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The Rohingya, China’s other genocide
July 15, 2024
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While governments and international media have recognised China’s culpability in the Uyghur genocide in Xinjiang, they have overlooked China's involvement in the Rohingya genocide in Myanmar/Burma.
Myanmar is home to the world’s oldest ongoing conflict, with most of the country’s 135 ethnic groups fighting against various military governments that have taken control since 1948. This protracted conflict has compounded the suffering of the Rohingya.
The Rohingya, a predominantly Muslim ethnic minority group from the Rakhine State in Myanmar (Burma), number about 3.5 million. Historically, they have faced severe persecution, discrimination, and violence in Myanmar, where they are not recognised as one of the country's official ethnic groups. They are denied Burmese citizenship, making them the world’s largest stateless population.
The lack of citizenship puts those who have fled in a very difficult situation. Foreign countries generally do not offer visas to people without a passport or citizenship in a recognised country, and deportation back to Myanmar would return them to a conflict zone where their lives would immediately be in peril.
Deepening crisis
The roots of the Rohingya crisis date back to the colonial period, but the situation has drastically worsened in recent decades due to deep-seated ethnic tensions and political maneouvres in Myanmar. In May 2012, violent riots erupted in Rakhine State following the murder of a Rakhine woman, blamed on Rohingya Muslims.
This incident led to violent clashes between ethnic Rakhine Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims, exacerbated by the Myanmar government, which aimed to create disunity among ethnic minorities, particularly targeting the Rohingya, to pave the way for Chinese investment projects.
The violence escalated over weeks, actively fueled by the government spreading rumours to incite clashes. In Buddhist neighbourhoods, they spread rumours that the Rohingya had killed a monk, while in Muslim neighbourhoods, they claimed Buddhists had killed an imam. These rumours led to clashes and police intervention, resulting in dozens of deaths and further inflaming the situation. A state of emergency was declared, and the military took control.
By the time order was restored, 88 people had been killed, 90,000 displaced, and approximately 2,528 houses burned. Rohingya NGOs accused Burmese police and military of singling out the Rohingya for mass arrests and arbitrary violence. Later that same year, further violence broke out, leading to another 80 deaths and the displacement of 20,000 more people. Many Rohingyas and Rakhine ended up in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps, where they remain to this day.
Financial stake
The Myanmar government entered into a contract with China to construct the multi-billion dollar Kyaukphyu Special Economic Zone (SEZ) and two other major cities: Maungdaw and Sittwe. Beijing sees Myanmar as its gateway to the Indian Ocean and has made significant investments in infrastructure projects such as pipelines and a deep-sea port in Rakhine State.
These projects, part of China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), include gas, petroleum, oil, and a railroad connecting China to the Bay of Bengal. They are crucial for China as they allow it to bypass the Strait of Malacca, reducing its reliance on this chokepoint for oil and gas imports. Chinese companies are also involved in resource extraction projects in Myanmar, including in Rakhine State. These economic ties make China reluctant to support actions that could destabilise the region or jeopardise its investments.
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China views Myanmar as a strategic ally in its broader regional ambitions. By supporting Myanmar, China can counterbalance the influence of other powers, such as India and the United States, in Southeast Asia. China prefers stability in its neighbouring countries to ensure the smooth implementation of its BRI projects. It perceives international intervention or sanctions as potential sources of instability that could disrupt its strategic plans.
Ethnic cleansing
In 2017, the Myanmar military launched a brutal crackdown on the Rohingya population, leading to widespread allegations of genocide, including mass killings, mass rape, and the destruction of villages. The United Nations and human rights groups have identified this campaign as ethnic cleansing. This violent campaign forced over 960,000 Rohingya to flee to neighbouring Bangladesh, creating one of the largest refugee crises in recent history.
The two main beneficiaries of the Rohingya crisis are the military junta and China. China has expanded its special economic zones and other investments, while the junta benefits financially from these investments and is able to suppress the Rohingya, preventing another ethnic minority from joining the resistance. Additionally, Myanmar gains diplomatic support from China. Beijing vetoed a United Nations investigation into the Rohingya genocide, complicating efforts to hold Myanmar accountable.
One often raised point about the Uyghur genocide is that Muslim-majority countries, having joined China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), have remained quiet. Similarly, Muslim-majority countries with close economic ties to China fail to support the Rohingya. As a result of Chinese disinformation, countries like Bangladesh, Indonesia, and Malaysia allow the Rohingya to be victimised while seeking to repatriate them.
Scapegoats
The New Straits Times reported about Rohingya colonies "taking over" Malaysia. A targeted disinformation campaign in Indonesia led young men to attack the Rohingya. This is surprising because there are about 2,500 Rohingya in the country, which is less than half the number of Afghan refugees, who have not faced the same issues.
China's disinformation can prompt more countries to repress the Rohingya, reducing international pressure on China. Vilifying the Rohingya in Bangladesh, India, and Indonesia helps portray them as a problem to be solved, disregarding human rights principles. Forcing them back into camps in Rakhine State, built by China, is seen as a lesser evil. Rohingya who fled to India faced attacks, and now Bangladesh and India want to send them back. Rebel armies from India seek refuge in Rakhine State, aiding the Burmese junta in attacking the Chin ethnic resistance army and the Rohingyas.
The Rohingya still endure life in refugee camps abroad, while inside Myanmar, both Rakhine and Rohingya remain in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps and resettlement camps built by China. The International Crisis Group (ICG) and the UN push for the Rohingya's return to their original villages, but this is impossible as the land has been co-opted by Chinese development projects. Arakanese and Rohingya in IDP camps are being forced to serve in the junta’s army, the Tatmadaw, fighting against other ethnic minorities.
While liberals protest in support of Hamas, none have come out to support the Rohingya. Additionally, Muslim-majority countries refuse to acknowledge the Uyghur genocide and refuse to accept Rohingya refugees. Furthermore, none have confronted China for its role in two genocides against Muslims.
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Antonio Graceffo, PhD, China-MBA MBA, is a China economic analyst teaching economics at the American University in Mongolia. He has spent 20 years in Asia and is the author of six books about China. His writing has appeared in The Diplomat, South China Morning Post, Jamestown Foundation China Brief, Penthouse, Shanghai Institute of American Studies, Epoch Times, War on the Rocks, Just the News, and Black Belt Magazine.
Image credit: Wikimedia Commons
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