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By: Kelly Hu
1.3 million. The population of Dallas. The population of the entire country of Estonia. The population of Rohingya refugees who have been targets of violent persecution. So far.
The Rohingya are an ethnic Muslim minority group that previously resided in the Rakhine State of Myanmar, a predominantly Buddhist country. The Rakhine State is the country’s least developed state, with high rates of poverty and the lack of quality infrastructure. In the past, the government has implemented countless discriminatory policies against the Rohingya including:
lack of access to full citizenship, declaring them foreigners in their own country
lack of sufficient representation in the Parliament
restrictions on marriage, education, religion, freedom of movement, family planning, etc.
Why are the refugees fleeing?
In 2017, the Myanmar military, who holds immense power over the government, began cracking down on the Rohingya. Thousands of Rohingya died after troops burned down their villages and began killing civilians. Countless cases of brutal violence and sexual assault against the Rohingya continue to this day.
Where are the refugees fleeing to?
The majority of Rohingya refugees-more than 900,000-have fled to Bangladesh, a nearby country in Southeast Asia. Bangladesh’s limited resources have left the refugees subject to disease outbreaks, lack of accessibility to water and shelter, lack of education, and sexual exploitation. The refugees are forced to reside in horrific conditions with no better alternative insight. The Rohingya have also fled to Malaysia, India, Thailand, and Indonesia, where they experience similar devastating situations.
What has the international community done in response to this crisis?
Targeted Sanctions: International human rights leaders such as the US and the United Nations (UN) have placed targeted sanctions on several Myanmar military officials who led the violent crackdown against the Rohingya. By freezing the international financial assets of individuals, these targeted sanctions sought to serve as economic leverage to put a stop to the human rights violations occurring. However, because these military officials also hold substantial economic power in the country, the weakening of economic ties between Myanmar officials and countries like the US through targeted sanctions have only pushed them closer to countries like China, a country who has not only historically supported Myanmar but is also not an upholder of human rights themselves.
Repatriation Attempts: For the past few years, numerous actors such as the Myanmar government (which is supposedly a separate entity from the military), Bangladeshi officials, and the UN have been making repatriation efforts, or attempting to return the refugees back to their original homes in Myanmar. However, these efforts have been consistently denied by the refugees themselves, who refuse to return unless their physical safety is guaranteed.
ICC Investigation: At the end of 2019, the International Criminal Court (ICC) authorized an investigation of the officials responsible for the human rights abuses committed in Myanmar. It was also mandated that Myanmar government officials hold the military accountable, but not much tangible action has been taken. Additionally, when considering the ICC’s current failure in holding officials accountable in the Philippines amidst their War on Drugs, many wonder whether their actions will truly be effective.
How is the COVID-19 pandemic impacting the refugees?
The coronavirus pandemic has ravaged every single corner of the globe. However, the Rohingya are in greater danger when it comes to this virus. The lack of basic supplies, sanitation, and healthcare in their overcrowded refugee camps put them at extremely high risk. At the point where countries like Bangladesh barely have the resources to handle a health crisis among its own people, it is abundantly clear that the Rohingya are almost completely unprotected amidst the pandemic. Although the number of cases and deaths due to COVID-19 have not surged yet amongst Rohingya refugee camps, they will certainly be severely impacted in the near future.
Human rights crises are tough issues to read about, discuss, and take action for. Despite the many obstacles heading their way, the international community must continue to help the Rohingya Muslims and hold the Myanmar military accountable for their actions. When the Rohingya are not able to fight for their own lives, it is up to the international community to fight for them.
Discussion Questions:
What other steps can the international community take to help the Rohingya?
How can we ensure that the accountability mechanisms of Myanmar military officials are actually effective?
Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, how can the international community best aid vulnerable groups such as the Rohingya?
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