The Politics of Forced Migration in the 21st Century: The Case of the Rohingya

Abstract

<p>The Rohingya crisis in Myanmar is a longstanding geopolitical dilemma. The Myanmar Government maligned Rohingya illegal settlers from Bengal. They have been forcibly displaced from their homes in Myanmar at different times, most recently conducting ethnic cleansing and genocidal activities against them in 2017. Though The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights acknowledged that the clearance operation by the Myanmar military was a "textbook example of ethnic cleansing," the UN and international community failed to protect the Rohingya and stop the onslaught on them. This research aims to gain an in-depth understanding of factors contributing to the crisis that led to forced migration and ethnic cleansing of Rohingya people, who were rendered stateless. This empirical study was designed using a qualitative methodology" it analysed data derived from semi-structured conversations with Rohingya people in Kutupalong Rohingya Refugee Camp, Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, and 'expert' interviewees involving different professionals in Bangladesh. Observations and documents were also used in data collection. The study is significant for understanding different trajectories of the problem, which will enable to find a resolution for the enduring crisis to international actors. I argue that religious prejudice was the driving force for the Rohingya migration. I argue that ARSA (Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army) and the Burmese military are evidently connected. ARSA attacks and communal violence in Rakhine served the Myanmar government's objective in justifying acts of violent retaliation. The power imbalance between military and civilian governments and Suu Kyi's policy tilt towards the military contributed to ethnic cleansing and genocide. Sino-Indian geopolitical competition has emerged as a dominant influencing factor for the Rohingya crisis and propelled into a status quo. The main refugee-hosting country, Bangladesh, faced environmental destruction, and the government's dilemma with controlling law and order is an apparent consequence of the Rohingya influx.</p>