DOCSLIB.ORG

Socioeconomic Characteristics of Rohingya Refugees from Myanmar Living in Bangladesh

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Socioeconomic Characteristics of Rohingya Refugees from Myanmar Living in Bangladesh FACT SHEET Socioeconomic Characteristics of Rohingya Refugees from Myanmar Living in Bangladesh APRIL 2020 Background Key Facts Cox’s Bazar district in Bangladesh has received multiple » Refugees, especially women, have low waves of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar since the educational attainment both in absolute 1970s, but late 2017 saw the largest and fastest refugee terms, and relative to the average in influx in Bangladesh’s history. Between August 2017 Myanmar. and December 2018, 745,000 Rohingya refugees fled Myanmar into Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, following an » Still, pre-displacement labor force outbreak of violence in Rakhine State.1 As of December participation rates were high among refugee 31, 2019, Teknaf and Ukhia sub-districts host an men and comparable to those of men across estimated 854,704 stateless Rohingya refugees, almost Myanmar, as reported in the 2017 Myanmar all of whom live in densely populated camps (UNHCR Labor Force Survey. 2019). » Among refugee women, however, pre- Researchers from Yale University2, the World Bank, and displacement employment rates were the Gender and Adolescence: Global Evidence (GAGE) low, both in absolute terms and relative initiative started the Cox’s Bazar Panel Survey (CBPS) to average female employment rate in in order to provide accurate data to humanitarian and Myanmar. government stakeholders involved in the response to the influx of refugees. The survey is an in-depth » Refugee men were predominantly self- household survey covering 5,020 households3 living employed, and the self-employed earned in both refugee camps and host communities. This about twice as much as wage workers. quantitative data collection is complemented with » Those who were employed in Myanmar qualitative interviews with adolescents and their prior to forcible displacement are much caregivers. more likely to be employed in Bangladesh In line with the 2018 Global Compact for Refugees currently. Their current employment consists commitment to promote economic opportunities, primarily in volunteering. decent work, and skills training for both host community » Despite the credible reports that assets members and refugees, this brief presents a set of were commonly confiscated or destroyed in stylized facts on the socioeconomic status of Rohingya Myanmar, Rohingya refugees displaced from refugees in 2019 and in the year preceding the latest Myanmar after July 2017 owned more assets outbreak of violence. than Rohingya who left Myanmar prior to The aim is to better understand the ways in which the 2017. challenges faced by Rohingya refugees while they were » Rohingya refugees in camps had on average living in Myanmar are likely to affect their ability—and an age dependency5 ratio of 1.26 compared the ability of future generations of Rohingya—to attain a to 0.89 in host-community households, better living standard in their host communities, with a reflecting the greater pressure on working view to informing policy and programming. age refugees to find jobs and provide for the Drawing from a survey on retrospective employment basic necessities for their household. and labor income from the first round of panel data in 2019, we compare three groups: the population of Myanmar, Rohingya people who crossed the border into Bangladesh in 2017, and those who left Myanmar prior to 2017 and are currently living in Cox’s Bazar.4 Do not circulate or cite without written permission from corresponding author. [1] Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar, especially those Those who were employed as wage workers prior to who left Myanmar before 2017, have low educational displacement in 2017 were more likely to have worked in attainment in absolute and relative terms. Only 12 Bangladesh during 2018-2019 than those who were self- percent of male Rohingya and less than 2 percent of employed. Our data show that previously self-employed female Rohingya refugees currently living in Cox’s Bazar people primarily engaged in own agriculture; this activity left Myanmar having completed secondary school, is not feasible for refugees, and the associated skills may compared to the national average of 15 and 14 percent be less transferrable to the Bangladeshi labor market for men and women respectively (Figure 1). Among those than the skills possessed by people who worked in wage who were not living in Myanmar in 2017, only 36 percent employment prior to displacement (Testimonials 3 and of men and 33 percent of women completed primary 4). school, compared to the national averages of 50-41 percent (Testimonial 1). [6] A high percentage—44 percent of those who were in Myanmar in 2017 and 38 percent of all other [2] Despite facing severe restrictions in mobility and Rohingya refugees—report having had a family access to markets and public