The Lancet
Volume 389, Issue 10081, 2017, Pages 1841-1850

The Rohingya people of Myanmar: health, human rights, and identity (Review)

Mahmood S.S.* , Wroe E. , Fuller A. , Leaning J.
  • a Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States, Cardiology Division, Department of Medicine, Brigham & Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
  • b Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States, Division of Global Health Equity, Department of Medicine, Brigham & Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States, Partners In Health, Boston, MA, United States
  • c FXB Center for Health and Human Rights, Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
  • d FXB Center for Health and Human Rights, Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States, Physicians for Human Rights, Boston, MA, United States

Abstract

The Rohingya people of Myanmar (known as Burma before 1989) were stripped of citizenship in 1982, because they could not meet the requirement of proving their forefathers settled in Burma before 1823, and now account for one in seven of the global population of stateless people. Of the total 1·5 million Rohingya people living in Myanmar and across southeast Asia, only 82 000 have any legal protection obtained through UN-designated refugee status. Since 2012, more than 159 000 people, most of whom are Rohingya, have fled Myanmar in poorly constructed boats for journeys lasting several weeks to neighbouring nations, causing hundreds of deaths. We outline historical events preceding this complex emergency in health and human rights. The Rohingya people face a cycle of poor infant and child health, malnutrition, waterborne illness, and lack of obstetric care. In December, 2014, a UN resolution called for an end to the crisis. We discuss the Myanmar Government's ongoing treatment of Rohingya through the lens of international law, and the steps that the newly elected parliament must pursue for a durable solution. © 2017 Elsevier Ltd

Author Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Index Keywords

minority health international law minority group Social Identification human child nutrition priority journal health status water borne disease human rights Humans Minority Groups Review Myanmar identity child health human trafficking politics malnutrition obstetric procedure social behavior public health
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85007471024&doi=10.1016%2fS0140-6736%2816%2900646-2&partnerID=40&md5=2b39189e1d5b6d1d102c46efce5c25c9
DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(16)00646-2
ISSN: 01406736
Cited by: 20
Original Language: English