Abstract
There are some internal and external complexities and disputing issues of Bangladesh and Myanmar since the Liberation War in 1971 of Bangladesh, when the Rohingya refugee crisis had added a new protracted issue between these two countries. The Myanmar government’s negative attitudes toward the Muslim community mainly instigated frustrations, anger and grief. All these gradually spread regional instability, violence and an organized massacre. This chapter explores whether and how Myanmar and foreign countries are pursuing their interests in the Rakhine state. This study outlines the steps that Myanmar took to resolve the Rohingya catastrophe by analyzing Bangladesh and Myanmar’s foreign policy to address the region’s current humanism emergency. This study recognizes how Myanmar intentionally created this philanthropic calamity for the Rakhine Rohingya Muslim people. Additionally, this study evaluates whether the actual activities of the repatriation agreement[s] are following the official priorities of Bangladesh and Myanmar to resolve this humanitarian vulnerability beyond their foreign policy. Nevertheless, this is a descriptive and persuasive study in which the qualitative methodology frames the conceptual, theoretical, methodological and empirical analysis of the Rohingya ethnic minority’s inhuman emergency in Myanmar.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Similar content being viewed by others
Notes
- 1.
U Wirathu is regarded as the Burmese bin Laden for his violent activities against non-Burmese ethnic groups including Muslim community.
- 2.
Triangular indicates the relation among Bangladesh, Myanmar and other states.
- 3.
See More: The situation of Rakhine state is one of the case studies of these abovementioned epistemology approaches as Rohingya people have been deprived of their indigenous rights; they feel aggrieved because of the identity crisis and power-sharing crisis in their country (www.cfr.org, www.bbc.com, and www.hrw.org).
- 4.
The United Nations was instituted in 1945, and has six organs. The United Nations Security Council is one of them. Maintaining international peace and security is the basic responsibility of this organ. The 15 members of the United Nations Security Council sat together in order to discuss the issue of the Rakhine state, military and security forces operations against Rohingya people on March 17, 2017. However unfortunately, this initiative was vetoed by China as well as backed by Russia. Moreover, the UK initiated to pass the following resolution on humanitarian access to all the affected and concerned areas for new violence (Reuters, 2017b).
References
ACRS. (2017). Towards a peaceful, fair and prosperous future for the people of Rakhine, Final Report of the Advisory Commission on Rakhine State. Retrieved on February 6, 2018 from http://www.rakhinecommission.org/the-final-report/
Ahmed, S. M. (2001). Differing health and health seeking behaviour: Ethnic minorities of the Chittagong Hill tracts, Bangladesh. Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health, 13(2), 100–108. Retrieved on September 3, 2018 from https://www.researchgate.net
Aljazeera. (2018, April 18). “Who are the Rohingya.” Retrieved on September 3, 2018 from https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2017/08/rohingya-muslims-170831065142812.html
Azad, A., & Jasmin, F. (2013). Durable solutions to the protracted refugee situation: The case of Rohingyas in Bangladesh. Journal of Indian Research, 1(4), 25–35.
Banik, A. (2015, August 26). “Bangladesh-Myanmar relations: Strategic imperatives.” Retrieved September 03, 2018 from http://www.theindependentbd.com/printversion/details/13090
BBC. (2017a, September 19). Myanmar: What sparked latest violence in Rakhine? Retrieved February 10, 2018 from http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-41082689
BBC. (2017b, September 20). Rohingya crisis: Suu Kyi speech criticised by global leaders. Retrieved on February 8, 2018 from http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-41329662
BBC. (2018, February). “Bangladesh country profile.” Retrieved on September 03, 2018 from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-south-asia-12650940
Beech, H. (2017, November 15). Rex Tillerson Tells Myanmar leaders to investigate attacks on Rohingya. Retrieved on January 31, 2020 from https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/15/world/asia/rex-tillerson-myanmar-aung-san-suu-kyi.html
Bhuiyan, S. (2012). ITLOS judgment: An analysis. Retrieved on February 10, 2020 from http://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-230381
Brown. (1993). Ethnic conflict and international security. Princeton University Press.
