E.A.MUNC MUSCAT 2019

COMMITTEE: SPECPOL

Topic: Protecting the Rohingya in Myanmar

BACKGROUND GUIDE

1 | P a g e

INDEX

INTRODUCTION Pg 2

HISTORY Pg 3

POLITICAL SITUATION Pg 4

THE PROBLEM Pg 5

INTERNATIONAL STAND Pg 6

UN ACTION Pg 7

QUESTIONS TO BE ADDRESSED Pg 8

BIBLIOGRAPHY Pg 9

2 | P a g e

INTRODUCTION

The Rohingya are a Muslim minority populating the Rakhine state

in Myanmar. Denied citizenship from the authorities, ethnic

cleansing operations by Burmese security forces are pushing

them out of their homeland. The atrocities committed against the

fleeing include mass killings, sexual violence, and widespread

arson. The ‘world’s fastest growing refugee crisis’ is a true

humanitarian disaster.

3 | P a g e

HISTORY

The territory of Arakan now forms the Rakhine state in the nation

of Myanmar.

During WWII, the British had to abandon many territories in

Burma due to Japanese assault. The British armed the

Arakanese in an effort to slow the Japanese, but the plan was not

exceptionally successful as the loyalties of the Arakanese were

split: the Muslims sided with the British whilst the Buddhists

fought for the Japanese. Many see this event as the beginning of

ethnic tensions seen today.

After the Partition of the British Raj, the territory was incorporated

into the state of Burma in 1948. Initially, the Rohingya group was

recognised as an indigenous ethnic nationality of Burma, with

members of the group serving in high-ranking government

positions. All this changed with the military coup of 1962.

The military junta that now ruled the nation relied on Nationalist

sentiment and support from the majority - Buddhists. The

Rohingya’s faith (Islam) made them ‘outsiders’.

4 | P a g e

POLITICAL SITUATION

The Junta’s 1982 Citizenship Laws recognised the Rohingya as

“Bengali” foreigners. This legislation caused their status being

held in limbo and has allowed for arbitrary rule by the military.

The NLD (National League for Democracy), despite winning

control of both houses of the government, does not have much

control over the military. Power is currently more or less shared

between military and civilian leaders in the country. The military is

vehemently anti- Muslim, so the NLD actively discriminates

against Muslims in order to avoid a confrontation and the

possibility of a military coup.

5 | P a g e

THE PROBLEM

Tensions mounted in October 2016, when a small and previously

unknown militant group — the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army

(ARSA) — staged a series of deadly

attacks on Burmese military forces.

The army responded with a massive

security crackdown. The military troops

started burning down villages and killing

innocent civilian population. Nearly a

million innocent people have fled to

Bangladesh, battling violent military

attacks and landmines across the border.

Multiple refugee camps were set up at Cox’s Bazaar in

Bangladesh. All of them suffer the same set of problems, namely

Lack of proper sanitation facilities

Shortage of food and potable water

Shortage of medicines and medical facilities for pregnant

women

Moreover all camps are extremely susceptible to flooding in the

monsoon, which drastically increases the already high chance of

an outbreak of diseases such as diphtheria, cholera etc.

Balukhali Refugee Camp, one of the many in Cox’s Bazaar.

6 | P a g e

INTERNATIONAL STAND

Members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) have

repeatedly urged Myanmar to “deploy concrete measures to put

an end to the aggressive acts against Muslims,” ensure their

safety, and bring perpetrators to justice. Additionally, many

predominantly Muslim countries have sent humanitarian aid to

the Rakhine region.

ASEAN has not yet shown a unified response. Only the

Philippines immediately granted them asylum. Malaysia and

Indonesia later agreed to take in 7000 Rohingya.

Bangladesh has struggled with the intake. The government of

Bangladesh has denounced the persecution of the Rohingya as

genocide and has called for international prosecution for

Myanmar. In 2017, the Prime Minister of Bangladesh addressed

the UN General Assembly with a 5-point plan for the restoration

of peace and stability in Myanmar and along the border. This plan

included the implementation of the Kofi Annan commission and

UN held safe zones.

7 | P a g e

India has been generally supportive of Myanmar. India

announced that it was planning to deport 40,000 Rohingya

refugees who had made it to India. However, pressure was put

on the government to ensure the welfare and safety of the

refugees. As a result, “Operation Insaniyat”, was deployed by the

Indian Air Force to provide humanitarian aid to refugees in

Bangladesh.

UN ACTION

UN Migration Agency (IOM) and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) is working to strengthen and stabilize shelters by leading community training on shelter upgrades and disaster risk reduction, as well as dredging and renovating over nine kilometers of abandoned canals to prevent flooding and allow water runoff during heavy rains. Efforts will also clear key access roads in order to ensure the continued flow of aid and services.

The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) has established reproductive health clinics and safe spaces in the camps of Cox’s Bazar to address the needs of women.

The World Food Programme (WFP) is providing more than 800,000 refugees in Cox’s Bazar food assistance every month.

The World Health Organization (WHO) and UN partners are enacting disaster-response plans to ensure health services: relocating health facilities vulnerable to flooding, establishing rehydration points, continuing vital vaccine campaigns, and more.

8 | P a g e

QUESTIONS THE COMMITTEE should consider …

1. Should this committee adopt a resolution which supports

action against the government of Myanmar? If so, how does

the committee plan on handling possible pushbacks?

2. How to tackle the information gap that the government of

Myanmar is creating by not letting UN and other third party

investigations take place?

3. How much of a responsibility should neighboring countries

take? What measures should be taken in order to ensure the

safety of the Rohingya population?