services (UNHCR 2018), member or a friend murdered in their lifetime. the labor force participation rate of Rohingya men Responses to open-ended questions in the quantitative living in Myanmar in 2017 during the year 2016-2017 surveys show that many respondents experienced or was approximately 78 percent. This is similar to the witnessed the death many family members (Testimonial average rate of labor force participation for men in 5). A quarter of all Rohingya households living in Myanmar. Reflecting a different set of labor market camps were female-headed, compared to 18% of host opportunities for Rohingya people inside and outside communities and 12.5% of Bangladeshi households of Myanmar (Testimonial 2), those living in Myanmar overall, thus suggesting a relatively high rate of loss of 2017 were much more likely to be self-employed than male family members—or that they were unable to leave Rohingya who were already in Bangladesh or living in (Figure 5). third countries at the time (Figure 2). Our definition of employment includes in-camp cash for work and [7] Although household size is similar (5.2 in both volunteer jobs (for example, bricklaying). This is the most communities), Rohingya refugees in camps had common source of employment for refugees. Among on average 1.2 dependents relative to working- the Rohingya who left Myanmar prior to the 2017 age household members, compared to 0.8 in outbreak of violence, some are registered refugees and host-community households, reflecting the greater are therefore allowed to work outside of camps.6 economic vulnerability of recent refugees (Figure 6). Our qualitative findings suggest that this is leading to [3] Strikingly, Rohingya women were much less likely a change in gender norms around the acceptability of to work than either Rohingya men or the average work in some households, with adolescent girls and woman in Myanmar. Rohingya women displaced women going outside the home for income-generating in 2017 were slightly more likely to work than other purposes (Testimonials 6 and 7). Rohingya women (Figure 2).7 More evidence is needed to understand whether this is due to conservative [8] Despite reports that their assets were often social norms, security fears, or a dearth of appropriate confiscated, stolen, or destroyed (Testimonial 9), employment opportunities. Rohingya living in Myanmar in July 2017 owned more assets than Rohingya living elsewhere at that [4] Earnings were low across the board, but there are time, suggesting that it is difficult for households significant differences by residence and employment to accumulate wealth after they are displaced. The type. Among those living in Myanmar in July 2017, wage vast majority of Rohingya who migrated to Bangladesh workers earned less than half than as much as the after July 2017 owned their own home in Myanmar (94 self-employed (Figure 3). Wage workers living outside percent), and most owned poultry (90 percent) and of Myanmar in July 2017 also earned less than their other forms of livestock, such as cows, goats, or sheep counterpart self-employed workers, but the gap was (65 percent) (Figure 7). Many owned residential land (64 smaller. The lower labor earnings among self-employed percent) and unpowered agricultural equipment (60 workers living in Myanmar in 2017 suggests that the percent). The loss of assets could explain the relatively high rate of self-employment reflects a lack of wage low levels of self-employment among Rohingya living in employment options. Cox’s Bazar in 2017, relative to those living in Myanmar (who were predominantly working on their own [5] Employment prior to the 2017 displacement was account). a strong predictor of working status in 2018-2019 in Bangladesh. This was true both for those living in Qualitative interviews with adolescents revealed that Myanmar in July 2017 and those living elsewhere—and all family members were impacted, and women and even more so for those who left Myanmar before 2017 girls were often forced to sell jewelry in order to cover (Figure 4). immediate economic needs (Testimonial 8). Socioeconomic Characteristics of Rohingya Refugees Do not circulate or cite without written 2 from Myanmar Living in Bangladesh permission from corresponding author. TESTIMONIAL 1 TESTIMONIAL 1 TESTIMONIAL 6 "Myanmar government denied us our basic “After coming here women started going outside rights—education, health and shelter—and to do jobs. In our Burma women can’t go to tortured us for many years. They would take work if you even give fifty thousand taka as away all our cattle and leave us with nothing to salary they aren’t allowed to show their face eat.” Female, 16 to anyone. Women couldn’t even go out of the door of their house in Burma. But now those women are going outside to do jobs.” Mother of 17 year old girl. TESTIMONIAL 2 "Myanmar Army never allowed free movement. They used to charge fine for no reason. They used to take away our ducks, chickens, cows and goats from our house.” Female, 31. TESTIMONIAL 7 “[Girls] can go out from home after coming here.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Statelessness in Myanmar