Chandan, M.S.K. (2019, August 23). “Repatriation of the Rohingyas: All an eye-wash”. Retrieved on January 06, 2020 from https://www.thedailystar.net/star-weekend/news/repatriation-the-rohingyas-all-eye-wash-1788433
Chaturvedi, M.C. (2012). ‘Myanmar’s ethnic divide the parallel struggle’, Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies, I PCSS pecial Report 131, New Delhi, Available at www.ipcs.org
Dittmer, L. (2008). Burma vs. Myanmar: What’s in a name? Asian Survey, 48(6), 885–888. Published by University of California Press, Retrieved on September 14, 2013 from http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1525/as.2008.48.6.885
Dorje, Y. (2017, September 11). “Dalai Lama Urges Aung San Suu Kyi to resolve Rohingya crisis”. Retrieved on September 12, 2018 from https://www.voanews.com/east-asia-pacific/dalai-lama-urges-aung-san-suu-kyi-resolve-rohingya-crisis
Douma, P. S. (2003). The origin of contemporary conflict a comparison of violence in three world regions, September 2003, Netherlands Institute of International Relations, Clingedael.
Habib A. (2011). Introduction to Anthropology, p. 644, and the United States Bureau, April 1–3, 1992.
HRW. (2013, April 22). “All You Can Do is Pray: Crimes against Humanity and Ethnic Cleansing of Rohingya Muslims in Burma’s Arakan State.” Retrieved on April 25, 2018 from https://www.hrw.org/report/2013/04/22/all-you-can-do-pray/crimes-against-humanity-and-ethnic-cleansing-rohingya-muslims
HRW. (2017). “All of my Body was Pain.” Retrieved on February 10, 2018 from https://www.hrw.org/report/2017/11/16/all-my-body-was-pain/sexual-violence-against-rohingya-women-and-girls-burma
Islam, M. N. (2017). Changing foreign policy of Bangladesh evaluation from the different political regime. Perspective English Magazine, June 2017. Available at: https://perspectivebd.com/archives/1646 [20.02.2021].
Islam, M. N., & Hossain, M. (2020). Islam, governance, and political culture in Bangladesh. In A. Farazmand (Ed.), Global Encyclopedia of public administration, public policy, and governance. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-31816-5_4037-1
Islam, M.N., & Rahman, M. H. (2018). The humanitarian question of Rohingya Muslim refugee crisis beyond the foreign policy of Bangladesh and Myanmar: Forced migration, identity linkages and demographic assessment of their historical exclusions and stateless. KARTEPE ZİRVESİ (Kartepe Summit) 2018 (pp. 23–47). Kocaeli, Turkey: Kocaeli Büyükşehir Belediyesi (Kocaeli Metropoliton Municipality).
ITLOS. (2012). International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea: Dispute concerning delimitation of the maritime boundary between Bangladesh and Myanmar in the Bay of Bengal (Bangladesh/Myanmar). Retrieved on February 10, 2018 from https://www.itlos.org/cases/list-of-cases/case-no-16/
Joireman, S.F. (2003). Nationalism and political identity. Published by Continuum. British Library, Cataloging-in-Publication Data.
Jonayed S. M. (2012). Bloodshed in the name of religion, published by Banalata Prokashani, Tajgaon, Dhaka-1215.
Khin, T. (2018, June 15).“Why the UN deal with Myanmar ignores Rohingya realities”. Retrieved on September 03, 2018 from https://thediplomat.com/2018/06/why-the-un-deal-with-myanmar-ignores-rohingya-realities/
Lazaroff, T. (2019, August 8). UN: Israel sold arms to known human rights abusers in Myanmar. Retrieved on February 24, 2020 from https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/UN-Israel-sold-arms-to-known-human-rights-abusers-in-Myanmar-597843
Levy, J. S., & Thompson, W. R. (2010, November 29). Causes of war. Published by Wiley-Blackwell.
