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Abstract

Research on the displacement of the Rohingya from their property has paid little attention to how the government’s land policies encourage various actors to seize that land and extract resources. This research is based on interviews with Rohingya refugees, reports from the United Nations and humanitarian agencies, and published academic work. Economic, social, and political factors are responsible for the displacement of Rohingyas. To argue that a single factor is responsible for their displacement would be incorrect, as research reveals a more complicated interaction of social forces. However, this paper considers the unique dynamics of land grabbing, land laws, ethnic conflict, and extractive capital, and the role these particular forces played in the displacement of Rohingyas from the 1960s up until 2012. To prevent further displacement of Rohingyas and to work toward peace, the Myanmar government should recognize and protect the citizenship of Rohingyas and institutionalize power-sharing entitlements among various groups. The international community and influential third-party actors—in particular, China, which holds significant economic power over Myanmar—have a responsibility to curb displacement and build peace in Myanmar.

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