Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research (ASSEHR), volume 140 3rd Annual International Seminar and Conference on Global Issues (ISCoGI 2017)

Rohingnya and The Concept of Conflict Resolution

Fitria Martanti, Gadis Herningtyasari Fazulty of Islamic Studies Universitas Wahid Hasyim Semarang, Indonesia [email protected]

Abstract—Rohingnya conflict that occurred in prolonged conflicts and reaping responses from several countries in the due to things that are complex. Some of the problems that world as well as the response from the United Nations are triggered this were sentiments to religion, ethnicity, social, conflict between ethnic groups in . The conflict economic and political issues. This paper will provide an occurred between ethnic Rohingnya which in fact the overview of the concept of conflict resolution that can be given majority of and ethnic Rakhine Buddhist majority. as a solution about conflict resolution in Myanmar. This research is a qualitative research that reveals phenomena The prolonged and non-existent conflicts must have been related to conflict Rohingnya, both the root of the conflict and triggered by several issues, especially in the absence of the concept of conflict resolution that can be given. Concept of concrete resolutions by the Myanmar government with conflict resolution by looking at the source of the problem and related parties. The great conflicts that occurred during 39 formulating a form of conflict resolution by adopting conflict years since 1978 until now still leaves a lot of problems that resolution in Indonesia mainly from conflict resolution in Poso, need to be solved. Ambon and Sampit. Forms of conflict resolution can be done Myanmar is a country in which has the by conflict resolution based on political recognition. The lowest democracy level and based on the Failed Stattes settlement is expected to resolve the conflict due to political, Index Rating, Myanmar is considered as a failed state legal, economic, social, religious and cultural issues. Conflict resolution begins with full government involvement in because the state is incapable of carrying out three basic overseeing disputants, the role of the UN and ASEAN as a functions of the state namely security, welfare and mediator, the exclusion of the socio-economic aspects and the legitimacy or law enforcement [1]. The failed state can also domicile of the conflicting parties. be seen from the brutality and intensity of using violence in solving the problem. Myanmar, actually is a strong country Keywords: Rohingya, Resolution, Conflict and far from failure. This is because Myanmar's military power is very strong. The granting of failed state status is I. INTRODUCTION more due to Myanmar's inability to perform the country's Conflict is a common thing, especially in a country basic functions for its citizens. The status of a failed state which has many ethnic, religion, racial and cultural certainly has a significant impact on Myanmar's state and backgrounds. Indonesia as a country that has many tribes, diplomatic relations, but has no effect on the existence or religion and culture is one country which has great potential existence of Myanmar as a state, although the resolution of for conflict. Noted in several conflicts occurred in the conflict must be immediately carried out as to the impact Indonesia, such as the conflict in Poso that occurred in 1998 of the widespread conflict and will undoubtedly disrupt the and 2000. Similar conflicts occurred in Ambon in 1999 and stability of Myanmar own. in Sampit in 2001 and several other conflicts that occurred Reflecting on some of the conflicts in Indonesia and the in several other areas . The conflicts are caused not only by form of conflict resolution, a similar concept can also be the sentiments of certain religions but also on the sentiments undertaken by Myanmar as a form of conflict resolution of certain tribes, as well as indigenous and non-indigenous between Rohingnya ethnicity and Rakhine in the country. recognition. Some of these conflicts can gradually subside Myanmar must have concrete steps in solving problems that because of the peaceful settlement of various parties. bring religious and racial sentiments. Conflicts that occur and can not be resolved properly can disrupt the stability of the country. Conflict can be resolved, II. RESEARCH METHODS of course, if there is good faith from the ruling party to be This study uses qualitative research methods that able to provide solutions to the problems that occur, without produce descriptive data in the form of written or oral words the awareness of the authorities to quell the conflict would of the people and behavior that can be observed [2]. The be very difficult to resolve the conflict that occurred. approach used in this research is the description approach by Similarly to Indonesia, Myanmar is one of the most trying to reveal the phenomena that exist related to the potentially conflicting countries, it is because the problems conflict Rohingnya. Based on data retrieval techniques, this in this country are quite complex and Myanmar is one of the research is a documentary research because the data most ethnically populated countries inhabiting the country, obtained from various sources of literature through among them ethnic Burmese ethnically close to Tibet and magazines, newspapers, books and other sources related to China, Ethnic Kharen, Shan, Rakhine, Mon, Chin, Kachin, the theme of this research. Rohingnya and other smaller ethnic groups. The heated

