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Rohingyas : Insecurity and Citizenship in Myanmar
Edited by Dr. Trevor Gibson, Faculty of Agriculture, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand and Dr. Helen James, The Australian National University, Canberra & Dr. Lindsay Falvey, Emeritus Professor, University of Melbourne.
The Rohingyas are a large Muslim minority group living in the Rakhine State in western Myanmar. The Rohingyas are regarded as non-citizens even though they and their proximal ancestors have been born in the Rakhine state. The origin of the Rohingya ethnic group is outlined. The different perceptions of the term ‘Rohingya’ by various peoples and Governments are discussed.
The book examines the causes and effects of denial of citizenship rights and its results on the human security aspects of the Rohingyas. Social Identity Theory and Social Exclusion Theory are used to explain the Social Exclusion of the Rohingyas and denial of their citizenship rights, which threaten their human security. The legal aspects of citizenship are discussed. The human security aspects are considered based on the human security framework provided by UNDP 1994.
This study concludes that the Rohingyas are entitled to full citizenship within Myanmar by virtue of UNDP Human Security Framework and international conventions relating to Human Rights and Statelessness 1948 to 1961. It also suggests that the granting of citizenship and citizenship right entitlements as prescribed by the 2008 Union of Myanmar Constitution will alleviate the human insecurity and suffering of the Rohingyas and will also be to the benefit of the development of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar.
‘Rohingya’ is the name of an ethnic group, of which the majority of the members live in the Rakhine State. The Rakhine state is located in the Western part of Myanmar and extends from latitude 17°15! To latitude 21°11! North and longitude 92°11! to longitude 94°55! East. It has an area of approximately 14,200 square miles (Figure 1). It is surrounded by the Chin state in the north, by the Rakhine Yoma (mountain range) in the east, by the Ayeyarwaddy delta region in the south, by the Bay of Bengal in the southwest, and Bangladesh in the northwest. The Rakhine state is composed of 5 districts and 17 townships (Figure 3).
Recently released population data from the Department of Population (2014, p. 2) estimated that the population of Rakhine State is 3,188,963. According to Inquiry Commission (2013, p. 3) the estimated population of Rakhine state is 3,338,669 comprising 2,333,670 Buddhists (70 percent) and 968,218 Muslims (29 percent), 25,206 Christians (0.75 percent), 8,670 Hindus (0.26 percent) and 2,905 Animists (0.09 percent). U Khin Yee, Minister of Immigration and Population estimated Rohingyas population throughout Myanmar as 1.33 million and about 1.08 million are in Rakhine State (Fortify Rights 2014, p. 16).
Although Rohingyas have been living in Rakhine State for many hundreds of years, their presence is not welcomed by the Rakhine ethnic people. The Rakhine ethnic group perceive themselves as the defenders of ‘land and religion’ and the Rohingyas as a ‘threat to race and religion’ and as ‘intruders’ who will occupy Rakhine land and dominate the economy as part of an Islamic state. This perception has resulted in the Rohingyas enjoying less human security than most of the other ethnic groups in Myanmar, and has increased the level of prejudice shown by the national ethnic groups towards the Rohingyas. This group prejudice has, over the years, transformed into inter-communal conflict.
According to a recent report prepared by UNOCHA, (2014a), in 2012 some 140,000 Rohingyas fled their homes to live in separated camps set up specifically for internally displaced persons, in ten out of eleven affected townships in the Rakhine state. Many Rohingyas lost their wealth, property, homes, land, livelihoods, families and friends at this time, while others fled beyond the camps to other countries including Bangladesh, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Australia, illegally, to find a secure place to live (Human Rights Watch, 2015). This mass emigration of Rohingyas has become a critical problem for the ASEAN countries and beyond.
The Constitution of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar 2008 in Chapter VIII entitled ‘Fundamental Rights and Duties of the Citizens’ (refer to the end of Chapter 6) is central to the question. The Rohingyas believe that the withdrawal of the citizenship rights therein referred after 1982 is a result of the development of negative attitudes towards the Rohingyas. This Study examines the causes and effects of denial of citizenship rights and its results on the human security aspects of the Rohingyas, as described in the following section.
