Women and children burnt alive, widespread rape and abductions: new report details the harrowing testimonies of Rohingya children.

Save the Children urges Canada to step up pressure to end extreme violence against children fleeing Myanmar and ensure funding for their full recovery, particularly for girls who have survived horrific sexual violence.

Chilling experiences of Rohingya children who fled their homes have been laid bare in a powerful new report released by Save the Children today.

‘Horrors I will never forget’ paints a disturbing picture of the systematic violence, rape, abductions and forced evictions faced by many of the 600,000 Rohingya who arrived in Bangladesh since August 25 this year, almost 60 percent of whom are children.

Among them is 16-year-old Shadibabiran* who told Save the Children staff in Bangladesh, “Some soldiers took me and two other girls into a house. They hit me in the face with a gun, kicked me in my chest and stamped on my arms and legs. Then I was raped by three soldiers. They raped me for about two hours and at some stage I fainted.”

Twenty-four-year-old Rehema* revealed how she had witnessed a woman and a baby being burnt alive. “I saw a soldier pour gasoline over a heavily pregnant woman. Then he set her on fire,” she said. “Another soldier ripped a baby from his mother’s arms and threw him into the fire. His name was Sahab* and he was not even one year old. I will never forget their screams.”

Save the Children staff conducted a range of in-depth interviews with children and women for the report. Every account painted another picture of horror.

“Almost every child has seen and experienced things that no child ever should. They have told us of massacres, multiple rapes, abductions and seeing family members burnt alive,” said Save the Children chief executive Bill Chambers, who is travelling to visit the aid agency’s Rohingya refugee response in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh next week.

“With more than half of all refugees under the age of 18, this is a children’s emergency. Many of these children are deeply traumatized by what they have experienced, and are now living somewhere that is no place for a child.”

Save the Children has welcomed Canada’s strong stance on putting an end to the violence and human rights violations in Myanmar, on the need for accountability, and the humanitarian assistance provided. With the widespread accounts of grave violations against children, including extreme sexual violence against women and girls, the aid agency is urging Canada to unequivocally condemn these acts against children, press for accountability, and include children’s protection needs amongst its top priorities in responding to this crisis.

“The plight of the Rohingya women and children must be front and centre of Canada’s diplomatic and humanitarian efforts in this crisis. Canada must leverage its feminist foreign policy to push for protection for Rohingya women and girls, many of whom have survived extreme violence.”

“Nothing should be off the table; all financial and diplomatic avenues available must be used to end the violence, protect those still at risk, bring perpetrators to justice, and provide the vital support children need to recover and rebuild their shattered lives” Mr Chambers said.

The release of the report comes following Prime Minister Trudeau’s increased engagement on the crisis, meeting Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi in Vietnam, appointing the Honorable Bob Rae as Special Envoy to Myanmar, and announcing additional funding for the humanitarian response. The Special Envoy has also visited the region, urging Canada to provide continued support to children, and pushing for the perpetrators of these abuses to be held to account.

*Name changed to protect identity

ENDS

Notes to editor:

• Save the Children has a long history working in Myanmar, including supporting displaced Rohingya in camps in Sittwe and Pauktaw and Rakhine communities in Pauktaw.
• The aid agency is responding in Cox’s Bazaar, Bangladesh, where it has reached over 230,000 Rohingya through distributions of food, shelter and household items, provision of medical care and malnutrition screening and treatment, and child protection activities.