The Rohingya Crisis: Ethnic Marginalization and Statelessness
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37540/njips.v8i2.202Keywords:
Rohingya, minority groups, ethnic conflict, Rakhine state, genocidal intent, human rightsAbstract
The situation in Myanmar involves the unfortunate plight of the Rohingya, an ethnic minority group who have been deprived of citizenship rights and compelled to seek refuge outside their homeland. The Rohingya endured severe conditions characterized by genocide, torture, executions, and rape. The study elucidates the fundamental and immediate factors contributing to conflict, specifically focusing on critical actors involved in the Myanmar Rohingya crisis. It also comprehends conflict dynamics using the Gurr Model, specifically designed to analyze ethnic disputes. The study examines the systematic denial of fundamental rights, including personal growth, safety, and cultural identity, that ethnic minorities experience. This oppression has resulted in the emergence of insurgent factions that have resorted to armed resistance to reclaim their citizenship status and secure their rights. The oppressive military operation resulted in the displacement of the Rohingya population, who sought refuge in camps for displaced persons. By adopting a qualitative approach and collecting data from secondary sources, such as research papers and opinion articles, as well as primary data from speeches by Myanmar’s leadership, the paper presents a comprehensive overview of the situation in Myanmar concerning the Rohingya. An in-depth examination of the conflict reflects that the resolution of the conflict hinges upon the exertion of pressure by major powers and international organizations on Myanmar's military to reinstate democracy and enhance the conditions in the Rakhine state. This is crucial for facilitating the repatriation of the Rohingya minority and reconstructing the infrastructure to meet their fundamental human needs.
References
Al Jazeera. (2017, March 14). Myanmar: Major ethnic groups and where they live | Infographic News. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/3/14/myanmar-major-ethnic-groups-and-where-they-live
Albert, E., & Maizland, L. (2020, January 23). What forces are fueling Myanmar’s Rohingya crisis? Council on Foreign Relations. https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/rohingya-crisis
Amid 'humanitarian and human rights nightmare' in Myanmar, Secretary General urges full access for aid, safe return of displaced Rohingya, end to military operations [Press release]. (2017, September 28). UN Press. https://news.un.org/en/story/2017/09/564622-un-human-rights-chief-points-textbook-example-ethnic-cleaning-myanmar
BBC News. (2022, July 25). Myanmar: Who are the rulers who have executed democracy campaigners? https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-55902070
Beech, H. (2018, July 19). Myanmar’s military planned Rohingya genocide, rights group says. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/19/world/asia/myanmar-rohingya-genocide.html
Bhonsale, M. S. (2015, January). Evolution of the Arakan' problem'in Burma. In Proceedings of the Indian History Congress (Vol. 76, pp. 631-636). Indian History Congress. https://www.jstor.org/stable/44156630
Brooten, L., Ashraf, S. I., & Akinro, N. A. (2015). Traumatized victims and mutilated bodies: Human rights and the ‘politics of immediation’ in the Rohingya crisis of Burma/Myanmar. International Communication Gazette, 77(8), 717-734. https://doi.org/10.1177/1748048515611022 (Original work published 2015) DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1748048515611022
Buddhist mob sets fire to Rohingya village. (2014). Anadolu Agency. https://www.aa.com.tr/en/archive/buddhist-mob-sets-fire-to-rohingya-village/187115
Cederman, L.-E., Gleditsch, K. S., & Wucherpfennig, J. (2017). Predicting the decline of ethnic civil war: Was Gurr right and for the right reasons? Journal of Peace Research, 54(2), 262-274. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022343316684191 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0022343316684191
Diamond, L. (1999). Developing democracy: Toward consolidation. Johns Hopkins University Press. https://doi.org/10.56021/9780801860140 DOI: https://doi.org/10.56021/9780801860140
Egreteau, R. (2016). Caretaking democratization: The military and political change in Myanmar. Oxford University Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780190620967.001.0001
Fareed, R. (2022, August 25). ‘It’s a nightmare, every day’: Rohingya in India live in fear [Rohingya news]. Al Jazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/8/25/its-a-nightmare-every-day-crackdown-on-rohingyas-in-india
Ferrie, J. (2015, February 4). Myanmar condemns U.N. official for using term ‘Rohingya’. Reuters.
Fortify Rights. (2018, July 19). They gave them long swords: Preparations for genocide and crimes against humanity against Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine State, Myanmar [Report]. Fortify Rights. https://www.fortifyrights.org/downloads/Fortify_Rights_Long_Swords_July_2018.pdf
Gravers, M. (2015). Exploring ethnic diversity in Burma. NIAS Press.
