Erased in Silence: The Ongoing Genocide and Struggle for Rohingya Survival
The Rohingya genocide in Myanmar is a frightening testament to how far humanity can fall when hatred and discrimination are allowed to fester unchecked. The genocide currently stands as one of the most mortifying human rights crises of the 21st century. The Rohingya, a Muslim minority group residing in the Rakhine State of Myanmar have been facing systematic persecution for decades. More recently, this persecution has escalated into intense episodes of violence, displacement, and denial of basic human rights. Due to Myanmar’s military and nationalist parties, the Rohingyas have suffered mass killings, sexual violence, burning of homes, and forcing millions to flee to countries like Bangladesh. Ultimately, this is ethnic cleansing, charged by persistent racism, which has not only violated the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, but also left millions in need of humanitarian aid. Regardless of global outcry, the atrocities have continued, raising pressing questions about who’s responsibility it is to intervene and protect such populations from genocide and violence.
The roots of the genocide goes back decades, entrenched in the country’s complicated history of ethnic and religious divisons. The Rohingya are a Muslim minority group who have lived in the Rakhine State for centuries, however, Myanmar’s government has refused to recognize them as one of the country’s 135 official ethnic groups. The 1982 Citizenship Law left the Rohingya stateless, stripping them of their citizenship and basic rights in the country. Tensions between the Buddhist majority and the Rohingya Muslim minority have intensified over the years, fueled by nationalism, religious extremism and xenophobia. In consequence, the Rohingya have been systematically marganislied, facing restrictions on human rights, including movement, education, healthcare, and employment, which all laid the framework for the escalation into a genocide.
The situation escalated dramatically in August of 2017, when Myanmar’s military launched a crackdown in response to attacks by the Arakan Salvation Army (ARSA) on police camps. The military which is backed by local militas, began ethnic cleansing, identified by mass killings, gang rapes, and the burning of whole villages. Eyewitness reports describe soldiers shooting arbitrarily, slaughtering men, women, and children, while survivors described horrifying acts of sexual violence. These atrocities were carried out with the precision to erase the Rohingya population from their homeland. Within months, millions of Rohingya refugees have found temporary shelter in neighboring countries like Bangladesh. The ‘Cox’s Bazar’ refugee camp currently hosts over a million people, making it the largest refugee camp in the world. However, the conditions are alarming, with overcrowding, lack of sanitation, and limited access to basic necessities such as food, clean water, and adequate medical care. Thousands of children lack access to education, and the risk of disease outbreaks remains very high.
The genocide against the Rohingya population has violated fundamental human rights on various levels. The military’s campaign has involved groundless killings, sexual violence, and torture, all targeting civilians. Women and girls have been particularly vulnerable, subjected to mass rape as a instrument of fear. Entire villages have been burned down, leaving thousands homeless. However, the violence extends beyond the physical. The denial of Rohingya citizenship and their banishment from social and political life in Myanmar are clear violations of their rights to nationality and self identity. The international response to the Rohingya genocide has been a mix of condemnation and neglect. While the United Nations and other human rights organizations have called for accountability, significant intervention has been slow. Countries such as the United States and Canada have implemented targeted sanctions against Myanmar’s military leaders, but China and Russia’s support for Myanmar have complicated global efforts due to geopolitical factors. However, the case taken to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) by Gambia, accusing Myanmar of genocide, has offered some hope for justice. Regardless, the speed of immediate action and the continued displacement of the Rohingya underscores the failures of the international community to adequately respond to one of the largest human rights crises in recent history.
The future of the Rohingya population remains dangerously uncertain. Myanmar’s refusal to grant citizenship to the group in addition to lastingracism and religious prejudice fosters serious concerns and doubts about the possibility of their safe return home. Without a collective global effort, the Rohingya are at risk of being permanently displaced, stateless, and without the rights and protections they need. As the world continues to watch this atrocity unfold, the need for justice and human rights protections has never been more urgent. The Rohingya people deserve more than compassion – they deserve protection and the repair of their human rights. This genocide is a reminder that only with international commitment and cooperation are we able to guarantee that populations are able to reconstruct their life with safety and hope for a future.
Image courtesy of Seyyed Mahmoud Hosseini via Wikimedia Commons, ©2017. Some rights reserved.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the wider St. Andrews Foreign Affairs Review team.
