Group 7 - Ethnic Cleansing by

UN mission urges cutting off financial ties with Myanmar army

19948977 — 2019-05-25 04:48:09 UTC

An independent investigation into the allegations of ethnic cleansing in Myanmar have been carried out by the United Nations, the UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar, chaired by Marzuki Darusman.

Darusman has noted concerns towards the lack of progress and alleviation of the issue.

There is continued displacement of Rohingya people from Rakhine state, Myanmar, desertion of lived areas and targeted attacks by Myanmar authorities. The Myanmar military has denied allegations of violating human rights and claim to only respond to attacking Rohingya numbers, not civilians.

The Mission has placed a focus on managing the Myanmar military. The economic, financial and political stakeholders who support the military have been investigated to understand how the UN might better suppress it (Al Jazeera News 2019).

How have international organisations, governments and non-government organisations responded to ethnic cleansing?

19948977 — 2019-05-25 04:48:38 UTC

The Persecution of Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang, China.

amna_taleb01 — 2019-05-26 08:47:15 UTC

Case study

Arab League Summit: Leaders must address region’s shameful human rights violations

19948977 — 2019-05-26 09:00:42 UTC

Amnesty International, a human rights-based non-governmental organisation, highlights the lack of accountability both at a regional and international scale, of Middle East and North African leaders.

There is concern for the continuation of human rights violations. Leaders have been alleged to commit genocide, suppress free speech and arbitrarily detain protesters and peaceful critics.

The Summit’s location, Tunisia, is seen as a reminder that people across the region called for political reform and better facilitation of human rights. Despite this, the Arab Summit has encouraged little responsibility for leaders. With a lack of accountability and no possible impact of such actions on the annual Summit, little is expected to change in the decisions of regional governments that abuse human rights (Amnesty International 2019).

Brief Introduction

amna_taleb01 — 2019-05-26 09:01:45 UTC

China’s predominant regime has been redefined through several time periods regarding the treatment of religion and ethnicity within China. Traditionally, ethnic minorities that are adherent to religions other than Chinese Buddhism raised fears of social unrest in China (Davis 2008). Specifically, the Muslim Uighur population who compromise the main Turkic ethnic minority in China who reside in Xinjiang. Xinjiang, previously known as Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR), is located on the former Silk Road in Northwest China, the province is rich in oil and other resources, and has therefore been the target of a state-oriented mass migration of Han Chinese (China's dominant ethnic group) into the province. This is the main reason for the undeniable divide between the traditional Han and the Uighur’s. The Uighur Muslims have been “victims of severe economic, racial, social and cultural discrimination by the Chinese government” as stated by Concepcion (2000, p.20). The main reason for the inability for the Muslim Uighur population of Xinjiang to be fully accepted by the Chinese is because as a group, the Uighurs have little in common with China in terms of culture, language and history.

UNICEF boss urges Myanmar to enact Kofi Annan’s recommendation on Rohingya crisis

19948977 — 2019-05-26 09:04:06 UTC

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has placed importance upon a key facet of the ethnic cleansing crisis faced by Rohingya people in Myanmar. They have raised concerns for the safety of Rohingya children living in Bangladeshi refugee camps and for the lack of adequate education those remaining in Myanmar cannot access.

UNICEF has urged for Myanmar to take into consideration and implement recommendations given by a panel managed by the former United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan.

Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh pose a significant issue. Hosted in another developing state with limited economic resources, the support it has already extended has little capacity to improve. Children face the dangers of illness and natural disaster in Bangladesh refugee camps. On the other hand, children in Myanmar require greater education and when it is needed, security (McPherson 2019).

Why the UN Chief’s Silence on Human Rights is Deeply Troubling

19948977 — 2019-05-26 09:05:50 UTC

The accountability of government leaders that violate human rights often rests on the actions of the international community. With increased interconnectedness, many human rights are built within international relations. The involvement of key actors, such as the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, are paramount.

There is an evident tension between diplomacy and the response to human rights violations.

Despite the forced indoctrination of one million Uighur Muslims in China, which a number of governments have expressed concern over, it contrasts against the praise given to President Xi Jinping. Additionally, where Guterres has not followed up on the United Nations Security Council to manage the Myanmar ethnic cleansing, is problematic.

