Navigating Social Piety and State Stability in Indonesia’s Response to the Rohingya Refugee Crisis

This study investigates Indonesia’s response to the Rohingya refugee crisis, focusing on the tension between humanitarian commitments and national stability. It explores how a predominantly Muslim country situated in the Global South and not party to the 1951 Refugee Convention manages the arrival o...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Zezen Zainul Ali, Muhammad Muhajir, Zaeni Mahmud, Maulidi Mulyani
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Serikat Pengajar HAM Indonesia 2025-05-01
Series:Human Rights in the Global South
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.journal.sepaham.or.id/index.php/HRGS/article/view/115
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850083272201076736
author Zezen Zainul Ali
Muhammad Muhajir
Zaeni Mahmud
Maulidi Mulyani
author_facet Zezen Zainul Ali
Muhammad Muhajir
Zaeni Mahmud
Maulidi Mulyani
author_sort Zezen Zainul Ali
collection DOAJ
description This study investigates Indonesia’s response to the Rohingya refugee crisis, focusing on the tension between humanitarian commitments and national stability. It explores how a predominantly Muslim country situated in the Global South and not party to the 1951 Refugee Convention manages the arrival of refugees amidst growing regional insecurity and limited institutional capacity. The study aims to critically examine how Indonesia’s reception of Rohingya refugees reflects both Islamic values of solidarity and the political, legal, and economic dilemmas that follow. Employing an interdisciplinary literature-based approach, the research synthesis legal, sociopolitical, and religious perspectives to understand state responses to refugee movements. Findings reveal two key dynamics. First, the Rohingya have faced systemic persecution in Myanmar, particularly through Burmanization policies that led to ethnic cleansing and genocide, constituting gross human rights violations. Second, Indonesia’s moral support for Rohingya Muslims highlights its humanitarian orientation, yet this position generates challenges across various sectors, including religion, law, security, and the economy. The arrival of refugees has sparked domestic debates around state sovereignty, social cohesion, and resource allocation. This study contributes to the literature on human rights and refugee protection in the Global South by offering insights into how non-signatory states balance humanitarian values with national interests. It underscores the need for more adaptive, context-sensitive policy frameworks that protect vulnerable populations while ensuring domestic stability. The study encourages a deeper understanding of refugee governance in transitional democracies, where ethical responsibility and political pragmatism often collide.
format Article
id doaj-art-dae9bea695714b618e794abb97c8e2cc
institution DOAJ
issn 2962-5556
language English
publishDate 2025-05-01
publisher Serikat Pengajar HAM Indonesia
record_format Article
series Human Rights in the Global South
spelling doaj-art-dae9bea695714b618e794abb97c8e2cc2025-08-20T02:44:19ZengSerikat Pengajar HAM IndonesiaHuman Rights in the Global South2962-55562025-05-0132Navigating Social Piety and State Stability in Indonesia’s Response to the Rohingya Refugee CrisisZezen Zainul Ali0Muhammad Muhajir 1Zaeni Mahmud2Maulidi Mulyani3State Islamic University Sunan Kalijaga YogyakartaBrawijaya UniversityState Islamic University Sayyid Ali Rahmatullah, TulungagungIslamic University of IndonesiaThis study investigates Indonesia’s response to the Rohingya refugee crisis, focusing on the tension between humanitarian commitments and national stability. It explores how a predominantly Muslim country situated in the Global South and not party to the 1951 Refugee Convention manages the arrival of refugees amidst growing regional insecurity and limited institutional capacity. The study aims to critically examine how Indonesia’s reception of Rohingya refugees reflects both Islamic values of solidarity and the political, legal, and economic dilemmas that follow. Employing an interdisciplinary literature-based approach, the research synthesis legal, sociopolitical, and religious perspectives to understand state responses to refugee movements. Findings reveal two key dynamics. First, the Rohingya have faced systemic persecution in Myanmar, particularly through Burmanization policies that led to ethnic cleansing and genocide, constituting gross human rights violations. Second, Indonesia’s moral support for Rohingya Muslims highlights its humanitarian orientation, yet this position generates challenges across various sectors, including religion, law, security, and the economy. The arrival of refugees has sparked domestic debates around state sovereignty, social cohesion, and resource allocation. This study contributes to the literature on human rights and refugee protection in the Global South by offering insights into how non-signatory states balance humanitarian values with national interests. It underscores the need for more adaptive, context-sensitive policy frameworks that protect vulnerable populations while ensuring domestic stability. The study encourages a deeper understanding of refugee governance in transitional democracies, where ethical responsibility and political pragmatism often collide. http://www.journal.sepaham.or.id/index.php/HRGS/article/view/115RohingyaRefugeesHumanitarian CrisisStabilityIndonesia
spellingShingle Zezen Zainul Ali
Muhammad Muhajir
Zaeni Mahmud
Maulidi Mulyani
Navigating Social Piety and State Stability in Indonesia’s Response to the Rohingya Refugee Crisis
Human Rights in the Global South
Rohingya
Refugees
Humanitarian Crisis
Stability
Indonesia
title Navigating Social Piety and State Stability in Indonesia’s Response to the Rohingya Refugee Crisis
title_full Navigating Social Piety and State Stability in Indonesia’s Response to the Rohingya Refugee Crisis
title_fullStr Navigating Social Piety and State Stability in Indonesia’s Response to the Rohingya Refugee Crisis
title_full_unstemmed Navigating Social Piety and State Stability in Indonesia’s Response to the Rohingya Refugee Crisis
title_short Navigating Social Piety and State Stability in Indonesia’s Response to the Rohingya Refugee Crisis
title_sort navigating social piety and state stability in indonesia s response to the rohingya refugee crisis
topic Rohingya
Refugees
Humanitarian Crisis
Stability
Indonesia
url http://www.journal.sepaham.or.id/index.php/HRGS/article/view/115
work_keys_str_mv AT zezenzainulali navigatingsocialpietyandstatestabilityinindonesiasresponsetotherohingyarefugeecrisis
AT muhammadmuhajir navigatingsocialpietyandstatestabilityinindonesiasresponsetotherohingyarefugeecrisis
AT zaenimahmud navigatingsocialpietyandstatestabilityinindonesiasresponsetotherohingyarefugeecrisis
AT maulidimulyani navigatingsocialpietyandstatestabilityinindonesiasresponsetotherohingyarefugeecrisis