Genocide Denial of the Rohingya in Myanmar: A Persistent Challenge

Abstract

This study looks at how both state and non-state actors in Myanmar create and spread claims that deny genocide against the Rohingya community, and what this means for justice. Since the 1970s, the Muslim minority in Rakhine State has lost citizenship rights and experienced ongoing discrimination and violence in the name of ethnic cleansing with genocidal intent. The research uses a qualitative method based on secondary data using a wide range of sources, including academic studies, reports from international organisations, testimonies from Rohingya survivors, and reviews of social media and disinformation campaigns that spread denial. The findings show that denying genocide is a major and troubling part of the crisis, used by local actors to prevent being held responsible. The study also finds that the human rights situation in Myanmar is still very serious, with about six hundred thousand Rohingya in Rakhine State still at high risk of genocide. The paper also argues that denying these crimes seriously damages efforts for international justice, reconciliation, and conflict resolution. The study highlights the need for the international community to actively fight disinformation and respond strongly to denial in order to guarantee accountability and prevent more genocidal violence.