    Statelessness in Myanmar Country Position Paper May 2019 Country Position Paper: Statelessness in Myanmar CONTENTS Summary of main issues ..................................................................................................................... 3 Relevant population data ................................................................................................................... 4 Rohingya population data .................................................................................................................. 4 Myanmar’s Citizenship law ................................................................................................................. 5 Racial Discrimination ............................................................................................................................... 6 Arbitrary deprivation of nationality ....................................................................................................... 7 The revocation of citizenship.................................................................................................................. 7 Failure to prevent childhood statelessness.......................................................................................... 7 Lack of naturalisation provisions ........................................................................................................... 8 Civil registration and documentation practices .............................................................................. 8 Lack of Access and Barriers
    [Show full text]
  • Crimes Against Humanity the Case of the Rohingya People in Burma
    Crimes Against Humanity The Case of the Rohingya People in Burma Prepared By: Aydin Habibollahi Hollie McLean Yalcin Diker INAF – 5439 Report Presentation Ethnic Distribution Burmese 68% Shan 9% Karen 7% Rakhine 4% Chinese 3% IdiIndian 2% Mon 2% Other 5% Relig ious Dis tr ibu tion Buddhism 89% Islam & Christianity Demography Burmese government has increased the prominence of the Bu ddhis t relig ion to the de tr imen t of other religions. Rohingya Organization • ~1% of national population • ~4% of Arakan population • ~45% of Muslim population Rohingya Organization • AkArakan RRhiohingya NNiational Organi zati on (ARNO) • Domestically not represented Cause of the Conflict • Persecution and the deliberate targggeting of the Rohdhl18hingya started in the late 18th century whhhen the Burmese occupation forced large populations of both the Rohingya Muslims and the Arakanese Buddhists to flee the Ara kan stttate. • The Takhine Party, a predominant anti-colonial faction, began to provoke the Arakanese Buddhists agains t the Ro hingya Mus lims convinc ing the Buddhists that the Islamic culture was an existential threat to their people. • The seed of ha tre d be tween the two sides was plan te d by the Takhine Party and the repression began immediately in 1938 when the Takhine Party took control of the newly independent state. Current Status • JJ,une and October 2012, sectarian violence between the Rohingya Muslims and the Arakanese Buddhist killed almost 200 people, destroyed close to 10,000 homes and displaced 127, 000. A further 25, 000 Rohingya fled to Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, Sir Lanka, and Thailand. • Tensions are still high between Rohingya Muslims and Arakanese Buddhists and human rights violations persitist.
    [Show full text]
  • Burma (Myanmar) Rohingya Refugee Wellness Country Guide
    Overview and Context e a d The history of the Rohingya people in Burma (Myanmar) dates i y back to the 15th century. Despite this history in Burma, the u g Rohingya are not viewed as legal citizens or recognized as one of G the 135 official ethnic groups within Burma. The Rohingya primarily n live in the Rakhine (Arakan) state, the poorest state in Burma. In y r i 1982, the Burmese government rescinded the Rohingya’s t citizenship status, severely limiting their ability to vote, travel, or own h n property. Although democratic elections were held in 2012, u Rohingya have faced increased violence perpetrated by the o o government since 2012, including mass rape, torture, and killings. C R Rohingya identity cards were canceled in 2015, further limiting movement, and rendering the Rohingya essentially stateless. s ) s r As a result of this ongoing discrimination, approximately 120,000 Rohingya have been internally displaced, e n 1,000,000 Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh, and 150,000 have fled to Malaysia. The Rohingya are referred to a l by some as the “most persecuted group in the world.” Many believe the atrocities committed against this group l are tantamount to genocide. e m W n Country Info Mental Health Profile e a Population e Research suggests Rohingyan refugees who have g y fled to refugee camps experience high levels of Approximately 1 million live u stress associated with the restrictions of camp life, f in Burma (Myanmar) M such as lack of freedom of movement, safety e concerns, and food scarcity.
