That the world has made progress in protecting vulnerable communities is not in question. Today, communities that were under constant threat of annihilation enjoy protections that safeguard their welfare. However, there are communities that still endure oppression and violations of basic human rights. The Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar are among these communities. In the last few weeks, the Burmese army has embarked on a campaign to drive this community out of the country (“Myanmar: Aung Suu Kyi”, 2017). The actions of the army amount to a blatant violation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other conventions that secure the rights of all human beings.
The crackdown that the Burmese army is carrying out on what it refers to as ‘terrorists’ must have shocked many. When the government of Aung Suu Kyi came to power, there was optimism that she would introduce reforms that would return the nation back to the rule of law and democratic governance (Corben, 2015). Having endured years of political oppression and untold suffering, Suu Kyi was perfectly positioned to protect such groups as the Rohingya Muslims. However, the crackdown is clear indication that Suu Kyi has failed to honor the pledges that she made. When one watches television coverage of the crisis in Myanmar, they are greeted with upsetting images of weeping children, fatigued mothers and hopeless men. These are people who are being persecuted for being Muslim. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights guarantees the freedom of religion. The 18th Article of this declaration makes it clear that “everyone shall have the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion” (“Study Guide: Freedom”, n.d) The Burmese forces and the Suu Kyi government clearly do not share the desire of the global community to create a world where no individual faces persecution because of their religion. There is need for the authorities in the country to end their bloody campaign and respect the rights of the Rohingya Muslims.
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The atrocities that the Burmese forces are carrying out against the Rohingya Muslims go beyond denying them the freedom to worship freely. Even before the latest crisis, this community had faced other struggles. The Burmese authorities had repeatedly refused to recognize the community. As a result, this community was left in a situation of statelessness (Smith & Krol, 2017). Moreover, the Burmese forces face accusations that they have been burning the villages of the Rohingya. This is clearly an attempt to drive this community out of the country. The actions of the Burmese forces can be regarded as ethnic cleansing. The Burmese army is clearly targeting a defenseless and vulnerable community. The argument that the army is using to justify its actions is that terrorist elements within the community have attacked security forces. Even if these allegations are true, one is left wondering if there can be any justification of the brutality that the army has meted out on the Rohingya Muslims.
It is estimated that close to 400,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled to neighboring Bangladesh (“Bangladesh Sees Nearly 400,000”, 2017). Upon their arrival in this country, the Rohingya find little support. The Bangladeshi government appears overwhelmed and ill-prepared to address the emerging humanitarian crisis. It has urged the Burmese government to open its doors to facilitate the return of the Rohingya Muslims. Unless urgent action is taken now, the crisis will only escalate. More children, women and men will die as those who survive face a hopeless future. The international community needs to be more aggressive in its demand for answers. The world stood with Suu Kyi as she called for reforms in the country. Now it is her turn to stand with a community that has suffered enough. Suu Kyi holds the key to ending the suffering that the Rohingya Muslims have endured. She must rein in on the army and demand that the rights of all individuals in Burma as spelt out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights must be respected.
References
Bangladesh Sees Nearly 400,000 Rohingya Refugees Fleeing Violence in Myanmar. (2017). Retrieved 14th September 2017 from https://www.cbsnews.com/news/bangladesh-leader-visits-myanmar-rohingya-refugees-pledges-help/
Corben, R. (2015). Optimism Follows Meeting of Myanmar’s Political Heavyweights. Retrieved 14th September 2017 from https://www.voanews.com/a/optimism-follows-meeting-of-myanmar-political-heavyweights/3093244.html
Myanmar: Aung Suu Kyi Cancels UN Trip amid Rohingya Crisis. (2017). Retrieved 14th September 2017 from http://www.dw.com/en/myanmar-aung-san-suu-kyi-cancels-un-trip-amid-rohingya-crisis/a-40478110
Smith, N. & Krol, C. (2017). Who are the Rohingya Muslims? The Stateless Minority Fleeing Violence in Burma. Retrieved 14th September 2017 from
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/0/rohingya-muslims/
Study Guide: Freedom of Religion or Belief. (n.d). Retrieved 14th September 2017 from http://hrlibrary.umn.edu/edumat/studyguides/religion.html
