Global PersPectives
Malaysia, a Muslim country and the pre
ferred destination of Rohingyas, had for many
years accepted small numbers of those fleeing.
Authorities worked quietly with the UN High
Commission for Refugees and other inter
national organ izations to handle refugees and
asylum seekers, but those who made it to the
shores illegally were treated more harshly. But
as the numbers swelled in 2015, Malaysia’s
views hardened against the refugees.
Similarly, Indonesia, in the past, had qui
etly taken in small numbers requesting assis
tance. But with the explosion in the numbers
of boats plying the sea to escape Myanmar,
Indonesia’s military began to send back smug
gler boats, pushing them out of their territorial
waters, and even initiating refoulement—
returning people who have the right to be
recognized—an action prohibited under inter
national humanitarian law. Singapore, too,
argued they did not have the resources to
deal with the onslaught.
Thailand has intercepted mi grants at sea,
providing fuel and food to force the boats to
other waters. But smugglers have also set up
camps in Thai territory to hold people in
deplorable conditions before they are put on
boats for other parts. The Thai military has
been breaking up these camps, however,
accelerating the numbers of people put on
boats adrift to find more welcoming land.
None of the largest or richest Asian coun
tries has accepted responsibility. Australia and
Japan have offered some financial assistance,Rohingyas have lived in Myanmar for hundreds
of years. Yet in 1974, the country’s military
government asserted that Rohingyas were
but economic mi grants from Bangladesh who
traveled to Burma during the period of colonial
British rule. They were subsequently stripped
of Burmese citizenship. In the early 1990s,
extremist Buddhist teaching within Myan
mar and repression by the military leadership
intensified, targeting the Rohingyas. Hatred
and discrimination became more prevalent
and overt, as colonial legacies were blamed.
Since Myanmar became more demo cratic in
2011, the plight of the Rohingyas has worsened.
Their personal security is threatened and their
livelihood in fishing curbed. Neither the Myan
mar government nor the opposition po liti cal
party National League for Democracy, led by
Aung San Suu Kyi, has spoken out on the issue.
The refugee prob lem is now regional. Sev
eral countries of Southeast Asia have been
faced with huge numbers of people trying
to reach their shores. Smugglers established
routes for the transport of human beings, set
ting up temporary camps in Thailand and send
ing Rohingyas in rickety boats across the seas.
Most countries in the region are not party to
the 1951 Convention on Refugees, and states
lack the national legal frameworks for dealing
with refugees, asylum seekers, and stateless
people. Those states have authorized the UN
High Commission of Refugees to protect
these individuals until their ultimate status is
determined.
Since 2013, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and Singapore have seen a massive influx of
undocumented persons trying to land in their territory. Most of those fleeing their home
land for other shores are Rohingyas— Muslims fleeing Buddhist dominated Myanmar.