Editorial
Fallout from restive Rakhine
Myanmar govt. should hold back its nationals
With sectarian tension spiralling out of control forcing the evacuation of UN personnel from the troubled Rakhine state, fears are brewing of a fresh exodus of refugees out of Myanmar and into Bangladesh. The Bangladesh Border Guards (BGB) intercepted a flotilla of boats carrying around 500 women and children on the Naf River that the two countries share. While we sympathise with the plight of the Rakhine people on humanitarian grounds, the forced eviction of these people from their ancestral homes by Myanmarese authorities is not acceptable, more so because we are at the receiving end.
This is not the first time this has happened. The vast influx of people from Rakhine state into Bangladeshi territory occurred in the 1990s. Though progress has been made in repatriating some of those who had arrived two decades ago, the problem still remains with thousands stranded in Bangladesh. The latest upsurge in sectarian violence between Muslims and Buddhists comes as somewhat of a surprise, particularly in light of the fact that Myanmar is now in the process of moving from a country ruled by a military junta to democracy. The political dialogue that was initiated by the current regime, leading to Aung San SuuKyi's release from house arrest and subsequent polls have ushered in new hope for the country and the region welcomes back Myanmar to re-join the fraternity of democratic countries in Asia.
Hence, when something as abrupt as communal violence erupts in the largest city in northwest Myanmar and Sittwe is placed under a state of emergency, we are certainly shocked by this return to the old ways that had caused the first great migration in the early '90s. Many of the Rohingya refugees have since been repatriated with quite a few thousand remaining to be accepted back in Myanmar.
The demand by the various ethnic groups is something that needs to be negotiated and settled in a peaceful manner if Myanmar wishes to be seen as a nation built on democratic principles where the various communities co-exist peacefully. Its neighbours cannot be expected to put up with the fallout from ethnic tensions indefinitely and so liberalised Myanmar should address the question wholeheartedly.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments