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Madeline Mack

Phillips

AP Language and Composition

13 December, 2017

Persecution of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar

Myanmar, also known as Burma, is a predominantly Buddhist country. These Buddhist

are called Rakhines. Muslims are not the majority, Myanmar is heavily populated with Rohingya

Muslims. There are an estimated 1.1 million Rohingya Muslims previous to the 2016-2017 crisis

(Krol). The military is being ordered to commit inhumane acts on these Muslims to force them

out because they are seen as weak, disgusting, and a waste of resources since October of 2016.

Myanmar government is ignoring the facts and countries around Myanmar are starting to take

notice and action. The military tactics break society apart and put a huge rip within the

Myanmar society--serious action needs to be taken to save these innocent citizens.

Myanmar has many different religions being practiced such as, Buddhism, Christianity,

and Islam. Muslims have been present in Myanmar since the ninth century when Muslim sailors

married Burmese women and settled along the Burmese coast (Moore). According to Benjamin

Sawe, from the 16th to the 18th centuries, Muslims served in the Burmese army, again

intermarrying with Burmese women”(Moore). Myanmar was dominated by the military in 1962.

The 1974 “socialist constitution” was eliminated in 1988 (Sawe). Myanmar now practices

freedom of religion, to a certain extent. Under the law the practice of any religion is lawful but

not in reality. Muslims have been a huge part of the Myanmar society for many years but, they

are being treated as less than equals based on religion they practice.
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The Myanmar government focuses on militarism tactics but shockingly had a drastic

change in government. Since 1962 Myanmar has been controlled by the military but on March

15, 2016, for the first time in fifty-three years, a myanmar civilian was elected

president(Grieboski). Htin Kyaw was the man elected. Htin Kyaw has held many positions in

education, planning and treasury ministries in previous governments(Lewis). He was chosen

over a military nominee and the military is very highly regarded in the constitution(Lewis). The

community was a bedlam of shock. He was elected by the two houses of parliament(Chandler).

Even though Kyaw holds the highest position in government he is being controlled by Aung San

Suu Kyi, the leader of the National League for Democracy. The only reason Suu Kyi didn’t win

presidency is because there is a strict law that persons with a child whom obtain a foreign

citizenship cannot serve as president. Suu Kyi has stated that she is committed to human rights

but she will not condemn the persecution of the Rohingya Muslims (Grieboski). The military

continue to be powerful and force their way to the top.

The military have taken charge in Myanmar, they are performing inhumane acts of hatred

towards the muslim population. "The north of Myanmar's Rakhine state has been under

lockdown since October 2016, when the military launched a campaign to hunt down Rohingya

Muslims"(HRW). “International organizations as well Muslims bodies, including the

Organization of Muslim Conference have been doing nothing in regard to the brutal murders of

innocent Muslims”(Releases).The military are entering the everyday atmosphere of the Rohingya

Muslim community and killing, raping, and setting their property on fire. There have been many

accounts of these acts but the government continues to deny all allegations(Iranian). Countries

surrounding Myanmar are taking notice to these events and are starting to call out for help. Three
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people were appointed to be apart of the U.N. Team to investigate in Myanmar based on the

multiple complaints. The team was suppose to investigate, but was denied entry into

Myanmar(HRW). The "slow genocide" and "ethnic cleansing" was not able to be investigated

the UN team(Rohingya). Karachi chief Engr. Hafiz Naeem-ur- Rehman met with religious

scholars to organize a march to show the violations of basic human rights(Genocide). There are

also colossal protests happening in Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, and others against this horrid,

inhumane treatment Rohingya Muslims are receiving(Rohingya). On top of the killing, raping,

and arson, they are being arrested without justified reasoning, being forced into labor, they have

restrictions on travel outside of the village they reside in, there are “limitations on their access to

higher education” and there is a “prohibition from working as civil servants, including doctors,

nurses, or teachers”(Grieboski). After the creation of the 1982 Citizenship Law Rohingya cannot

acquire citizenship so they are not protected by the law which gives the government “justified”

reasoning to treat them as they please(Grieboski). Because of the lack of citizenship Rohingya

Muslims have no political , economic, or social rights(Grieboski). What is the real motivation for

this preposterous persecution?

