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Responsibility to protect Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar - Obligation or possibility for the international community?

Köhler, Ida LU (2018) LAGF03 20181
Department of Law
Faculty of Law
Abstract
The responsibility to protect is a controversial principle and has been ever since it was introduced by the International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty in 2001. Unanimously adopted by the United Nations member states in 2005 the principle seemed to be a new way of protecting humanitarian values. To protect the citizens of states when the states themselves are unwilling or unable to do so.

This study explores the meaning and use of responsibility to protect in regard to the situation for Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar (also known as Burma) and if the principle consists obligations for the international community. The study addresses the exposed situation for Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar and how it can be related to the... (More)
The responsibility to protect is a controversial principle and has been ever since it was introduced by the International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty in 2001. Unanimously adopted by the United Nations member states in 2005 the principle seemed to be a new way of protecting humanitarian values. To protect the citizens of states when the states themselves are unwilling or unable to do so.

This study explores the meaning and use of responsibility to protect in regard to the situation for Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar (also known as Burma) and if the principle consists obligations for the international community. The study addresses the exposed situation for Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar and how it can be related to the principle. This have been proven to be problematic due to the fact that the responsibility to protect is soft-law and not legally binding for member states. The international community, through the UN, have been monitoring the situation for a long time and have called upon reactions.

In order to use the principle in the situation for Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar the international community must take the monitoring one step further and agree on how to intervene. To investigate whether the responsibility to protect can be used in the situation is not a legal obligation for the international community even though it can be seen as a moral obligation. The principle’s applicability depends on if the international community decides to discuss it. (Less)
Abstract (Swedish)
Principen om skyldigheten att skydda är kontroversiell och har varit det sedan International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty introducerade principen. Principen antogs enhälligt av Förenta Nationernas medlemsstater 2005 och verkade vara ett nytt sätt att skydda medmänskliga värden. Principen om skyldigheten att skydda används för att skydda befolkningen inom stater där staterna själva är ovilliga eller oförmögna att göra detta.

Denna uppsats undersöker meningen och användningen av principen i relation till den rådande situationen för rohingyamuslimer i Myanmar (även kallat Burma) och ifall principen medför förpliktelser för det internationella samfundet. Detta visar sig vara problematiskt då principen inte är tvingande... (More)
Principen om skyldigheten att skydda är kontroversiell och har varit det sedan International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty introducerade principen. Principen antogs enhälligt av Förenta Nationernas medlemsstater 2005 och verkade vara ett nytt sätt att skydda medmänskliga värden. Principen om skyldigheten att skydda används för att skydda befolkningen inom stater där staterna själva är ovilliga eller oförmögna att göra detta.

Denna uppsats undersöker meningen och användningen av principen i relation till den rådande situationen för rohingyamuslimer i Myanmar (även kallat Burma) och ifall principen medför förpliktelser för det internationella samfundet. Detta visar sig vara problematiskt då principen inte är tvingande för medlemsstaterna i Förenta Nationerna. Det internationella samfundet har genom Förenta Nationerna övervakat och utrett situationen för rohingyamuslimer i Myanmar under en lång tid. De har även påkallat reaktioner.

För att kunna använda principen om skyldighet att skydda i situationen för rohingyamuslimer i Myanmar så måste det internationella samfundet ta sitt övervakande och utredande ett steg längre. De måste gemensamt bestämma om hur de ska intervenera. Att utreda ifall principen ska användas i situationen eller inte är inte en juridisk skyldighet för det internationella samfundet, det kan dock ses som en moralisk skyldighet. Om principen är tillämplig eller inte beror på om det internationella samfundet väljer att diskutera denna princip som en lösning och vad de kommer fram till i den diskussionen. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Köhler, Ida LU
supervisor
organization
course
LAGF03 20181
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
Public international law, Responsibility to protect, Myanmar, Rohingya Muslims
language
English
id
8941151
date added to LUP
2018-07-07 11:26:28
date last changed
2018-07-07 11:26:28
@misc{8941151,
  abstract     = {{The responsibility to protect is a controversial principle and has been ever since it was introduced by the International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty in 2001. Unanimously adopted by the United Nations member states in 2005 the principle seemed to be a new way of protecting humanitarian values. To protect the citizens of states when the states themselves are unwilling or unable to do so. 

This study explores the meaning and use of responsibility to protect in regard to the situation for Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar (also known as Burma) and if the principle consists obligations for the international community. The study addresses the exposed situation for Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar and how it can be related to the principle. This have been proven to be problematic due to the fact that the responsibility to protect is soft-law and not legally binding for member states. The international community, through the UN, have been monitoring the situation for a long time and have called upon reactions.

In order to use the principle in the situation for Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar the international community must take the monitoring one step further and agree on how to intervene. To investigate whether the responsibility to protect can be used in the situation is not a legal obligation for the international community even though it can be seen as a moral obligation. The principle’s applicability depends on if the international community decides to discuss it.}},
  author       = {{Köhler, Ida}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Responsibility to protect Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar - Obligation or possibility for the international community?}},
  year         = {{2018}},
}