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The concept of resolution is pursued by looking at the destroyed [8]. The 36,000 Muslims were forced out of root of the problem and formulating conflict resolution by Myanmar to [9]. adopting conflict resolution in Indonesia mainly from The conflict was also triggered because Rohingya as an conflict resolution in Poso, Ambon and Sampit. Conflict ethnic minority is not considered a citizen of Myanmar. The resolution in Indonesia is expected to provide a concrete Rohingnya ethnicity is still considered illegal immigrants in picture for the settlement of Rohingnya conflict in Myanmar, so it is not granted their citizenship status. As a Myanmar. result of the lack of citizenship, the Rohingyas were unable to access education, health care, and decent work. III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Rohingnya ethnic presence really terabaiakan, marginalized Rohingya ethnic issues that stick out in the world is one and very apprehensive. of the problems that need to be resolved soon. Ethnic regarded as temporary residents are not Rohingnya is one of the ethnic groups who get allowed to work as teachers, nurses, public servants or in discrimination from their country of origin, Myanmar. The community services, they are considered to be stateless ruling junta of Myanmar, which has been in power since people and are not recognized by the government of 1962, is the most repressive regime in the world [3]. Myanmar so they are not allowed to vote. On the other hand Through discrimination, acts of violence, and expulsion by the government does not encourage reconciliation but the Myanmar government to Rohingya is intended as a form supports Buddhist fundamentalists with a view to of ethnic cleansing Rohingya inhabiting the region safeguarding their interests in the resource-rich region. of Myanmar. Violence through state institutions is not a new Myanmar's indifference to Rohing's ethnicity must be the thing that becomes a way for certain countries to reduce cause of the deteriorating living conditions of Rohingyas, as their population segment [4]. It is also believed to solve the well as violations of their socio-political rights. Another root problem immediately regardless of humanity and respect for of conflict is the envy of Rohingyas whose populations are human rights. Rohingnya conflict is widespread because increasing from year to year so that ethnic presence is Myanmar does not make efforts to prevent or resolve the perceived as reducing land and economic rights, especially conflict but instead Myanmar to do violence and expulsion in the Arakan region, which is at the center of Rohingnya of ethnic Rohingnya as a form of ethnic cleansing in the ethnic life. country. Seeing the problems in Myanmar in depth can not only The issue of Rohingnya is one form of ethnic conflict. be seen from the sentiment of religious issues and racial Ethnic conflict is a conflict related to the urgent issues of issues. This is in line with Wolf's analysis of the problems in political, economic, social, cultural, and territorial rights Myanmar precisely because of political and economic between two or more ethnic communities. The ethnic problems[10]. The fear of will be suppressed by community is a concept used to describe a group of people Muslims plus Myanmar is surrounded by countries that are who share a common ancestor, the same social memory and predominantly Muslim, such as Bangladesh, Malaysia and some cultural elements[5]. The cultural elements are related Indonesia. Rohingnya citizens are considered a threat to the to a particular place, and have a more or less the same Buddhist lifestyle and belief, and fear of Islamization in history. Both of these are usually a measure of the solidarity Myanmar. of a community. Ethnic conflicts usually depart from local Another growing issue is also related to economic conflicts that have no ethnicity at all, but then widen their aspects. Rakhine is one of the poorest citizens of the cups, even across national boundaries. country, but it is rich in untapped natural resources. The conflict in Myanmar has peaked in 2012, triggered Rohingyas are regarded as an additional economic burden by ethnic Rakhine ethnic problems in the predominantly because of being rivals in getting a job and a chance to do Buddhist Arakan region of Rohingya, which is business. Jobs and businesses in the state are mostly predominantly Muslim [6]. The Irish Center for Human controlled by the elite Burmese. Thus it can be concluded Rights reported in his report that the previously documented that the Buddhist hatred of his Spirit is not only based on conflict or forced expulsion of ethnic Rohingyas had been religious matters but is driven by political and economic carried out by the Government of Myanmar several times, problems. namely in February 1978 and from May 1991 to March The problem is exacerbated by the expulsion of the 1992 [7]. The conflicts in 2012 occurred as much as twice, Myanmar government against the Rohingyas. The expulsion in June and repeated in October. In October 2012, the ultimately led to forced migration. The pressures that conflict resumed. The second wave of attacks was Rohingyans gain cause efforts to seek refuge in neighboring coordinated and planned by Ethnic Rakhine with the countries, especially Bangladesh, Thailand, Malaysia and Myanmar military against the Muslim community of Indonesia. Not stopping there, the Rohingnya ethnic who Rohingnya and the Muslim community of Kaman who were were forced to flee in various countries also get the problem the victims. The official Myanmar government report states especially the existence of resistance from several countries that during the second conflict, from 21-30 October, 89 for several reasons. Bangladesh, initially well received by people died, 136 were wounded, and 5351 dwellings were Rohingnya refugees, eventually rejected not only as a humanitarian issue but has become an issue threatening

141 Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research (ASSEHR), volume 140

