19 July 2026

On Myanmar’s 79th Martyrs’ Day, reports described intense surveillance, restrictions on public gatherings and renewed demands from Kim Aris for proof that his mother, Aung San Suu Kyi, is alive after more than five years of incommunicado detention. RCN supports the right of every detainee including Aung San Suu Kyi to humane treatment, family contact, proof of life and due process. These rights must be upheld without discrimination. Democratic Voice of Burma

At the same time, RCN condemns the selective and hypocritical portrayal of Aung San Suu Kyi solely as a symbol of democracy and human rights. For the Rohingya, her administration and Myanmar’s military were not meaningfully different in their denial of our identity, rights and suffering.

When Aung San Suu Kyi came to power, she revealed her true face and position toward the Rohingya. Her administration refused to recognize us by our name, upheld discriminatory policies and failed to protect Rohingya civilians while Myanmar’s military carried out its brutal 2017 operations. About one million Rohingya were driven into Bangladesh amid killings, village burnings and other grave violations.

In December 2019, Aung San Suu Kyi personally defended Military before the International Court of Justice and defended the state against allegations that it had violated the Genocide Convention. The ICJ subsequently ordered Myanmar to take provisional measures to protect the Rohingya from acts covered by the Convention and to preserve relevant evidence. International Court of Justice

RCN therefore rejects any attempt to erase this record. A person may be a victim of today’s military dictatorship while still bearing responsibility for enabling, denying or defending the persecution of another people. Calling for Aung San Suu Kyi’s humane treatment cannot mean silencing Rohingya victims or absolving those responsible for their suffering.

The danger has not ended. Rohingya remaining in Rakhine State continue to endure displacement, hunger, movement restrictions and grave threats from Arakan Army (AA). The United Nations has reported serious allegations involving the Arakan Army, including killings of Rohingya civilians, attacks on communities and restrictions on humanitarian activities. Since renewed fighting began in November 2023, more than one-quarter of the Rohingya who remained in Myanmar after 2017 have fled the country. UN Human Rights Office

RCN is deeply alarmed by the conduct of the Arakan Army and its political organization, the United League of Arakan. We believe their actions and policies demonstrate an intention to remove the Rohingya from their ancestral homeland. All credible allegations, including killings, forced displacement, arbitrary detention, forced recruitment, property seizures and restrictions on humanitarian assistance must be independently investigated.

RCN calls upon the international community to:

• Pursue justice for all alleged perpetrators, regardless of their military rank, political status, or international reputation.

• Impose targeted sanctions on AA/ULA commanders and entities credibly implicated in serious human rights abuses.

• Support international accountability processes, including the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the International Criminal Court (ICC), and the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM).

• Demand immediate and unrestricted humanitarian access to every Rohingya community.

• Guarantee the Rohingya’s rights to identity, citizenship, freedom of movement, education, healthcare, and political participation.

• Protect Rohingya land and property and establish effective mechanisms for restitution.

• Ensure that any return of refugees is voluntary, safe, and dignified and is accompanied by full citizenship and international protection.

Rohingya Community in Norway (RCN)