Persecution of the Rohingya: The Truth Behind the Crisis

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When I asked myself the question – What is the truth behind the persecution of the Rohingya people? – I thought I may be able to find an answer. I am sad to say, I only found a lot more questions. So, in this article, I have highlighted 7 issues I consider being of the utmost importance.

• Crimes against humanity go unpunished
• 1.5 million Rohingya people are forced to live in exile
• Violent confrontation between Rohingya Muslims and Rakhine Buddhists cause hundreds of deaths
• Rohingya people are deprived of citizenship and the most basic liberties
• Classified as illegal immigrants makes it impossible for Rohingya to get work
• Rohingya people are denied their history and the right to live where they do. Indications of genocide.
• No reasons were given for Aung San Suu Kyi’s refusal to support the Rohingya rights.

Who are the Rohingya?

The Rohingya are a Muslim minority group in Myanmar, facing a long history of severe discrimination, persecution, and violence at the hands of Myanmar authorities. Their citizenship rights have been denied, making them one of the world’s most persecuted peoples. Since August 2017, an estimated 700,000 Rohingya fled Myanmar to Bangladesh, seeking refuge in overcrowded camps following escalated episodes of violence.

Considered stateless foreigners by the Myanmar government, the Rohingya have faced decades-long persecution. Their requests for autonomy and citizenship rights have been systematically rejected, making their social, economic, and political status vulnerable. Amnesty International has reported that the Myanmar military has not only caused numerous deaths but has also been involved in the rape and abuse of Rohingya women and girls.

An estimated 600,000 Rohingya who remain in Rakhine State continue to suffer from government persecution They are confined to camps and villages, denied freedom of movement, and are denied access to basic services and necessities.

The situation for Rohingyas remains dire, with little improvement in sight.

Racism and Ethnicity rear their ugly heads in Myanmar

"Very few had heard of Rwanda until 800,000 people were dead. And right now in Burma, the Rohingya people are being massacred --they’re even beheading tiny children. Shockingly, the army behind the killing is supported by countries like Britain, Germany and Italy"  

Avaaz

Conflict and Violence

1978 Exodus and Repatriation

In 1978, the persecution of Rohingya people took a significant turn, and large numbers of Rohingyas fled Myanmar to Bangladesh. The mass exodus occurred as a result of the military’s crackdown on the Rohingya population called Operation King Dragon. This operation led to widespread fear, violence, and human rights violations.

An estimated 200,000 to 250,000 Rohingyas made their way across the border into Bangladesh. However, many of them returned to Myanmar later that year through a bilateral repatriation agreement between Myanmar and Bangladesh.

1991-1992 Displacement

The Rohingya crisis intensified during the early 1990s when another crackdown by Myanmar’s authorities led to the displacement of an estimated 250,000 Rohingyas to Bangladesh. This crackdown on the Rohingyas, known as Operation Clean and Beautiful Nation, resulted in large-scale human rights abuses, including forced labour, torture, rape, and extrajudicial killings.

Although repatriation agreements were set up between Bangladesh and Myanmar, forcing Rohingyas to return was problematic. Many faced difficulties receiving Myanmar citizenship or facing more persecution upon their return.

2012 Rakhine State Violence

The 2012 Rakhine State violence marked a significant increase in the persecution of Rohingyas in Myanmar. It started as intercommunal violence between Rohingyas and Rakhines, a primarily Buddhist community, in June 2012. This followed the rape and murder of a Buddhist woman by three Rohingya men. The incident sparked communal clashes, and several hundred people were killed, and thousands of properties destroyed.

The events later escalated into large-scale violence against Rohingyas, displacing around 140,000 Rohingyas and pushing them into camps for internally displaced persons (IDP) in Rakhine State. There, they were confined and denied access to basic human rights, such as healthcare, education, and livelihood opportunities. Many Rohingya fled to neighbouring Bangladesh or tried to escape to other countries.

2016-2017 Rohingya Crisis

The 2016-2017 Rohingya crisis was a turning point for the systematic persecution of the Rohingya people. Following attacks on Myanmar border police posts by the insurgent group Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), the Myanmar military launched a brutal crackdown on Rohingya civilians, which the UN described as a textbook example of ethnic cleansing.

Within weeks, more than 700,000 Rohingya fled to Bangladesh, escaping violence, rape, and arson. Source BBC News reported that at least 6,700 Rohingyas, including 730 children under the age of five were killed during the initial month of the crisis. This devastating humanitarian crisis forced Bangladesh, already struggling with its resources, to establish massive refugee camps.

Aung San Suu Kyi Refused to Support Rohingya Rights

Amidst the worsening Rohingya crisis, Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar’s de facto leader at the time and a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, faced international criticism for refusing to condemn the military’s brutal crackdown on the Rohingyas. Her government denied allegations of widespread human rights abuses and rejected the findings of international investigation teams.

