Home ›› 06 Dec 2021 ›› Editorial
The United Nations Human Rights Council recently adopted a resolution on “The situation of human rights of Rohingya Muslims and other minorities in Myanmar”. The resolution was co-tabled by 107 states represented by the OIC, EU, USA, Northern Ireland and the UK. This demonstrated strong and unified support in favour of the persecuted Rohingya Muslims and other minorities suffering from grave human rights violations in the country. Unlike other resolutions in the same session of the assembly, the resolution received total support from the member countries and was adopted by consensus. In contrast to the last resolution adopted on 18 November 2020 when a total of 131 countries voted in favour of the resolution, 9 countries voted against and 31 countries abstained during the voting, this time the same resolution was adopted without a vote.
It is a historic resolution at the UN that clearly shows a change of approach to the Rohingya crisis by the powerful pro-Myanmar countries such as China and Russia. Bangladesh’s Permanent Representative to the UN Rabab Fatima rightly observed that the resolution showed the world community’s strong resolve to end the lingering crisis and also assured the Rohingyas that they have not been forgotten. Significantly, Bangladesh drew global attention to the limited resources in Bangladesh and growing security concerns. Bangladesh has been working relentlessly to sensitise the international community and extend its proactive support for the Rohingyas. Bangladesh has already given shelter to more than 1.1 million Rohingyas despite being a densely populated country and a would-be graduated developing nation in the world. This resolution demonstrates that the Rohingya issue must stay in focus of global politics and diplomacy. Genocide and ethnic cleansing of the Myanmar military regimes for decades must not be rewarded.
By the text of the latest resolution, the Assembly has expressed its grave concern at reports on the countless breaches of human rights violations by Tatmadaw (Myanmar military) and other security forces, notably against Rohingyas. The long list of offences includes arbitrary detentions, deaths in custody, deliberate killings, torture, and maiming of children, and use of children for forced labour, and attacks on schools and hospitals. The Assembly has also condemned in the strongest terms, all such violations, including, related to, and following the declaration of emergency on 1 February after the military takeover. The Assembly has called on Myanmar’s security and armed forces to respect the democratic aspirations of the people by allowing the democratic transition, ending violence, fully respecting the rule of law and ending the ongoing state of emergency. The Assembly reiterated the call on Myanmar authorities to ensure ‘voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable’ repatriation and reintegration of Rohingyas in Myanmar, notably by creating conducive conditions. The Assembly has also emphasized on building trust among Rohingyas sheltered in Bangladesh through confidence-building measures, such as arranging “go and see” visits to Rakhine by Rohingya representatives.
The primary focus of the resolution is a demonstration of a strong resolve to create pressure on Myanmar to address the root causes of the Rohingya crisis, fulfil its obligations under the bilateral agreements inked with Bangladesh following the exodus in 2017 and to fully cooperate with the Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General and all human rights bodies of the UN. It also called for renewal and total implementation of the MoU between Myanmar, and UN bodies (the UNHCR and the UNDP) to create a conducive environment in the Rakhine State of Myanmar.
Key Issues
The resolution has several key features given Bangladesh’s global diplomatic activism centring on the Rohingya crisis. First, the member states hugely commended Bangladesh for its generosity in hosting the Rohingyas, providing them with humanitarian assistance and including them in the national Covid-19 vaccination drive. Second, the resolution recognized and appreciated Bangladesh’s efforts and investments in building the facilities to host Rohingyas in Bhasan Char from the congested camps, and in this regard, also welcomed the recent MoU signed by Bangladesh with UNHCR. It is a huge global endorsement of Bangladesh’s innovative steps in supporting the Rohingya people in Bangladesh. Third, this time the Myanmar representative did not oppose the resolution citing interference in its domestic affairs. Even Myanmar’s delegate (representative sent by the previous Suu Kyi government) said that people in his country are suffering from the atrocities committed by the military, especially after the February coup. He rather warned that the entire civilian population has been targeted by the military. In a strong statement of endorsement of support for the Rohingyas he uttered, “We are fighting for justice,” which must prevail for everyone in Myanmar.