Despite the conflict between appeasing powerful leaders and managing the abuse of human rights, such a lack of involvement by key actors does little to impact and prevent the atrocities states commit against marginalised groups (Roth 2019).

Release of prize-winning Reuters journalists in Myanmar welcomed by UN

19948977 — 2019-05-26 09:08:04 UTC

The release of journalists Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo following their conviction in Myanmar illustrates the complexity of managing a crisis such as human rights violation. Because of the circumstances surrounding the issue and the nature of the Myanmar government, it means that members of the international community are required to exercise caution in approaching the issue.

Although there is undoubtedly a focus on affording the protection of Rohingya peoples, it also shows the involvement that is required by international organisations such as the United Nations to encourage a state to work towards democracy and greater press freedom (United Nations News 2019).

Human Rights Watch calls on authorities to carry out Omar al-Bashir’s 2009 ICC arrest warrant

19948977 — 2019-05-26 09:10:36 UTC

The International Criminal Court has a key role in the response to human rights violations. Where Omar al-Bashir was accused of ethnic cleansing, there are limitations to determining this.

Like many other international and non-governmental organisations, there are no true ways to enforce accountability and the conviction of leaders who commit crimes against humanity.

The ongoing situation in Darfur is similar in its complexity to the Rohingya crisis, where the accountability of those who perpetuate ethnic cleansing are not able to be completely held responsible. Groups such as the Human Rights Watch and organs of the United Nations can only do so much, since they cannot use force to ensure states adopt certain recommendations (Mackintosh & Griffiths 2019).

Sudan’s Transition Hasn’t Ended Abuses in Darfur

19948977 — 2019-05-26 09:12:33 UTC

Where human rights are abused, a lack of publicity is a significant obstacle to ensuring that the reparations made or suggested by international organisations or non-governmental organisations are effective.

The management of human rights crises must be ongoing. Despite Omar al-Bashir’s loss of presidency, government forces continue to target civilians and protesters. Where it is limited to simply suppressing violence or targeting, accountability is lacking. Without accountability to leaders that enact atrocities, protection cannot fully be afforded to those affected (Henry 2019).

What Is Occurring?

amna_taleb01 — 2019-05-26 09:13:47 UTC

China has launched a harsh surveillance scheme on Uighur Muslims, which is continually being maintained through harsh and repressive acts towards the minority group. Many victims of this claim that the current campaign of persecution is worse than the 1966-1976 Cultural Revolution in China because of the highly invasive mass surveillance which heavily restricts individual movement, their behaviour and private conversations. The inhabitants of Xinjiang have been stripped of their right to practice their religion freely and have been forced to pledge loyalty to the Chinese Communist Party and renounce Islam. The Chinese government continues to perpetrate massive human rights abuses against the Uighur population, directly in violation of its international human rights obligations under these two treaties; the International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights and ratified the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (Concepcion 2000). This has caused international bodies, such as the United Nations to publicly condemn the acts of the Chinese government.

Political background of ethnic cleansing

2019-05-26 11:21:33 UTC

The politics of ethnic cleansing

2019-05-26 11:29:28 UTC

Throughout history, extending back to early centuries ethnic cleansing has been closely associated with the process of state building and the political ideology of ‘the homogenous sovereign state and the principle of national self-determination’ (Carrie Booth Walling 2000). State-directed movements of ethnic groups are designed to strengthen state power over a specific territory and is accomplished by removing the despised ethnic group to ensure that their return is unfeasible. The fundamental method used by states, government elites and rival ethnic groups was to use terror to carry out such practices. These practices often include the prohibition of any ethnic association which includes banning of minority language or religion and 'marriage restrictions intended to prevent the ethnic group from reproducing’ (Carrie Booth Walling 2000).

Murder of 86-year-old Greek Christian man puts spotlight on Turkey's ethnic cleansing

2019-05-26 11:50:23 UTC

An 86-year-old ethnic-Greek citizen of Turkey, Zafiris Pinaris, was found murdered showing clear signs of tour in his home on the island of Imbros with his hands and feet tied on May 14 showing clear signs of being tortured.

