United Nation Special Envoy Christine Schraner Burgener, is in Myanmar to talk about possible way ahead in finding a solution to the Rohingya imbroglio. Reportedly, the envoy has met top civil and military leaders and underlined the need for reconciliation, inter communal amity and a favourable condition in Rakhine for Rohingyas living in Bangladesh to go back to their homes and livelihoods. The initiative is certainly laudable but how much it will achieve in practical terms will only be revealed in time. The UN has made several strident remarks on the systematic abuse of the Rohingya people over a long period of time, but so far, the attitude of Myanmar has been nonchalant and unabashedly defiant.

A UN independent body directly accused the Myanmar military of gross human rights violations, calling for several top level army generals to be prosecuted; but in reality, the Myanmar army plus the façade of the civilian government, Aung San Suu Kyi, has denied all such accusations of torture, flatly telling the outside world of its inability to assess the actual condition in Myanmar. When a Nobel laureate is playing to the tune of the army and has remained brazen faced at all international forums about the mistreatment of the Rohingya people, expecting any progress through talks with the civilian government is fallacious.

The Burmese authority speaks of peace and harmonious co-existence of people from difference ethnic backgrounds but as per a recent report, the condition in Rakhine is still not conducive for the Rohingyas to return to. As per findings and observations of inspecting teams, there is a sense of unease permeating the atmosphere in Rakhine with a veiled animosity harboured by the Buddhist population towards the Rohingya. For social cohesion, government acknowledgement of the Rohingyas as citizens of Burma is essential along with visible drives to promote harmony, tolerance and understanding. Unfortunately, apart from the rhetoric, the world has seen nothing tangible from Myanmar that would give a hint of their willingness to redress the ethnic tensions.

Since the UN has sent an envoy, it can also be the moderator for an inter-communal dialogue involving the civil plus the military representatives. However, common sense states such measures will yield very little if there isn’t any desire from Myanmar to accept that Rohingyas were treated savagely and there has to be change in overall outlook. The UN’s move needs to be backed up by international pressure in the form of trade embargoes or ultimatums, which, sadly, has not materialised. Without firm sanctions, sense will not come to Myanmar.