Liton, S. (2017, November 29). “Rohingya repatriation: A pipe dream? Retrieved on September 03, 2018 from https://www.thedailystar.net/frontpage/mayanmar-refugee-crisis-rohingya-repatriation-pipe-dream-1497811
McPherson, P. E., & Lewis, S. (2018, June 27). Exclusive: Myanmar rejects citizenship reform at private Rohingya talks. Retrieved June 30, 2018 from https://www.reuters.com/article/us-myanmar-rohingya-meeting-exclusive-idUSKBN1JN0D7
Ministry of Information. (2008, September). “Constitution of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar”. Printed by Ministry of Information. Retrieved on September 02, 2018 from http://www.burmalibrary.org/docs5/Myanmar_Constitution-2008-en.pdf
MINLAW, S. (2010). The Constitution of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh. Retrieved September 03, 2018 from http://bdlaws.minlaw.gov.bd/pdf_part.php?id=367
MOFA. (2019). Republic of the Union of Myanmar (Yangon). Retrieved on January 31, 2020 from https://mofa.gov.bd/site/page/22080204-6fa2-4472-aabc-551edbd25378
Molla, M. A. M. (2019, September 19). “The Rohingya repatriation conundrum”. Retrieved on February 06, 2020 from https://www.thedailystar.net/opinion/perspective/news/the-rohingya-repatriation-conundrum-1801927
Myanmarembassydhaka. (N.D.). Myanmar Bangladesh bilateral relations. Retrieved on January 31, 2020 from http://www.myanmarembassydhaka.com/myanmar-bangladesh-bilateral-relations-2/
New Age. (2017a, October 19). China, Russia’s role important in resolving Rohingya crisis: EU. Retrieved February 8, 2018 from http://www.newagebd.net/article/26465/china-russias-role-important-in-resolving-rohingya-crisis-eu
New Age. (2017b, September 11). “Govt to import rice from Myanmar Trade, diplomacy to continue: food minister”. Retrieved February 06, 2020 from http://www.newagebd.net/article/23776/article/35972
Nyadera, I. N., & Islam, M. N. (2020). Link between administration, politics, and bureaucracy. In A. Farazmand (Ed.), Global Encyclopedia of public administration, public policy, and governance. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-31816-5_3903-1
Nye, J.S. (2006, February 23). Think again: Soft power. Retrieved September 03, 2018. Retrieved from https://foreignpolicy.com/2006/02/23/think-again-soft-power/
Nye, J.S. (2011, June 06). Has economic power replaced military might? Retrieved September 03, 2018 from https://www.belfercenter.org/publication/has-economic-power-replaced-military-might
OHCHR. (2018, August 27). Myanmar: Tatmadaw leaders must be investigated for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes–UN report. Retrieved September 8, 2018 from https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=23475&LangID=E
Park, J. (2020). Myanmar’s foreign strategy toward China since Rohingya crisis: Changes, outlook and implications. Journal of Liberty and International Affairs is published by The Institute for Research and European Studies–Bitola, 10.
Phillips, A. (2003). ‘The World’s Blind Spot’, Harvard International Review, the writer is staff writer in World in Review, Shedding Light on the Persecuted, Photos Courtesy Reuters Fall.
Rahman, K. A. (2015). Ethno-political conflict: The Rohingya vulnerability in Myanmar. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Studies, 2(1), 288–295.
