Rescue the Rohingyas

The discovery of a mass grave in Malaysia and Thailand is yet another proof of the grave existential crisis that migrants face. The victims in the grave found in the state of Perlis, Malaysia, are widely believed to be Rohingya refugees, fleeing Myanmar. The Rohingyas are Muslims, who have been denied citizenship in the Buddhist-majority Myanmar, where they face longstanding persecution that has included attacks on their homes and workplaces. 

Rohingya ethnicity is disputed. They may be indigenous to the Rakhine state in Myanmar, where they have settled, or they may have migrated there from Bengal during the British Raj, but what can't be ignored is that for all intents and purposes, they belong to Myanmar, which has been their home for generations. However, the government in Myanmar has denied them citizenship, restricted their travel and turned a blind eye to, if not encouraged, their persecution.

Desperate people take incredible risks, and the Rohingyas have sought various ways to escape from the land where they have been repressed. This has led to human trafficking on a massive scale in which people are exploited, held for ransom, and even killed. Various crackdowns by authorities in reluctant neighbours — Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia — have led to the closure of some land routes, and people have then taken to the sea. Here they face harsh elements, leaky boats, and unsympathetic naval forces. It is the moral duty of the neighbouring countries to provide shelter to the Rohingya people, considered one of the most persecuted minorities in the world. The government in Myanmar continues to deny basic civil rights and citizenship to them. Even though the world, at large, has only a limited interaction with the regime, international pressure must be built to enable these people to live a safe and dignified life. The forthcoming regional meeting to discuss the crisis is but a small step in the right direction.