Rabu, 16 April 2014

The Migration Policy: A Case of Rohingya Refugees

The United Nations defines international migrants as persons who reside outside of their country of origin for one year or more. As of 2010 the UN estimated approximately 214 million international migrants. International migration has undoubtedly become a pressing development issue in recent times, not only for governments and the international community but also for a broad range of society actors in both the global North and South. The migration can be distinguished between those who move by choice (voluntary migration) and they were forced to leave the land of birth (involuntary migration) as workers (migrant workers), refugees or asylum seekers. Many of the factors that make them migrate. Factors of the country of origin can be a natural disaster, unemployment, government repression, wars, and so on. 

If we look back at the case of Myanmar Rohingya people who get miserable treatment of their own government, it makes their citizenship status was not clear until now. According to the Myanmar Citizenship Law, which was amended in 1982, Rohingya is not part of ethnics of Myanmar. They are also considered as illegal immigrants in their homeland. Along the status of those who are not of any nationality, they began to experience a variety of difficulties, such as food shortages . Due to economic pressures, every year thousands of Rohingya people must flee from Burma migrating to Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and even to Australia. Due to unclear status of citizenship, many Rohingya people become illegal migrant workers, refugees and asylum seekers. In the destination country, they live illegally and work as illegal workers with low wages. However, it does not mean they are safe from pursuit immigration destination country. If they are caught, they will be returned to their native country. 

Until now, the Myanmar government considers the Rohingya people living in the country as foreigners and sadly, most people of Myanmar regard them as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and against them. It is estimated that currently about 800.000 Rohingya living in Myanmar. For decades the government of Myanmar continues to experience discrimination for Rohingya, the men would not have citizenship. The UN was calling them one of the most persecuted minorities in the world. The bad treatment has caused their migration to some countries such as Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Australia. As human being who deserves living in peace, they should get good treatment as well, the Rohingya people deserve to live in peace, secure, and serene as what experienced by other community in other countries. Further, the most important thing is respecting their rights. Of course, it needs all the countries in the world to support the ideas. Rohingya people also need to live in peace, as peace is one thing that is hoped by every human being. Therefore, there are at least two things which become fundamental problem solving related these problems: 

1. Cooperation and a positive contribution from all state governments in the world that are members of the UN to provide an opportunity for Rohingya people to live in peace. 

2. Cooperation of the youth around the world. Based on the United Nations Report on the Global Situation of Youth mention; Most young people about 85% live in developing countries with 60% in Asia. Asian continent that has a very broad scope geographically and it should be our focus as a young man in the world to help harness the potential of this remarkable large. 

The Youth participation is very important to be involved in discussion. Youth can give contribution about the ideas how to solve the case like Rohingya refugees. Why youth? Because youth substitute generation, they change older generation that hopefully to continue the previous good generation of humanity. Youth is agent of change that can produces policy to create peace in the worlds through their sharing ideas among them and they also young generation that have high spirit, modifier and reformer. Thus, the 13th Melaka International Youth Dialogue can be a forum to produce policies regarding to international migration.

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