    [Show full text]
  • CENTRALIZED NATIONAL RISK ASSESSMENT for MYANMAR 2018 – 1 of 178 –
    Centralized National Risk Assessment for Myanmar FSC-CNRA-MM V1-0 EN FSC-CNRA-MM V1-0 CENTRALIZED NATIONAL RISK ASSESSMENT FOR MYANMAR 2018 – 1 of 178 – Title: Centralized National Risk Assessment for Myanmar Document reference FSC-CNRA-MM V1-0 EN code: Approval body: FSC International Center: Performance and Standards Unit Date of approval: 27 August 2018 Contact for comments: FSC International Center - Performance and Standards Unit - Adenauerallee 134 53113 Bonn, Germany +49-(0)228-36766-0 +49-(0)228-36766-30 [email protected] © 2018 Forest Stewardship Council, A.C. All rights reserved. No part of this work covered by the publisher’s copyright may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means (graphic, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, recording taping, or information retrieval systems) without the written permission of the publisher. Printed copies of this document are for reference only. Please refer to the electronic copy on the FSC website (ic.fsc.org) to ensure you are referring to the latest version. The Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC) is an independent, not for profit, non- government organization established to support environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial, and economically viable management of the world’s forests. FSC’s vision is that the world’s forests meet the social, ecological, and economic rights and needs of the present generation without compromising those of future generations. FSC-CNRA-MM V1-0 CENTRALIZED NATIONAL RISK ASSESSMENT FOR MYANMAR 2018 – 2 of 178 – Contents Risk assessments that have been finalized for Myanmar .......................................... 4 Risk designations in finalized risk assessments for Myanmar ...................................
    [Show full text]
  • Behind the Scenes
    ©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd 438 Behind the Scenes SEND US YOUR FEEDBACK We love to hear from travellers – your comments keep us on our toes and help make our books better. Our well-travelled team reads every word on what you loved or loathed about this book. Although we cannot reply individually to your submissions, we always guarantee that your feed- back goes straight to the appropriate authors, in time for the next edition. Each person who sends us information is thanked in the next edition – the most useful submissions are rewarded with a selection of digital PDF chapters. Visit lonelyplanet.com/contact to submit your updates and suggestions or to ask for help. Our award-winning website also features inspirational travel stories, news and discussions. Note: We may edit, reproduce and incorporate your comments in Lonely Planet products such as guidebooks, websites and digital products, so let us know if you don’t want your comments reproduced or your name acknowledged. For a copy of our privacy policy visit lonelyplanet.com/ privacy. Tamara Decaluwe, Terence Boley, Thomas Van OUR READERS Loock, Tim Elliott, Ylwa Alwarsdotter Many thanks to the travellers who used the last edition and wrote to us with help- ful hints, useful advice and interesting WRITER THANKS anecdotes: Alex Wharton, Amy Nguyen, Andrew Selth, Simon Richmond Angela Tucker, Anita Kuiper, Annabel Dunn, An- Many thanks to my fellow authors and the fol- nette Lüthi, Anthony Lee, Bernard Keller, Carina lowing people in Yangon: William Myatwunna, Hall, Christina Pefani, Christoph Knop, Chris- Thant Myint-U, Edwin Briels, Jessica Mudditt, toph Mayer, Claudia van Harten, Claudio Strep- Jaiden Coonan, Tim Aye-Hardy, Ben White, parava, Dalibor Mahel, Damian Gruber, David Myo Aung, Marcus Allender, Jochen Meissner, Jacob, Don Stringman, Elisabeth Schwab, Khin Maung Htwe, Vicky Bowman, Don Wright, Elisabetta Bernardini, Erik Dreyer, Florian James Hayton, Jeremiah Whyte and Jon Boos, Gabriella Wortmann, Garth Riddell, Gerd Keesecker.