According to a 'parliamentary motion by the opposition MP Tuma Celik, Greek, Assyrian and Armenian houses have been targeted'(Greek City Times 2019). Until the 1960s, Imbros was primarily inhabited by 5500 ethnic Greeks whereas compared to today, only 300 Greeks populate the small island. This is due to a strategic planned ethnic cleansing carried out by the Turkish government who did not honour the 1923 Lausanne Treaty – which was supposed to protect the Greek residents.

Between 1960 and early 1990’s the Turkish government abolished the use of the Greek language, confiscated Greek properties, destroyed about 200 churches and chapels, Greeks schools were also closed down and the Turks even established a semi-open prison where inmates were allowed to ‘wander on the island to commit violent crimes' (Greek City Times 2019) against the Greek population. The world only had knowledge of the ethnic cleansing that took place in Imbros in 2014 when a ‘Top Secret’ report was found in a second-hand bookshop in Izmir.

Justification By The Chinese Government

amna_taleb01 — 2019-05-26 12:25:25 UTC

After denying that such heinous activities occur within China, in 2017, a Chinese government official responded to claims of human rights violations by stating that they were completely “untrue”. The reasoning behind the crackdown is because Chinese officials are concerned that most Uighurs hold radical and extremist ideas and they view the camps as a way of “eliminating threats to China’s territorial integrity, government and population” (Lindsay 2019). The Chinese government has come to characterise any expression of Islam in Xinjiang as extremist. The most unwanted scenario to the Chinese would be the Uighur Muslim movement in Xinjiang externally joining with international Muslim movements throughout Asia and the Middle East, bringing an influx of Islamic extremism and a desire to challenge the central government (Davis 2008).

Conclusion

amna_taleb01 — 2019-05-26 12:27:03 UTC

The Chinese Communist party is at the forefront of the issue. Prior to coming to power, the Communists supported the right of the national self-determination, once in power they narrowed their view of self-determination to mean autonomy within a united China. The new Communist government declared in 1949 that China was a “united nation of multiple nationalities”. This policy, they argued, was the “outgrowth of the historical development of the past several thousand years” (Hyer 2006).

As well as aiding the rapid industrialisation of the region, many see the influx of Han as an attempt to stamp out the Uighurs cultural, ethnic and religious influence over the province and kill off any unified separatist movement.

Beijing has labelled those who are fighting for an independent state in the Northwest province of Xinjiang as terrorists. The Chinese government has labelled these acts as part of a network of international Islamic terror, with supposed “funding from the Middle East, training in Pakistan and combat experience in Afghanistan” as found by Chung (2002, p.9).

Considering the ethnic character and the geopolitical significance of the region is of such importance, the nationalist movement in Xinjiang is probably more threatening to China’s unity than any such movements in other regions in China such as Tibet or Mongolia (Hyer 2006). This has to be the main reason for the persecution of Uighur Muslims.

It is up to international bodies such as the United Nations, and all developed countries to publicly condemn the acts by the Chinese government and to pressure them into adhering to their international treaties.

2019-05-26 12:40:02 UTC

Ethnic cleansing can be seen as the result of misuse of insecurity and the manipulation of national history by power-seeking political elites. According to the elite manipulation theory, 'elites use ethnic violence as a purposeful and rational strategy for obtaining and maintaining political power' ( Mumbi Z. Ngug 2013). They instigate ethnic violence as a way of gaining political support.

Myanmar's military must be prosecuted for Rohingya 'ethnic cleansing', UN told

2019-05-26 13:00:53 UTC

Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to the UN, joined other security council members in calling for prosecutions, saying: “The facts of the ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya must be said, and they must be heard" (The Guardian 2018).

As world leaders remain silence, millions of Rohingya Muslims are denied their basic human rights as tens of thousands have either died or fled their home land in Myanmar all because of their ethnic identity.

Myanmar’s de facto ruler Aung San Suu Kyi has not commented on the report that exposes the treatment of Rohingya, but a government spokesman said the international community was making "false allegations". What's alarming is the denial and lack of acknowledgement by Myanmar's leaders who have no intentions of admitting the issue let alone searching and developing a solution.

