Updates On The Rohingya Crisis In Myanmar — And Now Bangladesh

Last week when addressing the United Nations General Assembly, Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina rallied support for a proposal that would address the dire humanitarian crisis of the Rohingya people.

Already a two-year-long struggle since the violent military campaign that pillaged and burned down the Rohingya villages in the Rakhine State of Myanmar, the Rohingya Refugees have been quick to stand behind and rally support for Prime Minister Hasina’s four-point proposal. Although this crisis was not caused by the Bangladeshi people, Bangladesh has shouldered the main burden of the refugee emergency. This situation can no longer be shouldered solely by the Bangladesh government and nation. 

Over one million Rohingya Muslims currently live in Bangladesh refugee camps. Due to the increasing numbers of displaced persons, Bangladesh currently struggles to provide adequate resources and shelters for all of the refugees. Current reports from United Nations agencies state that they have received only a small portion of the millions of aid dollars promised for the refugee camps to be able to provide adequate care for everyone. 

Prime Minister Hasina’s proposal has been quickly embraced by Rohingya activists around the world. However, the implementation of this proposal with the support of the Myanmar government and people remains the largest hurdle and obstacle to Hasina’s peace and solvency campaign. Myanmar lacks the initiative and interest to take back its people. The century-old persecution of Muslims in a predominantly Buddhist nation has recently alarmed the international community as they learned of the systematic rape and arson of Rohingya individuals and their homes. The Rohingya Muslims have repeatedly faced discrimination, not only from their neighbors but also their nation as they continue to be denied citizenship. 

The four-point proposal that the Bangladeshi Prime Minister delivered to the General Assembly included critical components to the repatriation of the Rohingya–– proper citizenship and international action and protection. With still nearly 600,000 Rohingya Muslims still facing dire and inhumane conditions in the Rakhine State, Prime Minister Hasina pleaded with the United Nations to place more pressure on the nation of Myanmar to truly accept the Rohingya as an ethnic and religious minority in their nation. 

PM Hasina states, “The crisis is now going beyond the camps.” The crisis is spreading beyond the camps, beyond the region, and beyond the borders of Myanmar and Bangladesh. Even though the current situation has a limited impact on many Western nations, more must be done. The international community must rally for justice for people who have only lived in persecution and terror.