Rakhine Commission. (2017). Towards a peaceful, fair and prosperous future for the people of Rakhine, Final Report of the Advisory Commission on Rakhine State. Retrieved on February 6, 2018 from http://www.rakhinecommission.org/the-final-report/
Reuters. (2017a, September 21). Visualising the influx of Rohingya refugees. Retrieved on September 19, 2018 from https://www.reuters.com/article/us-myanmar-rohingya-exodus/visualizing-the-influx-of-rohingya-refugees-idUSKCN1BW1KY
Reuters. (2017b, March 18). China, Russia block U.N. council concern about Myanmar violence. Retrieved on March 19, 2018 from https://www.reuters.com/article/us-myanmar-rohingya-un/china-russia-block-u-n-council-concern-about-myanmar-violence-idUSKBN16O2J6
Reuters. (2017c, September 21). Visualising the influx of Rohingya refugees. Retrieved on September 19, 2018 from https://www.reuters.com/article/us-myanmar-rohingya-exodus/visualizing-the-influx-of-rohingya-refugees-idUSKCN1BW1KY
Reuters. (2017d, March 18). China, Russia blocked the U.N. council concern about Myanmar violence. The Reuters Newspaper. Retrieved August 15, 2018, from https://www.reuters.com/article/us-myanmar-rohingya-un/china-russia-block-u-n-council-concern-about-myanmar-violence-idUSKBN16O2J6
Reuters. (2019, May 07). Two Reuters reporters freed in Myanmar after more than 500 days in jail. Retrieved January 31, 2020 from https://www.reuters.com/article/us-myanmar-journalists/two-reuters-reporters-freed-in-myanmar-after-more-than-500-days-in-jail-idUSKCN1SD056
Riaz A. (2017). Diplomatic push on Rohingya crisis: What Bangladesh needs to do now. Retrieved on February 7, 2018 from http://www.thedailystar.net/opinion/human-rights/what-bangladesh-needs-do-now-1459795
Robertson, P. (2015, November 12). “Can Aung San Suu Kyi control Myanmar’s military.” Retrieved September 03, 2018 from https://edition.cnn.com/2015/11/12/opinions/myanmar-aung-san-suu-kyi-military/index.html
Sabah, D. (2018, August 19). “Around 24,000 Rohingya Muslims killed by Myanmar army, 18,000 raped: Report”. Retrieved on September 02, 2018 from https://www.dailysabah.com/asia/2018/08/19/around-24000-rohingya-muslims-killed-by-myanmar-army-18000-raped-report
Safi, M. (2017, September 11). Myanmar treatment of Rohingya looks like ‘textbook ethnic cleansing’, says UN. Retrieved January 31, 2020 from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/sep/11/un-myanmars-treatment-of-rohingya-textbook-example-of-ethnic-cleansing
Saha, K. C. (2001). Learning from Rohingya refugee repatriation to Myanmar. Refugee: Canada’s Journal on Refugees, 19, 38–43.
Shivananda, H. (2011, July). Sino-Myanmar military cooperation and its implications for India, Focus, 5(2), 117–127. New Delhi, IDSA.
Slodkowski, A. (2017, November 15). Tillerson, in Myanmar, calls for credible probe of atrocities. Retrieved on February 10, 2018 from https://www.reuters.com/article/us-myanmar-rohingya/tillerson-in-myanmar-calls-for-credible-probe-of-atrocities-idUSKBN1DF0GM
Steinberg, D. I. (2012). The problem of democracy in the Republic of the Union of Myanmar: Neither nation-state nor state-nation? Southeast Asian Affairs, Asian Studies, School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University.
Sundar, A., & Sundar, N. (2014). Civil wars in South Asia: State, sovereignty, development. Published by SAGE Publications India Pvt Ltd. Retrieved September 3, 2018 from http://sk.sagepub.com/Books/civil-wars-in-south-asia
Taras R.C., & Ganguly R. (2002). Understanding ethnic conflict: The international dimension (pp. xiii and 4). Published by Priscilla McGreehon.
Than, T. M. M. (2003). Myanmar and China: A special relationship? Southeast Asian Affairs, 2003(1), 189–210.
The Advisory Commission on Rakhine State. (2017). Towards a peaceful, fair and prosperous future for the people of Rakhine. Final Report of the Advisory Commission on Rakhine State. Retrieved on February 6, 2018 from http://www.rakhinecommission.org/the-final-report/
The amnesty International. (2018, January 16). Bangladesh: Returning Rohingya to Myanmar illegal and premature. Retrieved on February 10, 2018 from https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2018/01/bangladesh-returning-rohingya-to-myanmar-illegal-and-premature/
The Daily Star. (2017a, December 29). Rohingya Repatriation: 450 to return in first batch. Retrieved on February 6, 2018 from http://www.rakhinecommission.org/the-final-report/
The Daily Star. (2017b, December 28). ‘Refugee camp set up in Rakhine, 450 Hindus to be repatriated 1st’. Retrieved on February 06, 2020 from https://www.thedailystar.net/rohingya-crisis/myanmar-refugee-camp-set-rakhine-450-hindus-be-repatriated-1st-bangladesh-1511608
The Daily Star. (2017c, October 10). 3,000 Rohingya Muslims killed in Myanmar’s Rakhine state since August 25: Foreign minister. Retrieved on February 10, 2018 from http://www.thedailystar.net/rohingya-crisis/3000-rohingya-muslims-killed-rakhine-state-myanmar-august-25-violence-1474306
The Guardian. (2018a, September 03). “Reuter’s reporters jailed for seven years in Myanmar. Retrieved September 10, 2018 from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/sep/03/myanmar-reuters-journalists-sentenced-to-seven-years-in-prison-rohingya.
