The Rohingya Crisis

Ethnic Muslim minority group is seeking shelter after being prosecuted by the Myanmar’s government.

Introduction

Earlier, in 1970, Hundreds of Muslims were bolted from their places because of the biased decision made by Buddhist Government. Thereupon, migrates took the way towards Bangladesh while some of them went on to move into Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand. Reportedly, forces murdered, raped and even burnt the houses of people in such atmosphere of violence. On the other hand, forces were claiming that they carried a campaign to restore peace and firmness in the western stretch of Myanmar. A mass evacuation of people happened after the operation.

Rakhine state is the least developed state.

The Rohingya Muslims are the followers of Sunni thought of Islam. Before, this mass exodus happened in 2017, they people used to live in Rakhine State in Myanmar. They accounted for more than one-third of the population. Additionally, there remained massive gaps ethnically, socially, culturally, linguistically and religiously between Muslims and Buddhists.

Who Are The Rohingyas?

Earlier, Rohingya fled over there in 15^th century, when thousands of Muslims came from former Arakan Kingdom. Meanwhile, others arrived in 19^th and 20^th century when the state was governed by the British as a colony. At the moment, there are 135 ethnic classes living in Myanmar but since, its independence in 1948, Myanmar’s Government occasionally denied and refused to accept the claim of Rohingyan people as a separate ethnic group. Moreover, the officials consider themselves as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh however they can easily find the traces of roots of Rohingyans in Myanmar back centuries. Neither the Central Government nor the dominant Buddhist group Rakhine recognizes the “Rohingya” as a self identifying term. Owing to this that it will give them an independent political identity.

Legal Status

Additionally, the government denies giving them citizenship rights and as a result, majority of the population of this state owns no legal documentation. Consequently, this led them to be stateless in their own state. In 201, the government because of the backing of United Nations held a census. Comparatively, the government recognized them as a Rohingya minority but changed their status to Bengali immigrants for the reason that Buddhist nationalist threatened to boycott the census.

Why Are They Leaving?

Furthermore, the government has discriminated the group through restriction on marriage, family planning, education, religious choice and political openness. For example, in some parts of the state, Rohingya couples are only allowed to have two children. Meanwhile, Rohingyas have to get approval from the government to move at some other place.

Cause of the Recent Evacuation

After the attacks at the Police and Army posts in august 2017, clashes in Rohingya broke out. The government affirmed the ARSA as a terrorist organization and started the operations against it.

Thereupon, military mounted a brutal campaign that destroyed the houses and villages of thousands of Rohingyas and forced about 1 million people to leave Myanmar. Additionally, forces supposedly opened the fire and planted land mines near the Bangladeshi border used by Rohingya to move up there in Bangladesh.

Where is the Migrates Heading?

Most of the Rohingyas are fleeing towards Bangladesh. Bangladesh has limited resources and land to host. According to the UN, more than 950000 people are refugees in the country.

Another destination of these forcefully migrated people was Malaysia where they have no legal status to work. Consequently, they have no access to health and education. Reportedly, there are 62000 Rohingyas in Malaysia.

Indonesia provided emergency services and protection to the migrants from Myanmar. Al though, the number of migrants is small, international pressure settled Indonesia to help the Rohingyas.

Thailand as a neighboring country and a hub for smuggling served as a common transit point. Migrants arrived there on boats and then moved on towards Malaysia or Indonesia.

Reaction from Regional Powers

The protestors at that time gathered at Pakistan, India, Thailand, Indonesia and many other places against the brutality and stiffness shown by Myanmar’s authorities. Bangladesh assigned the killings as Genocide and asked the Myanmar to halt the campaign. Meanwhile South East Asian countries were not gathered on a single point and no statement or response of condemnation came from their sides.

Final Analysis

Myanmar is a naturally rich land. Specifically, the Rakhine state is rich in Carbon and Diamond minerals. By and Large, The United States responded to the Crisis and other powers as China and Russia held their remarks against brutality saying that this operation is just to restore the peace and any involvement in the internal affairs will damage the peace process conducted by Myanmar Officials. The super powers are playing a game over there. China is connected to Myanmar with border. Additionally, it wants to invest in withdrawing the massive amount of minerals from there. Thereupon, in my views it is the power war which is being played at the Rohingyan Soil.