Episode 7: Introspection at MSF
Eventually, the Myanmar Government backs down and limits the ban to MSF activities in Rakhine. This still leaves the organisation with a dilemma: speaking out on Rohingya persecution versus preserving life-saving programmes in other states. After tense debates, MSF OCA leadership decides to withdraw from Rakhine to retain access elsewhere. Many argue that this compromises principles for access. In 2017, mass violence drives Rohingya into Bangladesh with thousands killed, which MSF documents and publicly denounces. International legal cases accuse Myanmar of genocide, while abuses persist. MSF continues to question its 2014 choices and the balance between speaking out and access.
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This podcast series is adapted from the MSF Speaking Out Case Study “MSF and the Rohingya 1992 – 2014”.
It brings to light two decades of MSF advocacy activities as part of its humanitarian assistance to the Rohingya people in Bangladesh and Myanmar.
It examines the challenges that MSF teams in the field and headquarters encountered when deciding whether and how MSF could publicly speak out about the plight of the Rohingya facing persecutions and violence in Myanmar and Bangladesh. During the 1992-2014 period, MSF worked mostly through diplomatic channels “behind closed doors” to advocate about the Rohingya’s plight with foreign diplomats and United Nations agencies. This “silent advocacy” was challenged within MSF by those who felt that the lack of public speaking out meant MSF was abandoning a persecuted population. To maintain an operational presence without speaking out publicly was not seen as an ethically justifiable option for an independent and impartial humanitarian organisation like MSF.
Over 7 episodes, the podcast explores the challenges, dilemmas and internal disagreements underlying MSF’s humanitarian response to assist the Rohingya under the Myanmar authoritarian regime.
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This podcast series is written, produced and mixed by Andrea Rangecroft.
Editorial direction is from Nancy Barrett and Laurence Binet.
The narrator is Claire Lubert.
Extracts are read by Clive Hayward and Lucy Scott
The voiceovers are by Kevin Halliwell, Charles Nove and Alex Vincent.
The music is by Lost Harmonies and Peter Sendberg.
Photo credits: Eddy McCall
A special thanks to Rian Landman
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