Rohingya Diaspora Organizations Issue Global Open Letter to the United Nations and Member State Ambassadors
In a unified and unprecedented move, leading Rohingya diaspora organizations from across the globe have jointly issued an Open Letter to the United Nations and Member State Ambassadors urging world leaders to reject any attempt to legitimize the Arakan Army (AA) and its political wing, the United League of Arakan (ULA).
The letter—formally delivered this week to UN missions in New York and Geneva, was endorsed by major Rohingya representative bodies, Together, they represent the collective voice of a people still enduring statelessness and exile after years of systematic persecution in Myanmar’s Arakan (Rakhine) State.
A Coordinated Counter to Deception
The joint statement was prompted by a recent 1,900-word “open letter” circulated by the Arakan Army and its affiliates seeking international recognition as a legitimate administrative authority. The diaspora coalition calls that appeal a “calculated deception”—an effort to launder the image of a group that United Nations and independent investigators have repeatedly tied to war crimes, narcotics trafficking, and ethnic cleansing.
Grounded in Verified Evidence
Drawing on official documentation—including the UN Human Rights Council report A/HRC/60/20, Human Rights Watch (22 August 2024), Fortify Rights (23 July 2025), and the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM, 2025)—the diaspora letter asserts that the Arakan Army has carried out “widespread and systematic attacks” against Rohingya civilians through shelling, drone strikes, abductions, and torture.
It further highlights the group’s deep involvement in the regional methamphetamine and human-trafficking economies, describing it as “a narco-security cartel masquerading as a political movement.”
Reclaiming the Narrative
In clear diplomatic language, the letter dismantles the Arakan Army’s self-portrayal as a “defender of Muslims” or “humanitarian authority.” It notes that no official AA statement has ever recognized the Rohingya by name and that communities under its control continue to face forced taxation, travel restrictions, and arbitrary detention.
“These are not acts of inclusion,” the signatories write, “but instruments of domination.”
Warning of Dangerous Consequences
The diaspora organizations caution that granting political legitimacy to the Arakan Army would have “disastrous consequences at every level.”
Legally, it would reward a group under active war-crimes investigation by international mechanisms, undermining the credibility of the ICC and the UN system itself.
Regionally, it would embolden a narcotics-driven militia to expand trafficking networks across South and Southeast Asia, threatening border security and humanitarian access.
Morally, it would formalize the erasure of the Rohingya people—turning genocide into governance.
A Call for Justice, Not Sympathy
While rejecting both the Myanmar military junta and the Arakan Army, the letter insists that lasting peace in Arakan must rest on inclusion, citizenship, and the rule of law. It calls on the UN and all governments to:
Reject any attempt to recognize or engage the AA/ULA as a governing authority.
(A)Support ongoing international investigations and expand targeted sanctions on AA leadership and financial networks.
(B) Guarantee impartial humanitarian access to all civilians.
(C) Ensure Rohingya participation in every credible peace or reconstruction framework.
The message closes with a measured but resolute appeal:
“We do not seek sympathy; we demand justice grounded in truth. The Rohingya people remain an integral part of Arakan’s fabric. Any vision for peace that excludes them is not peace—it is a blueprint for renewed catastrophe.”
Global Circulation Completed
The joint letter and its accompanying evidence dossier have now been circulated to all 193 UN Member States, major inter-governmental organizations, and key diplomatic missions in New York and Geneva. The submission coincides with the 50th session of the Human Rights Council, where Myanmar’s human-rights situation remains under review.
By taking this step, the Rohingya diaspora seeks not only to defend their people’s narrative but to restore moral clarity to international engagement on Myanmar.