Aung San Suu Kyi’s refusal to acknowledge or support the Rohingyas’ rights further exacerbated the crisis, leading to a loss of global support and the increased isolation of Myanmar on the international stage.

Persecution of the Rohingya people leads to Exodus

An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.

Ghandi

In February of 2017 Myanmar chief of general staff Mya Tun Oo  said at least 160 people were killed in the conflict between the armed forces and ethnic armed groups in Shan during the last three months.

Also in the same month, U.N. human rights investigators said – Myanmar security forces are very likely to have committed crimes against humanity against Rohingya Muslims in recent months.

One and a half million Rohingya people live in exile around the world. Events suggest that the persecution of the Rohingya is worsening and there is little likelihood of improvement in the short term. Myanmar’s democratic reforms will not be helped by the continuing humanitarian crisis.

The Muslim Rohingya minority live in the western state of Rakihine (Arakan) bordering Bangladesh. Arakan was neither part of Bangladesh or Burma until 1784 and the Rohingya are natives of that region (approximately 2 million)

The violent confrontation between the Rohingya Muslims and Rakhine Buddhists has led to the displacement of 140,000. And more than 200 were killed, most of them Rohingya. International aid agencies were expelled from Rakhine (Arakan) in March 2014. It appears the situation has not improved significantly since then.

Human Rights Abuses

Neither Myanmar, neighbouring Bangladesh or Thailand want these stateless people. Nor do they appear to recognise that they have any rights. That shows their claim to citizenship of Myanmar is unjustified and needs clarification.

Is the Rohingya claim justified?

I found it difficult to know who or what to believe when I first watched Al-Jazeera’s 2012 documentary video. It’s about the Rohingya Muslims living in Rakhine (Arakan) in 2014. The UN said the Rohingya people are deprived of citizenship and the most basic liberties (which Myanmar denies). They are classified as illegal immigrants and are denied identity cards which are essential for work, housing and travel. They claim they are Myanmar citizens and are arguably one of the most persecuted marginalised groups in the world.

Ethnic Cleansing and Genocide Allegations

Is the persecution of the Rohingya ethnic cleansing, a form of hidden genocide, religious or a human rights violation? And has it had too little international exposure?

The Rohingya people, a predominantly Muslim ethnic group from Myanmar’s Rakhine State, have faced significant human rights abuses in recent years, which have led to allegations of ethnic cleansing and genocide. They have suffered violence, displacement, and persecution at the hands of Myanmar’s military forces (OHCHR) . This has led to a mass exodus of Rohingya people, with over 400,000 fleeing into neighbouring Bangladesh (OHCHR).

Is the Persecution of the Rohingya genocide?

The term genocide refers to the deliberate and systematic destruction of a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group. Given the severity and scale of human rights abuses against Rohingya people in Myanmar, some international observers and human rights organisations have raised concerns that these acts may constitute genocide. However, determining whether the actions of Myanmar’s military forces is tantamount to genocide would require a thorough legal analysis and assessment by international courts or tribunals.

Treatment of Women and Children

Rohingya women and children have been particularly affected by the crisis. They have experienced sexual violence, extortion, and torture at the hands of Myanmar’s military forces (OHCHR) . Many displaced Rohingya women and children are now living in dire conditions in overcrowded refugee camps in Bangladesh. The lack of access to basic services such as healthcare and education further exacerbates the suffering of these vulnerable groups.

Restriction of Rights

The Rohingya have faced widespread discrimination and restrictions on their basic rights in Myanmar. The estimated 600,000 Rohingya who remain in Rakhine State are subject to government persecution, confined to camps and villages without freedom of movement, and cut off from access to services (Human Rights Watch) . As a stateless people, the Rohingya are not recognised as citizens in Myanmar, creating legal obstacles that prevent them from accessing opportunities, protection, and essential services.

Will the persecution of the Rohingya destroy them?

It looks increasingly like the intention is to destroy the Rohingya as an ethnic group. Taking measures to restrict movement, marriage and births and denying people’s identity is bad enough. Add to that, denying their history and denying the legitimacy of their right to live where they do. Then you have indications of genocide, which is of great concern.

Former Myanmar President Thein Sein considered most Rohingya to be illegal immigrants, as did Bangladesh. Does that mean they should be deported or sent to refugee camps? It appears so.

Myanmar icon Aung San Suu Kyi refused to support the rights of the Rohingya to citizenship and was silent about their problems. The reasons are unexplained. Why?

Whatever your views or feelings about the Rohingya and this long-running conflict may be, denial of basic human rights can never be acceptable.

The Guardian’s expose on the Thai fishing industry’s exploitation of the Rohingya is an apparent violation of Human Rights, and makes for sad reading.

This is just another example of how difficult the human race finds it to live together in harmony.

When there is no trust, we live in fear. Paranoia sets in and we believe everyone is a threat. And as all this goes on, millions die of hunger while we waste enough food in one year to feed the total world population.

Maybe we need new human rights, a simple plan for repairing our society

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