    [Show full text]
  • How Narratives of Rohingya Refugees Shifted in Bangladesh Media, 2017-2019
    University of Nevada, Reno Good Rohingyas, Bad Rohingyas: How Narratives of Rohingya Refugees Shifted in Bangladesh Media, 2017-2019 A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the Requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Journalism by Mushfique Wadud Dr. Benjamin J. Birkinbine/Advisor August, 2020 THE GRADUATE SCHOOL We recommend that the thesis prepared under our supervision by entitled be accepted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Advisor Committee Member Graduate School Representative David W. Zeh, Ph.D., Dean Graduate School i Abstract This study investigates how Rohingya refugees were framed in Bangladeshi media outlets from August 2017 to December 2019. Rohingyas are ethnic and religious minorities in Myanmar’s Rakhine state who have faced persecution since after the post second world war. The majority of Rohingyas fled to neighboring Bangladesh after a massive crackdown in Rakhine state in August, 2017. A total of 914,998 Rohingyas are now residing in refugee camps in Bangladesh (as of September 30, 2019). The current study uses framing theory and a qualitative content analysis of 448 news stories and opinion pieces of six daily newspapers and two online news portals. This study examines the dominant frames used by Bangladeshi news outlets to describe Rohingya refugees. The study then goes on to investigate how those frames shifted over time from August 2017 to December 2019. It also investigates whether framings vary based on character of the news outlets and their ideologies. The findings suggest that the frames varied over time, and online news outlets were more hostile towards refugees than mainstream newspapers.
    [Show full text]
  • The Rohingya Response in Bangladesh and the Global Compact on Refugees Lessons, Challenges and Opportunities
    HPG Working Paper The Rohingya response in Bangladesh and the Global Compact on Refugees Lessons, challenges and opportunities Karen Hargrave, Kerrie Holloway, Veronique Barbelet and M. Abu Eusuf April 2020 About the authors Karen Hargrave is Humanitarian Policy and Advocacy Adviser at the British Red Cross. Dr Kerrie Holloway is Senior Research Officer with the Humanitarian Policy Group (HPG) at ODI. Dr Veronique Barbelet is Senior Research Fellow with HPG at ODI. Dr M. Abu Eusuf is Professor and Former Chairman of the Department of Development Studies and Director with the Centre on Budget and Policy at the University of Dhaka, and Executive Director of the Research and Policy Integration for Development (RAPID). Acknowledgements The authors would like to thank all those individuals who kindly gave up their time for interviews. The authors are grateful for all the comments and inputs provided by external peer reviewers as well as colleagues at the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society, the American Red Cross, the International Federation of the Red Cross, the British Red Cross and HPG at ODI. Thank you to Sarah Cahoon for her management of the project. This report could not have been published without the expert support of editor Katie Forsythe and publication manager Hannah Bass. In partnership with In association with Supported by players of Readers are encouraged to reproduce material for their own publications, as long as they are not being sold commercially. ODI requests due acknowledgement and a copy of the publication. For online use, we ask readers to link to the original resource on the ODI website.
