by Nasir Uddin 5 August 2023
Since the military coup in February 2021, the number of people in humanitarian need in Myanmar has surged from 1 million to an estimated 14.4 million, but 1.2 million Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh needed more humanitarian assistance since 2017. Even after five years of the massive Rohingya influx, there is no light of hope in their lives. While the Rohingya crisis finds no definite solution, Australia could be instrumental in redressing the current situation. Australia is one of the leading contributors to the international support package to deal with the Rohingya refugee situation. Since the 2017 military crackdown took place, Australia alone provided support worth $489 million to the people across Myanmar, and Rohingya refugees and host communities in Bangladesh. On November 10, 2022, Senator Penny Wong, in a joint statement the Pat Conroy (Minister for International Development and the Pacific, and Minister for Defence Industry) declared that the Albanese Government’s commitment to provide $135 million assist with the delivery of life-saving food, water and shelter through partner organisations in Myanmar and Bangladesh.…” Along with this, Australia announced to prioritize the “humanitarian visas” to those who fled Myanmar military atrocities following the military coup in February 2021. The announcement came up at a time when Myanmar is unwilling to take its nationals back and Bangladesh is no longer inclined to host them in its land. Therefore Australia’s resettlement decision could reopen the third-country resettlement programme of the Rohingyas living in both Bangladesh and Myanmar’s detention camps. Australia has been supporting the Rohingya people for a long time but, just supporting them will not resolve the Rohingya crisis; rather it helps sustain the problem. Therefore, resuming the resettlement programme, which was started in 2006 and stopped in 2010, could bring a duration solution to the decade-long Rohingya crisis and Australia could lead the move.
1.2 million of the total Rohingya population, the most persecuted ethnic minority in the world, live in Bangladesh as refugees with less than a minimum standard of life. During the five years of massive influx, which took place in 2017, two repatriation attempts (the first in 2018 and the second in 2019) failed due to the Rohingya denial as Rakhine’s conditions gradually worsened. Besides, the military coup in Burma in February 2021 has put the Rohingya repatriation process in extreme uncertainty. Furthermore, the growing violent resistance of the regional ‘insurgent’ groups and the massive civil disobedience movement led by NUG (National Unity Government) against the military Junta has made the future of the Rohingya more complex. It is for sure that voluntary repatriation is impossible within a short period of time. The host society seems becoming intolerant because the massive Rohingya presence has created tremendous socio-economic and demographic pressure. Therefore, there is literally no space for potential social integration. The third country resettlement programme for the first time was started in 2006 and continued until 2010 but it was suddenly stopped without any convincing reasons. Therefore, resuming the resettlement programme could be the best way to redress the Rohingya crisis and Australia could lead this move.
What does the Australian announcement mean for the Rohingya? If the victims of the military junta can apply for refugee status, definitely the Rohingya should be on top of the list. Soon after the Burmese military took over state power in 1962, the Rohingya people became the subject of continuous persecution, massive killing, frequent raping, burning of houses & properties and genocidal attacks. Therefore, the Rohingya as Myanmar nationals have faced a more severe humanitarian crisis than Myanmar nationals and hence deserve priority in consideration. The Hon Andrew Giles MP (Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs) declared that “In recognition of the grave humanitarian and security situation in Myanmar, the Albanese Government has designated Myanmar nationals in Australia as a priority caseload in our onshore humanitarian visa program…The Australian Government is committed…as a global leader in international resettlement efforts…Myanmar nationals have consistently been in the top four offshore resettlement caseloads. In the 2021-22 Program year, more than 1,600 offshore humanitarian visas were granted to this cohort.”
Under this declaration by the Australian government, it could be a pioneering idea to resume the resettlement programme for the Rohingya refugees living in Bangladesh and other countries could join the move following Australia. Arunn Jegan, the former Head of Mission for Médecins Sans Frontières in Bangladesh, commented on the declaration, “By explicitly including the Rohingya as Myanmar nationals in its refugee intake policies, Australia can send a strong message to the authorities in Myanmar and other states in the region and help extremely vulnerable people resettle in a place of safety, supported by family and community.” It is mention here that by that time, the United States of America officially started the process of resettling some thousands of Rohingya to its Land. Following the USA and Australia, other countries could join the move which could be a durable solution to the Rohingya crisis.
The Bangladesh Government should also come forward to explore the possibilities and potentials to resume third country resettlement programme along with its constant engagement to expedite voluntary repatriation progress. And Australia could be the first country for Bangladesh to reach out to in the Asia-Pacific region since Australia has willingly offered the priority resettlement move for the Myanmar nationals being victims of Myanmar military regimes.