Comment - Rohingyas cry out for practical solutions

COUNTDOWN to Annihilation: Genocide in Myanmar, a report by the International State Crime Initiative (ISCI), Queen Mary University of London, has identified that Rohingyas in Myanmar are being subjected to genocide. The conventional definition of genocide usually involves mass killing committed by the state. However, ISCI investigation shows that the persecution of Rohingyas has developed into genocidal practice based on the historic and current conditions. In other words, the genocide is underway in Myanmar. This claim of genocide was supported by the Human Rights Clinic at Yale Law School which found that there was strong evidence of state crimes committed against Rohingyas.
Most Rohingyas live in the state of Rakhine (formerly Arakan) in the northwestern part of Myanmar. Rakhine is the second poorest state in Myanmar. Rohingyas are often referred to as "illegal Bengali immigrants" who came from Bangladesh.
In the book, Genocide as Social Practice: Reorganising Society under the Nazis and Argentina's Military Juntas, Daniel Feierstein outlines six stages of genocide. ISCI identified that the first four stages have been and are still occurring to the Rohingyas. The four stages are 1) stigmatisation and dehumanisation; 2) harassment, violence and terror; 3) isolation and segregation; and 4) the systematic weakening of the target group. ISCI claimed that the Rohingyas potentially face the final two stages of genocide which are 5) mass annihilation and eventually 6) erasure of the group from Myanmar's history.
There are countless records and witnesses to prove the genocidal process. These include organised massacre in 2012 and systematic discriminatory policies. For example, Rohingyas need approval to leave their camps to get medical treatment and they need to pay a large amount of money to get approval from the authorities to get married. Due to the oppressive livelihoods, many Rohingyas flee their "home country".
What are the challenges?
» No recognition in Myanmar
The fact that there was no single Muslim candidate (Rohingyas could not even vote in the election) in the November 2015 election showed that there is a strong discrimination towards Muslims in the country. The pro-military junta accused the National League for Democracy (NLD) of being sympathetic to Muslims and the NLD tried to prove otherwise to secure votes. Aung San Suu Kyi stated that every individual in the country should be treated in accordance with the law when asked about the suffering of Rohingyas. She also asked the world community not to exaggerate the problems facing Myanmar.
There is a fundamental flaw to her claim of treating everyone according to the law. This is because the 1982 Burma Citizenship Law does not recognise Rohingyas as citizens. Therefore, as non-citizens and stateless, Rohingyas are not entitled to be protected under the law.
There could be two reasons why Suu Kyi or her party did not want to acknowledge the Rohingya issue: either they thought that it was not politically correct because this would anger the public or they really believed that the Rohingyas were illegal immigrants. This was proven when Suu Kyi's aide mentioned that the Rohingyas are not the priority as they were all illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.
A refugee from Myanmar whom I talked to said that he did not know how to distinguish between a Rohingya and a Bangladeshi when I asked about the integration among refugees from Myanmar in Malaysia. This proves that the stigmatisation against Rohingyas has permeated every strata of Burmese society either in Myanmar or abroad as they have been isolated for decades.
Hypothetically, even if Suu Kyi and NLD addressed the Rohingya issue, there is nothing much that can be done as they have no leverage. Although the NLD won a landslide majority in the election, 25% of the parliamentary seats are reserved for the military. In fact, the public machineries or proxies have been manipulated systematically to commit violence against Rohingyas. The reform, if there is any, by the newly elected government towards Rohingyas, is unlikely to take place any time soon.
» Asean's lack of strong leadership and institutions
Many concerned people argue that Asean should play a bigger role in this matter. However, it is easier said than done.
The principle of non-interference is a uniquely Asean way of practising regionalism.
Despite efforts to put pressure on Myanmar to improve its human rights records especially in treating the Rohingyas, these efforts lack concrete and consolidated plans. This is due to the lack of strong leadership and institutions within Asean itself.
I believe that at the "regional" level, only Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia tried to address the plight of Rohingyas on the grounds of different independent individual states and not on the platform of Asean. Just because the other Asean member states were not directly affected, they stick to the Asean Way norm and it is not surprising that Myanmar turned a deaf ear on this issue.
This kind of negotiations put less pressure than it could be if all Asean members were united with one voice to condemn Myanmar. Asean also has its own Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights but this commission does not play a significant role in addressing human rights issues in the region. Even though the Asean Human Rights Declaration is a good step to make Asean more than just an economic bloc, the member states have no obligation to abide to this.
A declaration is not similar to a convention which requires state parties to make their commitments to follow the agreed upon guidelines and rules. It is a great shame that all of the great human rights aspirations of the member states are merely rhetoric in the declaration. Even though Article 16 of the declaration clearly states that "every person has the right to seek and receive asylum in another State", we could see that countries were reluctant to rescue the Rohingyas at sea during the boat crisis.
On Nov 21, Asean countries including Myanmar adopted the Asean Convention on Trafficking in Persons. It is hoped that at least the issue of Rohingyas who are also being trafficked are addressed.
As humans we do not want to look back and regret in the future for not stopping the genocide. Just because the Rohingyas are not in the final stage of genocide does not give any excuse for the world community to wait and see. Practical solutions need to be taken immediately.

The writer is a Master of Public Policy student at University of Malaya. Comments: letters@thesundaily.com