Credits: Bangladesh 2017 © Pablo Tosco
The persecution of the Rohingya has resulted in the displacement and death of millions across Southeast Asia. The situation, which has its roots in decades-long ethnic and religious conflicts, worsened in 2017 after the Myanmar military commenced an armed operation that resulted in mass violations of human rights, widespread violence, and a large-scale exodus. After being refused citizenship and denied their fundamental rights, Rohingyas relocated to neighbouring nations such as Bangladesh, Indonesia, and Thailand. The plight of the community has received global condemnation. They have been subject to violations of international human rights law which amount to ethnic cleansing. It is a complex and ongoing humanitarian issue. External parties have faced challenges in finding a long-term solution.
The British Empire moved the Rohingya to Myanmar from India and Bangladesh during its near century of total rule over the subcontinent. The Rohingya were rendered stateless after the British left, effectively making their migration illegal. The community has since been dealing with questionable citizenship policies, which many Rohingyas (and Rohingya leaders) will not endorse.
Widespread persecution created many second-generation refugees, who mostly reside in Bangladesh, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Thailand. Bangladesh hosts the largest number of refugees, estimated at more than 900,000 by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
In the past, numerous efforts were made to make the repatriation of the Rohingya refugees possible, but the political situation in Myanmar currently prevents this. The Myanmar military has been accused of genocide. Myanmar’s former leader (and Nobel Peace Prize winner), Aung San Suu Kyi, denied these allegations in 2019. Her government also refused to recognize the Rohingya community as an ethnic group. Two years later, Aung San Suu Kyi’s government was toppled by a military coup. The plight of the Rohingya people knows no bounds: without land, identity, and their fundamental rights, they are forced to live from refugee camp to refugee camp and from country to country. According to UN investigators, the military crackdowns in Rakhine state killed as many as 10,000 Rohingyas.
One reason why Bangladesh is hosting more than 900,000 refugees (not out of their own free will) is that they share their eastern border with Myanmar. Refugees have expressed discontent with new obstacles to mobility, employment, and education in Bangladesh. Similarly, Rohingya shop owners have also complained about being harassed by the Bangladeshi authorities. Another sad fact is that the government has relocated about a million refugees to a distant island, Bhasan Char, where they are at constant risk of flooding, waterborne diseases, and food shortages. Authorities claim this decision is the solution to overcrowding in refugee camps.
Refugees have also been blamed for issues like drug trafficking, which predates their arrival. The minority community also faces growing disdain from local media groups that engage in anti-refugee rhetoric. Former UNHCR official Michelle Bachelet, during her visit to Bangladesh, showed her concern with the growing narrative that stigmatizes the Rohingyas with criminal labels. She urged the Bangladeshi public to counter false information with facts.
The official response from Bangladesh has stayed consistent. They have promoted the safe and secure repatriation of Rohingyas back to Myanmar. Sheikh Hasina Wajid, Bangladesh’s premier, stated in her speech to the United Nations (UN) that the ongoing situation has created major repercussions for the country’s security, economy, and socio-political landscape. It is worth mentioning here that not much progress has been made on the repatriation pact signed between Myanmar and Bangladesh in 2017. Recently, China brokered a meeting between two states to discuss the plan. Leaders from the Rohingya community are wary that upon going back, they will face persecution from Myanmar authorities. Khin Maung, an eminent leader of the Rohingya community, maintains that they would be interested in returning home if the Myanmar government assured them that it would relocate them to their states of origin and respect their rights. The community leaders have also attached the condition of citizenship to their possible agreement with the repatriation plan. The ongoing conflict in Myanmar has not helped either party with the relocation process for refugees; instead, it has further stalled the efforts.
In recent times, the situation has worsened, with refugees fleeing Bangladesh and landing in Indonesia. Human traffickers are preying on the misery of these people. The traffickers offer safe passage to either Indonesia or Malaysia, then use blackmail to demand more money to ensure their safe travel. There is no choice for the refugees. Due to a lack of travel resources, the Rohingyas are forced into the traffickers’ frail boats, where scores of people are crammed into small spaces, often without water or food. Refugees face prejudice in Indonesia. The local residents imagine refugees will deprive them of resources, like land and jobs.
It is surprising to note that Indonesia is not a signatory to the 1951 UN Refugee Convention. Countries like Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, and Malaysia are also non-signatories to the Refugee Convention, yet they host some of the largest refugee communities. This is partly because they are near Myanmar and migrating within South/Southeast Asia is comparatively easier than migrating to Europe. Developing nations like Pakistan and Bangladesh struggle with the gross mismanagement of allocated funds and other governance issues. Because of these internal problems, terrorist groups and human smugglers find it easy to exploit poor and neglected refugees.
The United Nations strives for the safe repatriation of the Rohingya back to Myanmar, However, internal conflict and political instability in this military-led country make the idea of a dignified and sustainable return a far-fetched one.
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