One of my previous entries in my diary of systemic injustices was about the Rohingya population in Myanmar. Below is a summary of some current events that have been going on there, as well as a very brief history of the Rohingya people being persecuted.
In Myanmar, an ethnic group known as the Rohingya have been systemically discriminate against for decades. The Rohingya are a group of Muslims, living in a mainly Buddhist country, with their own language and culture. Recently many Rohingya have been fleeing the country as a result of being attacked by the military and other mobs (BBC). There is a history of the Rohingya being persecuted. Dating back to when Myanmar was known as the country Burma, the Rohingya have been seen as the go-to target for persecution. During the 1960’s, the Rohingya were used as a common target to unite people under a strong nationalist government. The then Burmese government even implemented Operation Clean and Beautiful Nation, which essentially just denounced the Rohingya as recognized citizens, and caused over 200,000 Rohingya to be displaced. For more info on the timeline of these events, you can click this link here or down below the text. Since Myanmar just saw a coup take place by the military, it is likely that the Rohingya will face even more trouble. Just this week, a refugee camp for lots of Rohingya burned down (NPR). This only worsens the current situation for these people. Apparently new barbed wire caused many of the refugees to become trapped when trying to evacuate. Even though the camp is supposed to be a safer place for the Rohingya, they still cannot find a place to live peacefully without having to worry about persecution or unstable living conditions. The image below shows many children rummaging through debris from the fire. I think it does well to show the catastrophe these people have lived through, and how they are all sticking together through it. Currently, Myanmar does not even count the Rohingya as people in their census. This lack of acknowledgment brings to mind the concept of the “Other” in that Myanmar views the Rohingya as the “Other”, a group which is far inferior in their mind and is of no importance. Myanmar has committed genocide before, yet it has received little attention. With the military now in power, the Rohingya have little time before they are met with violence again. Myanmar is set up for there to be no place for the Rohingya. They cannot vote for change as they are not citizens. When they protest for change, they are met with violence, rape and death. Time has shown how the system favors the Buddhists, and I do not see any way for the Rohingya to survive unless they flee to Bangladesh, or outside forces step in. Having said that, it should be pretty clear that there is systemic injustice present when the only way to avoid persecution is to flee the country.
UKHIA, COX’S BAZAR, BANGLADESH – (Photo by Yousuf Tushar/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Video link: https://youtu.be/04axDDRVy_o
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This was such an insightful post! I have never even heard of the Rohingya, and had no idea about the injustices they have been facing. It is sad to hear what they are living through and to see that it is not getting attention in the media. They have definitely been made the other in this case, and may even be the subaltern since they have no voice at all.
Thanks for your post! I think this is a typical systemic injustice behavior! Because the Rohingya ethnic group is ignored and rejected by other ethnic groups and governments in Myanmar. They did not receive fair treatment in Myanmar and even lived in the flames of war. I think Rohingya’s experience is similar to the Indian caste system. They are all inherently destined for their low social status. In many developing countries like Myanmar, race and caste issues are still not well resolved.