The EU decision is hasty and irresponsible, given that evidence is surfacing of the government’s direct role in the “ethnic cleansing” that is taking place. It is a further blow to Myanmar’s human rights record. These sins are compounded by the West’s attitude of deliberately looking the other way because of the attraction of commercial gains since President Thien Sein lured them with the promise of economic reforms. Rohingyas should not be persecuted or displaced because of their faith, background and language. Generations have lived in Myanmar as an important part of the social fabric. They must find the stability they seek from a government-appointed commission that can provide citizenship, under a 1982 law, to those who are eligible — subject to possession of documents — as well as those families who have lived in Myanmar for generations before it gained independence from Britain in 1948.
The recommendations must be inclusive and act as a panacea to the sufferings of the Rohingyas. The lifting of sanctions, however, signals a disconnect between the rest of the world and the ground reality there. There is also the danger of an impending humanitarian disaster as aid bodies are only being given limited access to the problem-hit areas. Luminaries like Aung San Suu Kyi are also morally responsible for this calamity, given her celebrated global status. Suu Kyi has been regarded as a tireless campaigner for freedom and human rights, but she has failed to highlight the cause of the Rohingyas. Her silence reflects her powerlessness and unwillingness to speak up. The authorities in Myanmar must review their domestic policies urgently. Failure to do so can send the country back to the dark days where people paid the price for decades of international isolation.
