Will Myanmar heed advocacy for Rohingya rights?
A stark warning to Myanmar’s government – recognise Muslim ethnic minority as citizens or face the consequences.
Rohingya Muslims living in Buddhist-majority Myanmar say they are the world’s most persecuted minority. They have suffered years of oppression in Rakhine state – including alleged extrajudicial killings, rape attacks, and homes burned down.
Close to 90,000 sought sanctuary in neighbouring Bangladesh following a crackdown by security forces in Myanmar last year.
Rohingya were blamed last October for the killing of soldiers in attacks on border posts.
An independent commission led by former UN chief Kofi Annan has released a wish-list to help bring peace between Buddhists and Muslims in Rakhine.
Will Aung San Suu Kyi’s government throw its full weight behind the commission’s recommendations?
Or is more violence inevitable if grievances continue to be ignored?
Presenter: Richelle Carey
Guests:
Gwen Robinson – Senior Fellow, Institute of Security & International Studies at Chulalongkorn University
Tun Khin – President of the UK Burmese Rohingya Organisation
Phil Robertson – Deputy Director at Asia Human Rights Watch
Ashley South – Research fellow at the Centre for Ethnic Studies & Development at Chiangmai University