The Forgotten Rohingya: Their Struggle for Human Rights in Burma
Imagine that you are living in a country that does not recognize you as a citizen even though your people have maintained a continuous existence there for several centuries. If that was not enough of a traumatic experience, consider that because of your racial, ethnic, and religious identity, other ethnic groups that are fighting the brutal military regime in your country for their self-determination and human rights consider you as “settlers” from a neighboring country. It must be your worst nightmare when you realize that half of your people (almost 2 million) have been forced to take asylum or refuge outside, and you may be the next in line to seek a way out of this living hell of xenophobia, discrimination, intolerance, racism, and bigotry. The victims are the Rohingya people of Burma (Myanmar). Because of their religion, race, ethnicity, color, and language, they are the most discriminated and persecuted people in our planet. Some argue that they are also one of the most forgotten. The Myanmar military regime has denied their citizenship rights, claiming that they are illegal settlers from nearby Bangladesh who moved into Arakan during the British occupation of Burma in the 19th century. Is there any truth to such allegations? Does the military junta apply the same litmus test against all ethnic and religious groups in matters of citizenship? What is the basis for a nation’s claim to self-determination? Must a people wander in the wilderness for two millennia and suffer repeated persecution, humiliation, and genocide to qualify? How about the rights of a minority community to survive with their culture and traditions intact? Do they need to be ‘children’ of a ‘higher’ God to qualify? What makes the children of a ‘lesser’ God be forgotten and denied the same treatment and privilege that was granted hitherto to other nations? For much of its history, Burma has been ruled by the military. As has once again been demonstrated recently they are brutal, savage, and tyrannical. They have ignored people’s verdicts in the election and imprisoned leaders and workers of the democracy movement.
They cannot be guarantors or protectors of the human rights of anyone, let alone religious and ethnic minorities. Do you know that the Rohingyas – face cruel restrictions on marriage and those married without government authorization are paraded naked on the streets?- Are restricted from traveling outside their villages?- Have no legal right to own land or property?- Are restricted from getting an education, finding work, and getting medical and health care? – Are subjected to land confiscation, forced eviction, and destruction of homes, offices, schools, mosques, shops, etc., and face religious persecution daily? – Are victims of staged riots, forced starvation, arbitrary taxation, extortion, arrest, torture, and extra-judicial killings?- Are forced to do slave labor for the establishment of government infrastructure, new Buddhist settlements, pagodas, and monasteries on evicted lands with the government intent of changing the landscape and demography of Arakan?- Are forced to convert to Buddhism &/or worship Buddha? Do you know that when it comes to the Rohingya people, the Burmese government doesn’t uphold any of the Articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights? Nothing can excuse us from the criminal silence that we practice in not voicing our concern about the plight of the Rohingya people. “The Forgotten Rohingya” makes a strong case for mobilizing concerned citizens of our globe to ease their sufferings. The author analyzes the origin of the Rohingya people and offers ideas to solve their problems. The author also discusses problems of xenophobia and racism, which are so rampant in this country of many races, ethnicities, and religions. He also analyzes the role of Daw Suu Kyi and the failure of Burma’s orange revolution.
