UN investigative body head: 'All ethnic communities suffering' in Arakan State

By Admin 10 Sep 2025

DMG Newsroom

10 September 2025, Mrauk-U

The head of the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar says all ethnic groups living in Arakan State are suffering due to the Myanmar military regime's airstrikes and the blockade of humanitarian aid amid the junta's ongoing conflict with the Arakan Army (AA).

He made the remarks at a regular session of the UN Human Rights Council on September 8.

"In Rakhine [Arakan] State, we are investigating recent reports of aerial bombings of civilians by planes and drones, torture and rape, killings, the use of civilians as human shields and obstruction of humanitarian aid to a population threatened with starvation," said Nicholas Koumjian, head of the IIMM.

"Rohingya [Muslims] remaining inside Rakhine are often the victims - about 150,000 Rohingya have been newly displaced to Bangladesh - but all ethnic communities in Rakhine State are suffering," he added. "We are investigating allegations of very serious crimes committed by both the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army."

Some local critics of the IIMM's report to the UN Human Rights Council on the situation in Arakan State say that it focused too heavily on Muslims, while underreporting the plight of other ethnic groups in Arakan State.

"The report by the head of IIMM highlighted that Muslims in Arakan State are facing the worst situation. In the context of Arakan State, it is not Muslims but the Arakan ethnic groups who are being targeted by the military regime more than ever. In this situation, instead of believing the statements of some Muslim activists, IIMM should thoroughly investigate the situation in Arakan State," said a local man in Kyauktaw.

In Arakan State, fighting between the military regime and the Arakan Army has continued since 2023, with more than 600,000 people across the state's 17 townships still displaced, and many displaced people in urgent need of food, medicine, and shelter.

Humanitarian organisations say the military regime is preventing the UN and INGOs/NGOs from providing humanitarian assistance to these displaced people, causing further suffering.

Human rights activists and victims, meanwhile, say the regime is committing war crimes by bombing civilian areas across the country on a daily basis.

A junta jet fighter dropped two large bombs on Daing Kyi Ward in Mrauk-U, which is under Arakan Army control, on August 25, killing 15 people including children and wounding 17 others.

"I want all countries to take effective action against the military regime. Will they just sit idly by while the military regime kills people? I want to demand that the United Nations and all countries take action while the military regime is killing people and burning down houses," said U San Thein from Daing Kyi Ward in Mrauk-U.

During the latest fighting in Arakan State, 926 people were killed and 1,954 were injured due to military regime airstrikes, artillery fire, and other forms of killings, according to figures compiled by the Arakan Army.

The Arakan Army currently controls most of the territory in 14 townships in Arakan State, with the military regime controlling only three townships. The military regime continues to bomb lost territories.