A short history

❚ The Rohingya people, a Muslim minority group living in the Rakhine state of Myanmar, are now one of the largest stateless populations in the world. They have faced decades of discrimination and repression under successive Burmese Governments.

❚ Restrictions on movement and lack of access to basic healthcare have led to dire humanitarian conditions for those displaced by waves of violence in 2012 and 2016.

❚ Since August 25, 2017, hundreds of thousands of ethnic Rohingya Muslims have fled Rakhine State in Myanmar (formerly Burma) to escape mass atrocities by government security forces.

❚ The military has carried out killings, shelling and widespread arson in an ongoing campaign of ethnic cleansing, launched following a co-ordinated attack by a Rohingya armed group.

New Zealands stance:

The Government has consistently urged Myanmar to take all necessary steps to protect Rohingya civilians and others affected by the violence, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesperson says.

‘‘We have also called on the Myanmar Government to ensure that appropriate humanitarian access is provided to all affected communities [and] we have supported efforts in multilateral meetings to promote co-operation and dialogue with Myanmar on this issue.’’

Since September, New Zealand has contributed $4 million to assist those affected by the crisis.

Source: Human Rights Watch