Ethnic cleansing more common in authoritarian states

2019-05-26 13:41:39 UTC

Arguments for the causes of ethnic cleansing are highly disputed and are particularly linked to authoritarian and totalitarian regimes. Ethnic conflict is particularly likely to occur in states where ethnic groups lack adequate representation in public and political institutions. Rudolph Rummel, a professor of political science argued that 'the more authoritarian a state is the more likely it is to commit crimes such as ethnic cleansing' (Carrie Booth Walling 2000). This could be because such regimes with discriminatory legislation and lack of opportunities for ethnic groups are unable to participate in decision-making processes and therefore are more vulnerable to ethnic conflict compared to liberal democracies that focus on the ideals of inclusion amongst all.

ETHNIC CLEANSING IN MYANMAR THE ROHINGYA CRISIS

2019-05-26 13:57:58 UTC

Case Study

Introduction - The Rohingya Crisis

2019-05-26 14:06:13 UTC

It is estimated that over a million Rohingya have fled Myanmar due to Ethnic Cleansing. There is no clear legal definition for this term as it is technically not recognized as an independent crime under International Law (Vox, 2017). However, ethnic cleansing is customarily considered the systemic and violent removal of an undesired ethnic or religious group from a given territory, using force or intimidation (The United Nations 2019). The human rights abuses and violent attacks on the Rohingya have made it a major global humanitarian issue. Today, most Rohingya Muslims have fled and sought refuge in neighbouring regions, primarily Bangladesh, or living in internment camps (Beech 2019). However, with a vast influx of refugees continuing to cross the border into Bangladesh, the country has come under pressure to stop the intake due to the lack of resources available (BBC News 2019). There are also serious health risks associated with those living in refugee camps. Recently in May 2019, the UN high commissioner and top tier officials visited Myanmar and Bangladesh to highlight the concerns of the Rohingya and raise awareness to what has become one of the most significant international crises today (Fleming 2019).

Rwandan Genocide

2019-05-26 19:21:17 UTC

case study

Introduction

2019-05-26 19:23:11 UTC

As of April this year, the country of Rwanda, located in East Africa, marked its 25th anniversary of one of the most significant events of the late twentieth century. An instance fuelled by hatred, carried over the course of 100 days, and lead to the brutal killings of over 800,000 people. Today, it is perceived one of the greatest downfalls in common era, due to not only the extent of bloodshed and slaughter which had taken place but also a downfall due to the lack of intervention from the international community, despite signs and room for possible prevention from earlier on.

History

2019-05-26 19:38:37 UTC

Existing tensions dating back years involving the two primary ethnic groups situated in Rwanda, the Tutsi and Hutu, was the main contribution to the commencement of the brutal events of ethnic cleansing. Differentiations in lifestyle led the Tutsi to care for cattle, a course of labour which was perceived more valuable, and therefore leave the Hutu to maintain the land. During the colonial era hatred sharpened as Belgium granted power to the Tutsi people, thus, enhancing their status and granting them privilege for the next 20 years, despite the fact that the Hutu inhabited 85 percent of Rwanda (History.com, 2018).The Belgians achieved this by recording the two ethnicities on identity cards to distinguish the two groups. Riots outbroke in opposition for the injustice, which consequently led to the death of 20,000 Tutsi (BBC World News Africa, 2011). However, it wasn’t until 1962 when Rwanda gained independence, that the Hutu majority had the ability to gain control, causing even greater violence to occur. Hence, after fears of retaliation many Tutsi sought refuge in neighbouring countries such as Uganda, Tanzania and Burundi. The remaining Tutsi subsequently became an even lesser population occupying Rwanda. For the next years 20 years or so, Juvénal Habyarimana, a man of Hutu decent, governed as the Rwandan president. Under his rule all political activity was restricted, and some initiatives were undertaken to seek reconciliation between the two groups. Although, that only earned the anger of both parties as conflict had occurred so recently and led to the formation of extreme Hutu groups, one of which known as, Akazu. It was only until the 1990s did temporary negotiations begin, where a ceasefire had been declared. This was as a result of forces consisting of Tutsi refugees forming what to be known as the Rwandese Patriotic Front (RPF), founded in Uganda, becoming increasingly aggressive, as efforts were made to invade Rwanda. Further peacekeeping initiatives were made through an agreement signed by the president in August 1993, which called for the coexistence of the RPF and Hutu in government in the city of Arusha, Tanzania. Yet, this did not sit well with Hutu extremists.

