No Justice for Rohingya in Arakan Army Massacre

Arakan Army Massacre - Two years after the Arakan Army, an ethnic militant organization, devastated the lives of hundreds of Rohingya Muslims and destroyed their village in Myanmar's Rakhine State, survivors are still unable to return to their homes. Many continue to be effectively held captive, according to a report released today by Human Rights Watch. The Arakan Army denied any responsibility for the massacre at Hoyyar Siri (Htan Shauk Khan in Burmese), a tragic event that constituted severe violations of wartime laws and amounted to war crimes. The detailed 56-page report, titled "'Skeletons and Skulls Scattered Everywhere': Arakan Army Massacre of Rohingya Muslims in Hoyyar Siri, Myanmar," sheds light on the May 2, 2024 attack. During this incident, Arakan Army combatants deliberately opened fire on unarmed villagers seeking refuge as the group advanced on two nearby military bases. Reports of this massacre only began to surface over a year after the incident, as some survivors managed to escape to Bangladesh and Malaysia. Meenakshi Ganguly, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch, stated, "The Arakan Army's slaughter of hundreds of Rohingya civilians and the destruction of their village in Rakhine State in 2024 marked a disturbing escalation in the armed conflict with Myanmar's junta." She emphasized that the massacre's survivors are essentially prisoners of the Arakan Army, which has not provided any form of justice or accountability. In conducting its investigation, Human Rights Watch interviewed numerous witnesses and survivors, validated their testimonies through satellite imagery, and scrutinized photographs and videos. The clashes between Myanmar junta forces and the Arakan Army in Rakhine State reignited in November 2023. Both parties have been implicated in severe human rights violations, including targeted assaults on civilians, arson, and unlawful conscription. These findings contradict the Arakan Army's assertions in a letter to Human Rights Watch that its fighters exclusively targeted military personnel or members of Rohingya armed factions. Eyewitness accounts reveal the grim reality of the massacre. One man recounted how his son was the first to be shot, followed by his wife and infant daughter. Another woman stated that fighters herded a group of villagers into a paddy field and opened fire randomly without warning, ensuring that no one escaped unharmed. "My husband was still alive when they approached him, and they shot him several more times," she said. Human Rights Watch compiled a list of over 170 villagers, including around 90 children, who were either killed or are still unaccounted for after the Hoyyar Siri massacre. The actual death toll could be significantly higher. The organization analyzed various photographs and videos evidencing human remains at three distinct locations within the village. At two sites, they noticed civilian clothing among the remains. Satellite imagery supported witness accounts regarding the destruction of Hoyyar Siri by Arakan Army fighters, who set the village ablaze. Additionally, the fighters looted possessions, stealing cash and jewelry from locals. One detainee recounted being tortured, including electric shocks, while in the custody of the Arakan Army. Multiple witnesses indicated that Rohingya women and girls were abducted from the village. In February 2025, the Arakan Army mandated the remaining residents of Hoyyar Siri to move to a makeshift nearby camp. Villagers who later fled to Bangladesh reported being denied freedom of movement, subjected to forced labor, and facing severe shortages of food and medical assistance. They recounted a controlled media visit organized by the armed group in August, during which survivors felt compelled to provide false testimonies intended to absolve the Arakan Army of responsibility for the civilian deaths. For over a decade, the Myanmar military has perpetrated ethnic cleansing, acts of genocide, and other atrocities against the Rohingya in Rakhine State, forcing over a million individuals to flee. The massacre in Hoyyar Siri underscores the ongoing dangers for Rohingya refugees considering a return to Rakhine State, even in areas now controlled by the Arakan Army. Human Rights Watch urged the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army to halt all attacks on civilians, release those unlawfully detained, and offer reparations to victims and their families. The Arakan Army indicated in its correspondence with Human Rights Watch that it would facilitate inquiries by credible international human rights organizations. Both parties must fully cooperate with independent investigations, including allowing access to the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Myanmar, and human rights groups. Ganguly remarked, "The military of Myanmar appeared indifferent to the plight of the Rohingya victims in Hoyyar Siri in 2024, and since then, the junta has failed to address broader human rights issues." She urged governments concerned with human rights to prompt both the Myanmar junta and the Arakan Army to uphold the rights of all communities within Rakhine State. For more information on human rights issues in Myanmar, refer to Amnesty International and the United Nations Human Rights Council. Source: https://www.hrw.org/news/2026/05/18/myanmar-no-redress-for-rohingya-muslims-in-arakan-army-massacre

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