EXCLUSIVE AT CAPTURE: THE INTERNATIONAL

COMMUNITY RESPONSE TO THE ROHINGYA

CRISIS

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 The Rohingya Crisis/ Genocide?
International Community's Response to the Rohingya Crisis
Myanmar is a multicultural and multi-religious country, the Bamar
(Burmese) make up nearly 70% of the total population. The Muslim
Rohingya, one of Myanmar's many ethnic groups, are primarily
concentrated in Rakhine (Arakan) State, which borders
Bangladesh. Although the UN government (1948-1962) recognized

these people as a distinct ethnic

group, the country's military
government's introduction of the
1982 Citizenship Act rendered
them stateless. The Rohingya
have frequently sought refuge in
Bangladesh, as well as many
other countries in the region and
beyond, as a result of systematic
human rights violations by
Myanmar authorities.

The Rohingya crisis refers to the

ongoing conflict and persecution of Myanmar's (formerly Burma's)
Muslim minority. The crisis has caused mass displacement,
violence, and violations of human rights, prompting international
concern and response. The crisis is a situation in which Myanmar's
Muslim minority, the Rohingya, is subjected to violence and
mistreatment.

The international community has reacted in various ways to assist.

They have provided food, water, and shelter to Rohingya refugees.
Diplomats from various countries have met with Myanmar's
government and the Rohingya people in an attempt to find a
solution. Some countries have imposed economic sanctions on
Myanmar to get them to stop mistreating their citizens. Countries
in the region, such as Bangladesh, have assisted refugees and
discussed possible solutions. People want the Rohingya to return
home, but only if they are safe and their rights are respected. The
international community is working to resolve this issue, but it
remains a significant challenge.

The international community's response to the Rohingya crisis

aims to provide humanitarian assistance, diplomatic engagement,
and accountability measures to address the violence and
mistreatment of Myanmar's Muslim minority, the Rohingya.

The Rohingya crisis stands as one of the most significant and

deeply troubling humanitarian tragedies of the 21st century. Despite
the Rohingya
being recognized
as a distinct
ethnic culture
instead of
protecting them
the Myanmar
government is
doing the
opposite making
them stateless
and trying to
erase their
ethnic identity.

The situation came to the fore in the early 2010s, when a ruthless
military campaign on the Rohingya minority worsened, resulting in
a massive humanitarian disaster. Thousands of Rohingyas have
been subjected to atrocities, including extrajudicial murders,
sexual abuse, and village destruction. As international media
exposed the atrocities taking place in Myanmar, the world's
attention was drawn to the plight of the Rohingya people, imploring
the international community to act decisively to alleviate their
suffering and punish offenders accountable.
 Aung San Suu Kyi the leader of
the democratic party faced
criticisms as her administration
has given increased power to
the Tatmadaw ( the armed
forces of Myanmar) in the
Rakhine region of Myanmar.
This operation is one of the
most brutal operations of
Myanmar's armed forces,
leading to the displacement of 18,000 Rohingyas1. It is also to be
noted that the villages were burnt.
The refugees also reported claims that they were subjected to
torture, raped by military officials, etc., but these allegations were
rejected by the Myanmar military and the government.
Who are the Rohingya?
The Rohingya are minorities from the Rakhine state of Burma now
known as Myanmar. When Burma got independence the citizenship
policy of their country made them stateless and denied access to
basic needs and rights
such as education,
shelter, medical facilities,
etc.
The Rohingyas as
described by the UN
Secretary-General
Antonio Guterres as “one
of the most discriminated
people in the world”2.
They represent a large
portion of Myanmar’s
population with the
majority living in the Rakhine state. The Rohingya have their
language, and culture and are descent of Arab traders and other
1
(Ismail & Evans, 2017)
2
(Myanmar Rohingya: What you need to know about the crisis, 2020)
groups who have been in the Rakhine region for years3.
According to the latest reports from the United Nations an
estimated 600,000 people live in the Rakhine state of Myanmar.
According to the reports 2017, there were almost close to 1 million
Rohingya living in Myanmar at the beginning of 2017. The
government of Myanmar has excluded the Rohingya from their
official census from the year 2014. They are being recognized as
illegal migrants of Bangladesh in their own country. This issue did
not start recently. The issue rose right when Burma (now
Myanmar) had got its independence.
The Rohingya have been on the run ever since they were declared
stateless and illegal migrants of Bangladesh. The situation got
worse on August 25, 2017. The Rohingya Military launched a deadly
attack on the Rohingya villages. This attack claimed many innocent
lives and destroyed thousands of homes and their dreams and
hopes. They started fleeing to other countries for support and
shelter.
At least 288 villages were partially or destroyed by fire in northern
Rakhine state after August 2017, according to the analysis of
satellite imagery by Human Rights Watch.4