Aftermath

2019-05-26 19:42:11 UTC

In the meantime RPF forces continued their fight inevitably causing a civil war to coincidentally occur with the genocide. Slowly they were able to regain power of Rwanda, leaving for 2,000,000 Hutus to flee out of fear to surrounding countries. Once victory was established a government was set in place under the rule of Pasteur Bizimungu and Paul Kagame, leader of the RPF, as the Vice President. An agreement similar to that which had been agreed in Tanzania was also implemented. With a new system of government and the outlaw of previous president’s Habyarimana NRMD party, which had incited the ethnic cleansing of the Tutsis, steps towards reconciliation became possible. Now, 25 years on such ethnic divide does not remain prominent, as Rwandans have grown to coexist with each other. Identity cards separating ethnic groups have now been diminished and few of those responsible are serving for the crimes they have committed. Although more improvements are yet to be made.

The Occurrence of Ethnic Cleansing

2019-05-26 19:43:38 UTC

On the 6th of April in the year 1994, President Habyarimana accompanied by Burundi’s president Cyprien Ntaryamira were travelling over Rwanda’s capital, Kigali, via plane until it was shot down, leaving no survivors. However, no factual evidence had been issued, Tutsi rebel groups such as the RPF were quick to be blamed. As a consequence, on the following day, 7th of April, plans were laid to eradicate the Tutsi people. Executions were carried out by means of lists provided by the government identifying individuals of opposition, as well as checking identity cards at set up roadblocks. Rampages were so extreme friends, neighbours, teachers, students were horrendously killing one another, so much so that some husbands were killing their Tutsi wives. The extent of ethnic cleansing which erupted became unmeasurable as there were thousands of fatalities each day, some reporting up to 10,000 per day (France 24, 2019). In addition to the ‘hit lists’, weapons were additionally provided and propaganda vastly spread resentment against the Tutsi to further “weed out the cockroaches.” Some of the violence which Tutsi people endured included torture, rape, beheadings and killings through beatings, machetes and much more. It was also documented that approximately 100,000 Hutus were wiped out due to neutral standings and few revenge killings. Matters worsened as there was a lack of intervention from the international community leaving for such brutality to continue for a period of 100 days.

History

2019-05-26 23:02:53 UTC

The Rohingya are a Muslim ethnic group, formerly resided in the Rakhine State, Myanmar (BBC News 2018). They are often referred to as stateless or 'illegal immigrants' because the government does not consider them legitimate citizens. Therefore, not included as one of the ethnic groups comprising Myanmar (Mercy Corps 2019). The animosity between the state and the Rohingya stems back fifty years. It was intensified by World War II when the Muslim communities supported the British army while the Buddhist population supported the Japanese (Mercy Corps 2019). After Burma (currently known as Myanmar) succeeded independence in 1948, the Muslim communities fought for civil and equal rights but were defeated by the Buddhist state, further escalating the division in the country (Mercy Corps 2019). In 1962, the Burmese army gained control of the region in a military coup and destroyed the country's constitution, establishing nationalism based on Buddhist ideals. As a result, the Rohingya were pushed out and perceived as threats (Mercy Corps 2019).

Current Affairs

2019-05-26 23:05:52 UTC

The Rohingya crisis is often regarded as a "textbook example of ethnic cleansing" under UN guidelines (BBC News 2018). Myanmar has become synonymous with the brutalities of ethnic cleansing and compared to the likes of Sarajevo and Darfur (Beech 2019). In 2017, violent clashes erupted as the state government carried out a mass expulsion of the Rohingya population along with widespread atrocities against the group, including rape, killings, and arson attacks on entire villages in the Rakhine state (Mercy Corps 2019). These acts were referred to by the United Nations as crimes of Genocide (Beech, 2019). Because of these violent acts and years of discrimination, uprisings surged on the part of the Rohingya, further escalating violence in the region and presenting new challenges (Mercy Corps 2019).