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bibliography Al Jazeera. "Bangladesh FM: Violence against Rohingya 'is Genocide'." News | Al

Jazeera. September 11, 2017. . https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/09/ bangladesh-fm-violence-

rohingya-genocide-170911023429604.html

"Amnesty International." Myanmar: Security Forces Target Rohingya during Vicious Rakhine

Scorched-earth Campaign. . https://www.amnesty.org/en/press-releases/ 2016/12/myanmar-

security-forces-target-rohingya-viscious-scorched-earth-campaign/

BBC News Staff. “Rohingya Crisis: Myanmar says first refugee family returns.” BBC News, 15

April 2018. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-43772364

Chan, Aye. “The Development of a Muslim Enclave in Arakan (Rakhine) State of Burma

(Myanmar).” SOAS Bulletin of Burma Research 3, no. 2 (Autumn 2005): 397-420.

Delhi, HT Correspondent New. "PM Modi Tells Suu Kyi India Is with Myanmar, but Skips Mention

of Rohingya Issue." Https://www.hindustantimes.com/. September 06, 2017. .

https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/modi-in-myanmar-pm-praises-suu-kyi-sleadership-

vows-to-fight-terror-in-joint-statement/story-vC4Pi9WL594NnRt8Oe430J.html.

Fisher, Jonah. “Aung San Suu Kyi's party excludes Muslim candidates.” BBC News, 8 September

2015. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-34182489

Haidar, Suhasini. "Such a Strange Silence: India's Stand on the Rohingya Crisis." The Hindu.

November 30, 2017. . http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/such-astrange-silence-indias-stand-

on-the-rohingya-crisis/article21235760.ece.

Iaccino, Ludovica. "New Wave of Destruction Sees 1,250 Houses Destroyed in Myanmar's

Rohingya Villages." International Business Times UK. November 21, 2016. .

https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/new-wave-destruction-sees-1250-houses-destroyed-

myanmarsrohingya-villages-1592582.

Inter Sector Coordination Group, “Situation Update: Rohingya Refugee Crisis.” 12 December

2017.

https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/171212_iscg_sitrep_one_pager_final.pdf

Jakarta Post. "China, Russia Oppose UN Criticism of Myanmar over Rohingya." The Jakarta Post.

. http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2017/12/25/china-russia-oppose-uncriticism-of-myanmar-

over-rohingya-.html.

9 | P a g e

Lintner, Bertil. “Bangladesh Extremist Islamist Consolidation.” South Asia Terrorism Portal,

October 2012. http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/publication/faultlines/volume14/Article1.htm

"Myanmar Rohingya Crisis Will Cause Global Controversy." Oxford Analytica Daily Brief. .

https://dailybrief.oxan.com/Analysis/GA224462/Myanmar-Rohingyacrisis-will-cause-global-

controversy.

"Myanmar Says No Evidence of Rohingya Genocide." BBC News. January 04, 2017. .

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-38505228.

"Myanmar Speech Will Not Mollify Suu Kyi's Critics." Oxford Analytica Daily Brief. .

https://dailybrief.oxan.com/Analysis/DB224602/Myanmar-speech-will-not-mollifySuu-Kyis-critics.

Mullins, Jeremy., Aye, Mon Mon. “Panthay Muslims protect their name.” The Myanmar Times, 30

March 2014. https://www.mmtimes.com/national-news/mandalay-upper-myanmar/9998-

panthaymuslims-protect-their-name.html

Nichols, Michelle. "U.S. Urges U.N. to Hold Myanmar Military Accountable for 'ethnic..." Reuters.

February 13, 2018. . https://www.reuters.com/article/us-myanmarrohingya-un/u-s-urges-u-n-to-

hold-myanmar-military-accountable-for-ethnic-cleansingidUSKCN1FX229.

OHCHR | Darker and More Dangerous: High Commissioner Updates the Human Rights Council on

Human Rights Issues in 40 Countries. . http://www.ohchr.org/en/

NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=22041&LangID=E.

Phukan, Sandeep. "Rohingya Are Illegal Immigrants Who Need to Be Deported, Says Kiren

Rijiju." The Hindu. September 05, 2017. . http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/ rohingya-are-

illegal-immigrants-who-need-to-be-deported-says-kiren-rijiju/article19625459.ece

Report, Star Online. "Parliament Resolve to Push Myanmar to Take Back Rohingya Refugees."

The Daily Star. September 11, 2017. . https://www.thedailystar.net/politics/ bangladesh-rohingya-

refugee-crisis-parliament-adopt-resolution-united-nations-internationalcommunity-push-

myanmar-1460767.

Report, Star Online. "'Befitting Reply' If Any Anarchy in Border: BGB." The Daily Star. August 27,

2017. . https://www.thedailystar.net/country/rohingya-crisis-befitting-replyif-myanmar-creates-

any-anarchy-says-border-guard-bangladesh-bgb-chief-1454818.

Rowlatt, Justin. “Could Aung San Suu Kyi face Rohingya genocide charges?” BBC News, 18

December 2017. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-42335018

Slim, William Joseph. Defeat into victory. London, UK: Pan, 2009. Accessed 16 April 2018. https://

www.overdrive.com/search?q=5ECBB6F7-E923-440D-9909-1431022F2544.

The Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma. “Burma Citizenship Law.” Accessed 16 April 2018.

http://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6b4f71b.html

Yegar, Moshe. Muslims of Burma. Wiesbaden, Germany: Verlag Otto Harrassowitz, 1972.

Accessed 16 April 2018. http://www.netipr.org/policy/downloads/19720101-Muslims-Of-Burma-by-

MosheYegar.pdf

Plagiarism: 0% https://smallseotools.com/plagiarism-

checker/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwwODlBRDuARIsAMy_28VU9dNPcCXlyGAkZsXK06lKlnUE5NeBG71iIQ9LRnxdsxF

yvd116v0aAgpHEALw_wcB

PREPARED BY: ANIRUDH GOVIL