Phar, Kim Beng and Hamzah, Luthfy (2025) Trump provides new fuel for Myanmar’s Rohingya genocide. Trump provides new fuel for Myanmar’s Rohingya genocide, NA (NA). pp. 1-4.
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Abstract
The article argues that former US President Donald Trump’s anti-migration rhetoric at the United Nations risks legitimising exclusionary nationalism and indirectly strengthening Myanmar’s long-standing persecution of the Rohingya minority. By portraying migration as a civilisational threat and encouraging states to tighten borders and expel outsiders, Trump’s speech is presented as providing ideological validation for regimes already engaged in discriminatory policies against minorities. The article contends that Myanmar’s military junta, which has systematically denied citizenship and basic rights to the Rohingya since the 1982 Citizenship Law, may interpret such rhetoric as tacit international approval for continued repression. It situates the Rohingya crisis within the broader historical trajectory of mass displacement, ethnic cleansing, and alleged genocide, particularly following the military’s 2017 operations in Rakhine State that forced more than 700,000 Rohingya to flee to Bangladesh. The article further emphasises the dangers of normalising exclusionary discourse in international politics, especially when articulated by major global powers. It argues that rhetoric delivered at the United Nations carries symbolic and normative significance beyond domestic political audiences, potentially weakening global commitments to minority protection and human rights. The analysis also warns that the erosion of international humanitarian norms could embolden authoritarian governments worldwide to scapegoat migrants and vulnerable communities during periods of economic or political instability. In this context, ASEAN is urged to uphold principles of inclusivity and regional responsibility, as silence over Myanmar’s treatment of the Rohingya could undermine the organisation’s moral and diplomatic credibility. Ultimately, the article concludes that the international community faces a critical choice between defending universal human rights or allowing the growing normalisation of expulsion and ethnonationalism to further imperil persecuted minorities such as the Rohingya.
| Item Type: | Article (Electronic Media) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Rohingya Genocide; Trump Rally Speech; UNGA |
| Subjects: | J Political Science > JZ International relations |
| Kulliyyahs/Centres/Divisions/Institutes (Can select more than one option. Press CONTROL button): | International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization (ISTAC) Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences > Department of Political Science Office of the Rector |
| Depositing User: | Mr Muhammad Syameer Luthfy Bin Hamzah |
| Date Deposited: | 08 May 2026 09:36 |
| Last Modified: | 08 May 2026 09:36 |
| Queue Number: | 2026-05-Q3251 |
| URI: | http://irep.iium.edu.my/id/eprint/128880 |
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