Myanmar to extend COVID vaccination to Rohingya minority living in the country

Myanmar will vaccinate the minority Muslim community of Rohingya against COVID-19, said the spokesperson for its ruling military on August 27 while adding that no one will be left out in its immunisation campaign. Myanmar was engulfed in a fresh crisis earlier this year as the junta toppled the democratic government and claimed control while triggering nationwide protests amid the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of Rohingya fled to Bangladesh during the military operations in 2017 and the ones who still remain in the country, flagged several instances of discrimination and mistreatment in the country. Myanmar does not recognise the Muslim minority as its citizens. Junta spokesperson Zaw Min Tun has said that the ruling authorities were making progress in reducing the COVID-19 cases in the country and ramp up vaccinations. He also said that the plan is to vaccinate half of the population against Coronavirus, by the end of this year. 

Zaw referred to Ronhigya as 'Bengalis'

Myanmar has registered 2,635 new Coronavirus infections and 113 additional deaths due to COVID-19 on August 26 even as the publicly reported numbers have drastically decreased after hitting the peak in July. Zaw said that the COVID-19 vaccination campaign in the Southeast Asian nation would include the Rohingya in Maungdaw and Buthidaung districts bordering Bangladesh and referred to them as “Bengalis.”

‘Bengalis,’ is the term used to describe the Rohingya in the Buddhist majority Myanmar as they are regraded unwanted immigrants from the neighbouring nation. In a regular news briefing, the junta spokesperson said, “They are also our people as well...We will not leave anyone behind." However, it still remains unclear if the Coronavirus vaccination campaign would extend to Rohingya Muslims living in the crowded camps in Rakhine state or the qualification criteria for the same.

As per The Associated Press, around 600,000 Rohingya remains in Myanmar but over 100,000 of them live in squalid and crowded displacement camps. The issue remains sensitive in the country while the international courts are seeking to determine if genocide was committed by the government forces in 2017.  

(IMAGE: PTI/AP)