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The Rohingya refugee crisis is an international humanitarian disaster that has been taking place over the past few decades. It is a highly complex issue which requires global participation and international recognition. This crisis can be analyzed through the three levels of analysis that are used to understand multifaceted problems in the world of international relations. This includes three perspectives: the individual, the state, and the international system.
The individual perspective can help understand motives of sole actors that have helped fuel the crisis. This role is epitomized by Aung San Suu Kyi, the former State Counsellor of Myanmar. Kyi defended Myanmar against accusations of genocide, claiming that there was no direct intention to commit these crimes. She accused the Rohingya refugee crisis to be exaggerated by the international community, and her refusal to use the word "Rohingya" summarizes her stance that this ethnic group does not exist. Kyi’s statement at the International Court of Justice in the Hague did not tackle the massacres against the Rohingyans committed by Myanmar's military. To avoid persecution, approximately 900,000 of the Rohingyas fled to Bangladesh. Bangladesh’s stance can be seen from the individual perspective of Sheikh Hasina, who termed the influx as a "regional threat" and urges greater international action for an immediate resolution to the crisis.
The second lens in which the crisis can be assessed is from the viewpoint of the state of Myanmar. They are a predominantly Buddhist country who rejected the Rohingya citizenship and did not include them in the 2014 census, rejecting their existence as an ethnic group. They have been classified as illegal immigrants that came from Bangladesh. Investigators and international human rights organizations like Amnesty International had found that the Myanmar army had committed killings, rapes, and torture against the ethnic group. Historically, the Rohingya Muslims have always been persecuted but had their trust in Aung San Suu Kyi, who would recognize their right to citizenship. Contrary to their belief, this was not the case, and the discrimination towards them only grew over time. The army's position is that they were battling Rohingya militants instead of pursuing civilians. The next state that is most affected by this genocide is Bangladesh, Myanmar's neighboring country, who are facing various policy constraints due to the mass influx of refugees. Due to their inability to host a staggering amount of refugees, their stance is for preparing repatriation and building trust with Myanmar after previous failed attempts. Currently, it will proceed with a tripartite meeting between Bangladesh, Myanmar and China later in 2021.
Finally, the complex situation of the crisis can be heavily influenced by the responses of the international community. Due to its immense violation of human rights, the Rohingya refugee crisis is a humanitarian tragedy that is under a lot of scrutiny from international organizations. This includes Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, UNHCR, and Human Rights first. Aside from the Muslim world, the complexities of this crisis have been overlooked by various major powers such as India, Russia and the United States. In 2018, the United Nations (UN) conducted investigations and concluded that Myanmar had committed ethnic cleansing against the Rohingyan people . In January 2020, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) demanded that the state takes all necessary actions to prevent genocidal acts against the population. Despite being a significant moment for addressing the crisis, ICJ verdicts cannot be fully effective if they aren't supported by members of the UN security council. These members have maintained a neutral stance and will only go as far to provide humanitarian aid. Thus, there is still a greater role for the major powers and more international condemnation in order for the crisis to come to an end.
Ahnaf Shahriar, May 2021
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