Knowledge Partner
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Diplomatist
D iplomacy is a means for countries to communicate with each other- even between adversaries- and can result in the normalisa * on of a complex rela * onship. The role of diplomacy becomes crucial during conflict as * mely interven * on ojen helps in conflict preven * on, and thus contributes to the reduc * on of violence. War occurs when diplomacy fails. Diplomacy should aim for peaceful resolu * on of the conflict accompanied by an outcome favourable to its interest. The recent exodus of Rohingyas into Bangladesh from neighbouring Myanmar adds an important perspec * ve to conflict diplomacy. The Rohingya refugee situa * on stands as a textbook case for diplomacy in during a crisis where the countries involved have very limited choices to influence adversaries. The refugee crisis highlights the vulnerabili * es of neighbouring countries during internal conflicts across the border. The case of Bangladesh also brings into focus the role diplomacy can play in the shaping of global opinion.
hos * ng Rohingya refugees are adding an addi * onal burden on the scarce resources this lower middle-income country possesses. With a popula * on of 160 million, Bangladesh is one of the most populous countries in the world and resources like land are already exhausted. Housing an addi * onal popula * on for a long * me will be an added pressure for the country that wishes to elevate its status to a middle-income country in the future. Second, the country is fearful of internal backlash. With the recent exodus, the number of Rohingya refugees residing in Bangladesh has reached close to a million and threatens to alter the demographics of the regions where camps have been established, mostly in Cox’ s Bazar. A change in the demography might flare up conflict between the locals and the refuge-seekers.
Since August 2017, approximately 650,000 Rohingyas from Myanmar’ s Rakhine State have fled to Bangladesh following the outbreak of violence. Rohingyas are an ethnic minority community of Myanmar, predominantly Muslims, and have close linguis * c similari * es with some dialects in Bangladesh. Rohingyas have been the subject of Myanmar’ s internal conflict; and Bangladesh, by virtue of being the dominant des * na * on for refugees across the border, assumes an important place in the scheme of the ongoing conflict.
Bangladesh has been receiving Rohingyas in intervals since 1980. Prior to the current exodus, around 400,000 refugees were residing in Bangladesh. The issue of Rohingya refugees has been a major irritant in the Myanmar- Bangladesh bilateral. The current influx, one of the biggest in recent history, intensified adverse feelings between the two countries. Public opinion in Bangladesh demanded government ac * on against the claimed atroci * es on Rohingyas by Myanmar’ s security forces and urged the government to pressurise the country for a permanent solu * on to the refugee issue.
Earlier aQempts to repatriate the refugees through bilateral discussions could not yield desired results, and as a consequence, Bangladesh had to look for alterna * ves. Given its limited trade and economic ac * vi * es with Myanmar, Bangladesh was aware of the limita * ons of popular bilateral measures, like suspension of trade rela * ons. Addi * onally, coercive measures like arms embargoes would not be effec * ve
Since August 2017, approximately 650,000
Rohingyas from Myanmar’ s Rakhine State have fled to Bangladesh following the outbreak of violence.
unless they garner interna * onal support. Bangladesh was pragma * c in realising the efficacy of diplomacy here. Thus, building interna * onal support became its priority.
Bangladesh’ s insistence on speedy repatria * on of the Rohingya refugees arises from the following reasons. First,
Image 7: Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wazed delivered addressing the UN General Assembkly in September 2017
Again, delay in the repatria * on of Rohingyas poses a security risk to the country. There are specula * ons about various interna * onal terrorist organisa * ons interested in recrui * ng Rohingyas as cadres to expand their clandes * ne network in the Indian subcon * nent, of which Bangladesh is a part, which may impinge on the stability of the country. Besides, areas close to Bangladesh ' s border with Myanmar are infamous for being a hub for various cross-border criminal ac * vi * es like smuggling of arms and narco * cs. Concerns have been expressed that the Rohingya refugees could be used by these cross-border criminal syndicates as their peddlers.
Another concern that led Bangladesh to demand an urgent solu * on to the problem is that Myanmar does not recognise Rohingyas as its ci * zens. In fact, Myanmar regards them as migrants from Bangladesh. A delayed response would prompt the exodus of more Rohingyas from Myanmar. It
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