UNION OF MYANMAR：
AID SERVICES SLOWLY RESUME IN NORTH RAKHINE

After attacks on police outposts in the north of Myanmar’s Rakhine State, the authorities initiated a major security operation placing thousands of already vulnerable people at risk. Amid reports of human rights violations by security forces, access for humanitarian organizations, independent journalists and human rights monitors has been restricted.

On 9 October, unknown assailants attacked three police outposts in the north of Myanmar’s Rakhine State, killing nine Boarder Guard Police officers and seizing weapons and ammunition. Following the attacks, the authorities initiated a major security operation and sealed off the area, placing thousands of already vulnerable people at risk.

Before the start of the security operation, around 150,000 people in northern Rakhine State, home to the majority of Myanmar’s Rohingya population, were reliant on humanitarian services. This is in large part due to severe restrictions on their movement and other rights. Since 9 October, the authorities have restricted humanitarian access to the area, suspending regular humanitarian services and preventing an assessment of the needs of an estimated 15,000 newly displaced people. Tightened restrictions on movement have also meant many Rohingyas are confined to their villages. Access to healthcare, including lifesaving medical-treatment, is also restricted. On 6 November, the World Food Programme (WFP) was allowed to conduct a rapid assessment in four affected villages and was able to supply food aid, however other villages in the area have yet to receive any aid or assistance.

Amnesty International is also deeply concerned about continuing allegations of human rights violations being committed against Rohingyas by members of the Myanmar security forces in the context of security operations. These includes reports of unlawful killings, rape and other crimes of sexual violence, and arbitrary arrest and detention. The government has denied these allegations, yet has effectively barred independent observers and human rights monitors from accessing the area.

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UA: 256/16 Index: ASA 16/5133/2016 Issue Date: 15 November 2016

At least 130,000 people are still being denied access to life-saving humanitarian services, more than two months after the Myanmar authorities began major security operations in northern Rakhine State. The UN has warned that lives are at risk if the government does not immediately act to restore access for humanitarian aid organizations.

Unknown assailants attacked three border police posts in northern Rakhine State, Myanmar on 9 October 2016, seizing weapons and killing nine police officers. The authorities consequently launched a major security operation, to apprehend the attackers, and suspended humanitarian access to northern Rakhine State affecting 150,000 people. The majority of those affected are from the ethnic Rohingya minority, who had been reliant on these services. To date, around 20,000 people have had their aid partially restored and, in early December, the UN was able to participate in a limited distribution of necessities to a number of villages. Nevertheless, for more than two months now 130,000 people have been without their normal food, cash and nutrition assistance.

An additional 30,000 people are believed to have been displaced by security operations in North Maungdaw Township and other than a one-off delivery by the UN in November, of a two week supply of food to 7,200 people, no humanitarian organisations have been granted access to the affected area. Due to current restrictions on movement, most people are also unable to access primary healthcare services.

The security operations have been marked by human rights violations, with state security forces using disproportionate force and indiscriminate attacks, rape and sexual violence, arbitrary arrest and detention, the destruction of property and looting against the Rohingya population.

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Despite some continuing restrictions, humanitarian services such as food distribution, nutrition assistance and primary healthcare are slowly resuming in northern Rakhine State. According to the UN Office for the Coordination for Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA), more than 16,000 people in Maungdaw north received food assistance and nutrition support between 13 and 20 January.

The slow resumption of humanitarian services come months after the Myanmar authorities launched a major security operation in response to attacks by suspected armed Rohingya on three border police posts on 9 October 2016. The Myanmar authorities suspended all humanitarian operations in northern Rakhine State, affecting 150,000 people who were previously reliant on the aid. The majority of those affected were from the ethnic Rohingya minority, including thousands of newly displaced people.  

UN OCHA estimates that 21,000 people remain displaced in northern Rakhine State, while a further 66,000 people have fled to neighbouring Bangladesh. Amnesty International will continue to monitor the situation closely.

Despite progress in access to humanitarian assistance in northern Rakhine State, human rights violations continue to be documented. For more information, see Myanmar: Torture fears for hundreds Rohingya detained (ASA 16/5463/2017) available at: https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/asa16/5463/2017/en/

Thank you to all those who sent appeals. No further action is requested from the UA network.

This is the third UA update for UA 256/16. Further information: https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/asa16/5341/2016/en/

Further Information on UA: 256/16 Index: ASA 16/5546/2017 Issue Date: 25 January 2017