    [Show full text]
  • Rohingya Briefing Report
    ROHINGYA BRIEFING REPORT October 2015 2 WARZONE INITIATIVES TABLE OF CONTENTS 3 INTRODUCTION 4 HISTORY OF MYANMAR Colonialism Buddhism Ethnic Conflict 7 HISTORY OF THE ROHINGYA 10 CURRENT SITUATION 11 INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE Neighboring Countries Western Countries 12 LEGAL IMPLICATIONS Burma/Myanmar Laws International Laws Crimes Against Humanity? Ethnic Cleansing? Genocide? 15 TIMELINE 16 REFERENCES ROHINGYA BRIEFING REPORT 3 INTRODUCTION The controversy surrounding Myanmar’s Rohingya people is evident in conflicting stories about the ethnic group’s origin. The Burmese government and Burmese historians argue that the Rohingya are actually Bengali Muslims, refusing to recognize the term “Rohingya.” They claim that the Rohingya migrated to Rakhine state in Myanmar from Bengal during and after the British colonial era of 1824-1948. However, most experts outside of Myanmar agree that the Rohingya have been living in Rakhine state since at least the 15th century, and possibly as early as the 7th century. Claims that the Rohingya are recent immigrants from Bangladesh are simply untrue. There are between 800,000 and 1,100,000 CHINA BANGLADESH Rohingya in Myanmar today, 80% of whom live in Rakhine state. The Rohingya primarily reside in the two northern townships in INDIA Rakhine state--Maungdaw and BURMA VIETNAM Buthidaung--along the border with LAOS Bangladesh. Rakhine Buddhists are the major RAKHINE population group residing in Rakhine state. Tensions leading to violence between these two groups is a regular occurrence. THAILAND WHO ARE THE ROHINGYA? Sunni Muslims Make up 1/3 of Rakhine state’s population 1,100,000 in Myanmar Significant population in Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Thailand, and Malaysia Government claims they are illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, and rejects them as one of the nation’s 135 official ethnic groups Most live in Maung Daw and Bu Thi Daung townships While the government has played a significant role in the oppression of the Rohingya, it has not been without the help of Burmese citizens.
    [Show full text]
  • Cultural Dimensions of Pregnancy, Birth and Post-Natal Care
    BURMA: KAREN, CHIN AND ROHINGYA ETHNICITIES Population in Australia: Communication 12,376 people Karen and Chin people are usually more traditional than other Burmese people, as many are from rural tribes and view themselves as different from Population in other Burmese. Karen and Chin people may not be comfortable with a Queensland: 741 Burmese interpreter and may need a Karen, Chin or Falam Chin interpreter. people Karen people regard not imposing on others, or being quiet or less talkative as positive traits. Rohingyans, who are the most recently arrived group in Population in Brisbane: Queensland, tend to be shy 463 people Patients from Karen background may not and not very outspoken. be comfortable questioning doctors or An impersonal approach at Gender ratio: 93.7 expressing dissatisfaction with their health visits may lead to males per 100 females treatment. Health care providers should ask mistrust and less than optimal open-ended questions and allow the outcomes. A warm, personal Median age: 46.4 years opportunity for Karen patients to follow up yet business-like approach is with additional questions about their far more effective. All health healthcare. Age % encounters should address 0-14 3.3 the issue of understanding, 15-24 8.6 capacity and related compliance with treatment issues. Generally, patients consult with members of their own community about health-related matters. 25-44 35.1 Karen people are addressed by their given names. Traditionally, they do not 45-64 33.8 have family names. This can cause confusion when people are identified by ≥ 65 19.2 last names. Married couples do not share the same name.
    [Show full text]
  • Downloads/Yale Persecution of the Rohingya October 2015
    No. 24 ‘Nobody's Children, Owners of Nothing’: Analysing the Indian State’s Policy Response to the Rohingya Refugee Crisis Mudasir Amin The Hindu Centre for Politics and Public Policy is a division of Kasturi & Sons Ltd., publishers of The Hindu and group newspapers. It was inaugurated by the President of India, Pranab Mukherjee on January 31, 2013. The aim of The Hindu Centre is to promote research, dialogue and discussion to enable the creation of informed public opinion on key issues facing India to safeguard, strengthen and nourish parliamentary democracy and pluralism, and to contribute to the nation’s economic, social and political betterment. In accordance with this mission, The Hindu Centre publishes Policy Reports drawing upon the research of its scholars, to explain and highlight issues and themes relating to political affairs and public policy. These are intended to aid the public in making informed judgments on issues of public importance. The Hindu Centre publishes the Policy Reports online, and can be accessed at www.thehinducentre.com/publications/policy-report/ Published by: The Hindu Centre for Politics and Public Policy, 859&860, Anna Salai, Chennai 600002, [email protected] All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the publisher. ‘Nobody's Children, Owners of Nothing’: Analysing the Indian State’s Policy Response to the Rohingya Refugee Crisis Mudasir Amin Public Policy Scholar, The Hindu Centre for Politics and Public Policy (February – May, 2018) --- ABSTRACT he political exclusion of Rohingya Muslims in post- colonial Burma and the waves of violence against them in T the form of a state-sponsored campaign of massacre, rape and arson is now widely seen as ethnic cleansing and as crimes against humanity.
