Rohingya Issues _ National & International Perspectives

8/3/2019 Rohingya Issues _ National & International Perspectives

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Rohingya Issues:

National & International Perspectives

Mahbubul Haque


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Introduction

The Rohingya people of Burma an ethnic group existing in a state

of national limbo, are one of the most severely affected

communities living under the military regime in a country where

human rights abuse and suffering is the norm.

The systematic human rights abuses towards the Rohingya are

committed with intent to destroy this particular minority

community. Since 1948, about 1.5 million Rohingya people have

either been expelled or have had to flee the country to escapepersecution. Most of them are found in Bangladesh, Pakistan,

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Thailand and

Malaysia. They are vulnerable without any status in those countries.

(Islam, 2006, Report submitted to the Conservative Party Human

Rights Commission at UK)

Neither civil society organizations nor UN bodies and other

international organizations properly addressed this issue since last

two decades.


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Who are the Rohingya?The Rohingyas are genetically related to Bengalis, Indians,

Arabs and Moors, reflected in their darker skin and South Asian

appearance, in contrast to the Southeast Asian appearance of

recognised national groups in Burma.The Rohingyas are one of the two major indigenous people

of Rakhine State (historically known as Arakan; other ethnic

community is Rakhine Buddhists), the western province of

Burma.The North Rakhine State is situated in the South and South

East Asian junction.


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The treatment of Rohingya in Burma

The State Peace and Development Council (SPDC, Burmasgovernment) rejects the existence of a separate ethnic group called"Rohingya". The Rohingya are not considered to be a national ethnicgroup as provided by sec. 3 of the 1982 law, and members of the

Rohingya population are therefore ineligible for full citizenship.(AI, 2004)

The vast majority of Rohingyas are effectively denied Burmesecitizenship; subjected to severe restrictions on freedom ofmovement; forced labour; forced evictions; and extortion andarbitrary taxation.

The Military regime has declared the Rohingyas as non-nationalsin utter disregard of their history, glorious past and establishmentin the country.

Planned increase in Buddhist settlements has caused seriousdemographic changes in northern Rakhine (Arakan). It hassystematically got rid of the Rohingya population. In 1983 themilitary regime had declared certain townships in Rakhine such as

Gwa, Paung Nagunt and Taung-gut as Muslim free zone.


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Rohingyas are banned from travelling from one place to another,

even within same locality, without a pass.

The authorities impose very high rates of taxation on the foodgrains and every item they produce.

The Rohingyas have to provide slave labour to build military

establishments, roads, bridges embankments and pagodas.

Since the promulgation of the Burma Citizenship Law in 1982,Rohingya students have been denied the right to education.

The Rohingyas are banned from getting married and founding a

family. No marriage permission has been granted since March 2005.

Burma is not state party to most international human rightstreaties. Amnesty International has consistently urged the SPDC toaccede to these treaties. However, the fact that the SPDC has not

done so does not release it from its obligation to respectfundamental human rights which, being provided for undercustomary international law, are binding on all states.


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History of Influx to Bangladesh

The Burma Citizenship Law of 1982, which violates several fundamental

principles of customary international law standards, has reduced them toa position ofdefacto statelessness.

1982

100,000 Rohingya Muslims were massacred during World War II. A large

number of their settlements were uprooted. (Siddique, 2007)

1942

Some Refugees were resettled in Canada as part of a pilot resettlement

programme. (Wipperman T. & Haque M. 2007)

2007

UNHCR stops individual volrep interviews in August 1994, as thousands

return to Burma each week. After this date reports of forced repatriation

increase.

1994

By November, 50000 refugees had been forcibly returned. (Wipperman T.

& Haque M. 2007)

1993

Third refugee influx with 250,000 persons hosted in 21 camps in

Bangladesh

1992

Dragon King operation in Burma causes second refugee influx (200,000

persons)

1978

Muslims in Northern Rakhine State (Arakan) are given Foreign instead of

National Registration Cards.

1974

Arakan became a province of independent Burma. Since then Rohingyas

have been driving out of Burma and now living in exile as refugees.

(Siddique, 2007)

1948


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The Rohingya in Bangladesh

The Rohingya have been leaving their home country for 30 some

years now. They have gone to many different countries, but the

biggest choice for them is Bangladesh. There, the Rohingya

experience even more difficulty, as the Rohingya are severely poorand have little rights given to them as refugees.

