Myanmar is one of the last Buddhist-majority countries in the world. Formerly Burma, it has undergone a series of rocky transitions, military governments and authoritarian rule.  

The nation emerged recently with a de facto leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, who received a Noble Peace Prize for her work to guarantee genuine democratic elections in Myanmar.  

Why then, is Myanmar using military force to conduct an ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya? 

The Rohingya are a predominantly muslim population of approximately 1 million people who live in the Rakhine State of Myanmar. They are not granted citizenship, and live on the margins of society in poverty.  

The most recent clash began in 2016 when the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, a small armed faction of Rohingya, clashed with border guards, and nationalist groups responded in turn.  

This violent outbreak was not the first the Rohingya were accused of — rather, state run newspapers and rumors have painted the Rohingya as a dangerous minority, when in reality, they are a largely peaceful group. 

Their danger is perceived as a threat to the Buddhist majority, both culturally and politically. 

There are several nationalist political parties in Myanmar that fear the Rohingya will become a crusading force — to wipe out the Buddhist traditions and way of life. They embrace nationalism as a form of protectionism from the supposed dangers posed by the Rohingya.  

While this explains some of the flawed reasons why some of the Buddhist population fears the Rohingya, it does not explain the systematic violence carried out against them.  

More chilling than reports of attacks by nationalist parties are the actions taken by the military.  

Amnesty International reports orchestrated military campaigns to drive out Rohingya by burning villages. As villagers fled their homes, military personnel reportedly shot at the fleeing Rohingya. 

To date, it is estimated that as many as 400,000 Rohingya have fled the country as refugees, and as many as 240,000 are children.  

These atrocities stand in opposition to Aung San Suu Kyi and Buddhist practices.  

Buddhism has long been regarded as a peaceful religion, but in Myanmar, it is tied heavily to the state military. The military junta ruled the former state of Burma from 1988 until 2011, and in that time utilized the military to convert ethnic minorities and promote assimilation.  

During the time of military rule, Aung San Suu Kyi formed the National League for Democracy in opposition to military rule. She fought contested elections, was arrested for her actions, and finally was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991 for her work to promote democratic elections in Myanmar.  

In 2011, thanks to the work of Aung San Suu Kyi and her party, the country made the transition to democracy. However, this caused fears of an empowered Rohingya population and nationalist parties escalated their attacks — political, social and physical — on the Rohingya. 

Aung San Suu Kyi is widely praised in the west; yet, her stance on the ethnic cleansing in Myanmar has been one of near silence.  

While her role as State Counselor, a head of government position, does not grant her control over the military and she cannot directly put an end to the atrocities occurring in her country, Aung San Suu Kyi wields great influence.  

The lack of public condemnation represents a moral failing on the most basic level. Aung San Suu Kyi’s history as a figure standing on the side of democratic proceedings is undermined every day she chooses to do nothing.  

Even if she cannot order the military to cease its actions or for nationalist parties to stop their hateful propaganda, she knows what needs to be done. Before being placed under house arrest in 1989, Aung San Suu Kyi wrote an essay, “In Quest of Democracy,” in which she writes: 

“It is undeniably easier to ignore the hardships of those who are too weak to demand their rights than to respond sensitively to their needs. To care is to accept responsibility, to dare to act in accordance with the dictum that the ruler is the strength of the helpless.” 

Aung San Suu Kyi already stood up to the authoritarian forces controlling her country, now it is her time to vocally oppose the atrocities occurring against some of the most powerless in her country.  

She is evidence of the power one person can have over a nation, and her voice is needed again to protect the Rohingya.