In Myanmar, Crimes Against Humanity Committed Against the Rohingya Community are Ongoing and Unrelenting

Displaced Rohingya people in Rakhine State, Burma. Credit: Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Crimes against humanity are ongoing in Burma and they are being committed by the state against the Rohingya people.

This is a minority community in Burma that has historically faced intense discrimination, but there was some degree of hope that as the country transitioned to a democracy the situation of this community would improve. Alas, we are now nearly a year into the leadership of Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi and the plight of this minority community is as dire as ever.

A number of recent reports have indicated an uptick in violence against the Rohingya — including what appears to be the systematic use of rape and sexual violence. One of those reports was published by Human Rights Watch on February 6. On the line to discuss the report and the broader situation of the Rohingya in both Burma and across the border in Bangladesh is Brad Adams, the Asia director of human rights watch.

This is a fairly under covered story, but one in which I’ve tried to highlight on this podcast from time to time. It has certainly been drowned out by the unrelenting pace of news reports about the new Trump administration, but worth highlighting. If you have twenty minutes and want to understand why discrimination and violence committed against this minority population in Myanmar is of international concern, have a listen.

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