Rohingya problem cannot be a game of new cold war in Asia

Our decision makers should be more cautious in their decision making by drawing a mindset to the links between the environment and refugee management

Is Rohingya a problem between two countries or a crisis of humanity? I was surprised to hear the opinion expressed by Pinak Ranjan Chakravarty, a senior diplomat, who was the Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka, about this question in an interview to BBC Radio Bangla. He said, 'Rohingya is not a problem for India. It is a problem between Bangladesh and Myanmar. India should not put any pressure on Myanmar, because India has its own relationship with Myanmar'. I was worried thinking that perhaps this was the opinion of the present Indian government. But in a recent meeting with foreign secretary, Shahidul Haque, his Indian counterpart Dr. S. Jaishankar said, 'India would give Rohingyans humanitarian aid. Delhi already tried to persuade Myanmar to stop bloodshed and re-establish peace. Myanmar needs this peaceful solution to continue its development. India cannot solve this problem alone. For a long lasting and acceptable solution of this problem an international effort is necessary'. This assessment of the situation is somewhat different from Pinak Ranjan Chakravarty's comment. Only in one aspect these two diplomats are in agreement. Like Mr. Chakravarty, Dr. Jaishankar also said that both Bangladesh and Myanmar are friends of India. So India cannot put pressure and take sides when both the countries are its friends.
The Indian foreign secretary's comment shows that India is willing to help to find a peaceful solution to the Rohingya problem. But they want an international involvement including China and Russia because they are supporting Myanmar. He advised Bangladesh to try to change the attitude of China and Russia. From the comment of the Indian foreign secretary it is clear that they are sympathetic to Bangladesh, but do not want to get involved alone to pressurize Myanmar for a peaceful solution. On the other hand, Mr. Pinak Chakravarty's comment shows he is not at all sympathetic to Bangladesh and sarcastically asked Bangladesh to go to China for help. He commented that Dhaka asks China's help on and off. So why do they not go to Beijing to ask for their help and also ask them to give shelter to some of their Rohingyan refugees?

In my opinion, while Indian government's attitude on Rohingya problem is sympathetic to Bangladesh, Mr. Chakravarty's attitude is sarcastic. In the recent past he was the Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka. So he is certainly aware of the Bangladesh stand on Rohingya. It is not a problem between two countries, it is a crisis that has been announced by the United Nations as brutal ethnic cleansing. It is also a genocide. To stop the killing of innocent people, including women and children an international intervention is needed immediately. As big neighbours India and China also have a responsibility to make an effort to save millions of human life. Bangladesh has already offered shelter to more than 10 lakhs of people. It is an unbearable burden on Bangladesh. There is an international responsibility to stand by the suffering humanity.

When in 1971 genocide was being committed by Pakistan in Bangladesh, the Indira government of India immediately rushed to help and gave shelter to almost a crore of people without hesitation. Indira government did not say that this was a problem between Bangladesh and Pakistan and India had no role to play to solve this problem. When there was ethnic cleansing in Bosnia to save the minority community two great powers militarily intervened there. They did not say that it was a local problem and it was not their responsibility. India played a great role of helping Bangladesh to achieve its independence. When today there is the same type of genocide in Myanmar, and Bangladesh gave shelter to the oppressed people how a veteran diplomat of India could say that this is a problem between the two countries? Is it a crime that Bangladesh has established a friendly relationship with China without harming any Indian interest?

It is true that in 1971 when Bangladesh was facing genocide China took side with the perpetrators of this crime. In spite of this role of China, Bangladesh has gradually established good relations with them for the sake of lasting peace in Asia. India is also following the same policy. In spite of border clashes and China's claim on the Indian territory, Delhi is pursuing a policy to keep friendly relation with China. I very humbly ask Mr. Chakravarty, does he think that his government's present policy towards China is wrong? In his interview with BBC he showed his bias against China. Indian government also advised Bangladesh to seek China's help but without any bias. It is true that for a peaceful solution of the Rohingya problem China's help is necessary. That does not mean India can remain aloof by saying that they are friends with both Bangladesh and Myanmar and so they cannot take sides.

This is not a question of taking any side but to save humanity from barbaric tortures. How a veteran diplomat of India like Pinak Chakravarty could ignore the annihilation of an entire community in Myanmar because of India's 'own interest' in Myanmar? What is this interest? The lucrative business in Rakhaine? China and Russia are also after the economic and military gain in that area and for that they remain silent spectators of this human tragedy. Bangladesh needs help from both these giant neighbours to have a peaceful solution to this crisis. It is most unfortunate that a senior diplomat like Chakravarty who spent quite a long time in Bangladesh could not see the crisis of humanity in its proper perspective. His utterances seems to echo the cold war period, when the contesting big powers used the crisis of humanity for their own interest. Bangladesh needs both its big neighbours' support not to solve anyone's problem but to stop a genocide which may endanger world peace in future if it is not stopped in time.

