Monday, May 18, 2015

In A Word; NO!

With the world's attention on Europe's problem with illegal migrants coming from the Middle East and North Africa, Southeast Asia is now facing it's own problems with illegal migrants. Ethnic Rohingyas are escaping Myanmar in boats heading towards Malaysia and Indonesia. 

Malaysia's Prime Minister, Najib Razak, had already publicly said that Malaysia will seek the help of Myanmar to address the unfolding "humanitarian catastrophe" and behind the scenes, Indonesia and Thailand are also reported to be pressing Myanmar to resolve the issue. Will it work? 

In a word; NO! 

The problem is that Myanmar has no desire to solve it's problems with the ethnic Rohingya population. Its government routinely denies the Rohingya Muslims citizenship, even if they were born in Myanmar. To Myanmar's government, they don't have a Rohingya problem because there's no such thing as a ethnic Rohingya population in Myanmar. To them, Rohingya Muslims are part of Bangladesh's problems, not theirs. The fact that the Rohingya Muslims are born and live in Myanmar does not matter to them. Already, the Myanmar government had rejected a call from Thailand for a regional summit on the issue, saying it was not their problem. 

With it's infamous non-interference policy, will the nations of Southeast Asia be able to force Myanmar to own up to the problem? In a word; NO!

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