{"id":120960,"date":"2021-12-06T17:35:15","date_gmt":"2021-12-07T00:35:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/?p=120960"},"modified":"2021-12-06T17:35:15","modified_gmt":"2021-12-07T00:35:15","slug":"why-thailand-should-play-role-in-resolving-rohingya-refugee-crisis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/2021\/12\/06\/why-thailand-should-play-role-in-resolving-rohingya-refugee-crisis\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Thailand Should Play Role In Resolving Rohingya Refugee Crisis"},"content":{"rendered":"

MD Pathik Hasan<\/em><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n

Bangladesh is a Southeast Asian\ncountry geographically but South Asian culturally. Myanmar-Bangladesh is a\nbordering country. On the other hand, Thailand and Myanmar are neighboring\ncountries. There is close historical-geographical proximity among Myanmar,\nThailand, and Bangladesh. Trilateral relations amongst these countries were\ngood. The three states could benefit hugely from Myanmar-Bangladesh\nTies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But a little problem between\nBangladesh-Myanmar has become an obstacle. Seven and a half lakh Rohingya Muslims\nhave come to Bangladesh to take shelter to save their lives from the atrocities\nof the Myanmar army in 2017. Bangladesh is trying to repatriate them to\nMyanmar. But Myanmar doesn\u2019t want to take back them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then four years have passed. After\nthat, the initiative was taken to return the Rohingyas but it did not happen.\nThe initial initiative failed. This Rohingya refugee problem has created a long\ndistance between Bangladesh and Myanmar. As a result, the distance between\nSouth Asia and Southeast Asia has increased. But if this problem is resolved\ndiplomatically, the whole southeast Asian countries including Thailand and\nSouth Asian countries would benefit economically, socially, and culturally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bangladesh wants Thailand\u2019s\ncooperation in Rohingya extradition. Bangladesh wants to speed up the plan\nafter the process was suspended due to a coronavirus infection. As a\nneighboring and friendly country of Myanmar, Thailand can and should mediate\nthe problem for ensuring the greater interest of the region. If the problem is\nsolved, then greater regional interest would ensure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thailand would be able to connect\nitself by road with the BCIM (Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar) corridor. The\nBCIM corridor will be connected with the east-west corridor and the north-south\ncorridor of Thailand. This will establish direct communication between\nBangladesh, Myanmar, and Thailand. Again, using this medium, Bangladesh will be\nable to go directly to Malaysia, Laos, and Vietnam. On the other hand, Thailand\nand Myanmar will be able to enter into South Asia, Central Asia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thailand wants to establish trade relations with\nBangladesh. Connecting Thailand with the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar\nEconomic Corridor or the BCIM Economic Road Corridor will increase trade\nbetween the two countries. Myanmar-Bangladesh good relations is very needed for\nensuring this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the Rohingya crisis has become a\nregional and international issue, Thailand as a regional state can play a\nsignificant role in the peaceful repatriation of Rohingya citizens who have\nbeen forcibly displaced by Myanmar and taken refuge in Bangladesh. If the\nRohingya problem is not resolved soon, it could be an obstacle to peace and\nprogress in the region. The longer the Rohingya crisis cannot be resolved, the\nmore likely it is that the issue could become a breeding ground for\nfundamentalism, exploited and manipulated by terrorists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For decades, Myanmar has gone\nthrough extreme cruelty to the Rohingya. Never cared about the law. The\nRohingya problem is not new to Bangladesh. This problem, which started in 1978,\nbecame apparent in August 2017. More than 1 million Rohingyas fled to\nBangladesh to save their lives when the Myanmar army launched a brutal\noperation against the Rohingya ethnic group. Bangladesh is seeking the\nintervention of the United States, the European Union, and the United Nations\nas well as the regional alliance ASEAN for a lasting and acceptable solution to\nthe Rohingya problem. On the other hand, there are also some Rohingyas who are\nliving in Thailand. There is no data on the total number\nof Rohingyas<\/a>\nin Thailand, but unconfirmed reports suggest there could be between 3,000 and\n20,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, Bangladesh is now facing serious\nproblems for this artificial crisis committed by Myanmar.  Some\nsocio-economic threats are rising in Bangladesh. Bangladesh has given shelter to\nRohingyas for humanitarian reasons. But because of this humanity, the country\nis now at risk. As a result, there is a danger of Rohingyas spreading all over\nthe country, there are also many challenges<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The forest is being uprooted, they\nare cutting down the mountains and destroying them. There are also long-term\neconomic risks Socio-economic and political problems may also be evident, and\nsecurity risks may increase. Illegal narcotics trade, human trafficking,\nprostitution, terrorism in Rohingya camps are increasing in camps. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Source: Internet<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bangladesh and Myanmar signed an\nagreement to repatriate the Rohingya to Myanmar within two years in 2017 and\n2019 respectively. The Myanmar authority did not take back the Rohingyas\naccording to the agreement. It is true that they don\u2019t want to repatriate\nRohingyas in Myanmar. Bangladesh raised the issue in every international forum.\nMany countries have supported Bangladesh. But Myanmar has no respect the\ninternational law and norms. Some mighty powers may have been behind the scene.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bangladesh Prime Minister has raised\nthe issue at UNGA on September 25, 2021, to draw attention to solving the\nRohingya crisis. She has focused especially on the engagement of ASEAN leaders.\nIt is ASEAN that can solve the Rohingya refugee problem easily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As an active member of ASEAN,\nThailand can help to resolve it. Thailand can be an honest mediator in this\nregard. Thailand has very warm relations with both Myanmar and Bangladesh. Various countries and international\norganizations have taken various measures to solve the Rohingya problem. Former\nUN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has criticized Myanmar authorities for being\nlax in repatriating displaced Rohingya. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres\nhas expressed deep concern over the ongoing Rohingya crisis. Yang Lee, the UN special\nenvoy for human rights in Myanmar, said all major countries in the world had a\nresponsibility to resolve the Rohingya crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this regard, Thailand can and\nshould play a very significant role to solve the crisis such ways:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1)      Thailand can support Bangladesh at\nevery international forum such as at UNGA, regional conferences. They can vote\nin favor of Bangladesh. They can raise the issue in BIMSTEC and ASEAN\nplatforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2)      Thailand can negotiate with Myanmar\ndiplomatically and bilaterally. It has good bilateral relations with Myanmar<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3)      Thailand can engage with other\nregional states to resolve the crisis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

