In 1944, Raphael Lemkin a Polish Jewish lawyer coined the term "genocide" by combining 'genos', the Greek word for race or tribe, with the Latin suffix 'cide' ("to kill"). Though the term 'genocide' was not used until 1944, acts of genocide had been committed throughout history. But 20th-century 'ethnic cleansing' is the current euphemism for genocide, which also encompasses wholesale slaughter, mass murder, annihilation of people groups, and the massacre of "inferior" populations.
Moreover, genocide and ethnic cleansing efforts have been driven by the rise of extremist nationalist movements fed by the desire to "purify" the nation by ousted and in many cases silence killing over largest minorities considered "alien." No matter what term people use to describe killing other people, it is still called murder, which is a lack of ethics or morality.
Myanmar became independent in 1948 and the citizenship debate had been progressed over the states since then and refused to acknowledge them as one of the nation's indigenous group to have migrated illegally from Bangladesh. Now they are effectively stateless. Meanwhile, the social progress of genocide of the Rohingyas has been taking place for decades.
In 1962, power had been seized in a coup d'etat, by General Ne Win and his successive army backed rules in Myanmar have persecuted the Rohingya Muslims ruthlessly and they have been subjected to systematic exclusion from education as they can forget their cultural heritage. By gradually, the distinct identity of the Rohingya as a group is disappearing and some extent has already been disappeared.
Their freedom movement is limited, and are even herded into detention camps and ghettos. They are strictly denied access to work, practice in religion, medical care, food and education. Moreover, mass killing, committing gang-rape, enslavement and other inhumane acts are common which are mostly unseen or unknown by the international community.
*Genocide and ethnic cleansing efforts have been driven by the rise of
extremist nationalist movements fed by the desire to "purify" the nation
by ousted and in many cases silence killing over largest minorities considered alien.*
Human rights expert term it as a crime against humanity which they compared with the treatment of the Jews by the Nazis in Germany. But, the current situation is very critical. Satellite imagery shows almost 214 villages are totally destroyed in Rakhine state. Sources say, the security forces of Myanmar have killed over thousands Rohingya Muslims from 25 August to till now. Every day on an average 20000 Rohingyas are taking shelter in Bangladesh. Around 8,00,000 Rohingya entered Bangladesh till September 27, many believes, though the number is arguable. Worldwide condemned and stringent criticism have been tossed and moved on the crisis.
In this context, on September 19, 2017, Aung San Suu Kyi delivered a speech which failed to address the crisis. Moreover, she refused to blame the military for violence that has driven some 421,000 of the Muslim minority out of her country. The international community remains slow or ineffective in stopping the violence that continues till now.
As in the past, the degree and pace of responses to ethnic cleansing Rakhine state in Myanmar at the international level hinge largely on the calculation of perceived interest and the actual costs of intervention and enforcement within the diversity of the international society. Although the long-term effects of such destructive atrocities are not known, it is evident and should bear in mind that practices of genocides are comprehensively poisonous.
Many people, especially women, children and aging survivors will be dying in refugee camps for lack of sufficient food, water, sanitation, health care and medicine.
Survivors were the victims of gang-rape, or have witnessed tortured and other forms of horrific events. The process is further complicated by the cumulative effects of resettlement, familial separation, and previous exposure to the violent, abusive, and dehumanizing world order.
Assistance is needed for million Rohingyas in Bangladesh. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has presented a five point proposal at the United Nations to find a permanent solution to the Rohingya crisis. In an interview Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh is not a rich country, but if we can feed 160 million people, another 500 or 700,000 people, we can do it.
Prime Minister has stood firmly for the humanity and against the 'genocide' in Myanmar. It is the moral obligation of the international community to address the issue properly, and thus provide humanitarian assistance to Rohingyas. And there is no other option then to implement the Kofi Annan's recommendations.
The writer is the Organizing Secretary, Bangladesh Statistical Association
