An international dialogue, titled "Building Bridges of Harmony: A Holistic Strategy for Social Cohesion, Peace and Stability in Post-Civil War Arakan/Rakhine", was held at the EMK Center in Gulshan, Dhaka on Saturday to address the ongoing civil war in Myanmar and its impact on the borders, as well as the future of the Rohingya genocide survivors after the civil war ends.
Cox's Bazar International Forum (CBIF), in collaboration with the Bangladesh Center for Indo-Pacific Affairs (BCIPA), hosted the hybrid roundtable, according to a press release.
Participants included renowned security and geopolitics experts like Lt Gen Mahfuzur Rahman(retd), former principal staff officer of Bangladesh Army, Maj Gen Shahidul Haque (retd), former ambassador, Brig Gen Shakhawat Hossain (retd), former election commissioner, Arakan Rohingya National Alliance (ARNA) Chairman Mr Nurul Islam, Myanmar National UnityGovernment's (NUG) Deputy Minister of Human Rights Mr Aung Kyaw Mo, Minister of Federal Union Affairs Dr Lian Hmung Sakhong, Steve Ross, senior advisor and program director at the Richardson Center for Global Engagement and Dr Shahab Enam Khan, BCIPAexecutive director, among other key participants.
CBIF Joint Convenor Muhibbul Muktqdir Tanim welcomed the guests and panellists, and Mahfuzur Rahman served as the moderator.
In his opening speech, Mahfuzur explained the strategic significance of Rakhine State for both India and China, considering the Asian powers' national interests. He also provided insightful perspectives on the roles played by different armed groups causing the current situation in Rakhine, adds the release.
Maj Gen Shahidul Haque delved into the root causes of the Rakhine conflict, comparing Arakan to the Palestine of the Far East and highlighting historical factors contributing to the crisis, shedding light on the historical backdrop and identifying three key factors contributing to the crisis in Myanmar today.
Steve Ross shared his expert perspective on the significance of social cohesion in Rakhine and its implications for Myanmar, acknowledging the international community's limited resources and attention to allocate due to competing priorities. Meanwhile, Aung Kywa Mo highlighted the demographic shifts in Rakhine state, primarily stemming from the conflict of 1942. He pointed out a series of systematic, state-sponsored human rights violations against the Rohingya people throughout various years.
Acknowledging the ethnic cleansing and genocide that took place in Myanmar in 2017, Dr LianSakhong emphasised the necessity of overthrowing military regimes, including abolishing the current citizenship law. Dr Sakhong also stressed the need to overthrow military regimes and rebuild Myanmar through democratic and federalist principles.
The release reads that renowned journalist Altaf Parvez advocated for politics centred on federalism rather than identity politics, while Shafiqul Alam, the AFP Bureau Chief in Bangladesh, highlighted the importance of the Rohingya people establishing an international-standard media outlet to counter misinformation.
CBIF is a UK-based collective of individuals from a diverse and inclusive community who are passionate about addressing critical issues in Cox's Bazar.
