Myanmar & Rohingya Crisis: Ethnic Cleansing, Statelessness & International Response

Who are the Rohingya?

A Muslim minority living in Rakhine State, Myanmar, not recognized as citizens.

What law excludes the Rohingya from citizenship in Myanmar?

The 1982 Citizenship Law.

What major events escalated tensions for the Rohingya in 2016-2017?

Attacks by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) on police posts and military bases.

How did the Myanmar military respond to ARSA's attacks?

With 'clearance operations' described by the UN as 'textbook ethnic cleansing'.

How many Rohingya fled to Bangladesh between August 2017 and early 2018?

Over 700,000 Rohingya.

What is the estimated total number of Rohingya displaced regionally as of 2025?

Approximately 1.28 million.

What did the 2018 UN Fact-Finding Mission report about the military's actions?

Evidence of mass killings, gang rape, and systematic persecution, suggesting genocidal intent.

What case did The Gambia bring against Myanmar?

A case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) under the Genocide Convention.

What provisional measures did the ICJ order Myanmar to take in January 2020?

To prevent acts of genocide against the Rohingya.

What challenges do Rohingya face in the camps in Bangladesh?

Funding cuts, education shutdowns, child marriage, and gender-based violence.

What is the significance of the Rohingya crisis for International Baccalaureate (IB) studies?

It links rights & justice, statelessness, development, gender, sovereignty, legitimacy, and global governance.

What is the estimated number of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh?

Approximately 1 million, mainly in Cox's Bazar.

What is the largest stateless group in the world?

The Rohingya.

What is the role of the Tatmadaw in the Rohingya crisis?

Uses hard power through military operations and structural power via laws and restrictions.

What is the stance of Myanmar regarding external interference?

Claims full sovereignty and frames military operations as internal counterterrorism.

How does the Rohingya community's legitimacy differ from Myanmar's government?

Rohingya have zero legal legitimacy in Myanmar but strong moral legitimacy internationally.

What is the impact of regional interdependence on the Rohingya crisis?

Bangladesh hosts Rohingya at a high cost, while Myanmar's instability affects neighboring countries.

What is the significance of the ICJ proceedings for Myanmar?

They signal a lack of international legal legitimacy under the Genocide Convention.

What are the key aspects of gendered violence in the Rohingya crisis?

Includes rape as a tool of terror and high rates of intimate partner violence.

What does the term 'ethnic cleansing' refer to in the context of the Rohingya crisis?

The systematic removal and persecution of the Rohingya population by the Myanmar military.

What does the term 'statelessness' mean in relation to the Rohingya?

The Rohingya are denied citizenship and rights under Myanmar's laws, making them stateless.

What is the estimated number of Rohingya children in camps in Bangladesh?

Over 530,000 Rohingya children.

What happened to education for Rohingya children in the camps?

Over 4,500 learning centers were shut down, affecting approximately 227,500 children.

What is the role of international actors like the ICJ and UN in the Rohingya crisis?

They use normative and legal power to report and investigate but lack direct enforcement capabilities.

How does the 1982 Citizenship Law affect Rohingya rights?

It excludes them from recognized national races, denying citizenship and access to services.

What is the response of donor states to the Rohingya crisis?

They wield economic power through sanctions and aid cuts, impacting humanitarian conditions.

What is the significance of the term 'Responsibility to Protect' (R2P) in this context?

It suggests that states should intervene in cases of mass atrocities, but Myanmar is geopolitically protected.

What law excludes Rohingya from citizenship in Myanmar?

The 1982 Citizenship Law

What status do Rohingya hold in terms of nationality?

They are widely considered the largest stateless group in the world.

What type of violence was used by the Tatmadaw during the 2016-2017 operations?

Mass rape and sexual violence as tools of terror.

What percentage of reported gender-based violence cases among Rohingya are intimate partner violence?

Approximately 80%.

What is the median age of marriage for Rohingya girls?

Around 15-16 years.

What are the maternal health conditions for Rohingya women?

They often give birth in overcrowded, under-resourced facilities, leading to higher maternal and infant mortality rates.

What is the main economic condition of Rohingya in Cox's Bazar?

They are almost entirely aid-dependent and cannot legally work.

What has caused the World Food Programme to cut food rations for Rohingya?

Funding shortages.

How many learning centres closed in 2025 due to funding cuts?

Over 4,500.

What risks do Rohingya adolescents face due to lack of education?

Increased risks of recruitment into crime or extremist networks, and early marriage or labor exploitation.

What do Rohingya lack in terms of political representation?

They have no citizenship, no vote, and no formal political representation.

What is the role of ASEAN in the Rohingya crisis?

ASEAN follows a non-interference principle and has issued statements of concern without strong sanctions or protection for Rohingya.

What is required for effective peace regarding the Rohingya crisis?

Ending statelessness, accountability for atrocities, and inclusion of Rohingya voices.

What does the Rohingya crisis illustrate about structural violence?

It shows how denial of identity and rights can drive displacement without conventional war.

What is the main argument regarding rights and justice in the context of the Rohingya crisis?

Myanmar claims to defend national security while human rights bodies emphasize the right to nationality and protection from genocide.

What is the impact of chronic underdevelopment on Rohingya refugees?

It leads to aid-dependent 'warehousing' of refugees, which is unsustainable.

What environmental issues are linked to the Rohingya refugee camps?

Overcrowding and deforestation increase risks of landslides and floods, exacerbated by climate change.

What does the Rohingya crisis reveal about the effectiveness of regional organizations?

It exposes the limitations of regional organizations like ASEAN in protecting human rights.

What is the significance of the 2018 UN Fact-Finding Mission's findings?

It found reasonable grounds to believe that the Tatmadaw acted with genocidal intent against the Rohingya.

What are the root causes of long-term human rights violations for the Rohingya?

Statelessness and exclusion from recognized ethnic groups under the 1982 Citizenship Law.

What are the implications of Myanmar's sovereignty claims on human rights?

Myanmar uses sovereignty to justify policies that undermine human rights and development prospects.

What is the relationship between development and rights in the Rohingya context?

Development can be blocked by political decisions and rights violations, leading to chronic underdevelopment.