Bangladesh's economic, social and political sector which is power over minority groups. In some cases, minority ethnic ultimately viewed as a form of national security threat of groups are defeated, and the ruling government succeeds in Bangladesh. Refugee problems are also experienced by realizing the political order they desire. ethnic Rohingnya in other countries namely the sinking The most appropriate solution to take is certainly to take incidents of refugee ships carrying the Thai navy, as well as the path of peaceful reconciliation. This way other than the licensing issues in Malaysia and Indonesia. Refugees most humane way to do, will also benefit the parties in seeking refuge in Malaysi also suffer a similar fate on the conflict. A peaceful reconciliation will certainly be realized verge of fate as Malaysia says it does not want to arbitrarily if Myamar opens a dialogue between the hostile ethnic and release the UN High Commissioner's card for refugees or counters the disputants. This concept is in line with what UNHCR to organize the Rohingnya refugees. The Indonesia did in solving some of the conflicts in Poso, Malaysian deputy prime minister also stressed that the top Ambon and Sampit. The resolution of the conflict in Poso priority is the Malaysian people and their welfare and was conducted by opening dialogue between the various affirms that the international community should show parties, reviving the Malino working group to increase silatu concern for the suffering of Rohingnya [11]. inggmi and dialogue between religious leaders and the The problem of refugees in Indonesia itself is also community to revive socio-economic conditions in Poso and similar in some countries, at the beginning of 2017 there conduct social rehabilitation. While the resolution of the were at least 959 refugees who settled and spread in several conflict in Ambon was conducted with communication areas in the archipelago ranging from Aceh, Medan, between the various parties and a high awareness of mutual Makassar to Jakarta. The complex problems faced by respect for religious people, the resolution of conflict also refugees in some countries are related to education, health, through social institutions and local cultural wisdom such as employment problems, family rights issues and legal "pela" or kinship and brotherhood between two or more umbrella problems[12]. villages of different religions and "Gandong" or embryo that Seeing the conflict and ethnic problems Rohingnya that is still embraced and is a powerful conflict damper in the occur in prolonged will have a major impact, especially for case in Ambon. the conflicting minorities. Based on Brown's thought The resolution of the conflict in Sampit is also done by analysis of the Rohingya conflict, there will be three opening a peaceful road between the two conflicting tribes, possibilities: peaceful reconciliation, peaceful ethnic making direct persuasive efforts or through various media to separation and civil war. Thus, warring groups may agree to quell feuds, make peace treaties and sanction those who live together peacefully, agree peacefully or continue to violate the agreement, involving various parties, either local wage war to determine who is entitled to rule over all [13]. government,community leaders as well as the Governor's A peaceful reconciliation can be made if ethnic groups involvement to resolve the conflict. involved in political tensions can continue to work together Seeing some form of conflict resolution in Indonesia, it within a certain political and legal framework. In such can certainly be used as a concept to solve problems in tensions usually minority rights and individual rights will be Myanmar. Conflict resolution in Myanmar can be raised into debate and gain new meaning. When ethnic undertaken, of course, must be initiated from the openness groups of mutual disagreement can resolve their opposition of Myanmar to take the path of humanity. Events in through the path of dialogue, the influence of the opposition Myanmar have shown that the persecution is fully supported is very small for the country around it, or for the by the state. As reported by the AFP, the Human Rights international community as a whole. The path of dialogue Institute in New York, United States found an indication will usually also gain substantial support from the that the Myanmar government actually supports the international community, so that while conflicting, campaign against acts of violence committed to ethnic individual rights and minority rights can remain secure. Rohingnya[14]. The root cause of the conflict can come In addition to peaceful reconciliation in other cases, from outside parties who are deliberately involved in the conflicting ethnic groups can not formulate an agreement conflict. Based on existing data, in 1988 emerged a new that can accommodate the interests of all parties. Therefore, system in Myanmar. Despite the military authoritarian the only way to go is to sever the already existing legal and regime that leads, but Myanmar uses the market system[15]. political relationships. This path is a peaceful separation. The new law of The Union of Myanmar Foreign Investment The other possibility that occurs in other cases is to fight to Law was then a legal umbrella against the protection of the determine the ruling party. This choice is usually done exploration and development sectors of the oil and natural because conflicting ethnic groups are unable to make a gas sector involving foreign corporations. concerted agreement, whether in terms of peaceful political In the case of Arakan it is clearly not only a matter of reconciliation or political separation. Many ethnic conflicts religion and ethnicity but a battle over oil and gas. This was lead to conflict involving violence on a larger scale. Ethnic clearly apparent in 2005, Chinese gas companies signed a minorities can demand to form their own state, or demand gas contract with the Myanmar government to manage oil political autonomy in a federal form to determine their own exploration. Oil and gas exploration is a target not only fate. Conversely, the majority ethnic group usually wants to China but also the United States and other countries. The enlarge their power over the whole territory, including their issue of Rohingnya is rumored by using the conflict of Islam

