The rich either stay rich or get richer. The poor remain poor or get poorer and ultimately die an untimely death. And in the middle, we have the humanitarian efforts, the diplomats, the negotiations, the speculation, and crises.
It is a hostile world, warped in politics, policies, greed, and so much more of those divine things that none of us really understand well -- well, we don’t if we are not in the same business of making money off spilled-blood and exploitation. So these things are complex, intertwined, correlated, and perfectly systematic.
It cannot be understood by an outsider who is not a direct benefactor of the system. September 11, Darfur, Iraq, Syria, the US presidential election, and the Rohingya genocide are just some of such complex matters. So complex that, at one point, they become reduced to mere words that we need to Google to understand, to really get to the bottom of things, to get some form of answer to satisfy the ever so curious mind -- you know, as outsiders.
So now, innumerable people across the world are typing in Rohingya “genocide” -- to put it lightly, on Google.
See, the design to keep the class divide alive, the rich and the poor in their God-given righteous places, can be exhausting to fathom.
In light of recent events, we probably have already read “the basics” about the ongoing Rohingya genocide: The atrocities and crimes against humanity committed on the soil of Myanmar have been yet another wake-up call to how far we have collectively come in terms of becoming an advanced species.
That being as it is, Myanmar isn’t the only party to blame.
See, business deals, military alliances, politics, and trade come before all -- all of which constitute a big chunk of that design -- even humanity.
India, China, and the world at largeSo now, now that one such crisis is making a shadow at our doorstep, we have regional superpower India paying a visit to the devil only to dance to its music.
They have no intention to help, of course, and, after the visit, India has made statements about its security concerns over the Rohingya already residing in India -- at a time, when around 410,000 Rohingya have already fled to Bangladesh over a few weeks.
Strange timing, and stranger strategy.
What is the end game to India’s allegations against its own Rohingya residents now? Such statements are unhelpful. Is there really a security concern? And if yes, is this the time to harp on over theoretical security threats that the Rohingya pose to India?
Regarding the ongoing humanitarian crisis, Former Indian Foreign Secretary Kanwal Sibal has said: “Bangladesh will make a mistake if they expect anything from India regarding this (Rohingya issue).”
Condemnation can only go so far, at a time when an entire ethnic group is on the brink of annihilation
Perhaps, it is India-Myanmar trade deals and ongoing river and land-based projects which have kept Indian Prime Minister Modi and his administration to take a stand against a genocide caused by Myanmar.
“The India-Myanmar gas pipeline project is another area where India is deeply involved in Myanmar.”
What about the arms trade? Aljazeera reports: “Most of Myanmar’s military imports come from China, Russia, India, Israel, and Ukraine.”
The link between politics and arms trade is like a spider-web -- smooth, strong, and intertwined, just waiting for those unfortunate enough to be stuck in the middle and preyed upon.
China -- Asia’s superpower (period) -- shares not only trade deals, cultural values, and familial ties with Myanmar, but they also have military pact. So is that to say that China will not condemn a genocide in its own backyard? Likely so.
Rather, “China provided $147,058 in donation to Myanmar to restore ‘peace’ in the country’s Rakhine state” reports the Xinhua News Agency.
One can appreciate Myanmar having more guns to shoot, I suppose.
Spider-webs and agendasEvery superpower has its own agenda and strategy. I only mentioned India and China as the third parties to this genocide, who are to blame for their silence, because, in South Asia, their voices are the loudest.
Condemnation can only go so far, at a time when an entire ethnic group is on the brink of annihilation.
And humanitarian efforts and aid are of course vital, but more so is pressure on the Myanmar government to take its head out of the sand and put an end to the genocide. And this pressure needs to come from countries which can have a direct impact on Myanmar.
“UK to suspend training of Burmese military over Rohingya treatment” is a start, but a feeble one at best.
On the other hand, the Middle East (with the exception of a few) is unlikely to really get their boots dirty and help out.
Looking to the West, recently, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has taken a dignified stance and made a statement that Bangladesh does not expect the star of the show, American President Trump, to offer assistance, nor even empathise with the Rohingya.
Lo and behold, the State Department announced that US will send $38m for Rohingya relief. Can we do a Mexican wave to celebrate?
However, our prime minister has really stepped up on all counts.
She has made clear and bold public statements that Bangladesh is ready to take on this challenge, and in effect has become the embodiment of what a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate ought to be and do.
Bangladesh is in the middle -- between the rich who have already decided to participate in the genocide by standing silent to what is being done to the Rohingya (which also includes the UN, who have failed to take adequate actions and have already declared that it does not have “enough resources” to tackle the consequences of the ongoing genocide) and those being hunted like dogs. Perhaps, a repeat of the Srebrenica massacre?
Bangladesh and Rohingya go down the hill We are doing the best we can. And yet, with the overwhelming influx of refugees, there is immense scope for human and drug trafficking and terrorist outfits to exploit this grave humanitarian crisis.
As with every man-made disaster, consequences will be permanent, severe, and dreadful. Women are and will be trafficked into prostitution, children will face stigma and discrimination (as does every minority in the world), and young men will be recruited to fight for “a cause” by militant organisations.
This is happening and will continue to happen, despite Bangladesh doing its best to host over 410,000 Rohingya who came to us since late August.
All of this will lead to more bad things and the marginalised and the poor will have to suffer worse fates on our soil.
And in the end -- the rich stay rich, the poor remain poor, and our prime minister takes the lead on humanitarian grounds.
Nusmila Lohani is an Editorial Assistant at the Dhaka Tribune.