Fourth, in addition to the member states of the EU and the OIC, the resolution also received significant cross-regional support, with co-sponsorship from the US, Canada, and Mexico (North America), Argentina (South America), Australia and New Zealand (Pacific), Switzerland (Europe), Japan and the Republic of Korea (Far East), among others. Fifth, the highest number of countries (107) have co-sponsored the resolution since 2017, demonstrating growing support for Bangladesh and the Rohingya people. Finally, the resolution highlights the role of the ASEAN. The representative of Vietnam pointed out that a constructive dialogue involving Myanmar, Bangladesh and ASEAN should be upheld. The representative of Singapore highlighted the urgent need for reconciliation in Myanmar and commended efforts by Bangladesh and civil society groups and requested Myanmar to comply with the ASEAN 5-point consensus for the return of Rohingyas.
Growing Global Support for Rohingya Repatriation
Although the UN has been adopting such kind of resolution with widespread global support in the General Assembly over the past few years, the same adopted in November 2021 is unique for a number of factors as indicated above. First, the resolution is adopted in a changing domestic and global environment. Domestically, Myanmar witnessed a horrific situation following the military coup that arrested top political leaders, including Aung San Suu Kyi, and killed hundreds of civilians who were protesting the brutal military takeover. The junta has unleashed a reign of terror in the country to suppress the people, especially targeting Rohingyas and other ethnic minorities. Externally, the withdrawal of the US troops from Afghanistan and its aftermath has caused a new strategic parameter in the region. Second, the change of diplomatic approach of the major global and regional actors such as China, Russia and Japan is a huge diplomatic success for Bangladesh. The key reason behind this change is primarily based on their understanding of the bleak future of Myanmar under the tyrannical and genocidal rule of the military junta where they have significant economic and strategic stakes. Third, the military junta has added a new character of Myanmar to its continuing persecution of different ethnic groups and even denied the rights of the majority of Bamar Buddhist people. The arrest of Suu Kyi who once defended the military in the global forum, including the International Court of Justice against the allegations of genocide and ethnic cleansing of the Myanmar Military is a saga of rampant atrocities in the country.
Fourth, the time has come for the international community to realise that the Rohingya crisis is not only a challenge for Bangladesh but also for the whole region that would certainly affect all nations in the neighbourhood. Fifth, the role of the defected Myanmar representative in the UN is highly praiseworthy as he is exposing the atrocities of the current Myanmar regime to the world. Although he is more concerned with the post-coup political repression of the Junta, his approach is encompassing and inclusive in terms of addressing the plight of the Rohingyas. Sixth, there is no denying the fact that the Western governments have been more forward-looking and straightforward in blaming the Junta for their singular role in defying the solution to the Rohingya crisis as reflected in the deliberations of their representatives during the proceedings on the proposal. Finally, the assertive diplomatic and national measures of Bangladesh to deal with the Rohingya crisis have unequivocally warned the global community and the pro-Military Junta countries that the country would vigorously continue its humanitarian diplomacy under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
In the long-term view, one can see rising support from the international community for the dignified and sustainable repatriation of the Rohingya people to their home country, Myanmar where they must live peacefully as citizens. Regional powers and global players must chart a new approach and continue it until the military Junta end the age-old destructive and suicidal policy of annihilating the Rohingyas and other minorities through genocide, atrocities and continuous purging. The UN permanent members who had been part of this historic resolution must work effectively to adopt the same kind of resolution in the UN Security Council in the immediate future. It is their inescapable responsibility to stand beside the most persecuted people of the world, the Rohingyas, not by words, but by actions.
The writer is Professor of International Relations, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh and concurrently Director, East Asia Center, University of Dhaka.
