UNSC meeting on Rohingya today

Mere platitudes will no longer suffice, it is time for concrete actions

Despite the pressure from the international community including the UN and OIC, the truth is persecution of the Rohingya in Myanmar is still going on and everyday refugees are entering into Bangladesh. And these refugees have the same stories to tell: their houses being torched, their men killed and their women raped. The different international human rights organisations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch also confirm these acts of brutalities inflicted on Rohingya.

Under mounting pressure, Myanmar’s State Councellor Aung San Suu Kyi decided to break her silence and in her address to her nation a few days ago promised to take back Rohingya on scrutiny, but she blatantly supported the action against the Rohingya and her speech surprised people across the globe.

However, against the backdrop of continuance of brutalities, the United Nation Security Council—which already released a statement condemning the violence for the first time on Rohingya—is sitting today for finding a solution to the problem. But the way Myanmar authorities have been conducting their plan of Rohingya ethnic cleansing for several decades with total disregard of the international concern, a mere repetition of releasing a statement condemning violence by the Security Council will not have an impact on the authorities in Myanmar, and it will have to take concrete action to force them to stop their violence and injustices on Rohingya. There are difficulties to take such a step as that may be vetoed by China and Russia.

Moreover, up until now the role of Suu Kyi to contain violence and accept the persecuted community as genuine citizens of Myanmar is not encouraging. She is still acting as a ‘politician’ as she defined herself and not as a human rights icon when she was pressed for acting in favour of Rohingya in 2010. If her politics does not address the plights of a helpless community, what her politics is about? As the Myanmar military is unrelenting in their brutality and Suu Kyi is all ‘peaceful’—not moved by the distressed humanity—tough action from the Security Council is the crying need of the hour.

Despite the prevailing pessimism, we can be optimistic also. Since the five permanent members of the Council unanimously released the statement condemning violence, they can also take action, passing a resolution of economic ban or something like that for stopping Myanmar. There is no last word in the world of diplomacy.    

UNSC meeting on Rohingya today

Mere platitudes will no longer suffice, it is time for concrete actions

Despite the pressure from the international community including the UN and OIC, the truth is persecution of the Rohingya in Myanmar is still going on and everyday refugees are entering into Bangladesh. And these refugees have the same stories to tell: their houses being torched, their men killed and their women raped. The different international human rights organisations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch also confirm these acts of brutalities inflicted on Rohingya. Under mounting pressure, Myanmars State Councellor Aung San Suu Kyi decided to break her silence and in her address to her nation a few days ago promised to take back Rohingya on scrutiny, but she blatantly supported the action against the Rohingya and her speech surprised people across the globe. However, against the backdrop of continuance of brutalities, the United Nation Security Councilwhich already released a statement condemning the violence for the first time on Rohingyais sitting today for finding a solution to the problem. But the way Myanmar authorities have been conducting their plan of Rohingya ethnic cleansing for several decades with total disregard of the international concern, a mere repetition of releasing a statement condemning violence by the Security Council will not have an impact on the authorities in Myanmar, and it will have to take concrete action to force them to stop their violence and injustices on Rohingya. There are difficulties to take such a step as that may be vetoed by China and Russia. Moreover, up until now the role of Suu Kyi to contain violence and accept the persecuted community as genuine citizens of Myanmar is not encouraging. She is still acting as a politician as she defined herself and not as a human rights icon when she was pressed for acting in favour of Rohingya in 2010. If her politics does not address the plights of a helpless community, what her politics is about? As the Myanmar military is unrelenting in their brutality and Suu Kyi is all peacefulnot moved by the distressed humanitytough action from the Security Council is the crying need of the hour. Despite the prevailing pessimism, we can be optimistic also. Since the five permanent members of the Council unanimously released the statement condemning violence, they can also take action, passing a resolution of economic ban or something like that for stopping Myanmar. There is no last word in the world of diplomacy.