The Rohingya Refugee Crisis: A Threat to Peace and Security in South Asia

Abstract

The persecution and brutality against the Rohingya people could as well be regarded as the biggest injustice in the history of human civilisation. This article explores the possible threats to peace and security in Asia and the South Asian regions resulting from the settlement of the Rohingya people in Bangladesh. It examines qualitative data obtained from the Rohingya refugees and various stakeholders, including security personnel, administrators, civil society members, representatives of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and international NGOs (INGOs) and residents in the host community. It has been discovered in this study that human rights violations against the Rohingya refugees are not just a threat to peace and security in Bangladesh but also a threat at the regional level. The study recommends that neighbouring countries and regional and international associations take more proactive roles in resolving the Rohingya crisis by negotiating and mounting international pressure on the Myanmar government. These findings add new knowledge and provide guidelines for policymakers to design a roadmap for resolving the Rohingya crisis.