The ’Responsibility to Protect’ in Myanmar: Investigating the call for R2P through the Epistemic Community

Abstract: The principle of the ‘Responsibility to Protect’ or ‘R2P’, adopted by states at the World Summit in 2005, establishes that states have a responsibility to protect their citizens, and if a state fails to do so, the responsibility falls upon the international community. In Myanmar, the Rohingya crisis and the military coup of 2021 has displayed the widespread systematic violations of human rights. Despite the widely accepted principles of R2P, the international community has failed to stop the ongoing mass atrocities in Myanmar. The demands for R2P in Myanmar are now increasing. By adopting an epistemic community approach to global governance, this research aims to look into the international scholarly community in order to investigate the potential for R2P in the case of Myanmar. The study outlines the justifications and the challenges for implementation, and some suggestions for future political action. Security Council veto, ASEAN non-interference principles and confusion over R2P’s implications has hampered any effective, collective international response. Although military intervention may not be feasible, a range of non-forcible R2P measures are promoted, as well as continued advocacy for its fundamental principles.