The Guardian. (2018b, April 10). “Myanmar soldiers jailed for 10 years over massacre of Rohingya Muslims”. Retrieved on September 02, 2018 from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/apr/10/myanmar-rohingya-muslims-massacre-burma-soldiers-sentenced-jailed
The Reuters Report. (2017). Massacre in Myanmar: A Reuters Special Report. Retrieved on February 10, 2018 from https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/myanmar-rakhine-events/
Tilllerson, R. (2017, November 15). Remarks by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson & Burmese State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi. Retrieved on Februay 10, 2018 from https://bd.usembassy.gov/remarks-secretary-state-rex-tillerson-burmese-state-counsellor-aung-san-suu-kyi-joint-press-availability/
Time. (2013, July 01). “The face of Buddhist terror”. Retrieved on February 10, 2018 from http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2146000,00.html
TRT World. (2018, January 16). “Bangladesh and Myanmar agree on Rohingya repatriation plan”. Retrieved February 11, 2018 from https://www.trtworld.com/asia/bangladesh-and-myanmar-agree-on-rohingya-repatriation-plan-14284
UN. (2017a, September 22). Addressing Rohingya crisis, Bangladesh proposes UN monitored ‘safe zones’ in Myanmar. Retrieved February 4, 2018 from http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=57662#.WnbmiaiWbIU
UN. (2017b, September 11). UN human rights chief points to ‘textbook example of ethnic cleansing’ in Myanmar. Retrieved January 31, 2020 from https://news.un.org/en/story/2017/09/564622-un-human-rights-chief-points-textbook-example-ethnic-cleansing-myanmar
UN. (2018, March 12). Note to Correspondents: Statement by Adama Dieng, United Nations Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, on his visit to Bangladesh to assess the situation of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar. Retrieved September 7, 2018 from https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/note-correspondents/2018-03-12/note-correspondents-statement-adama-dieng-united-nations
Wilkes, T. (2017, September 05). India’s Modi heads to Myanmar as Rohingya refugee crisis worsens. Retrieved February 06, 2020 from https://www.reuters.com/article/us-myanmar-india/indias-modi-heads-to-myanmar-as-rohingya-refugee-crisis-worsens-idUSKCN1BG0L3
Wolf, S. O. (2017, September). Genocide, exodus and exploitation for jihad: The urgent need to address the Rohingya crisis. In South Asia Democratic Forum (SADF) Working Paper (No. 6).
Yavuz, M.F. (2017, September 11). Israel supplies arms while Myanmar kills Rohingyas. Retrieved on February 24, 2020 from https://www.dailysabah.com/op-ed/2017/09/11/israel-supplies-arms-while-myanmar-kills-rohingyas
Zawacki, B. (2013). Defining Myanmar’s “Rohingya problem”. Human Rights Brief, 20(3), 2.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2022 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Islam, M.N., Rahman, M.H. (2022). Questioning the Crisis of “Rohingya Muslim” Ethnic Minority Beyond the Foreign Policy of Bangladesh and Myanmar. In: Bülbül, K., Islam, M.N., Khan, M.S. (eds) Rohingya Refugee Crisis in Myanmar. Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-6464-9_6
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-6464-9_6
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore
Print ISBN: 978-981-16-6463-2
Online ISBN: 978-981-16-6464-9
eBook Packages: Political Science and International StudiesPolitical Science and International Studies (R0)