The Ongoing Struggle of the Rohingya—Will the World Address this Genocide, Finally?
May 27, 2024
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Nay San Lwin and Chris Gunness discuss the ongoing Rohingya genocide, failures of international institutions, and parallels with other genocides. They highlight the challenges faced by the Rohingya community in Myanmar, the pursuit of justice through universal jurisdiction, and violations of the non-refoulement principle by countries like Bangladesh and India. They also touch on youth awareness, global activism, complexities in Myanmar, reflections on student movements, rethinking genocide beyond legal frameworks, and the struggle of the Rohingya population in Myanmar.
Rohingya face escalating violence and displacement in Rakhine State due to conflict involving the Arakan army and Myanmar military.
Myanmar's discriminatory citizenship laws since 1948 have left Rohingya stateless, depriving them of rights and basic necessities.
The challenges of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh reflect inadequate aid, highlighting difficulties in repatriation amid ongoing conflict and security risks.
Criticism towards international institutions like the UN for inaction and failures in responding to the Rohingya genocide reveals diplomatic inefficiencies and accountability issues.
Connecting genocides globally, such as the Rohingya and Gaza crises, inspires collaborative actions to combat structural genocidal processes through awareness and student movements.
Expanding the definition of genocide to address systemic genocidal acts like settler colonialism and analyzing complicity are crucial in combating genocides in Myanmar and Palestine.
Deep dives
The ongoing issues in Rakhine State
The Rohingya face escalating violence, displacement, killings, and harassment in Rakhine State, trapped between conflict involving the Arakan army and Myanmar military.
Historical degradation of Rohingya citizenship
Since Myanmar's independence in 1948, the Rohingya have faced citizenship degradation, culminating in statelessness by the 1982 citizenship law, restricting their rights and access to basic necessities.
Challenges and plight of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh
The plight of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh includes inadequate humanitarian aid leading to deaths and struggles, highlighting the challenge of repatriation due to ongoing conflict and security concerns.
International failures in addressing the Rohingya genocide
International institutions, including the UN, have faced criticism for their inaction and structural failures in responding to the Rohingya genocide, with issues of ineffective diplomacy and a lack of accountability.
Raising awareness and student activism as a beacon of hope
Engaging student movements and raising awareness about the interconnection of genocides worldwide, like between the Rohingya and Gaza crises, offer hope for collaborative actions and advocacy to combat structural genocidal processes.
Rethinking the concept of genocide and addressing structural issues
Calls for expanding the definition of genocide to include systemic genocidal acts like settler colonialism and analyzing complicity across various sectors to combat genocides like in Myanmar and Palestine.
Collaborations and strategies for addressing genocides
Recognizing the importance of diverse tactics and collaborations in combatting genocides, including economic strikes, student movements, and global advocacy efforts to dismantle systems supporting genocidal actions.
Addressing accountability and justice for Rohingya and global implications
Emphasizing the need for accountability and justice to end impunity for genocidal actions, highlighting the importance of international pressure and legal mechanisms to ensure peace and freedom for marginalized populations like the Rohingya.
The future of Myanmar and the Rohingya population
The destiny of the Rohingya population in Myanmar hinges on international intervention to end military impunity and ensure justice, as the military seeks to further marginalize the Rohingya, emphasizing the urgency of accountability and peacebuilding efforts.
Raising awareness of the Rohingya plight and global solidarity
Continued advocacy and global awareness of the Rohingya crisis, including solidarity movements and efforts to address systemic inequalities and human rights violations, play a crucial role in shaping a more just future for marginalized communities.
Hope for change and collaborative activism
Despite ongoing challenges, there is hope for change through collaborative activism, cultural transformations, and increased global solidarity to address the root causes of genocides and work towards a more equitable and peaceful world.
As the long burning genocide against the Rohingya continues to unfold with recent conflagrations of violence in Rakhine State, we are joined on Speaking Out of Place today with prominent Rohingya advocate and writer Nay San Lwin and veteran journalist Chris Gunness, now with the Myanmar Accountability Project.
They take us through recent disturbing developments in the area and the present perils facing the Rohingya. They discuss the pervasive failings of international institutions and the relationship between the Gaza and Rohingya genocides, and also, together, envision what a just future might look like and require.
Chris Gunness covered the 1988 democracy uprising for the BBC in what was then Burma. After a 23-year career at the BBC, he joined the United Nations as Director of Strategic Communications and Advocacy in the Middle East. In 2019 he left the UN and returned to London. He founded the Myanmar Accountability Project (MAP) in 2021.
Nay San Lwin is a Rohingya activist and blogger. For the past 18 years, since his departure from Myanmar, he has been documenting human rights violations and the military campaigns of the Tatmadaw in Arakan State of Myanmar. He is a prolific commentator on Rohingya issues on radio, television channels and other mainstream media outlets. He is a co-founder of the Free Rohingya Coalition.
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