For years, the Rohingya Muslims are facing atrocities in one way or the other. First they were subjected to genocide in Rakhine state of Myanmar where they are considered to be illegal immigrants and now they are languishing in camps in Bangladesh and other parts of the world, Reentry Rohingya people hiding in a truck transporting ginger were arrested as there are travel restrictions on them. They are not considered to be citizens of the Rakhine state.

And in case they violate the socalled immigration rules, they are put in prison for two years in Myanmar jails.

It may be mentioned here that Myanmar military in its cruel crackdown on Rohingya Muslims in 2017 killed thousands of Rohingyas, set their villages on fire and also forced over seven lakh of them to flee Rakhine state for Bangladesh. They were subjected to all sorts of cruelties ranging from following torture, murder, prison, arson and rape.

Since last year, the United Nation's top court is hearing the case of Rohingya Genocide as  the mass exodus of Rohingya is unparalleled in history due to Myanmar  Military atrocities on them.

The recent hearings of a case against Rohingya military in UN top court pertaining to the Rohingya genocide have been followed with great focus and attention all over the world as Human Rights Activists attach great importance to these hearings. Aa a matter of fact, every sensible soul is against the extreme atrocities which were committed on Rohingya Muslims during the 2017 genocide.

While thousands were killed, mutilated, burnt alive and rendered homeless, there are still over six lakh Rohingyas in Myanmar, who are still at risk of extreme danger and atrocities as Myanmar does not accept them as citizens. However, it is hoped that ongoing case in ICJ can help hold the perpetrators of Genocide accountable and also secure the lives and properties of these 'at risk' Rohingyas in Myanmar. As the case has returned to the United Nations' highest court recently, one can hope for the positive outcome of the proceedings. Earlier, the US in its formal announcement declared the atrocities on Rohingya Muslims as 'Genocide'.

Terming it as crimes against humanity, the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that no individual can be safe till the Myanmar junta is in the corridors of power. As a matter of fact, the atrocities on Rohingya Muslims were planned and they were carried out in a systematic way with a clear intention to annihilate the entire Muslim populations of Rohingyas in Rakhine State.

Not only the Myanmar military, the Myanmar State Counsellor and Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi have also been behind this crime against Humanity.  Ms Suu Kyi claims to be fighting for democracy, but what about her anti-Rohingya steps. On the one hand, she and her supporters fought for democracy against Myanmar's generals; while on the other hand, she clearly supported the Army general in their genocide of the Rohingya Muslims.

This cold and indifferent attitude of Suu Ki has been widely criticized the world over. While the Myanmar authorities were busy in ethnic cleaning of the Rohingya Muslims, Aung San Suu Kyi and her supporters kept a mum on the issue as if nothing has happened. It may be mentioned here that majority of the Rohingya fled to Bangladesh and available estimates say that over one million now estimated to be living in refugee camps in neighboring Bangladesh. But the irony is that they are not safe from inhuman conditions as BD government is also indifferent to their issues. And now they have started fleeing Bangladesh camps as well.

A recent report says that over two thousand Rohingya refugees have left the camps in Bangladesh in a bid to avoid the BD government crackdown and as they were fleeing on overcrowded boats, hundreds of them have drowned by rivers and seas as they seek safe places in other Asian countries mainly Malaysia and Indonesia. Last month as many as 180 Rohingya refugees, while undertaking the most risky journey,   died on a board in the Indian Ocean, the UN refugee agency said. At least three boats tragedies transporting the Rohingya refugees have been reported in recent months.   Last month, 57 Rohingya refugees, who were on board of a broken boat, reached Indonesia's  western coast somehow after spending a whole  month at sea with little food.

Earlier, another 104 Rohingya Muslims were stranded in a boat off Sri Lanka, But thank God they were rescued and no loss of life was reported. First they were fleeing Rakhine state of Myanmar due to Genocide and now they are fleeing camps in Bangladesh due to increasing restrictions, unavailability of food and other amenities, no employment and work opportunities and being in danger of facing violence and other abuses in the BD camps.

A large number of them have gone to Indonesia which offers them help on their arrival and does not mistreat them as is done by Thailand and even Malaysia sometime. Till now, over one lac of them have settled in Indonesia and Malaysia in hope for better life.

Published in The Daily National Courier, January, 13 2023

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