Four years ago, more than 730,000 Rohingya fled to Bangladesh for fear of the aftermath of the country’s military-led crackdown in Myanmar’s Rakhine state on 25 August 2017. Earlier, the Rohingya had been subjected to systematic discrimination, disenfranchisement, regular targeting of violence and persecution in Myanmar for decades.
Bangladesh is providing shelter and emergency humanitarian assistance to a total of 1.1 million Rohingya now who have fled from persecution in Buddhist-majority Myanmar. However, Bangladesh now sees these large numbers of refugees as a ‘burden’. This is a big burden for Bangladesh and a big disaster for the environment.
The Rohingya, who fled in August 2017 in the face of persecution by Myanmar’s military, have reported horrific incidents of indiscriminate killings, rapes, arsons and arson, which the United Nations has called “ethnic cleansing.”
In the face of international pressure, the Myanmar government signed an agreement with Bangladesh in late 2017 to repatriate the Rohingya, but the repatriation has not yet begun. Bangladesh has been urging the international community to put pressure on Myanmar to start repatriation.
Bangladesh has been urging the international community including UNO, ASEAN, OIC to resolve the problem. But no concrete action is seen yet. The UN cannot do anything if one of the objects. As a result 6f the Rohingya problem, the Palestinian problem is still hanging.
Bangladesh opened the border of Bangladesh for the displaced Rohingyas in 2017 on humanitarian grounds. But it is deeply regrettable that Myanmar’s failure to create an environment conducive to the self-motivated, safe and sustainable return of the Rohingya has created long-term problems in Bangladesh.
On the other hand, Pakistan can involve itself directly in the process. Myanmar has very good military relations with Pakistan. If Pakistan plays an effective role to resolve the problem between Myanmar and Bangladesh, Bangladesh will take it very positively. Bangladesh can get a true well-wisher in her moment of crisis. Pakistan can use its ‘traditional military diplomacy’ in resolving the Rohingya crisis through a negotiation process with the Tatmadaw. Pakistan can raise its voice at every internal forum las for the Kashmir issue and the Palestinian issue. Cooperation from Pakistan in this regard can normalize the bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Pakistan. Pakistan can really play a significant role in the Rohingya crisis solution.
Pakistan can play a significant role in resolving the Rohingya refugee crisis. There are many Rohingya people in Pakistan also. They are living in various colonies in Karachi in Pakistan. Officially, 55,000 Rohingya live in Pakistan today, many in the Arkanabad neighborhood of Karachi. Many of these Rohingya families, who actually may number up to 300,000 people, first came to Karachi after a repressive military regime took power in Burma in 1962.
However, as a Muslim country, Pakistan should consider this with close attention. The Rohingya crisis is not only a crisis for Bangladesh. It is a crisis for the whole region. It is a threat to human rights, regional stability. As a Muslim polity, Pakistan has some responsibilities to Muslim groups in the world. The Rohingya crisis is also a threat to the existence of Muslims in the world.
Pakistan urged the international community to work together to mitigate tragedy on 23 March 2021. Earlier, the Foreign Minister of Pakistan had expressed “deep anguish” at the violence against Rohingya Muslims in Burma. The foreign secretary had summoned the Myanmarese ambassador and registered an official protest. And Pakistan’s Parliament has urged the government to press the issue on the international stage. Pakistan could and should play more of a role in this connection.
According to Martin Luther King, 1R, ‘Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.’ Myanmar’s attitude to Rohingya is an injustice. So, it can be a threat to Pakistan in the case of justice.
As a vocal upholder of the rights of the oppressed Muslim community in the world, Pakistan should play important role in this connection. Pakistan is very vocal in favor of the rights of Palestinians and Kashmiris. Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmed Qureshi visited many countries to raise the voice against Israeli oppression in Palestine. Pakistan always expresses its condemnation of Indian oppression in Kashmir. So, Pakistan should raise its voice strongly in this regard.
The Rohingya is an oppressed Muslim ethnic group in Rakhine in Myanmar. So, Pakistan should raise its voice at various international for4ms in resolving the crisis. Pakistan should understand the reality of the bearing of the burden of refugees. Bangladesh has been bearing the burden alone. Pakistan has also some experiences in this connection, in the Afghan refugees. Pakistan should understand the burden of Bangladesh. Supporting Bangladesh and raising voices at every common internal forum could bring Bangladesh-Pakistan under an umbrella. Basically, this type of bilateral cooperation could melt the ice between the two who have strained ties. This little initiative could normalize the bilateral relations between two fraternal countries. Pakistan and Bangladesh obviously could work together in this regard.
Pakistan has very good relations with China. It is called ‘China-Pakistan Eternal Strategic Ties’. Pakistan can use a Chinese card in this regard. It is China that could easily resolve the Rohingya crisis. China has very good relations with Myanmar. China-Myanmar Economic Corridor and China-Pakistan Economic Corridor are two ongoing visionary projects under China’s ‘BRI’ projects. Thus, we can understand the nature of the relations between China-Myanmar and China-Pakistan.
China should understand that working as a mediator between Myanmar and Bangladesh won’t hamper its business interest in Myanmar. Bangladesh is an active member of China’s BRI’ project. There are a lot of Chinese investments in Bangladesh’s ongoing ‘Mega Projects’. Mediating and resolving the Rohingya crisis between Myanmar and Bangladesh would serve the greater interest of the whole region. Pakistan can play a strong role in this connection. Pakistan can make China understand the necessity of resolving the Rohingya crisis
Pakistan is a trustworthy ally of China. Pakistan can prevail upon China to pressurize the Tatmadaw (Myanmar military). On the other hand, Pakistan can motivate China to cast its vote at the UNGA and UNSC in favor of Bangladesh. It is pertinent to mention that China has been applying its veto power at the UNSC regarding any discussions on Rohingya repatriation at UNSC.
China can support Bangladesh directly in this regard. It is a praiseworthy motion of China that it didn’t oppose the recent UNGA resolution in November 2021. On the Rohingya issue, Beijing and Islamabad should support Bangladesh more to resolve the regional crisis.
On the other hand, Pakistan can involve itself directly in the process. Myanmar has very good military relations with Pakistan. If Pakistan plays an effective role to resolve the problem between Myanmar and Bangladesh, Bangladesh will take it very positively. Bangladesh can get a true well-wisher in her moment of crisis. Pakistan can use its ‘traditional military diplomacy’ in resolving the Rohingya crisis through a negotiation process with the Tatmadaw. Pakistan can raise its voice at every internal forum las for the Kashmir issue and the Palestinian issue. Cooperation from Pakistan in this regard can normalize the bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Pakistan. Pakistan can really play a significant role in the Rohingya crisis solution.