The cause is not solely based on a hatred for the religion, there are other motives to this

unreasonable hatred. The majority of citizens are Buddhist, this entails different ideals, beliefs,

and mindsets from Muslims. This difference worries the Buddhists because of the Muslims

growing population even though there is a two child policy for the Rohingya population

(Grieboski). Muslims don't vote the same way as Buddhists because of their different values and

beliefs so Rakhines believe as if they are being politically betrayed by Muslims; this powers their

hatred. Resources in Myanmar are limited and Rakhines see Muslims as additional competitors
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for these limited resources so, instead of making a compromise they want to eliminate the

competition. The government is inhibiting Rakhines to do so.

Society is split by this powerful hatred running through the blood of the Myanmar

citizens. Rakhine Buddhists don't want to blend with Muslims and use both of their strengths to

enable the country to be a high functioning, powerful country. They would rather dominate every

aspect of the country. Eliminating Muslims from the community would be inhumane but also

decrease diversity. Diversity allows countries to function better, hold more ideals, and

experience more beauty than being filled with one religion. If the Muslims are no longer present

the Buddhist beliefs and ideals will no longer be challenged and they will fall into a pattern of a

non powerful society. If there is no one telling others they are wrong or to challenge their ideals

then the society will follow their continuous path. There will be no change for the better.

Muslims being eliminated from Myanmar won't just negatively affect the society, but

also the economy. Eliminating a substantial group of people puts a heavier burden of taxes on the

remaining citizens. Also, Muslim owned businesses will no longer be functioning so they are no

longer helping the economy prosper. Taking away a large group of people and discriminating

against them doesn't result in positive outcomes, but it produces harm. The society is broken

because of discrimination and it needs to be repaired in a quick manner.

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Works Cited

"Genocide in Myanmar: Religious scholars to support Jamaat-e-Islami's march - Press Release

issued by Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan." ​Pakistan News Releases​, 7 Sept. 2017. ​Infotrac

Newsstand​,

link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A503769876/GPS?u=rale84535&sid=GPS&xid=f1f026ce​.

Accessed 29 Nov. 2017

Grieboski, Joseph K. “New President in Myanmar, but Same Persecution of Rohingya?” ​TheHill​,

18 Mar. 2016,

thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/international/273523-new-president-in-myanmar-but-sam

e-persecution-of-rohingya.

"HRW Slams Myanmar for Blocking UN Team Probing Abuse of Muslims." ​FARS News

Agency​, 13

July 2017. ​Global Issues in Context​,

link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A508545414/GPS?u=rale84535&sid=GPS&xid=49d64868​.

Accessed 29 Nov. 2017.

"Iranian President Asks for EU's Help to Stop Massacre of Muslims in Myanmar." ​FARS News

Agency​, 19 Sept. 2017. ​Global Issues in Context​,

link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A505324012/GPS?u=rale84535&sid=GPS&xid=5a3c29a5​.

Accessed 29 Nov. 2017.

Krol, Nicola Smith; Charlotte. “Who Are the Rohingya Muslims? The Stateless Minority Fleeing
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Violence in Burma.” ​The Telegraph​, Telegraph Media Group, 5 Sept. 2017,

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/0/rohingya-muslims/.

Lewis, Simon. “Myanmar: Who Is Htin Kyaw, Burma's New President?” ​Time​, Time,

time.com/4258655/htin-kyaw-burma-myanmar-president-aung-san-suu-kyi/.

Moore, Diane L. “Islam in Myanmar.” ​Religious Literacy Project​,

rlp.hds.harvard.edu/faq/islam-myanmar.

"Rohingya: A People Condemned!" ​Kashmir Monitor​ [Srinagar, India], 14 Sept. 2017. ​Infotrac

Newsstand​,

link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A504408501/GPS?u=rale84535&sid=GPS&xid=6258f0c6​.

Sawe, Benjamin Elisha. “Religious Beliefs In Myanmar (Burma).” ​WorldAtlas​, 3 Oct. 2016,

www.worldatlas.com/articles/religious-beliefs-in-myanmar-burma.html.