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Soft Violence: Wicked Hurdles Driving Systemic Discrimination Against Rohingya Children in Myanmar?
Shadrack Bentil ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-sonnet-5-5This article looks at the systemic discrimination faced by Rohingya children in Rakhine State, Myanmar. It uses documentary and literature review to argue that the idea of 'soft violence', meaning hidden non-physical barriers to children's development and safety, can help explain this discrimination. The authors say this view has received little attention in earlier work. They recommend community sensitisation to change how Rohingya children are seen, reconciliation and mediation between Buddhists and Muslims, and a constitutional redefinition of the Rohingya's status.
Key points
- The Rohingya have faced systemic discrimination for centuries in Rakhine State, Myanmar.
- Soft violence is described as clandestinely instituting non-physical barriers to children's psychological, ecological, physical, political and economic development and safety.
- Few studies have used soft violence to explain systemic violence against Rohingya children.
- Recommended: Rohingya identity reconstruction through community sensitisation.
- Recommended: reconciliation and mediation teams, and constitutional redefinition of Rohingyas so they are entitled to rights.
Limitations
Only the abstract is available, and the work is based on documentary and literature review, so it provides no new data on children's experiences or on whether the recommendations would work. The specific sources and the methods of the review are not described.
Abstract
In the Rakhine State of Myanmar are the Rohingyas. A group of people who have been systemically discriminated against for centuries. The systemic discrimination binds them in conformity to stringent rules and conditions while exposing them to seemingly perpetual servitude. Sadly, everything about their survival, livelihood, and well-being are temporary, be it religious, social, political, economic, security or health. Based on the documentary and literature review, the article argues that the understanding of soft violence can shape policies that aim to safeguard the life of Rohingya children since this has received little attention. Of course, limited studies have employed soft violence to explain systemic violence against Rohingya children. Soft violence suggests clandestinely instituting non-physical barriers to children's psychological, ecological, physical, political, and economic development and safety. The paper recommends Rohingya identity reconstruction through community sensitisation to see Rohingya children as humans, not objects of humiliation and discrimination. Further, reconciliation and mediation teams to lower the curtain of tension and hatred between majority Buddhists and the minority Muslims. Finally, the constitutional redefinition of Rohingyas to merit entitlement and rights in Myanmar is needed.