Why Rohingya refugees are protesting in Cox’s Bazar, 9 years after genocide

Key Points:

• On the ninth anniversary of the Rohingya genocide, hundreds of refugees gathered in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, demanding justice and the right to return home amid deteriorating living conditions in overcrowded camps.
• Over 1.2 million Rohingya refugees, mostly women and children, remain in Bangladesh following a 2017 military crackdown in Myanmar that forced more than 700,000 to flee, with ongoing violence and unsafe journeys continuing to drive displacement.
• The Rohingya, a Muslim ethnic group denied citizenship in Myanmar since 1982, face systemic discrimination and violence, with the 2017 crackdown now under investigation as genocide by the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice.
• International aid for Rohingya refugees has significantly declined, leading to cuts in food rations and education, while diplomatic calls for their safe return persist amid limited progress in legal and political resolutions.
• Bangladesh, hosting the largest Rohingya refugee population, faces criticism over resource constraints, while neighboring countries like Malaysia and India have also taken in refugees but reported expulsions and evictions.