Health & Safety
As of March 2019, reports released stated immense overcrowding in refugee camps along with limited access and funds for resources to support the civilians now living in Cox's Bazar, a district in Bangladesh (Mercy Corps 2019). This report raised several health and safety concerns. Living conditions are cramped with poor hygiene, vulnerability to contagious diseases, quality of water is minimal and contaminated, and scarce medical and psychological aid for those affected by the displacement or suffering from traumatic experiences (Médecins Sans Frontières 2019). Additionally, weather conditions are raising serious emergency concerns as the cyclone and monsoon season edges closer (Médecins Sans Frontières 2019).

UN Officials visit affected communities
The UN high commissioner Filippo Grandi and two head UN officials visited refugee settlements in Bangladesh as well as communities in Rakhine State, Myanmar to discuss the hardships endured by the Rohingya and possible developments/projects to better their wellbeing (Murray 2019). They also consulted with state leaders regarding practical solutions for safe and voluntary returns to Myanmar, as well as preparations ahead of looming emergency weather circumstances in Cox's Bazar (Murray 2019). These visits are aimed to "highlight the need for strong international humanitarian support" and investigate current events (Wells 2019).

Conflict in the Region

2019-05-26 23:09:51 UTC

The primary reason for armed conflict and violence between the Rohingya people and the Myanmar government rests solely on "differing religious" and perceived ethnic identities dating back to British colonial rule in the 1800s, which saw a substantial increase in the Muslim community (Mercy Corps 2019). The perceived threat of the Rohingya has resulted in the Myanmar government systemically, forcing their removal from the region (Mercy Corps 2019). In 2016, the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), a guerrilla force from the Buddhist Rakhine ethnic group, emerged and co-ordinated "small-scale attacks on Border Police stations killing nine officers – sparking the current crisis" (Beech 2019). The state military has also planted land mines along the Bangladesh border to prevent the Rohingya from returning (Vox 2017).

Recently in May 2019, after UN officials visited Myanmar and Bangladesh, the UN Human Rights Council released a statement calling for countries to impose weapons and arms embargos on the Myanmar military and government (McVeigh 2019). These include sanctions on weaponry, military equipment utilised for internal repression and export restrictions on monitoring apparatuses (Aljazeera 2019). The barring and economic arms isolation is aim to hold the government accountable for its violations of human rights and condemn their offenses internationally. Consequently, many Western and European nations have vowed to impose these sanctions on the Myanmar government (McVeigh 2019). The US, significantly, has placed sanctions on their security forces and banned military officials from US aid. Britain has also vowed to follow with similar financial penalties (McVeigh 2019).

Life in the Rohingya Refugee Camps, Bangladesh

2019-05-27 01:28:15 UTC

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amna_taleb01 — 2019-05-27 01:29:04 UTC

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Tepfenhart, M 2013,‘The Causes of Ethnic Conflicts’, Comparative Civilization Review, vol. 68, no. 68, pp 84- 86.

The Guardian 2018, Myanmar's military must be prosecuted for Rohingya 'ethnic cleansing', UN told, viewed 25/05/2019, <https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/aug/29/myanmars-military-must-be-prosecuted-for-rohingya-ethnic-cleansing-un-told>.

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“ethnic cleansing” of Myanmar’s Rohingya Muslims, explained, online video, 25
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Statement by Kofi Annan, Chairman of the Advisory Commission on Rakhine State

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What is ethnic cleansing?