London, Friday 13 October, 2017

Rohingya problem cannot be a game of new cold war in Asia

Our decision makers should be more cautious in their decision making by drawing a mindset to the links between the environment and refugee management

Is Rohingya a problem between two countries or a crisis of humanity? I was surprised to hear the opinion expressed by Pinak Ranjan Chakravarty, a senior diplomat, who was the Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka, about this question in an interview to BBC Radio Bangla. He said, Rohingya is not a problem for India. It is a problem between Bangladesh and Myanmar. India should not put any pressure on Myanmar, because India has its own relationship with Myanmar. I was worried thinking that perhaps this was the opinion of the present Indian government. But in a recent meeting with foreign secretary, Shahidul Haque, his Indian counterpart Dr. S. Jaishankar said, India would give Rohingyans humanitarian aid. Delhi already tried to persuade Myanmar to stop bloodshed and re-establish peace. Myanmar needs this peaceful solution to continue its development. India cannot solve this problem alone. For a long lasting and acceptable solution of this problem an international effort is necessary. This assessment of the situation is somewhat different from Pinak Ranjan Chakravartys comment. Only in one aspect these two diplomats are in agreement. Like Mr. Chakravarty, Dr. Jaishankar also said that both Bangladesh and Myanmar are friends of India. So India cannot put pressure and take sides when both the countries are its friends. The Indian foreign secretarys comment shows that India is willing to help to find a peaceful solution to the Rohingya problem. But they want an international involvement including China and Russia because they are supporting Myanmar. He advised Bangladesh to try to change the attitude of China and Russia. From the comment of the Indian foreign secretary it is clear that they are sympathetic to Bangladesh, but do not want to get involved alone to pressurize Myanmar for a peaceful solution. On the other hand, Mr. Pinak Chakravartys comment shows he is not at all sympathetic to Bangladesh and sarcastically asked Bangladesh to go to China for help. He commented that Dhaka asks Chinas help on and off. So why do they not go to Beijing to ask for their help and also ask them to give shelter to some of their Rohingyan refugees? In my opinion, while Indian governments attitude on Rohingya problem is sympathetic to Bangladesh, Mr. Chakravartys attitude is sarcastic. In the recent past he was the Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka. So he is certainly aware of the Bangladesh stand on Rohingya. It is not a problem between two countries, it is a crisis that has been announced by the United Nations as brutal ethnic cleansing. It is also a genocide. To stop the killing of innocent people, including women and children an international intervention is needed immediately. As big neighbours India and China also have a responsibility to make an effort to save millions of human life. Bangladesh has already offered shelter to more than 10 lakhs of people. It is an unbearable burden on Bangladesh. There is an international responsibility to stand by the suffering humanity. When in 1971 genocide was being committed by Pakistan in Bangladesh, the Indira government of India immediately rushed to help and gave shelter to almost a crore of people without hesitation. Indira government did not say that this was a problem between Bangladesh and Pakistan and India had no role to play to solve this problem. When there was ethnic cleansing in Bosnia to save the minority community two great powers militarily intervened there. They did not say that it was a local problem and it was not their responsibility. India played a great role of helping Bangladesh to achieve its independence. When today there is the same type of genocide in Myanmar, and Bangladesh gave shelter to the oppressed people how a veteran diplomat of India could say that this is a problem between the two countries? Is it a crime that Bangladesh has established a friendly relationship with China without harming any Indian interest? It is true that in 1971 when Bangladesh was facing genocide China took side with the perpetrators of this crime. In spite of this role of China, Bangladesh has gradually established good relations with them for the sake of lasting peace in Asia. India is also following the same policy. In spite of border clashes and Chinas claim on the Indian territory, Delhi is pursuing a policy to keep friendly relation with China. I very humbly ask Mr. Chakravarty, does he think that his governments present policy towards China is wrong? In his interview with BBC he showed his bias against China. Indian government also advised Bangladesh to seek Chinas help but without any bias. It is true that for a peaceful solution of the Rohingya problem Chinas help is necessary. That does not mean India can remain aloof by saying that they are friends with both Bangladesh and Myanmar and so they cannot take sides. This is not a question of taking any side but to save humanity from barbaric tortures. How a veteran diplomat of India like Pinak Chakravarty could ignore the annihilation of an entire community in Myanmar because of Indias own interest in Myanmar? What is this interest? The lucrative business in Rakhaine? China and Russia are also after the economic and military gain in that area and for that they remain silent spectators of this human tragedy. Bangladesh needs help from both these giant neighbours to have a peaceful solution to this crisis. It is most unfortunate that a senior diplomat like Chakravarty who spent quite a long time in Bangladesh could not see the crisis of humanity in its proper perspective. His utterances seems to echo the cold war period, when the contesting big powers used the crisis of humanity for their own interest. Bangladesh needs both its big neighbours support not to solve anyones problem but to stop a genocide which may endanger world peace in future if it is not stopped in time. London, Friday 13 October, 2017