Episode 33: The Rohingya Nightmare in Myanmar

Dialogika Podcast

In this episode, we discuss the ongoing Rohingya humanitarian crisis, which has led to more than 400,000 Rohingyas fleeing and finding refuge in Bangladesh. We dig into the history of the Rohingya people and why they are dubbed by international media as "the most persecuted minority in the world," looking at the religious hate-mongering that has been perpetuated by both hardline Buddhist extremists groups as well as the Burmese government — and, as an extension of that, the ignorance of Myanmar's de facto leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner, Aung San Suu Kyi. We unpack who she is, the limitations of her political power, and why she has refused to acknowledge the atrocities committed by the Burmese army. We also look into the international criticism of Myanmar and Suu Kyi's response, and break down the valorization (in particular, in Western media) of Suu Kyi as the democratic hope of Myanmar. In talking about this underreported issue, we hope that more people would know about the plight of the Rohinyga and demand not only the cessation of violence but also international action & aid to support those who are already deeply affected by this crisis.