The civilian leadership in Myanmar faced significant challenges in

3
(Myanmar Rohingya: What you need to know about the crisis, 2020)
4
(Myanmar Rohingya: What you need to know about the crisis, 2020)
changing government policies due to the deep-rooted influence of
the military. Even though Myanmar transitioned from military rule
to a civilian-led government in 2011, the military still retained
substantial control over key institutions and ministries.
When the National League for Democracy (NLD) party, led by Aung
San Suu Kyi, held power, some policy changes were made,
particularly in economic reforms and engagement with the
international community.
However, the
military's
presence and
influence loomed
large, with
reserved seats
in parliament
and control over
crucial
ministries like
defense and
home affairs.
Tragically, in February
20215, the situation
took a dark turn when
the military staged a
coup, overthrowing
the civilian
government and
detaining key leaders,
including Aung San
Suu Kyi. The coup
nullified many of the
policy changes we
had worked so hard
to enact, pushing
Myanmar into uncertainty and sparking widespread protests.
5
(Paddock, 2021)
Where are the Rohingyas migrating?
According to the United Nations Human Rights Council, more than
168,000 Rohingyas have fled Myanmar since 2012.6
Ever since the breakout in Myanmar, the refugees have been on
the run. As the
Rohingyas speak
Bengali, they first
headed to
Bangladesh which
is a host to most
Rohingya
refugees. Ever
since the number
started to rise,
they stopped
accepting the
Rohingyas. They
then slowly started to head to Thailand and Malaysia but the
Government refused to shelter them instead they offered them
food and medical assistance. Indonesia locked all means for the
refugees to enter their land. They turned to India and it is now
home to some Rohingya refugees. They tried to stay away from
borders close to Myanmar. They have set camps in Assam, Uttar
Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, West Bengal, Jammu Kashmir,
etc.
The international forum has thus appealed to India not to deport
the Rohingyas despite the notice to send the Rohingyas back to
Myanmar.
International Response to the Crisis:
Despite the appeal made by the international forum India had to
identify and deport the refugees. China too has blocked the entry of
Rohingyas. In my point of view, it is a cruel act done by both India
and China. Bangladesh post-coup stopped giving shelter to the
refugees and only a handful of them are registered with the

6
(India Today, 2017)
government and the UN. The international forum must warn India
and Bangladesh of their actions and pinpoint their violation of
international law and pressure them to comply with their legal
obligations.
Secondly, the international forum must also hold the Myanmar
government and military responsible for their massacre leaving
deep scars on the Rohingya Muslims and hope the court of
International Court of Justice serves its rightful purpose and
condemn Myanmar forces and Government for its brutal action
toward the Rohingyas. The international community such as the
United Nations, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees,
and United Nations for human rights come together and provide
some relief for the Rohingya refugees and provide them some
identity so that they don’t have to be in the run.
What can be possibly done to support them?
The international response to the Rohingya crisis has been marked
by humanitarian aid, diplomatic efforts, and calls for accountability.
Various countries, organizations, and NGOs provided aid to support
Rohingya refugees in neighboring Bangladesh, offering essential
services and relief. Diplomatic pressure was exerted on Myanmar's
government to end the violence and address the crisis.
Additionally, the international community advocated for
accountability, pushing for investigations into potential war crimes
and crimes against humanity committed against the Rohingya.
However, despite these collective efforts, finding a lasting
resolution remains a challenge due to complex political dynamics
and the Myanmar government's reluctance to address the crisis
adequately. The journey towards justice and change continues, with
the need to sustain empathy, solidarity, and advocacy for the rights
of the Rohingya people. It is our shared responsibility to create a
future that champions human rights, inclusivity, and the dignity of
all individuals, striving for a world where discrimination and
persecution have no place. The call for action echoes loud and
clear, urging us to stand united as defenders of humanity and
architects of a more compassionate world for the Rohingya and all
those facing oppression.