‘Rohingya Genocide Cell’ should be set up to preserve memories, evidence: Experts

 International relations and diplomacy expert Professor Imtiaz Ahmed has proposed establishing a “Rohingya Genocide Cell” inside the refugee camps to document the genocide and preserve the memories, experiences and evidence of the Rohingya people.

He made the proposal today at a research-policy dialogue titled, “Genocide Diplomacy and the Rohingya: Justice, Recognition and the Politics of International Response”, at the conference room of the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC) in Cox’s Bazar.

The dialogue was organised by the Refugee and Migration Lab (RML), in collaboration with University College London, Dhaka University, Chittagong University, and the University of South Wales, with funding from the British Academy.

The event also featured the launch of the book, “Politics of Denial and Non-Recognition of Genocide: The Case of the Rohingya,” edited by Professor Nasir Uddin, Dr Palash Kamruzzaman, and Dr Bayes Ahmed and published by Palgrave Macmillan.

Professor Imtiaz said the primary purpose of genocide research should be to make people more sensitive and aware so that such atrocities are not repeated. However, the recurrence of genocides around the world requires renewed reflection on the limitations of those efforts.

On the issue of international recognition of the Rohingya genocide, he said victim communities had played an important role in seeking recognition in the cases of other genocides. The Rohingyas must also take responsibility for leading that struggle.

Professor Imtiaz also stressed the need to invest in the development of Rohingya identity and culture.

Farah Kabir, country director of ActionAid Bangladesh, said viewing the Rohingya crisis solely as a humanitarian issue carries a major risk.

She said the political causes of displacement could be overlooked while addressing the needs for food, water, shelter, healthcare and education. “The Rohingyas should not be seen only as recipients of humanitarian assistance; their political rights and dignity must also remain part of the discussion.”

Maj Gen ASM Ridwanur Rahman, director general of the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS), identified the Rohingyas’ identity crisis as a central issue in repatriation talks.

Nasir Uddin, professor of anthropology at Chittagong University (CU), said the findings of many studies were not reflected in policy, while many policy initiatives were developed without consulting research.

Additional RRRC Commissioner Nazmul Islam Bhuiyan said researchers should conduct more studies to identify the main obstacles to Rohingya repatriation.

Nirjhar Adhikari, director of the Myanmar wing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said Bangladesh’s experience of repatriating Rohingyas in 1978 and 1992 should be used to find a solution to the current crisis.

Rohingya representative Anamul Hasan said persecution of the Rohingyas did not begin with the violence of 2016 or 2017. It was rooted in decades of discrimination, restrictions on movement, arrests, torture and attempts to erase their identity.