4)      Thailand\u2019s Buddhist society can play\nan effective role in this regard. The relations of Buddhists between Myanmar\nand Thailand are well established. Thai Buddhists can do it very easily.\nBuddhism is more related to the establishment of Peace and non-violence. Thai\nBuddhists can play a significant role in this regard. They can exercise the\npath shown by the founder of Buddhism, Gautama Buddha. Buddhists will be\nrecognized as the Avatar of human rights if the Buddhist community plays a role\nin resolving the Rohingya crisis. It will ensure regional to some extent world\npeace and communal harmony.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5)      Thai businessmen can engage to some\nextent. Because stability in the region (for both South Asia and Southeast\nAsia) is very needed for investment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why\nThailand should Play role in resolving the regional problem?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1)      This issue is a humanitarian issue.\nRohingyas are the son of Land in Rakhine in Myanmar. They have birthrights to\nreside in Myanmar. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

2)      It is an issue of\nJustice. According to Luther king, Junior “Injustice anywhere is a threat\nto justice everywhere.\u201d Myanmar authorities committed genocide. The perpetrators\nshould be under international legal jurisdiction. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3)      It is the issue of the\nregion. The whole of South Asia and South East Asia may be volatile for this\nissue. As a South Asian state, Thailand has some responsibilities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

4)      Thailand has very good relations\nwith both Myanmar and Bangladesh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5)      Enhancing bilateral relations could contribute to the growth\nof trade and investment relations with ASEAN and SAARC countries. This will\ncreate an opportunity to serve greater regional interests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6)      Re-establishing\nthe Himalayan-South Asian connectivity can occur if political and diplomatic\nsolutions of Bangladesh-Myanmar strained ties can be found.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7)      Bangladesh has been supporting Thailand at every\ninternational forum. Now it is time and duty for Sri Lanka to stand in favor of\nBangladesh in her crisis moment. Thailand-Bangladesh\nrelations have the potential to further strengthen ties for regional and global\npeace, progress, and prosperity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8)      For greater regional connectivity such as implementation of\nBCIM, Asian High way project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

9)      To create opportunities for Thai investors to access the\nSouth Asian markets easily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

10)  Rohingya\nrefugee crisis and internal crisis in Myanmar can be regional crises. Thailand\ncan be a sufferer. Terrorism, insurgent movement, illegal narcotics trade,\nhuman trafficking are some concerning issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

11)  To\nstrengthen trilateral ties amongst Thailand, Myanmar, and Bangladesh for the\ninterest of the people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, Thailand is a\nclose friend of Bangladesh. Bangladesh has a long history of trade and cultural\nties with Thailand. Thailand has been cooperating with Bangladesh since\nindependence in 1971 under the leadership of the Father of the Nation\nBangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Thailand should consider these issues. Thailand should do\nsome things in favor of Bangladesh regarding Rohingya refugee repatriation to\nMyanmar. Thailand can make Myanmar understand and agree in this regard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thailand can play a very significant\nrole in this regard. Thailand can mediate to bolster the strained relations\nbetween Bangladesh-Myanmar. Thailand can play to repatriate the Rohingyas in\nRakhine in Myanmar. Thailand can easily resolve the problem because it has very\ngood relations with Myanmar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, as a well-wisher friend and\npartner in the development process and trade, Bangladesh can expect cooperation\nand support from Thailand regarding the repatriation of Rohingya refugees to\nMyanmar. Bangladesh deserves it. So, Thailand should help, support\nBangladesh and mediate in resolving the crisis as soon as possible.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

MD Pathik Hasan Bangladesh is a Southeast Asian country geographically but South Asian culturally. Myanmar-Bangladesh is a bordering country. On the other hand, Thailand and Myanmar are neighboring countries. There is close historical-geographical proximity among Myanmar, Thailand, and Bangladesh. Trilateral relations amongst these countries were good. The three states could benefit hugely from Myanmar-Bangladesh Ties. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[179],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-120960","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-md-pathik-hasan"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/120960","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=120960"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/120960\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=120960"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=120960"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=120960"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}