UN report says human rights in Myanmar hit new low amid Rohingya abuses and resource exploitation

A joint report released on Tuesday by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the International Crisis Group warns that systematic abuses against Rohingya communities and unchecked exploitation of natural resources are intensifying Myanmar’s humanitarian crisis. The assessment, based on field interviews, satellite imagery and analysis of government and corporate activities, concludes that violations of international law have become more pervasive since the military’s takeover in February 2021.

The document details a pattern of forced labor, arbitrary arrests and extrajudicial killings targeting Rohingya civilians in Rakhine State, alongside the expansion of illegal mining, timber extraction and hydro‑electric projects in the same region. Investigators cite at least 1,200 confirmed cases of rights violations over the past year and estimate that unregulated mining has generated revenues exceeding $200 million, much of which is funneled to armed groups and the junta. The report links these practices to deteriorating living conditions, displacement of over 100,000 Rohingya and heightened food insecurity, noting that the loss of arable land and water sources further hampers humanitarian assistance.

The findings call for immediate international monitoring, the enforcement of sanctions on entities benefiting from resource extraction, and the establishment of mechanisms to hold perpetrators accountable for crimes against the Rohingya. Stakeholders are urged to prioritize the protection of civilian populations and to ensure that any economic activity in conflict‑affected areas complies with human‑rights standards, aiming to halt the cycle of exploitation that deepens Myanmar’s crisis.