With the crisis in Myanmar growing larger by the day, one has to start to pay attention.
Let me provide details.
The current crisis involves the Myanmar government persecuting the Rohingya, a Muslim minority within the country.
The tensions between the government and the Rohingya have gone on for many years, though the current cycle of violence started in August of this year when “‘extreme Bengali insurgents attacked a police station,’” said the BBC news.
With other people being persecuted for their beliefs, one can draw the parallel to the U.S. As we fight injustice at home, seeing the same injustice abroad calls for us to provide assistance.
“If the people…they’re begging for help, we should step in,” said Victor Lozano, Delta student.
Showing the world that we care for all those in need is the right thing to do, regardless of any potential consequences.
The present conflict started when a Rohingya militant group attacked Myanmar police. Militants claimed the attack was in response to brutal treatment of their people.
The Myanmar government responded by launching police strikes against multiple Rohingya villages.
Strikes like these have led to the current flood of refugees into neighboring Bangladesh.
The situation is worsening as the United Nations warn of this as a possible ethnic cleansing.
The problem is now brought to light here.
Why have the United Nations or the United States not done more to help these refugees?
With a humanitarian crisis of several hundred thousand refugees displaced, help has been slow to arrive.
The United Nation states the Bangladesh government is only allowing for limited assistance to the refugees.
This is due to the Bangladesh government wishing to help the refugees, but not wanting to entice more people to come to an already poverty-stricken country.
Even with legitimate worries such as this, it is worrying to see so many people in distress with little help.
In any conflict, it should not be the civilians who suffer, but like many, that is what is happening now.
With only small amounts of support for the world at large, it is hard for one not to be drawn to the thought of the Rwandan genocide.
Here hundreds of thousands died while the world mostly stood by and watched.
While the current crisis is nowhere near that level of death, at least a thousand people have already died.
Even with worries of refugees arriving onto an overburdened country, the world should be putting forth its best efforts to help these people.
A refugee crisis of this size has impacts felt all over the world.
“I’m a firm believer that the U.S. should definitely take part of anything that has to do with our country, security, or the general welfare,” said Marisa Banuelos, Delta student.
The world as a whole has ignored humanitarian crises far too often, and now is the time for it to step up and help those in need.
It is time to stop thinking about what might or might not harm an individual or country, but to look to helping humanity as a whole, starting with the Rohingya refugees.
