Silent Victims of War and Transition: The Growing Vulnerability of the Elderly in Arakan

English | Myanmar

Introduction

(a) Main Focus

The acute difficulties and severe challenges of elderly people across Arakan amidst the ongoing armed conflict, specifically regarding their physical safety, livelihood and basic survival, as well as their mental and physical health

(b) Geographic Scope

17 townships of Rakhine State/Arakan

(c) Study Period

From May 2024 to September 2026

Background and Context

Since the resumption of armed conflict in Rakhine State, restrictions on transportation, movement, and humanitarian aid have subjected the local population to severe hardships. Among the affected population, the elderly have emerged as one of the most vulnerable groups, suffering the most acute impacts. Under Myanmar's existing laws, an 'elderly person' is legally defined as an individual who has reached or exceeded the age of 60.

Simultaneously with the outbreak of renewed clashes with the Arakan Army (AA) in Rakhine State, the military junta moved to exert strategic control over the entire region by completely imposing land and waterway blockades and severely restricting air travel. As a consequence of this renewed conflict, the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Rakhine State has surged, with elderly individuals among those forced to flee their homes.

As the conflict prolongs, civilians bear the severe brunt of war, particularly facing acute livelihood crises. Among the affected populations, vulnerable groups such as pregnant women, the elderly, and children are disproportionately impacted. Elderly people face similar challenges across both the areas still held by the military junta and the 15 townships controlled by the Arakan Army.

Even more severe is the predicament of elderly individuals who lack caregivers. Although Arakanese customs traditionally hold the elderly in high regard and veneration, the compounding crises have left some elderly people completely without adequate support or care, leaving them facing acute hunger and starvation.

This study is primarily based on reports published by local media outlets, findings from human rights organisations, statements issued by the United Nations and other international organisations, and interviews conducted by our Center for Arakan Studies (CAS).

Summary of Findings

May 2024

UN Reports Over 3 Million People Displaced Due to Fighting (Voice of Myanmar)

A statement released in the early morning of 4th May by the United Nations Office in Myanmar reported that the number of residents forced to flee their homes due to ongoing conflict in Myanmar has reached over three million.

In Rakhine State, approximately 356,000 individuals have been displaced. The United Nations emphasised the critical importance of ensuring aid reaches internally displaced persons (IDPs) in these areas as well as in other states and regions. Nationally, the statement highlighted that approximately 18.6 million people are currently in need of humanitarian assistance, with the three million displaced individuals struggling merely to survive.

June 2024

AA Vows Retaliation Against Junta for Byine Phyu Village Massacre (Western News)

The Arakan Army (AA) warned that it will retaliate against junta-led combined forces for detaining approximately 200 civilians from Byine Phyu Village in Sittwe Township and brutally torturing and executing 53 of them in a mass killing.

Furthermore, junta forces relocated some women, children, and elderly individuals permitted to leave Byine Phyu Village to the Wingaba Field near the Phayagyi in Sittwe Town, where they continue to be detained under inhumane conditions in makeshift shelters.

July 2024

33 Civilians, Including Women and Elderly, Missing in Thandwe and Ngapali (Western News)

In Thandwe Township, Rakhine State, where intense fighting is ongoing, 33 civilians, including women and elderly individuals, have been missing, without contact with ... Read More

| Download the full report to read more!