Rohingya. Watch it if you have a big heart
- 7 years ago
The Rohingya persecution in Myanmar refers to the ongoing military crackdown by the Myanmar Army and police on Rohingyas in Rakhine State in the country's western region. While the majority of Rohingyas are Muslim, attacks have also occurred against Hindu Rohingyas. The crackdown was in response to attacks on Myanmar border posts in October 2016 by Rohingya insurgents. The Myanmar army have been accused of wide-scale human rights violations, including extrajudicial killings, gang rapes, arson and infanticides, claims which the government dismisses as "exaggerations".
The military crackdown on the Rohingya people has drawn criticism from the United Nations (which cited possible "crimes against humanity"), the human rights group Amnesty International, the U.S. Department of State, as well as Bangladesh and Malaysia, where many Rohingya refugees have arrived. The de facto head of government of Myanmar, Aung San Suu Kyi, has been criticized for her inaction on the issue and for doing little to prevent military abuses. Others argue that since the military retains significant autonomy and power in the government, she may be powerless to control them.
Rex Tillerson, United States Secretary of State, declared that the action of the Myanmarese authorities constitute ethnic cleansing. Subsequently, in November 2017, the governments of Bangladesh and Myanmar signed a deal to facilitate the return of Rohingya refugees to their native Rakhine state within two months, drawing a mixed response from international onlookers.
The military crackdown on the Rohingya people has drawn criticism from the United Nations (which cited possible "crimes against humanity"), the human rights group Amnesty International, the U.S. Department of State, as well as Bangladesh and Malaysia, where many Rohingya refugees have arrived. The de facto head of government of Myanmar, Aung San Suu Kyi, has been criticized for her inaction on the issue and for doing little to prevent military abuses. Others argue that since the military retains significant autonomy and power in the government, she may be powerless to control them.
Rex Tillerson, United States Secretary of State, declared that the action of the Myanmarese authorities constitute ethnic cleansing. Subsequently, in November 2017, the governments of Bangladesh and Myanmar signed a deal to facilitate the return of Rohingya refugees to their native Rakhine state within two months, drawing a mixed response from international onlookers.