The Rohingya: Between a Rock & a Hard Place

The Rohingya are an oppressed Muslim ethnic minority primarily from Rakhine State in western Myanmar. The government considers them Bengali and has removed their citizenship rights. Since 2017, over 1 million have crossed the border into Bangladesh, where they live in extensive refugee camps. Bangladesh is pushing for them to be repatriated, but the Rohingya are refusing until it is safe to do so. The situation has become more complicated since the military coup d'état of February 2021, where Ethnic Armed Organisations (EAO) and citizen groups have taken up arms against the military (Tatmadaw). Alliances between the EOAs are transactional, as are alliances between various EOAs and the military. In Rakhine state, the Arakan Army, which supports a Buddhist state, is destroying Rohingya villages, as is the Tatmadaw. Cases are proceeding against Myanmar in the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice concerning allegations of crimes against humanity and genocide. The legal basis for these cases is described in detail. Unless Myanmar becomes a genuinely multi-ethnic society with religious freedom, the position of the Rohingya will remain dire. Keywords: Rohingya, ethnic conflict, sectarian conflict, genocide, crimes against humanity