The miserable plight of Rohingyas

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The Rohingya is a group of Arakanese people in Myanmar. They inhabit mainly Maungdaw, Buthidaung, Akyab, Rathedung and Kyauktaw townships close to neighbouring Bangladesh.
From the 7th century, merchants from the Yemen, Arabia and other parts of the Middle East began to settle in the Arakan province. After its British occupation of Arakan in the 19th century, many Bengalees from the then British East Bengal also started settling in Arakan.
There is a long history of anti-Indian and anti-Muslim sentiment and riots in Myanmar from the time of British occupation of Arakan. The first major such riot occurred in 1930 as a result of the irresponsible action of a British firm of stevedores which had brought in Burmese workers to break the strike of Indian workers. The Indians were compelled to end the strike. The following day when the Burmese workers reported for work they were told by the British firm that their service was no longer required. The Burmese workers became angry and started the fight and Indians retaliated. In a couple of days the riot spread to the whole country and thousands of innocent lives were lost. Subsequent history is replete with anti-Indian and anti-Muslim riots in the region which need a careful analysis from the historical perspectives.
Amnesty International reports highlight the continued suffering of the Rohingya people under Myanmar's military rulers in the past decades. Their freedom of movement is severely curtailed and most of them have been denied Myanmar citizenship. They are subjected to extortion and arbitrary taxation, land confiscation, forced labour, forced eviction, and restrictions on marriage.
More than 200,000 Rohingyas fled to Bangladesh in 1978 following the Nagamin operation of the Myanmar army. This military campaign targeted civilians and resulted in widespread killings, rape and religious persecution of the Rohingyas.
Another quarter of a million Rohingyas fled to Bangladesh in 1991-92. They reported forced labour, executions, torture, and rape. The Myanmar army forced Rohingyas to do unpaid work on infrastructure and strategic military and economic projects under inhuman conditions.
Many thousands of Rohingyas also fled to Thailand. There are claims that many of them have been shipped and towed out to open sea by the Thai army and police. Thailand's prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva confirmed that there were instances in which Rohingya people were pushed out to the sea.
A permanent solution to the plight of Rohingya minority in Myanmar will remain elusive as long as the undemocratic military rulers continue to deny their citizenship.
Nuruddin Azam
Australia