PanOrient News | Myanmar “collaborates” with the UN on repatriating the so-called Rohingya

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Myanmar “collaborates” with the UN on repatriating the so-called Rohingya

Tuesday, January 13, 2026

A camp in Rakhine
for the returnees

PanOrient News

YANGON: As the International Court of Justice opens its final hearings on Gambia’s case over Myanmar’s treatment of the so-called “Rohingya” population, Myanmar’s Foreign Ministry responded Tuesday with a statement highlighting its ongoing work with United Nations organizations.

“Myanmar has held discussions with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees on matters relating to the repatriation of displaced persons from Rakhine State, including cooperation under the tripartite Memorandum of Understanding with UNDP and UNHCR, and practical arrangements to facilitate safe, voluntary and dignified returns where conditions permit,” the Foreign Ministry stated.

Gambia alleges that Myanmar violated the Genocide Convention in its treatment of the so-called “Rohingya” Muslims and in its management of the return of displaced persons from Rakhine State to Bangladesh.

The Ministry stressed that, even amid persistent challenges in the region, Myanmar is joining forces with Bangladesh and international partners to tackle humanitarian and displacement issues in northern Rakhine State.
Myanmar has repeatedly pledged to help those displaced from Rakhine State return from camps in Bangladesh. To back this promise, Myanmar and Bangladesh have sealed their cooperation with a formal agreement.

Following the Ministry’s statement, some observers questioned the strength of the Gambian case, arguing there is insufficient evidence to support the genocide claims and that the classification of the “Rohingya” group is artificial.

"The Gambian side claims that hundreds or even thousands of Rohingyas were systematically killed, but they have not provided evidence of mass graves, except for those of the Hindu Bengalis killed by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA)," a Yangon-based expert told PanOrient News.

He further pointed out that the Rohingyas lack official recognition as a distinct ethnic group or race, a fact he believes weakens the case against Myanmar.

The Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), formerly known as Harakah al-Yaqin (“Faith Movement”), is a Rohingya insurgent group operating primarily in northern Rakhine, Myanmar. The Myanmar government designates ARSA as a “terrorist” organization and accuses it of involvement in the killings of civilians.

The Ministry argued that reports relying on questionable evidence distort the reality on the ground. It voiced confidence that the Court will weigh the facts fairly and reach a decision rooted in truth and the Genocide Convention. The Ministry also assured that Myanmar’s representatives will present their case to the Court with thoroughness and accuracy. (PanOrient News)