Gurr, T. R. (1993). Why Minorities Rebel: A Global Analysis of Communal Mobilization and Conflict since 1945. International Political Science Review, 14(2), 161-201. https://doi.org/10.1177/019251219301400203 (Original work published 1993) DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/019251219301400203
Gurr, T. R. (2000). Ethnic warfare on the wane. Foreign Affairs, 52-64. https://doi.org/10.2307/20049729 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/20049729
Human Rights Watch. (2019, September 16). Myanmar: Military atrocities demand UN action. https://www.hrw.org/news/2019/09/16/myanmar-military-atrocities-demand-un-action
India says to deport all Rohingya regardless of U.N. registration—India. (2017, August 15). ReliefWeb. https://reliefweb.int/report/india/india-says-deport-all-rohingya-regardless-un-registration
Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies. (2012, August 1). Myanmar: Pangs of democratic transition. https://www.ipcs.org/issue_select.php?recNo=477
International Commission of Jurists. (2017). Achieving justice for gross human rights violations in Myanmar: Lessons from transitional justice. https://www.icj.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Myanmar-Gross-Human-Rights-Publications-Reports-Thematic-reports-2017-ENG.pdf
International Crisis Group. (2020). The politics of Myanmar’s Rohingya crisis. https://www.crisisgroup.org/asia/south-east-asia/myanmar/296-politics-myanmars-rohingya-crisis
International Organization for Migration. (2016, June 1). IOM appeal – Myanmar/Rakhine State (April 2016–April 2018) [Appeal]. International Organization for Migration. https://www.iom.int/sites/g/files/tmzbdl2616/files/country_appeal/file/IOM-Myanmar-Appeal-April-2016-April-2018.pdf
Kim, C. H. (2020, July 10). Challenges to the Rohingya population in Malaysia. Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). https://www.csis.org/blogs/new-perspectives-asia/challenges-rohingya-population-malaysia
Leider, J. (2018, May 24). Rohingya: The History of a Muslim Identity in Myanmar. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Asian History. Retrieved 11 Jun. 2025, from https://oxfordre.com/asianhistory/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780190277727.001.0001/acrefore-9780190277727-e-115 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190277727.013.115
Mahmud, F. (2024, August 25). From persecution to exodus: Key moments in the Rohingya crisis. Anadolu Agency. https://www.aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/timeline-from-persecution-to-exodus-key-moments-in-the-rohingya-crisis/3312470
Martin, M. F. (2017, September 26). Burma’s brutal campaign against the Rohingya [Statement of M. F. Martin, Specialist in Asian Affairs, Congressional Research Service, before the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific, Committee on Foreign Affairs, U.S. House of Representatives]. U.S. Congress. https://docs.house.gov/meetings/FA/FA05/20170927/106434/HHRG-115-FA05-Wstate-MartinM-20170927.pdf
McPherson, P. (2017, August 25). Dozens killed in fighting between Myanmar army and Rohingya militants. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/aug/25/rohingya-militants-blamed-as-attack-on-myanmar-border-kills-12
Médecins Sans Frontières. (2017, December 14). MSF field survey: An estimated 6,700 Rohingya were killed in Myanmar, including 730 children under age 5. Médecins Sans Frontières. https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/latest/msf-least-6700-rohingya-killed-during-attacks-myanmar
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. (2019). Myanmar’s Rohingya persecuted, living under threat of genocide, UN experts say. https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2019/09/myanmars-rohingya-persecuted-living-under-threat-genocide-un-experts-say
Online Burma/Myanmar Library. (2019, December 5). Laws, decrees, bills and regulations relating to nationality, citizenship and immigration. https://www.burmalibrary.org/en/category/laws-decrees-bills-and-regulations-relating-to-nationality-citizenship-and-immigration
Rahman, M. M. (2024, July). Statelessness – the root cause of the Rohingya crisis – needs to be addressed. New Lines Institute. https://newlinesinstitute.org/state-resilience-fragility/statelessness-the-root-cause-of-the-rohingya-crisis-needs-to-be-addressed/
Refugee Council of Australia. (2015, May 25). Understanding and responding to the Rohingya crisis. ReliefWeb. https://reliefweb.int/report/myanmar/understanding-and-responding-rohingya-crisis
Regan, H., & Yeung, J. (2021, March 25). Why people are protesting and the military is killing peaceful protesters in Myanmar. CNN World. https://edition.cnn.com/2021/03/16/asia/myanmar-protesting-coup-explainer-intl-hnk/index.html
Southeast Asia Program at Cornell University. (2019). Myanmar: The politics of ethnic minorities. Southeast Asia Program, Cornell University.
Steger, I. (2022, July 21). As villages burn and Rohingya flee, Aung San Suu Kyi tells the world “solid evidence” is needed. Quartz. https://qz.com/1081000/as-villages-burn-and-rohingya-refugees-flee-aung-san-suu-kyi-tells-the-world-solid-evidence-is-needed
The World Academy of Sciences. (n.d.). Least developed countries (LDCs). https://twas.org/least-developed-countries-ldcs
Transcript: Aung San Suu Kyi’s speech at the ICJ in full. (2019, December 12). Al Jazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/12/12/transcript-aung-san-suu-kyis-speech-at-the-icj-in-full
UN human rights chief points to ‘textbook example of ethnic cleansing’ in Myanmar. (2017, September 11). UN News. https://news.un.org/en/story/2017/09/564622-un-human-rights-chief-points-textbook-example-ethnic-cleansing-myanmar
UN News. (2021, May). Myanmar: Attacks on healthcare jeopardizing COVID-19 response, UN team says. https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/05/1091312
United Nations Human Rights Council. (2018). Report of the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar. https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/HRBodies/HRCouncil/FFM-Myanmar/A_HRC_39_64.pdf
United States Department of State. (n.d.). 2022 report on international religious freedom: Burma. https://www.state.gov/reports/2022-report-on-international-religious-freedom/burma/
Wildman, S. (2017, September 18). The world’s fastest growing refugee crisis is taking place in Myanmar. Here’s why. Vox. https://www.vox.com/world/2017/9/18/16312054/rohingya%E2%80%91muslims%E2%80%91myanmar%E2%80%91refugees%E2%80%91violence
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 NUST Journal of International Peace & Stability

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.