ISAS Insights

The simmering 'Rohingya issue' in Myanmar is rapidly threatening to engulf the neighbouring regions. Initially, a problem of domestic instability and violence in the Rakhine State of Myanmar, it has transformed into a regional crisis with a refugee surge that has involved several of Myanmar's neighbours including Bangladesh, India, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. Malaysia had recently convened an Extraordinary Mmeeting of the Foreign Ministers of Islamic Organization for Cooperation (OIC) to address the burgeoning crisis. This was the start of a process that could internationalize the issue and bring opprobrium to the Myanmar authorities at a point in time when they require international support for their fledgling democracy. Furthermore the fear of the radicalization of the Rohingyas, and the exploitation by Islamist extremists of the situation remain genuine and growing