The Bangladeshi government has never formally given them refugee

status, and have forced many of them out of the country.

Around 230,000 of the refugees have been repatriated to Burma,

but approximately 20,000 remain in the UNHCR administered camps.

At least 100,000 Rohingya are believed to be in Bangladesh outside

the camps and with no official status as refugees (MSF-Holland).


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The Sufferings of Rohingya People in BangladeshThe population density of the Rohingya community is so high, and

this has an impact on the general status of healthcare.

Mobility is restricted, with employment outside the camp

forbidden.Refugees International noted that most Rohingyas become day

labourers, undercutting the daily wage from 50 taka to around 80taka.

The Rohingya children brought up in a different culture and povertyover last two decades, which created a generation with lack ofcultural identity along with mentally and socially deprivedgeneration.

It is alarming that as this issue was not properly addressed by thestate and civil society, the Rohingya have also become a source ofanti-social activities.


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Concerning Issues

Although the Rohingya issue belongs to Burma, but it affects

Bangladesh the most because of its close border with Burma.

Bangladesh Government has failed to raise the issue in international

level.

The bilateral relationship between Bangladesh and Burma isobsessed with its economic prospects, the government successively

down played the problem as a repatriation matter only that

overshadowed the Rohingya issue.


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The Rohingya in Malaysia

There are approximately 40000 Rohingya people who are seeking

political asylum.

Rohingya refugees in Malaysia are still categorised as illegal

migrants.

The Rohingya in Malaysia face arrest, detention, and deportation.

Rohingya refugees and asylum seekers in Malaysia cope with

difficult living conditions. They have little access to basic services

like heath care, have to pay double the hospital fees of local

Malaysians.


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The biggest perpetrator of abuses against the Rohingyas inMalaysia is the Peoples Volunteer Corps or RELA. RELA usesextreme tactics, including paying volunteers for eachundocumented migrant they arrest.

Malaysian Government does not play pro-active role with UNHCR.

UNHCR is the sole provider of protection to refugees and asylumseekers in Malaysia, and along with a few local NGOs.

Malaysia has not signed the 1951 Refugee Convention or its 1967Protocol and the Government of Malaysia does not distinguishbetween refugees, asylum seekers, and illegal migrants.

(Sources: Refugee International: May, 2007 & Forward: December2007)


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The Rohingya in Thailand

Thailand is the one of the main destinations for politicaldissidents, ethnic minorities and all other groups suffering underthe control of the SPDC military regime.

An estimated that around 20000 Rohingyas work as illegal workersin Thailand. (Siddique, 2006)

The Grassroots Human Rights Organization (GHRO) which is tryingto assist this group. GHRO mentioned in their report that due togross violation of human rights this community are expelled from

Burma, at the same time most of them had no identification papersas citizen of Burma (San, 2007).

More Rohingyas, boat riding refugees from Northern Rakhine stateof Burma, arrested again near Ra Nong, Thailand. As a result, this

group of people also faced charges of entering Thailand illegally andsubsequently deported.


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Thailand is not a party to the 1951 United Nations Convention onthe Status of Refugees (Refugee Convention), the maininternational treaty for the protection of refugees, and lacks anadequate legal framework for determining refugee status.

Rohingya in other countries:

Many Rohingya people have migrated to Pakistan, Saudi Arab and

other middle east countries.


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Suggestions:Civil society and media should come forward and act proactively

for raising awareness among the mass people and government to

address the Rohingya issue properly and adequately.

As a member of the UN Human Rights Council, especially GoBshould prove its commitment to the refugees protection by

taking immediate action to end their abuse and exploitation.

To take measures for peaceful co-existence with Rakhine people

and all other communities in Arakan as well as in Burma.

To take measures internationally for repatriation from their

refugee places and their rehabilitation in their original places.

As part of civil society, Human Rights organizations should reachinternational level consensus through national level dialog with

aiming to incorporate Rohingya issue into Burmas current

democratic movement.


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Resettlement programme can be initiated from western countries(Canada, which received over thousands refugees a year).

As regional body ASEAN can push the Burmese present regime to

resolve this issue as soon as.

Other international bodies such as SAARC, OIC, BISMTEC may playpositive role regarding Rohingya issue in their own perspective.

GoB should allow international organizations to implement better

facilities for both camp and non-camp refugees and support the

establishment of better educational and skills trainingprogrammes for Rohingya community.


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Thank You

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Rohingya Issues _ National & International Perspectives