It is the common notion of the people including statesmen, diplomats, rights activists, media workers, intellectuals, etc of all over the world that Myanmar’s Rohingya ethnic cleansing is for religious and ethnic differences. However, in Myanmar, there are 135 officially recognised ethnic groups (Rohingya were excluded from this list in 1982 by the Burma Citizenship Law, 1982). So it is unlikely to say that the religious and ethnic differences are only the core reasons of ethnic cleansing of Rohingyas in Rakhine. Rather, the crisis is more politically and economically driven.
In Myanmar, Rakhine State is least developed state in consideration of other states (As per World Bank Report, in Rakhine 78 percent live below the poverty line which is excessive in comparison to national 37.5 percent), despite the state is rich in natural resources. In Rakhine, Buddhist majority consider Rohingya Muslims as competitors for resources, jobs and their identity which cause conflict between the two communities. Competition over the state’s natural resources, inclination to get sole benefits from different development projects and movement of Buddhist radicalism are the root causes of tension between the major Buddhist community and minor Rohingya Muslims Community. It is apparent and evident that Myanmar government instead of fostering reconciliation between them, support Buddhist extremists, both by officially and unofficially, in ethnic cleansing of minor Ruhinghya Muslims Community.
Recently, in Rakhine, a number of big development projects are going on. China National Petroleum Company (CNPC) built a transnational pipeline which connects Sittwe, the capital of Rakhine, to Kunming, China. The pipeline was set up to transit oil and gas from Shwe gas field to Guangzhou, China. Also a parallel pipeline is expected to set up to transmit the Middle East oil from the Kyaukphyu port to China. Further, China is going to make contract with Myanmar to establish special economic zone in Kyaukphyu and has plan to build a sea-port there.
In terms of economic activities, India is also very active in Rakhine. Indian private corporations were closely connected with the construction of Sittwe jetty. Ongoing, Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project, will connect Kolkata Seaport. Also, European Union has been discussing a huge investment contract with Myanmar. These types of investment plan, projects, etc will definitely boost up economic activities in Rakhine and create employment opportunities, and also a prospective source of government revenues. However, these projects also create some local tension, specially for, land acquisition for these projects, inadequate recompense for acquisition, environmental pollution, etc. It is expected that these projects will create a good number of job opportunities for local people. Competition among the local inhabitants of Rakhine, which include both the majority Buddhist people and minor Rohingya Muslims, to get employment opportunity in the projects stated in the previous two paras is a vital cause of rising tension between the two communities. Different extremist and proactive groups of Rakhine state maneuvering this tension to turn it into geopolitical conflict. On the basis of recent Rohingya crisis, it can be said that they are successful in their ill motivated intrigue.
Most ironical is that international community cannot take punitive action against Myanmar’s government because of the India and China. Both the countries have huge investment in Myanmar, particularly in Rakhaine state, and there is allegation against India and Myanmar that these countries are supporting Myanmar merely to uphold their economic and political interest in Myanmar. It is noteworthy that China has veto power and it is assumed that China will veto against any effort by the UN Security Council to condemn the Myanmar’s government over the Rohingya issue. While international community take different initiatives to pressurize Yangon to take necessary steps to repatriate Rohingya refugees from Bangladesh and to ensure security and protection of Rohingyas in Rakhine state, China and India, both the countries have comparatively more influence over Myanmar’ authority than others, shamelessly remain indifferent about recent persecution of Rohingyas in Rakhine. It is presumed that both China and India, do not want to damage their good relation with Myanmar by pressurizing the country over the Rohingya issue because the country is key to India’s ‘Act East’ policy and ‘China’s Belt and Road Initiative’. Myanmar is also aware of the support of China and India and this give the country an immunity feeling that international community cannot able to take action against its ruthless, atrocious and barbarous activities against Rohingyas. It is mentionable that Bangladesh has to harbour more than one million Rohingyas. It is huge burden for Bangladesh to maintain this large number of Rohingya for a long time. It is beleaguered with the influx which is causing socio-economic and security problems. Though both the China and India have good diplomatic relation with Bangladesh but in terms of Rohingya issue they support Myanmar over Bangladesh. They do so to grasp Myanmar’s natural resources. Also rest of the world are loath in taking action against Myanmar.
There is allegation against all of them that they have eye on the natural resources of Myanmar and also for some other geopolitical reasons none of them want to deteriorate their relationship with Myanmar by pressuring it over the issue. This is why Rohingyas are become the world largest stateless ethnic group who are persistently oppressed and persecuted over the last four decades and international community has done little evident and perceptible to restraint this.

The writer is a lawyer and Research Officer (Law) at Bangladesh Institute of Law and International Affairs (BILIA). Email: [email protected]