Bradford, 25 August 2025 – Eight years on, the Rohingya genocide is not history; it is ongoing.
In August 2017, the world witnessed the Myanmar military’s brutal campaign of mass killings, rape, and the destruction of entire villages, as documented by the UN Fact-Finding Mission. More than 745,000 Rohingya were forced to flee into Bangladesh, joining earlier waves of displacement. Today, over 1.5 million Rohingya remain trapped in refugee camps, while inside Arakan (Rakhine State, Myanmar), Rohingya continue to face persecution, displacement, and atrocities carried out with impunity.
Since August 2024 alone, over 150,000 Rohingya have fled new waves of violence and sought shelter in Cox’s Bazar, where more than 1.3 million already remain from previous exoduses dating back to 1978. Conditions for safe, dignified, and voluntary return remain absent.
Commemoration in Bradford
To mark this solemn anniversary, Rohingya communities across the UK gathered yesterday in Bradford – the largest Rohingya hub in Europe for the 8th Rohingya Genocide Day Commemoration. Over 100 attendees, including Rohingya families, youth, community leaders, and allies, stood together in remembrance and solidarity.
The event was organised by representatives of Rohingya civil society organisations across the UK, alongside allies including Ian Murch, former National Officer of the National Education Union (NEU) and Secretary of its Bradford District, and current Campaigning & Advocacy Director of RCUK, Cllr. Sabiya Khan, and Cllr. Ismail Uddin.
Speakers highlighted that the genocide is not over, the atrocities and persecution continue, now perpetrated both by the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army (AA). Participants stressed that beyond statements and condemnations, urgent real action is needed to protect Rohingya civilians, ensure justice, and restore dignity.
Calls to Action
We therefore call for:
- An immediate end to all violence and atrocities against innocent civilians.
- Justice and accountability for perpetrators of genocide and crimes against humanity.
- Recognition of the Rohingya as a people and restore full citizenship and equal rights in Myanmar.
- Stronger international support for refugees in Bangladesh, including access to education, skills, and self-reliance initiatives.
- Investment in Rohingya-led initiatives that empower Rohingya communities, reducing unsustainable dependence on humanitarian aid.
- The meaningful inclusion of Rohingya voices in all decisions about their future.
Why This Matters
The Rohingya are not asking for charity. We are asking for our rights: to exist with identity, dignity, and freedom. Our dignity has been stripped since the 1982 Burmese nationality law made us stateless by design. Decades of systematic persecution have created one of the world’s longest-standing displacement crises.
As world leaders prepare to gather at the UN High-Level Conference on 30 September 2025 in New York, we urge them to place the Rohingya crisis at the centre of the global agenda. This is a critical moment for the international community, including the UK Government, to actively support Rohingya civil society in shaping solutions, ending ongoing atrocities, holding perpetrators accountable, addressing the root causes of displacement, and laying the foundations for a safe, dignified, and sustainable future for the Rohingya people in Arakan.
Rohingya Organisations in the United Kingdom
Rohingya Centre of United Kingdom
Arakan Rohingya Organisation UK
Rohingya Association UK