Rohingya crisis merits reconciliation

As Bangladesh’s interim chief adviser, Nobel Peace Laureate Muhammad Yunus has captured global attention with his impassioned call for the urgent repatriation of over 1.2 million Rohingya refugees. The scale of this humanitarian tragedy — displacement on a near-unimaginable level — is undeniable. Bangladesh’s commitment to maintaining peace and stability within the camps is commendable. But in the rush to repatriate, we must not lose sight of the harsh realities on the ground in Myanmar’s Rakhine State, where violence and devastation continue to unfold.
This week Mr Yunus reportedly travelled to the United States and lobbied for more foreign aid for the group, with the State Department announcing nearly US$200 million in additional funding after Mr Yunus sat for a private meeting with President Joe Biden. Mr Yunus has also called for accelerated resettlement of Rohingya in third countries.
The Rohingya crisis, with its tangled web of human rights violations, misinformation, ethnic conflicts, and entrenched persecution, cannot simply be solved by sending people home. Rakhine State is not a place of refuge — it is a war zone.
As recent reports in The Irrawaddy make clear, over 50,000 residents in Rakhine’s capital, Sittwe, now face starvation and illness after a brutal massacre by Myanmar’s junta in May 2024. Families have been forcibly evicted, and many have taken shelter in overcrowded monasteries. This ongoing humanitarian catastrophe is compounded by violent clashes between the Arakan Army and junta forces, leaving the region destabilised and perilous.
Yet, in the face of these dire conditions, there is hope. As someone deeply connected to the region, I urge Mr Yunus and the international community to reconsider repatriation — at least in the immediate term. A different approach must be taken, one that focuses not just on moving people from place to place but on ensuring their safety and future.
I have spent decades documenting Myanmar’s pro-democracy struggle. After disrobing as a Buddhist monk, I turned to investigative journalism and co-authored The Voice of Hope with Aung San Suu Kyi, a collection of deeply reflective conversations about Burma’s ongoing fight for democracy and human rights. This book, along with several others I have written on Myanmar, chronicles the immense courage and resilience of those who continue to fight against the military regime.
Today, Aung San Suu Kyi, a fellow Nobel Peace Laureate, endures her 22nd year of detention in a windowless cell in Nay Pyi Taw, alongside over 20,000 political prisoners — many of them leaders of Myanmar’s democratically elected government. These individuals are not merely victims of a ruthless dictatorship; they are the architects of Myanmar’s future, a future where democracy, peace, and unity can still emerge.
The solution to the Rohingya crisis lies not in immediate repatriation but in the immediate release of Ms Suu Kyi, President U Win Myint, and the other political prisoners still held by Myanmar’s junta. Their release would signal a step toward uniting the fractured ethnic minorities and the revolutionary forces currently waging war against the military dictatorship. Only through genuine reconciliation can Myanmar be stabilised, offering a safe return for the Rohingya and all other displaced people.
Pope Francis recently called for Ms Suu Kyi’s release, and I echo that plea. Her freedom is not merely symbolic — it is central to peace and stability in Myanmar and beyond. As a fellow Nobel Laureate, Mr Yunus has the moral authority and global platform to join this call and push for her release as part of a broader strategy for peace.
The Rohingya crisis is not isolated; it is the latest chapter in Myanmar’s long, painful history of military repression, ethnic conflict, and civil war. Repatriation, in this volatile environment, would be sending an already traumatised population back into chaos and danger.
For Bangladesh to solidify its standing on the world stage, particularly within Asean and the broader international community, this is a moment for decisive action. Mr Yunus has an opportunity to not only advocate for the Rohingya but also champion a broader regional peace by demanding the release of Myanmar’s political prisoners, thus paving the way for reconciliation and stability in the region.
The world is watching. Myanmar’s people, including the Rohingya, look to Bangladesh as a beacon of hope. There is no better moment, as Mr Yunus addresses the United Nations in New York, to make this public declaration for the immediate release of Suu Kyi and other imprisoned leaders. The path to peace for Myanmar and the Rohingya begins with their freedom.
Alan Clements is author, human rights activist, investigative journalist, former Buddhist monk and co-author of ‘Burma’s Revolution of the Spirit: The Struggle for Democratic Freedom and Dignity’.