    [Show full text]
  • Myanmar's Rohingya Crisis
    Goucher Symposium 2019 Myint 1 Myanmar’s Rohingya Crisis: De/constructing Postcolonial Discourses Wynn Aung Myint PSC 250: Theories and Methods of International Relations Dr. Carla Barqueiro Goucher College November 2018 Goucher Symposium 2019 Myint 2 Synthesis through Scholarship: My Experience with the Research Process The assignment given to our International Relations class was to craft a polemic essay analyzing an issue in world politics, historical or present, from the various theoretical perspectives that we learned and discussed in our course. I chose to research and write about the Rohingya Crisis in Myanmar, - the genocide and forced statelessness of the Rohingya Muslim ethnic minority group at the hands of the Burmese military and state, taking from both postcolonial and post-structural theories in deconstructing the rhetoric and discourses surrounding multiple aspects of the conflict. This decision was informed by the immediacy of the genocide, as well as by my own background as a first-generation Burmese American whose positionality and diasporic experience was very much so informed by the nationalism that I write about in the polemic. As such, the research process entailed a great deal of un/learning as I progressed. My research process had three goals: firstly, I sought to find sources and materials that could augment the basic knowledge that I already had about the history of Myanmar. These included acknowledgements of the government’s regime changes and differing names between Burma and Myanmar, aspects that a Burmese person “knows” but ones that still need to be rooted in research. Secondly, my hope was to find enough quality peer-reviewed scholarly sources concerning the Rohingya Crisis – I held a few concerns as the conflict is ongoing at the time of writing, and there is usually a long turnaround in scholarship following conflict.
    [Show full text]
  • History of Rakhine State and the Origin of the Rohingya Muslims
    MPRA Munich Personal RePEc Archive History of Rakhine State and the Origin of the Rohingya Muslims Haradhan Mohajan Premier University, Chittagong, Bangladesh 18 January 2018 Online at https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/88186/ MPRA Paper No. 88186, posted 28 July 2018 13:24 UTC History of Rakhine State and the Origin of the Rohingya Muslims Haradhan Kumar Mohajan Assistant Professor, Premier University, Chittagong, Bangladesh E-mail: [email protected] Cell: +8801716397232 Abstract The Rohingya, a Muslim ethnic minority group in Rakhine, are considered among the most persecuted, vulnerable, and oppressed minorities in the world. Recently, the persecution on the Rohingya Muslims has increased due to Buddhist nationalism in Myanmar. The Rohingya continue to suffer from several forms of restrictions and human rights violations in Myanmar due to them being denied Myanmar citizenship. They are victims of various forms of oppression, such as arbitrary taxation, land confiscation, destruction of mosques, torture and ill- treatment, extrajudicial executions, restrictions on movements, forced eviction and house destruction, forced laborers on roads and at military camps, and financial restrictions on marriage. Since the 1970s, a number of crackdowns on the Rohingya in Rakhine have forced them to flee to neighboring countries. More than one million Rohingyas have migrated to refugee camps in the Bangladeshi district of Cox’s Bazar. This article deals with the origin of the Rohingya, the form of their citizenship, and recent oppression in the Rakhine State of Myanmar. Keywords: Myanmar, Rohingya, Refugee, Citizenship, Persecution. IKAT: The Indonesian Journal of Southeast Asian Studies Volume 2, Issue 1, pp. 19-46. 1 Introduction Myanmar is the least developed country in the Southeast Asia.
    [Show full text]