Protecting Rohingyas in Myanmar

Fresh violence against Rohingyas shows that there has been no let-up in the plight of the minority Muslim community in Myanmar. In our south and south-east Asian region, incidents of violence against the religious minorities appear to have become a common phenomenon. While Myanmar is intermittently in the news for anti-Rohingya campaign, India witnessed anti-Muslim violence sometime ago in the Uttar Pradesh state. Unfortunately, Bangladesh, which is known for communal harmony, is also experiencing violence against the minority Hindus during and after the recent national elections.
The issue of anti-Muslim violence in Myanmar drew attention of the world community last year. The issue has come to the fore again in 2014. Earlier, last year, in one of the worst incidents, 20 people were killed in the Buddhist-Muslim violence that sparked fears of escalating communal unrest. Swathes of Meiktila, eighty miles north of capital Naypyidaw, had been reduced to ashes following three days of widespread mayhem. In recent times, violence against the religious minorities in Bangladesh as a sequel to different developments has also caused concern and anxiety at home and abroad. Needless to say, repression against all forms of minorities anywhere in the world either by the authorities and the majority communities is simply reprehensible and must be eliminated by all means.
Early last year, two issues involving the minorities - the Rohingyas in Myanmar and the Muslims in the Indian state of Assam -had drawn the attention of international community. Reports in the international media were galore that both the communities suffered heavily at the hands of their opponents in two places while the governments in two countries adopted in varying degrees measures to protect these minorities.
 Both the central government and the state governments in India moved quickly to contain the violence against the minority Muslims by the Bodo tribesmen in several places of Assam. But the same was not the case in Myanmar as it was alleged that the government broadly sided with the majority Buddhist Rakhine community against the Rohingya Muslims in western Myanmar. Myanmar president Thein Sein had invited the Jeddah-based Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) to probe the unrest in his country involving the Rohingya Muslims and the Rakhine community. Indeed, this was a positive signal from his government that was commended although no marked slackening in violence is being discernible.
The Myanmar government's rare conciliatory move came on the heels of 'concern' over attacks on the Rohingyas expressed by different countries and quarters. Some countries in the ASEAN, of which the Myanmar is now the chairman, and Turkey were among them. The Myanmar authorities took steps to assuage the feelings of the minorities after adverse response from the international community on the issue. There was an impression also that country's Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, who earned worldwide fame for her relentless struggle for democracy in Myanmar, did not side with the sufferers in the manner expected from a person of her status. Nevertheless, she occasionally spoke against the repression on the minorities.
The Rohingya issue is nothing new in Bangladesh. Muslims from Myanmar in the past had swarmed into Bangladesh on several occasions alleging atrocities. Dhaka gave shelter to these people in camps in Cox's Bazar and other areas close to the border. Many of these refugees have gone back to their homeland following talks between the two countries with the United Nations high commissioner for refugees remaining involved in the issue. Last time, Bangladesh blocked their entry as Dhaka felt it can no longer take further burden of the Rohingya refugees. Probably, Bangladesh could not be faulted for this attitude because of earlier experience. But a blind eye to the humanitarian aspect of the refugees fleeing their homes to save their lives has also raised questions about Dhaka's rationale of the decision. The Myanmar authorities reportedly were unwilling to accept the Rohingyas as their nationals and say that they mainly came from neighbouring Bangladesh. Such arguments are untenable. Myanmar must take back their refugees subject to the verification of their nationality.
Now, the disturbing news of minority repression in the Myanmar is causing deep concerns. It is more so as reports said even the Buddhist monks brandishing knives and other weapons were prowling the streets forcing large number of Muslims to flee several cities and towns. Last year's violence in western Myanmar left more than 200 dead and nearly 1,50,000 people homeless. Myanmar Muslims - largely of Chinese, Indian and Bangladeshi descent - account for only four per cent of an estimated 60 million people. The country has not, however, carried out a census in last several decades.
Minorities everywhere need special care and protection. Repression on them only underlines the negation of minimum morality and dignity for fellow human beings, and also turns all ethical boasts merely ridiculous and meaningless.
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