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Ethnic Cleansing Defined

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Ethnic cleansing can be defined as “the removal of members of an unwanted ethnic group in order to establish an ethnically homogenous geographic area” (History.com, 2018).In most circumstances, ethnic cleansing is accomplished through aiming in destroying infrastructures such as homes, cultural sites, farms or the use of methods such as forced migration in which many ethnic groups are deported. Ethnic cleansing includes the conflict between two ethnic groups within a state, one group may play a dominant role within the state while the other is seemingly inferior, the ‘Purity of race is a major goal” within achieving ethnic cleansing (ScienceDirect,2019). Ethnic Cleansing has become an exceeding problem where race, ethnic and religious difference has become an incentive for actions hate and division. Under International law ethnic cleansing has not been obtained as an act of crime, leading many civilians to fall victim to these brutal conflicts due to the lack of protection under the U.N treaty. The term “ethnic cleansing” came into context as a major system of violence on a group of people at the time of the Yugoslavia conflict in the 1990s.Events of cleansing on the basis of religious or ethnic reasoning has consistently occurred throughout history,for instance the events of holocaust which involved the brutal destruction of six million Jews through the use of mass killings and concentration camps to the brutal massacre of 800,000 women and men in Rwanda during the 1990’s (History.com, 2018). Although the use of terms such as Genocide and ethnic cleansing are put into the same context there is an important distinctive difference between the two phrases. In reference to genocide the actions are seemingly more brutal,these actions are intentionally done in order to eliminate an entire group of people with the use of mass murders and brutal killings, while on the other hand the process ethnic cleansing includes events where particular groups are forcibly displaced from an area on the bases of race, religion or nationality (PBS News Hour, 2017),this process is applied in order to destroy cultural groups with the use of various methods such as the destruction of holy places such as mosques, churches, and monuments (Tepfenhart 2013).

The Causes Of Ethnic Cleansing

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The causes of ethical cleansing are particularly varied, there is a considerable amount of factors that act as an increasing role in triggering these violent actions to occur. The underlying factors involved vary from structural factors, cultural, economic factors which all play a considerable role as a catalyst for ethnic cleansing to evolve. These factors contribute to triggering a behaviour where groups are adequately able to inflict violence on minority groups that are considerably vulnerable (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2019). Fragile and unsteady states fall victim to acts of ethnic brutality, as the state falls into a period in which they are considered powerless or weak it allows an influx of disruption within the state, increasing the likelihood of a lack of legal and political obedience. Ultimately the absence of authority and discipline leads to an upsurge of vicious acts against those that are sequentially inferior within the state, this increasingly often leads minority ethnic groups to become prone to being easily attacked and harmed due to the increasing absence of security within the country (Tepfenhart 2013). The lack of ethnic group representation in politics creates the underlying cause of ethnic conflict, without the ability to partake in decision making it leaves ethnic groups to become increasingly vulnerable within the state, the absence of ethnic minority involvement within the political field can distinguish if an ethnic conflict can or can not transpire. The absence of ethnic groups in the political field will increasingly concede to ethnic minorities to continually become more prone to falling victim to the effects of ethnic conflict. In addition, political tactics are prominent in this period of time within leaders particularly the use of tactical speech, for instance, the use of hate speech which is utilised by leaders in order to instigate violence within ethnic groups. Economical problems similarly partake in increasing the uprising of ethnic conflict within states, economic problems such as collapses or stagnations can increasingly trigger tensions within an ethnic group. These ethnic groups are set into challenging circumstances where in most cases resources are limited leaving many ethnic groups to act against one another's out of frustration. An increasing prominent factor that plays a crucial role in the likelihood of ethnic cleansing is cultural factors, throughout history discrimination has and is the pinpoint of ethnic cleansing in most circumstances, demolitions of holy sites or restrictions of certain languages have led to excessive conflict predominantly (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2019).

Conclusion

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Ethnic cleansing in Myanmar continues to be one of the most significant and fastest growing humanitarian crisis affecting the international community. The Rohingya ethnic group are disenfranchised from their country of origin and continue to have their human rights violated by the Myanmar state and military. Progress in achieving equal rights and safe returns home for the Rohingya population is still far from being resolved, but more developments are being made to ensure their well-being and safety is being prioritised. The UNHCR, as well as other non-governmental organisations, are working together with several different nations to bring awareness to these issues and support military preventative measures (Aljazeera 2019). Additionally, more states are committed to helping those in need by pledging further humanitarian aid (BBC News 2018).