Rohingya Issues _ National & International Perspectives
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Transcript of 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