The Rohingya genocide and double standards of people
Humanity does not belong to any particular race or religion. On an optimistic note, it is also true that there are countless proactive, open-minded people around the world of every religion, race and nationality
Khandoker Asef Safa Kabir
I sometimes wonder how I can remain silent for so long after observing the perpetual plight of such a large magnitude of Rohingya refugees at our doorstep. Generally, I am not a man with a high level of tolerance. I am not an astute politician, and neither am I a globally recognized Nobel Laureate, who would only issue politically correct statements to satisfy certain groups. Just as a simple human being with a heart and tears, beyond all political, religious and economic concerns, I cannot remain silent when I observe such atrocity against humanity.
It is a fact that we live in an unfair world where there are many double standards. Unfortunately, there are double standards regarding the value of human life as well. Like exchange rate of currencies, human lives of different ethnic and national groups have different values. One U.S. Dollar is equivalent to eighty Bangladeshi Takas (approximately). Similarly, one European life might be equivalent to the lives of around 450 poor Rohingyas; one American life might be equivalent to the lives of 350 destitute Syrians. The fact is beyond political interest no one really cares if you are a vulnerable ethnic group.
The international political community does not care much if a poor ethnic group is brutally killed, raped and massacred, and have to flee their homeland without any hope of salvation. Political leaders will play games of dirty geopolitics over the corpses of their infants, their homes can be burnt to the ground over and over again, and no one will wake up by hearing their incessant screams, which fail to pierce the politically cautious silence of the civilized world.
You can read all constitutions of the world, and you can read all religious doctrines. You will find the same things written everywhere: all human lives are equal. Our human rights should be protected equally under the warm canopy of humanity. However, in reality we hold different human lives at different standards.
It is understandable that the policy makers of Myanmar want to create a strategic economic zone by driving out all Rohingya population of the Rakhine State. To achieve that aim they resorted to this indiscriminate violence and genocide. Time and again, affluent empires have been built by trampling humanity at different parts of the world. Those golden empires collapsed someday. Humanity survived. However, unfortunately, many of us still havent learnt a lesson on humanity. Economic prosperity without political stability, security and human rights can be compared to a beautiful garden infested by venomous snakes.
The barbaric treatment of the Rohingya community at the hand of Myanmar military poses a serious political threat in the region. A strong sentiment against such barbarism is erupting in the Muslim world. Global terrorist organizations might exploit this sentiment to set a strong foothold in the South and Southeast Asia. In such a situation, they might get strong public support as well. We have already seen some nefarious activities in this region over the last few years. We have observed how terrorist organizations used violence committed against Muslims to radicalize and recruit youths around the world. The killings of innocent Muslim Rohingyas will give the terrorists more propaganda materials. Unfortunately, countries like Bangladesh and Myanmar do not have the capability to counteract such ominous threats.
The Rohingya crisis also emphasizes the lack of transparent democratic practices in this region, which permits certain authoritarian regimes to do whatever they want, and violate human rights without much accountability. Stable democracy and transparency in governance are positively correlated not only to assurance of human rights, but also to economic prosperity and development. Unfortunately, in many South and Southeast Asian countries lack of democratic practices and feeble rule of law impose a serious obstacle to social justice and economic development. In 1948 after the independence of Myanmar, it recognized all ethnic groups within its border, including the Rohingyas, as full citizens, with representation in the parliament. However, the military rulers in the 1980s decided that Rohingyas are not citizens of Myanmar. Subsequently, they stripped the Rohingyas of their citizenship, and started oppressing this vulnerable ethnic group, which continued over the last few decades.
The Rohingyas should be given citizenship of Myanmar. This is an ethnic group that has been denied human rights in their country of birth and residence for decades, and no one really cared much about it.
The claim of the government of Myanmar that the Rohingyas are illegal Bangladeshi immigrants is utterly flawed because they are living in Myanmar for generations. Religious identity and language should not be used as the only factors to determine nationality. Location and relocation of an ethnic group is tied to historical, geographical and political transformations of several centuries. If such groups are not given their rights in their country of birth and residence, they can often resort to various subversive activities.
If the law enforcement agencies of Myanmar perceive a terrorist threat by any local group they should identify and punish the real culprits, and not engage in indiscriminate ethnic cleansing to fulfill cruel political ambitions, which are apparently aimed at driving an entire ethnic group out of Myanmar. Such an approach will impose more serious terrorist threats on Myanmar in the long run. At the same time, I think the political and military leaders of Myanmar should do some honest soul searching to identify the root of the rebellious activities in Rakhine.
National borders are determined by drawing political lines on Earth. But our green Planet Earth was meant to be a safe home for all humans regardless of race, gender, religion and nationality. Humanity should not have any border. Humanity does not belong to any particular race or religion. On an optimistic note, it is also true that there are countless proactive, open-minded people around the world of every religion, race and nationality, who do not tolerate such crimes against humanity. They are always ready to stand beside the crying humanity, and fight against atrocities.
Therefore, I dont see it as an entirely dark world. I really appreciate the fact that we embraced the Rohingya refugees, and many proactive people and organizations from different parts of the world expressed strong solidarity and support for them. Our next step will be to ensure a safe and peaceful future for this threatened and deeply despaired community.
The writer is Lecturer, Department of Management School of Business and Economics, North South University
