Does History Only Repeat Itself? Remembering the Rohingya in Light of Palestine | Blog

In August 2017, the world bore witness to the unfolding tragedy of the Rohingya genocide, an atrocity that continues to smolder in the shadows of global indifference. Men, women, and children—targeted solely for their ethnic identity as the Muslim minority in Myanmar (also known as Burma)—faced systematic murder. This horror did not emerge in a vacuum; it was the culmination of decades of calculated policies and insidious practices that systematically dehumanized the Rohingya, creating a pernicious narrative of falsehoods to justify their eradication. 

Before 2017, many Rohingya found themselves confined to internal camps along the Sittwe Coast of Myanmar, an attempt to segregate and isolate them from broader Burmese society. Through this dehumanising process, they were stripped of access to health care, mobility, education, and the means to earn a livelihood. This orchestrated marginalization sought to deny them the basic dignities and opportunities that form the essence of a just and humane existence. 

The Rohingya are a Muslim ethnic minority who have lived in Myanmar for generations. From as early as the 1960s, they have been vilified through relentless media propaganda and draconian laws, including policies limiting the number of children they can bear. This plight echoes the torment of the Palestinians, who for decades have similarly endured displacement, military occupation, and attempts to erase their cultural and historical identity. 

The Myanmar government has long promoted the false narrative that the Rohingya are illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, labeling them “Bengalis” and stripping them of citizenship. This propaganda, amplified through state media and extremist monks like Ashin Wirathu, incited violence by spreading baseless claims that Rohingya men threatened Buddhist women and society at large. Social media platforms, especially Facebook, have become tools for disinformation and hate speech.

To date, over 25,000 Rohingya have been killed, with more than 700,000 forced into exile across Bangladesh, India, Thailand, and Malaysia. Thousands of women have been raped, and tens of thousands burned alive. The world watched as Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi stood silent, echoing the denial of civilian suffering we continue to see from Israeli officials regarding Palestine.

Myanmar continues to block media access and restrict international observers from entering Rakhine State. Yet, in 2019, Gambia filed a case against Myanmar at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), a step mirrored by South Africa’s case against Israel at the ICJ in late 2023. These legal efforts reflect a growing international desire for accountability.

Despite growing awareness, the international response remains largely rhetorical, marked by statements of condemnation rather than meaningful action. Both the Rohingya and Palestinians remain trapped in cycles of suffering perpetuated by structural Islamophobia, political inaction, and Western duplicity.

Allah says in the Qur’an, “Hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided” (3:103). Are we so immersed in our own lives and distractions that we no longer hear the cries of the oppressed? 

The Prophet Muahmmad said, “The parable of the believers in their affection, mercy, and compassion for each other is that of a body. When any limb aches, the whole body reacts with sleeplessness and fever.” Are we truly aching for our brothers and sisters in Myanmar and Palestine? Is their suffering enough to rouse us from spiritual slumber, to move us to pray in the depths of night, to give from our savings, forsake our careers, comforts, and pleasures to stand boldly against injustice?

The struggle of the Rohingya and the Palestinians compels us to act. It is a test of our faith and our commitment to justice. Allah says:

In our collective awakening and steadfast actions lies the hope that history may not repeat itself, and that justice—at last—may prevail.