Introduction

Abstract

The armed conflict that commenced on August 25, 2017 in northern Rakhine State, Myanmar, and the subsequent exodus of refugees attracted global attention. The Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, an armed group comprising Muslims mainly from northern Rakhine State, launched an attack on military and police facilities, enlisting the support of religious leaders and the general public. The Tatmadaw, Myanmar’s Armed Forces, responded with a “clearance operation” that resulted in significant devastation to the area. The precise number of casualties remains unknown, although Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar of United Nations Human Rights Council has suggested that the death toll may exceed 10,000. In the space of half a year, approximately 700,000 individuals sought refuge in neighboring Bangladesh. The fact that this many stateless religious minorities were compelled to seek refuge in a neighboring country was sufficient to indicate the violent persecution of certain groups, which could be described as ethnic cleansing. In the meantime, our understanding of the circumstances that gave rise to the crisis remains incomplete. There are several conflicting values, sentiments, political motivations, and historical perceptions that appear to impede a thorough examination. In order to address this crisis in its full complexity, it is necessary to reframe the problem from a broader perspective. This special feature brings together five papers that recognize the value of a multifaceted approach in developing a more fundamental understanding of and solution to the problem.