United Nations investigators said on Wednesday that thousands of Rohingya were still fleeing to neighboring Bangladesh and those living in Myanmar were being subjected to ‘most severe repression.’ This stark warning should come as no surprise after former human rights champion and Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, de-facto ruler of Myanmar publicly denied accusation of mass atrocities committed by army in Eastern state of Rakhine.
About 700,00 Rohingya Muslims have fled to Bangladesh since last August after international community failed to take preventive action against Myanmar government and influential army who raped, murdered and tortured Rohingya and burned their villages with impunity. Even the harrowing accounts narrated by Rohingya refugees that seem to move international diplomatic delegates for a moment failed to bring about a united response by the major powers sans a few minor sanctions on a few Myanmar military officials to ‘deter’ them. This has obviously not worked.
The world needs to come up with a united response to grave human rights violations being committed by Myanmar army and political cover being supplied by Suu Kyi regime. This sadly does not appear likely in this new world order where strategic and economic interest take precedence over human rights. Previous UN report detailing the harrowing conditions of Rohingya refugees failed to bring about any meaningful action at security council where it was blocked by China, a neighbor and close ally of Myanmar and some other non-permanent members.
Human rights abuse is not something to be provided diplomatic cover for. Permanent members of UNSC should set aside their strategic differences aside and work towards removing gridlock regarding sanctions on Myanmar. Muslim countries including Pakistan, Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia could do more to lobby world powers into strict disciplinary action against Myanmar government in light of damning UN reports. This is a shared international concern and should be seen as such.
