ADVISORY COMMISSION ON RAKHINE STATE Finally, Rakhine is also a security crisis. As witnessed by the Commission during its many consultations across Rakhine State, all communities harbour deep-seated fears, with the legacy of the violence of 2012 fresh in many minds. While Muslims resent continued exclusion, the Rakhine community worry about becoming a minority in the state in the future. Segregation has worsened the prospects for mutual understanding. The Government has to step up its efforts to ensure that all communities feel safe and in doing so, restore inter-communal cohesion. Time alone will not heal Rakhine. Unless current challenges are addressed promptly, further radicalization within both communities is a real risk. The situation is particularly urgent in northern Rakhine State, where an emerging militant group attacked three Border Police posts on 9 October 2016, and where subsequent military and police operations led to tens of thousands of Muslims fleeing across the border to Bangladesh. While Myanmar has every right to defend its own territory, a highly militarised response is unlikely to bring peace to the area. What is needed is a calibrated approach – one that combines political, developmental, security and human rights responses to ensure that violence does not escalate and inter-communal tensions are kept under control. If the legitimate grievances of local populations are ignored, they will become more vulnerable to recruitment by extremists. Addressing the development and human rights crises will help address the security crisis. Solving these three, interrelated crises would be a challenge for any Government. It is important to recognise that Rakhine is one of several ongoing conflicts in Myanmar, and that the Government is simultaneously attempting to carry out far-reaching reforms across various sectors. As such, the Government is often stretched to its limits. It is also important to acknowledge the initiatives that this Government and its predecessors have already taken to address the issues in Rakhine. On 16 March 2017, the Rakhine Advisory Commission submitted its interim report, addressing some of the most urgent challenges facing the state. The Commission commends the Government for its public endorsement of the report, and its expressed willingness to implement “the large majority” of the recommendations. Some positive steps have already been taken. While acknowledging the difficult context in which the Government works – with limited financial and technical resources, as well as active resistance from some stakeholders within both communities – much more needs to be done. Above all else, political and military leaders need to chart a positive vision for the future of Rakhine State: Economically prosperous, safe and secure, where all communities enjoy the rights and freedoms they deserve. A broader vision of national identity, that finds strength in diversity, must be projected. Development in Rakhine is not a zero-sum-game, and the state will only prosper through inclusivity and integration. The question should not be 10 Towards a Peaceful, Fair and Prosperous Future for the People of Rakhine