On Saturday, 24 August 2024, at 1pm, around 100 protesters gathered outside Drake Street in Bradford, United Kingdom to condemn the ongoing atrocities against the Rohingya people in Myanmar. Campaigners stood under a large banner, chanting ‘Stop Killing Rohingya – Stop the Genocide.’ Speakers, including local Labour councilors, Socialist Party, Bradford Friends of Palestine, Socialist Worker Party, Bradford Stand Up Against Racism and other community leaders emphasised the urgent need for international action to halt the violence targeting the Rohingya community. They urged local efforts to pressure the UK government to support humanitarian aid, take strong action for international intervention.
The Rohingya, a predominantly Muslim ethnic minority, have long endured systemic persecution, denial of citizenship, ethnic cleansing, and mass violence in Myanmar, with millions seeking refuge outside their homeland. Since November 2023, intensified armed conflict between the Arakan Army (AA) and the Myanmar military has resulted in a rapid deterioration of conditions in the region. AA attacks have involved looting and torching of villages and mass indiscriminate killings of civilians by use of ground assaults, artillery, and drones. AA and Myanmar military has forcefully displaced more than 320,000 Rohingya individuals have been newly displaced since November in efforts to flee the fighting.1 As Amnesty International has aptly noted, this violence bears a devastating resemblance to the genocidal atrocities perpetrated against the Rohingya in 2017.2 Moreover, looting of aid warehouses3 and local shops, blockades to delivery of aid by the junta, and limitations to humanitarian workers’ access have produced widespread deprivation of access to potable water, food, and much needed medical care in the region.
Without increased engagement and support from the international community the situation in Arakan will continue to escalate. At the protest, Rohingya Centre UK (RCUK) and participants made four key demands:
- End the Violence in Arakan, Myanmar: The crowd called on the Arakan Army and Myanmar military to immediately cease all acts of violence against the Rohingya. They urged the international community to pressure Myanmar to halt these atrocities and hold those responsible and accountable.
- Immediate Humanitarian Aid: Participants demanded that humanitarian organisations and aid workers be granted unrestricted access to deliver life-saving aid to the displaced Rohingya, who are living in desperate conditions without access to food, water, shelter, or medical care.
- Immediate International Protection: The protesters urged the United Nations and other international bodies to intervene and establish safe zones or peacekeeping missions to protect the Rohingya from further violence and persecution.
- Ensure Rights and Dignity for the Rohingya: The protest emphasised the need for the Myanmar government to restore citizenship and full civil rights to the Rohingya, ensuring their safety, dignity, and right to live in peace.
“As member of Rohingya community, having witnessed this suffering firsthand—displacement, violence, systematic persecution and the deprivation of basic human rights— We cannot afford to look away. It’s heartbreaking to see the Rohingya community still suffering so much at the hands of terrorists like the AA (Arakan Army). Their crimes against humanity—including murder, rape, and genocide—cannot be ignored,” said Mohammed Amin, Executive Director, RCUK.
“We have gathered here today with a unified purpose: to raise our voices and demand immediate action against the ongoing atrocities inflicted upon the Rohingya by both the Burmese military and the Arakan Army. This event is more than just a protest—it is an important call to for immediate action. We are here with four key demands.”
He also said, “The international community and UK government must stand firm, continue their investigations, and hold these criminals accountable. Their attempts to cover up their atrocities with propaganda won’t erase the truth. Justice must prevail for the innocent lives lost.”
The peaceful protest featured powerful placards and banners from Rohingya representatives, local campaigners, and other community leaders. The event participants hoped to contribute to momentum for a global movement aimed at raising awareness and pushing for concrete action to end the crisis facing the Rohingya. RCUK also hoped to galvanism public support and send a clear message from Bradford to world leaders that the time for action is right now!
For more information about the protest, to arrange interviews, or to find out how you can continue to support the Rohingya community, please contact Mohammed Amin at +44 7475 237037 or mohammed.a@rcuk.org.uk.