Ethnic Violence and Resettlement during The Burma Refugee Crisis of 1942

Abstract

The collapse of British authority following the Japanese invasion of Burma in 1942 triggered a spiral of communal violence: Arakanese Buddhists attacked Muslims in central Arakan, while Muslims attacked Buddhists in the north, forcing both groups into Bengal. This article investigates the refugee crisis of 1942, pivoting the focus from the well-documented Indian exodus to the overlooked displacement of the Arakanese population. Unlike Indian refugees who readily integrated into the labour market, a large proportion of Arakanese refugees were isolated in state-managed camps in northern Bengal, a policy driven by their lack of kinship networks and British fears of Japanese espionage. While this influx of refugees exacerbated food shortages prevailing due to the Bengal famine, it simultaneously alleviated wartime labour shortages. By reconstructing this complex history, the article offers a critical historical perspective on the ongoing cycle of displacement in the region.