Let world remember why there is a Rohingya problem

Thailand suffered when it set up refugee camps for Cambodians during the Vietnam War because countries reneged on their pledges of help, and it took many years before Thailand was able to close the facilities.

Now, Thailand and Asean are waiting for developed countries to pledge help for the suffering Rohingya. The roots of this crisis go back to 1826, when the British colonial rulers annexed Arakan (Rakhine state) and brought in Muslim labourers from Bengal in India to farm the then-sparsely populated region.

Between 1872 and 1911, Rakhine’s capital Akyab witnessed a threefold increase in the Muslim population – from 58,255 to 178,647, according to British censuses. Inter-communal violence between the Muslim Rohingya and ethnic Rakhines broke out and has increased in frequency ever since. Ironically, the BBC’s reports have never once mentioned that it was the British who started this problem in the 19th century.

Vint Chavala