142 Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research (ASSEHR), volume 140 and Buddhism but it seems the strategic target is the same [3] Freedom House, The World’s Most Repressive Regimes, that is the control of oil and natural gas. In this case, Geneva: A Special Report to the 59th Session of the basically there are similarities with the conflict in Ambon, United Nations Commission on Human Rights, 2003. which originated from a criminal problem which then [4]Wardhani, Baiq, 2012. “No Place Called Home: politicized into big and rumored because of religious issues. Pengungsi Rohingya di Perbatasan Bangladesh- This is because of certain corporate games that collaborate Myanmar”, Jurnal Global dan Strategi: Edisi Khusus with Myanmar's military junta. [5]A.D. Smith, The Ethnic Origins of Nations, Oxford, Basil The settlement of Rohingnya case must necessarily start Blackwell, 1986. with the awareness of Myanmar government in paving the [6]Smith, Matthew. F, The Government Could Have way for peace for the ethnic minority Rohingnya. Conflict Stopped This: and Ensuing Abuses in resolution can be initiated by granting the rights that should Burma’s Arakan State, USA: Human Right Watch, be given to the ethnic Rohingnya. The Myanmar 2012. government should open the door of dialogue between the [7]Crimes against Humanity in Western Burma: The two ethnic groups and exclusively segregate the socio- Situation of the Rohingyas,” Irish Centre for Human economic aspects of the two conflicting ethnic groups, make Rights, 2010. a peace treaty between the two sides and the most important [8]Myanmar: Storms Cloud on the Horizon,” International thing to do is to arrange a residence between Rohingnya Crisis Group Asia Report, No. 238, 12 November 2012. ethnicity and Rakhine ethnic so as to not cause conflict [9]Brinham, Natalie, “The Conveniently Forgotten Human again. The role of the UN and ASEAN should also be a Rights of the Rohingya,” FMR 41. mediator of the settlement of cases, so that the element of [10]Analisis Siegfried O.Wolh dalam humanity takes precedence over political elements and http://m.dw.com/id/rohingnya-sebenarnya-bukan efforts to control the natural resources that became one of konflik-agama/a/18683571, diakses 25 Oktober 2017, the triggers of conflict. Such a concept can be termed as a pukul 9.31 WIB. way of conflict resolution based on political recognition. [11]Free Malaysia Today, Senin 4 September 2017 This settlement is expected to resolve the conflict because https://m.detik.com/news/internasional/3627840/ diakses the problems that occur have penetrated in various spheres 22 September 2017 pukul 20.30. of good politics, law, economy, social, religion and culture. [12]https://news.okezone.com/read/2017/09/04/337/176903 IV. CONCLUSION 2 diakses 30 September 2017 pukul 07.15. [13]Michael E. Brown, “Causes and Implications of Ethnic Ethnic issues Rohingnya not only related to the issue of Conflict”, dalam The Ethnicity Reader. Nationalism, religion and the problem of race differences alone, but more Multiculturalism, and Migration, Guibernau dan John than that the main problem precisely because of the effort to Rex (eds), Great Britain, Polity Press, 1997. control the oil and natural gas stored as natural resources in [14]http://news.liputan6.com/read/426542/tentara-myanmar- the Arakan region. The settlement of the Rohing conflict tembaki-etnis-rohingya, diakses 12 September 2017 must immediately be done through peaceful reconciliation. pukul 19.30 This can be done especially if the ruling Myanmar elite, as [15]http://www.theglobalreview.com/content_detail.php?lan well as the decision-makers, change their mindset to take the g=id&id=8937&type=13#.UL2ZNmfvzMw), diakses 15 path of humanity for the Rohingyas. Adopting from the September 2017 pukul 13.00 resolution of some conflicts in Indonesia, conflict resolution can be done, of course, by seeking peaceful reconciliation. Settlement in such a manner is the most complete settlement of humanitarian value, especially to minorities. Resolving conflicts in Indonesia in some conflicts such as Poso, Ambon or Sampit which are preferred are the large role of the government to stop the conflict between the parties to the conflict. The same way can also be used as a form of solving the conflicts of Rohingya conflict in Myanmar. REFERENCE [1] Ulrich Schnechener, Fragile State hood, Armed Non- State Actors and Security Governance”, Editorial Alan Bryden and Marina Caparini, Private Actors and Security Governance (Jenewa, LIT&DCAF, 2006. [2] Lexy J Moleong, metodologi Penelitian Kualitatif, Bandung: PT Remaja Rosda Karya, 2000.

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