Rohingya Muslims’ Cry for Help: Silence, Condemnation, No Material Support

 Often described as “the world’s most persecuted minority,” the Rohingya Muslims are suffering a systematic cleansing by their own government in Myanmar. While some have spoken up and condemned the persecution of the one million-member minority, others remain silent or even justified the crimes.

Tension continues to grow in Myanmar’s Muslim majority Rakhine State. Since August 25, it is estimated that the clashes between the military and the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) have lead to the death of at least 400 people, the destruction of over 2600 villages, and the displacement of more than 90,000 Rohingya to Bangladesh.

AFP PHOTO / Christophe ARCHAMBAULT
Without foreign intervention, many believe that what Reuters has described as the “deadliest bouts of violence involving the Muslim minority in decades” will only continue to grow.

Silence Speaking Volumes

Between complicity and conspicuous silence, it appears that the government of Myanmar will not take any action to stop the violence.

The mass killings of Rohingya Muslim community are, according to the country’s security forces,“clearance operations of terrorists,” referring to ARSA, and Myanmar’s army chief has justified the genocide as “unfinished business.”

Meanwhile, the lack of response by Myanmar’s de facto leader, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, has drawn severe criticism and accusations of implicit approval of the ethnic violence.

Some have defended Suu Kyi, saying is incapable of stopping the violence against Muslims in Rakhine since because she does not have control over the military.

However, Suu Kyi has herself previously displayed a negative attitude regarding Muslims in Myanmar.

During an interview in 2013 with BBC journalist, Mishal Husain, concerning the ethnic cleansing of Rohingya, Suu Kyi said that “the world needs to understand, that the fear is not just on the side of the Muslims, but on the side of the Buddhists as well.”

Following the interview, Suu Kyi reportedly said that “no one told me I was going to be interviewed by a Muslim.”

Leading Myanmar government, Suu Kyi denied entry to members of a United Nations investigation allegations of killings, rape, and torture of Rohingya Muslims.

Empty Talk, Arms, and Diplomacy

Suu Kyi is not the only head of state that has refused to discuss the persecution of the Rohingya. Several countries have remained silent while continuing to supply arms to Myanmar, despite the ongoing violence.

Russia has yet to make a statement regarding the genocide in Myanmar. Russia and Myanmar governments share deep rooted trade and arms partnerships. In 2016, Russia signed an agreement of military cooperation with the Myanmar military, increasing its readiness for battle.

Nevertheless, the country’s Muslim community in Chechnya have rallied in support of Rohingya Muslims.

In a YouTube Video, Chechnya leader Ramzan Kadyrov said that “if […] Russia supported these devils that carry out the crimes today, I am against Russia’s position because I have my own views and my own position.”

However, the leader is not willing to take any concrete measures to put an end to the violation of the human rights in Myanmar, as it is not possible for him to send Chechen armed police as military to protect the Rohingya because of “geography,” and “circumstance.”

Israel is also a longstanding trader of arms with Myanmar government.

The Israeli Defense Minister, Avigdor Lieberman argued that trade of arms with the Myanmar is “clearly diplomatic.”

Lieberman indicated that Israel merely “subordinates [itself] to the entire enlightened world, that is the Western states, and first of all the United States, the largest arms exporter. We subordinate ourselves to them and maintain the same policy.”

While Lieberman’s statement is incorrect – the US has imposed an arms embargo on Myanmar –President Donald Trump nevertheless has yet to make any condemnation of the attacks in Myanmar.

The US ambassador to UN, Nikki Haley, made a statement, “condemning recent coordinated attacks by Rohingya militants on security posts,” but did not mention the Myanmar military violent persecution of the Muslim minority. She said that “government forces have a responsibility to avoid abuses and allow in aid.”

No to Violations of Human Rights

While some world leaders and official bodies have chosen to remain silent, many others have condemned the massacre of Rohingya Muslims and the inaction of the Suu Kyi.

On Monday, Pakistan Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif urged for “effective measures to prevent the recurrence of such violence” against the Muslim minority.

His counterpart in Iran, Javad Zarif condemned in Twitter the “Global silence on continuing violence against Rohingya Muslims. Action is crucial to prevent further ethnic cleansing – UN must rally