Rohingya Crisis and India-Myanmar-Bangladesh relations
Rohingyas are ethnic muslim minority group of Rakhine state in Myanmar. They have stayed here from generations. However, the 1982 citizenship law of Myanmar prohibits them from being citizens. Myanmar considers them as people who migrated during colonial rule. Discriminatory government policies and violence have compelled Rohingyas to flee their homes in predominantly Buddhist country. The United Nations has described Rohingya as one of the world's most persecuted minority. "No one leaves home unless home is the mouth of a shark" by poet Warsen Shire helps to depict the situation.
 |
| Myanmar's neighbouring countries (Map via pedh.org) |
The violence on 25th August 2017 fuelled up the Rohingya Refugee Crisis. Most of them fled to neighbouring countries. Teri Hatcher's statement, "They are safe but they are not in their homes. They are city-less. I think it's just a disaster for everyone.", describes the situation. The 'ethnic cleansing' has become a burden for crowded Bangladesh. India faces security threat.
Bangladesh and Myanmar are vital for our security. While India's expected role was to play a neutral arbitrator and a stabilising force to contain the crisis, it failed to do so. Bangladesh's government wants India to join them putting pressure on Myanmar. India sees Myanmar as a neighbour of high economic and strategic potential. It does not want a conflict of interest as Myanmar plays a key role in India's 'Act East' policy. Peace and stability in Rakhine state of Myanmar is crucial for India’s economic investment. It aims at developing transport infrastructure by Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project. It seems that India is competing with China to become Myanmar's favourite strategic partner. This economic interest may have forced India to shun its broader 'regional superpower' aspiration, at least in the case of Bangladesh and Myanmar.
