people of Myanmar demand accountability and an end to impunity.”
Her words echoed the central message of the day: while awareness of the crisis is high, political will remains painfully absent.
Voices of Rohingya Representatives:
- Wai Wai Nu (Women’s Peace Network) – called for immediate protection of the Rohingya through humanitarian corridors, targeted sanctions against perpetrators, and engagement with Myanmar’s pro-democracy movement.
- Maung Sawyeddollah (Rohingya Youth for Legal Action) gave an emotional plea on behalf of Rohingya youth, urging access to education and scholarship opportunities for refugees to ensure an entire generation is not left without hope or opportunity.
- Lucky Karim (Refugee Women for Peace and Justice) described her own experience fleeing as a young girl, highlighting the ongoing suffering of women and girls and the urgent need for genuine conditions for safe and dignified return.
- Zarni Soe (also known as Rofik Husson) (Arakan Youth Peace Network) spoke of the “systematic architecture of genocide” that has shaped his commitment to justice, and called for the creation of a UN-supervised safe zone in northern Rakhine State alongside cross-border humanitarian corridors from Bangladesh.
With remarkable courage and moral clarity, Rohingya representatives reminded the international community that survivors must be at the heart of any vision for the future.
Notable Interventions:
- Courtenay Rattray, Chef de Cabinet to the UN Secretary-General, speaking on behalf of António Guterres, opened the session by underscoring that “it is not enough to take stock of the status quo.” He urged the international community to move beyond expressions of concern to concrete action, stressing that “we must foster solidarity and forge solutions.”
- Professor Muhammad Yunus, Chief Advisor to the interim government of Bangladesh, called for urgent global solidarity, warning that further delay will only deepen Rohingya suffering.
- Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, described life in Myanmar as “another grim chapter” in the Rohingya’s history, warning that the planned military-run elections cannot be free or fair while millions remain disenfranchised. He reiterated that justice and accountability are essential to any durable solution and urged the UN Security Council to refer the situation to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
- Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, outlined the devastating scale of displacement- over 5.1 million people uprooted, including 1.6 million abroad- and called the humanitarian response “chronically underfunded.”
- The United States and the United Kingdom announced more than US$96 million in additional humanitarian aid to support Rohingya refugees and affected communities in Bangladesh and the wider region- among the few concrete pledges of new funding during the conference. Both governments reaffirmed their commitment to accountability and humanitarian protection for Rohingya and other minorities.
- The Gambia reaffirmed its leadership of the genocide case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), pledging to pursue justice on behalf of the Rohingya.
- Canada reiterated its support for accountability and for the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM), while also drawing attention to the suffering of other ethnic and religious groups in Myanmar who were largely absent from the conference’s focus.
- ASEAN representatives, including the organisation’s Special Envoy on Myanmar, acknowledged the worsening crisis in Rakhine State and emphasised the need for inclusive dialogue and an immediate end to violence. Several speakers raised alarm over escalating clashes between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army (AA), warning that the intensifying conflict is placing Rohingya civilians at grave risk.
- The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) renewed its solidarity with the Rohingya people and urged implementation of the ICJ’s binding measures, alongside stronger diplomatic pressure and sanctions against the military.
- Several states, including members of the European Union and others, echoed calls for the Security Council to act, pressed for restrictions on aviation-fuel supplies to the junta, and demanded that Myanmar’s military face international accountability.
Outcomes and Gaps:
While the conference brought renewed attention to the crisis, it fell short of the decisive commitments needed. The Joint Response Plan (JRP) for Rohingya refugees remains severely underfunded, leaving critical gaps in food, health, water, education, and shelter. Aside from the welcome new funding announced by the United States and United Kingdom, most donor governments failed to make additional financial commitments, leaving the majority of the plan unmet.
References to accountability- including the ICJ case, ICC warrants, and support for the IIMM- were welcome but did not translate into coordinated mechanisms to advance justice. Calls for a Security Council referral to the ICC and for aviation-fuel sanctions were left without follow-up.
Many speakers expressed deep concern about the Arakan Army’s expanding control in Rakhine State, warning that renewed fighting between the AA and Myanmar’s military is worsening an already dire humanitarian crisis. For Rohingya civilians caught in the middle, protection remains almost non-existent, with reports of forced displacement, restrictions on movement and targeted attacks.
The upcoming military-organised elections were widely dismissed as illegitimate and potentially destabilising. Speakers warned that proceeding under current conditions could inflame violence and further marginalise Rohingya and other minorities stripped of citizenship and rights.
While the presence of Rohingya representatives marked progress, survivors’ voices still remain on the margins of decision-making.
BROUK’s Position:
BROUK welcomes the renewed focus on the crisis but urges the international community to turn words into action.
To achieve justice and lasting peace, the international community must:
- Increase international pressure on the military, including through the UN Security Council, with concrete steps to restrict aviation-fuel supplies that enable attacks on civilians.
- Advance accountability by sustaining support for The Gambia’s ICJ case, cooperating with the ICC, and fully resourcing the IIMM so that evidence leads to prosecutions.
- Fully fund the Joint Response Plan, closing critical humanitarian gaps in Bangladesh and within Myanmar.
- Support greater rights for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, including access to education and employment, so families can live with dignity while in exile.
- Ensure meaningful inclusion of Rohingya voices, particularly youth and women, in all international decision-making on their future.
- Recognise the suffering of all minorities in Burma, including Kachin, Karen, and Chin communities, and pursue justice for every victim of military violence.
- Address the worsening conflict in Rakhine State, ensuring that all armed actors, including the Arakan Army, are held to international humanitarian standards, and that Rohingya civilians are protected from violence and displacement by any side.