Analysing cultural proximity: Islamic Relief Worldwide and Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh

Abstract

Based on fieldwork carried out on Islamic Relief's relief programme for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, this article contributes to the debate on whether Muslim aid agencies bring added value when working with Muslim beneficiaries in Muslim areas. The author explores the significance of religion in relations between actors in the aid process and argues that a common religion does not necessarily override political, social, and cultural divisions. The article questions whether it is useful to claim that Muslim solidarity exists in the aid process when in practice it is difficult to have any meaningful engagement with religion in the field.

Analyser la proximité culturelle: Islamic Relief Worldwide et réfugiés rohingyas au Bangladesh

Sur la base des travaux de terrain effectués sur le programme humanitaire d'Islamic Relief pour les réfugiés Rohingya au Bangladesh, cet article contribue au débat sur la question de savoir si les agences humanitaires musulmanes apportent une valeur ajoutée lorsqu'elles travaillent avec des bénéficiaires musulmans dans des zones musulmanes. L'auteur examine l'importance de la religion dans les relations entre les acteurs dans le processus d'aide et soutient qu'une religion commune nel'emporte pas forcément sur les divisions politiques, sociales et culturelles. L'article demande s'il est utile d'affirmer que la solidarité musulmane existe dans le processus d'aide alors même qu'il est difficile, en pratique, de mettre en place une collaborationsignificative avec les religions sur le terrain.

Analisando a proximidade cultural: a Islamic Relief Worldwide e os refugiados de Rohingya em Bangladesh

Baseado em um trabalho de campo realizado pelo programa de ajuda humanitária da Islamic Relief para refugiados de Rohingya em Bangladesh, este artigo contribui para o debate sobre se as agências de ajuda muçulmanas trazem valor agregado quando estão trabalhando com beneficiários muçulmanos em áreas muçulmanas. A autora examina a importância da religião nas relações entre os agentes no processo de ajuda humanitária e argumenta que uma religião comum não necessariamente sobrepõe-se às divisões políticas, sociais e culturais. O artigo questiona se é correto argumentar que a solidariedade muçulmana existe no processo de ajuda humanitária quando na prática é difícil ter um engajamento significativo com a religião na atividade.

Un análisis de proximidad cultural: Ayuda Islámica Mundial y los refugiados rohingya en Bangladesh

Basándose en estudios de los programas de ayuda humanitaria ejecutados por Ayuda Islámica entre los refugiados rohingya en Bangladesh sobre el terreno, este ensayo contribuye al debate de si las agencias de ayuda musulmanas aportan valor agregado cuando trabajan con beneficiarios musulmanes en regiones musulmanas. La autora analiza la importancia de la religión en las relaciones entre actores en los procesos de ayuda humanitaria y sostiene que una religión compartida no elimina necesariamente las divisiones políticas, sociales y culturales. El ensayo pregunta si es útil afirmar que existe solidaridad propiamente musulmana en los procesos de ayuda cuando en la práctica, sobre el terreno, es difícil alcanzar compromisos significativos basándose en la religión.

Keywords:

• Aid
• Civil society
• Gender and diversity
• South Asia

Acknowledgements

I would like to acknowledge the support of Islamic Relief Worldwide, who commissioned and encouraged the research reported on in this article. In particular I thank staff in Teknaf and Dhaka for their unfailing assistance and cooperation, most notably Nurul Amin Bagmer, Mahfoozul Huq, and Mohammad Ali Ahsan. Opinions expressed are those of the author only and do not necessarily represent the views of Islamic Relief Worldwide. I would also like to thank all those people who gave up their time to participate in my research and shared their experiences and opinions, in particular the individuals living in Leda Camp.

Notes

Fieldwork was carried out in July and August 2008 in Bangladesh, both in Leda Camp and in Islamic Relief's offices. Information from refugees was gathered from focus groups, one-to-one interviews, and informal conversations. Individual interviews were held with 17 of Islamic Relief's field staff. Group interviews were carried out with all departments in Islamic Relief's Dhaka office. Representatives from government agencies, UNHCR, local organisations, and other international NGOs were also interviewed.

See Jonathan Benthall's analysis of Islamic Relief Worldwide and Muslim Aid working on post-tsunami reconstruction in Aceh (2008), and De Cordier's analysis of Muslim Hands working in Jammu-Kashmir and Islamic Relief in Afghanistan (2009a).

In reality most of Islamic Relief's beneficiaries are Muslim, as a result of the organisation's logistical capacity being largely centred in countries where most of the population is Muslim.

These symbols are displayed everywhere, from publications and signs to vehicles and staff clothing.

The Rohingyas are descendants of indigenous peoples of western Burma who converted to Islam following interaction with Muslim travellers (Wipperman and Haque 2007). The Burmese military government claims that they are illegal immigrants who migrated from Bangladesh (then India) in the nineteenth century (MSF 2002). The SPDC removed their Burmese nationality through the Emergency Immigration Act in 1974.

Estimates of the number of undocumented Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh ranges vastly from 100,000 to 500,000 (Wipperman and Haque 2007; MSF 2008). The government's attitude to these refugees has not been positive in the past. In 1978 the government forcibly repatriated 180,000 refugees, while 10,000 died in camps (Wipperman and Haque 2007).

As Bangladesh is not a signatory to the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, it is not legally obliged to determine refugee status or to provide assistance. According to the government's local authority and Refugee Repatriation and Relief Committee, the government considers all unregistered refugees to be ‘illegal trespassers’ or ‘economic migrants’, although interviews to determine their status are not conducted.

MSF withdrew from Bangladesh as its mandate is to work in acute rather than protracted emergencies.

Islamic Relief took immediate action in reaction to this crisis. Food packages were distributed and refugees were given paid work. Additional staff members were recruited for the health centre, and shelters and water and sanitation facilities were repaired.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Victoria Palmer

Victoria Palmer holds a Master's degree in Anthropology from Goldsmiths College, University of London. She has previously worked for Islamic Relief and Muslim Aid, and is currently working in emergency response for Save the Children. <[email protected]>