Human Insecurity and the Legacy of Genocide: Exploring Strategies for Digital Preservation of Collective Identity in the Rohingya Diaspora
Presentation Type:
Oral Presentation
Authors:
Saqib Sheikh, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
Muhammad Noor, International Islamic University Malaysia, Malaysia
This article will delve into the threat of identity suppression that the Rohingya have been subjected to as an integral part of a campaign of genocide by the Tatmadaw regime. Along with removal of citizenship, the military authorities in Burma have been deploying tools of state-issued identity documentation with a deliberate goal of erasure of the Rohingya ethnic identity. Amidst the continuing humanitarian disaster, an overlooked threat is the erosion of the collective identity of the Rohingya people as a consequence of genocide, entailing a denial of their basic recognition as a people to their ancestral and cultural heritage linking them to their homeland. The article will explore the efforts by members of the Rohingya diaspora who are utilizing technological means to restore and preserve aspects of the Rohingya identity which they view as in danger, including the creation of a digital archive of valuable documents relating to Rohingya history as well as the issuance of digital identity to certain community members. The strategies employed by these grassroots actors shall be seen within a wider lens of human security, moving beyond state-based prerogatives and towards addressing issues of ethnic and communal identity that are frequently undermentioned in these discussions.
Presentation Date/Time: Sunday, December 11, 2022 (11:20)
Session: Session 2
Room: Inthanin Room