While India must be sympathetic to Rohingyas, it must convince Myanmar to not torment them

The Rohingya situation is very problematic for the entire world, but for the issue to somehow become one of being India needing to accept tens of thousands of refugees because no one else will, is not only unfair but it has huge demographic and security implications. Several liberal commentators are frothing at the mouth at the recent announcement by the Government that they plan to deport the 40,000 Rohingyas that have been illegally settled in the Jammu region by the previous Government. Given Myanmar’s intransigence towards Rohingyas and Bangaldesh’s refusal to accept more refugees, it is unlikely that this planned deportation can or will happen. However, the real issue with Rohingyas is being completely and totally ignored, that is the pathetic treatment by the Myanmarese of their own people. There is no denying that the Rohingyas have been staying on the coastline of Myanmar’s Rakhine state for centuries and are often even local tribespersons converted by the Arab traders and pirates who operated in the Bay of Bengal. But Myanmar has refused to accept the rights of these people and while self-appointed guardians of society in India weep crocodile tears for the Rohingyas, few have questioned the one individual who can redress the situation if she so desires, Maynamrese political leader Aung Sung Suu-Kyi.

Daw Suu-Kyi is a product of New Delhi having studied at two of the city’s most venerable girls institutions, the Convent of Jesus and Mary and lady Shri Ram college. As such, she is the only product of Delhi University to win a Nobel Prize. Her tireless and lonely struggle to win back democracy in Myanmar is a remarkable story. Yet, after coming to power Daw Suu-Kyi has clearly aligned herself with violent Buddhist nationalists whose antipathy towards Muslims goes beyond the pale and anti-Muslim riots in Rakhine have seen thousands die and several more thousands flee. Yet, the Islamic nations of Bangladesh and Malaysia have had little to do with the refugee flood and some human pirates in South-East Asian region are using Rohingyas are slave labour.  Yes, India should take some Rohingyas in, but the plan to settle them in demographically unsuitable areas was incredibly stupid, and the Jammu region is inappropriate as it is already a communal powderkeg. In addition, the recent militant attack by Rohingyas on the Myanmarese military is a sign of things to come. Islamist terrorist organisations are spreading their tentacles down the lawless east coast of the Bay of Bengal using disaffected young Ronhigyas. It would not take a leap of imagination for them to convert these same youth against their hosts in Jammu. They need to be moved to more suitable areas. In addition, New Delhi has to impress upon Daw Suu-Kyi that the Myanmarese intransigence towards accepting their own as their own is not tenable. An explosive situation could well develop as a result on the southern flank of India’s North-East which has always been a problematic area. Prime Minister Modi in his upcoming visit to Yangon and Naypidaw should impress on his hosts to resolve this issue soon because the Rohingya issue could become one that destablises the entire bay.