Terrorists or Victims? Myanmar’s Latest Label Won’t Erase the Truth

• The Myanmar Foreign Ministry recently labeled 4,241 Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh as "terrorists," a move dismissed as state propaganda intended to criminalize a persecuted community.
• This labeling serves as a deflection tactic to avoid international pressure for the safe, voluntary repatriation of refugees that Myanmar has consistently stalled since 2017.
• The UN and the International Court of Justice (ICJ) have previously identified the Myanmar military’s actions against the Rohingya as having genocidal intent, contradicting the junta's current narrative.

Strategic Deflection

• Myanmar has failed to honor the 2017 bilateral repatriation agreement, citing no progress on citizenship, safety, or freedom of movement for returnees.
• The "terrorist" list lacks any public evidence, trial, or independent verification, echoing previous junta tactics to frame the entire population as an security threat.
• By branding refugees as dangerous, the junta aims to shift the burden of the crisis onto Bangladesh and halt international demands for accountability.

The Human Cost and International Obligation

• Bangladesh has hosted over 1 million refugees, enduring significant environmental and social strain while providing humanitarian relief.
• Sending refugees back to a country that labels them terrorists and refuses them basic citizenship rights remains a death sentence.
• International bodies, including the UN and ASEAN, have issued resolutions and consensuses for peace and safe return that the junta continues to ignore.

Recommended Actions

• Myanmar must repeal the discriminatory 1982 Citizenship Law and allow independent monitors in Rakhine State.
• The international community must refuse to legitimize the junta's narrative and instead uphold legal findings regarding genocide and human rights.
• Global pressure must remain focused on holding perpetrators accountable and ensuring the right of the Rohingya to return in safety and dignity.