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Stop and/condemn the neo-fascist, racist anti-Rohingya petition campaign: Un-Buddhist, un-Christian and disgusting by Dr. Zarni

Even if the Rohingyas were not native to what we call Burma today, our birthplace, the inhuman and inhumane treatment of nearly 1 million Rohingya in a semi-concentration camp should be UNACCEPTABLE to any nationals from Burma, who think they have human decency and believe in the responsibility to other human beings simply out of common humanity. 

Remember "Chin" as we know it today didn't exist as such until the early 1900, and the Chin as a people, a collective, is the direct result of colonial missionaries. Within 50 years since they emerged as a people whose new core and collective identity evolves around Christianity, the Chin were recognzied as a signatory of the foundaing document of modern Burma. I am glad some Chin people are speaking out. 

It looks like not only do we have a government in power that is deeply racist, sexist and Neanderthal but many of our own fellow Bama and Rakhins drink from the same neo-fascist, racist ideological well. Adolf Hitler would certainly have a fair hearing in most parts of Burma, it seems.

Mein Kempf, Nazism's required reading written by Hitler, is known to be popular with certain dissident circles along Thai-Burmese borders.

Let's just be honest.

Who is a Bama? What is this sick notion of "purity" of blood? 

We Bama don't even really know with clarity where we came from except vaguely that we evolved from the Pyu who built early settlements from around Prome (or Pyay). 

So, there need to be more understanding, welcoming and compassionate towards the most oppressed and downtrodden is more pronounced among those of us who find our own birthplace unbearable and hence live in more humane and human places OUTSIDE of our own country. 

Further, Burma has always been a blessed country - population density, rich resources, etc. Even the old feudal kings of the old Burma were more enlightening and more strategic about handling migration towards Burma. To encourage greater increase in labor, military strength, etc. The kings in those days - I am talking about Kaungbaung Dynasty (1752-1885) had an immigration policy to attract voluntary in-migration into Burmese territories: immigrants to Burma were exempted from paying taxes to the Crown and being called to serve in the military expedition for the first 5 years. Through a less desirable means, that is, conquests, POWs from amongst Siamese,Portugeese, Assamese, Manipurans, etc were also resettled in different locations throughout the kindom and allowed them to work the land and pursue their own livelihoods. 

There were French, Armenian, and other Europeans who voluntarily settled in Burma. The invasion of Rohingya, this rather misguided and most racist anti-Rohinga campaign, is neo-Fascist. I would rather brace howls and barking from racists among my own co-nationals - racist Bama and racist Rakhines alike, than remain silent. 

We need to speak out whenever we see signs of neo-Fascist sentiment, whether from our own equally oppressed fellow citizens or from the oppressors. Otherwise don't call ourselves 'human rights defenders or democrats'. Human rights is something one shout - but one lives. I am extremely disturbed and disgusted by this deeply racist, neo-Fascist campaign coming from Rakhine and Bama racists. It misses the point: that our collective blood is sucked daily by the Bama "Buddhists" in silk skirt and generals uniform. They are the one who should be the target of mass campaign, not the most oppressed Rohinga., Shame on the petitioners ! (If you are not racist Bama or racist Rakhine, my note here doesn't apply, and you need not feel a need to howl at me or anyone who speaks in support the need to treat Rohinga with decency and compassion, as well as solidarity). 

Long live Rohingya People!

Zarni

A "Bama" Buddhist from Mandalay, the heartland of Burma where many racists hail.

Credit: Dr.Zarni

  1. Dear Dr. Zarni

    We thank you for your humane argument over the discriminatory or abusive behaviour towards members of the Rohingya community. We also thank you for expressing solidarity with the Rohingya people at this trying situation when they find themselves in a most awkward predicament.

    Sincerely,

    Nurul Islam
    London.

  2. Hi Maung Zarni, I admit I share sympathy with the Rohingya peoples the fact that they do not have legal place to live on earth. This earth is created for human kind to live on it.

    But I do object some of your comments about Chin people as a justification of your point.
    You said: "Remember "Chin" as we know it today didn't exist as such until the early 1900, and the Chin as a people, a collective, is the direct result of colonial missionaries."

    My reply: I think you are ignorant or rather uninformed about Chin people, the Chins were already recorded as a nation 200 years by Catholic missionary from Italy before British conquered the land, by that time they called it Chin-Lushai country.

    The Chins lived in Chindwin river valley. Burma history also pointed out that the Chins lived in Pagan city state with Burmans as we read in Burma history. The colonial missionary only converted them into Christianity, that's all they did. But as a people and nation, we remained unchanged in the same land where we occupy the area of Chinland and Mizoram since many centuries ago.

    So, let me tell you that the Chin really existed long ago before 1900s, even before British colonized it. Please go and read Chin history and Burma history. The way you twisted the fact as for a shallow justification have been very often applied by many Burman writers and authors around the world where you are one of them. And it really looks ugly.

  3. What a piece by Dr. Zarni! It should be enlightening to all - the good, the bad, and the ugly, in our Burmese society. The train of thought with rationale, like that of Dr. Zarni's, is seriously lacking in a large segment of the Burmese population. It is primarily due to the lack of vision and education. When I mean education, I do not mean it is knowing Kaagyi, Kaakwe, etc. These radical so-called academics, historians, and others know how to read and write because they must have gone to school or college for higher education. And then they reached a dead end - no rationale thinking in their heads, whatsoever. Unfortunately, these sorts of mentalities are rampant throughout the Burmese society, where many or most only think of purity or "noble" blood line. The second responder (anonymous) to Dr. Zarni's posting even did not dare to identify his/her name. These are typical Rakhine radicals in Burmese society who do not understand anything but the language of hate and bigotry. This notion of purity and superiority is a disorder in the information processing in their heads that is governing their state of mind. These groups of radicals have a new thing now that they are fighting and arguing about - history and pedigree. These baseless arguments about the roots of ethnicity in Burma and the much worse thing, "when and how", is not taking them to anywhere. Just like the the case with Rohingya ancestry, now you see the anonymous Rakhine is arguing about history of Chin. That's how these self-proclaimed people of purity deviates from the truth. I do want to point out that the series of vicious anti-Rohingya propaganda by the radical Rakhine and others are actually backfiring. These horrendous campaigns are under the radar of the international community at a very high level, and that is working in favor of Rohingya. Thank you for speaking out. If there are philosophy of decency and humanity, as Dr. Zarni has articulated in his piece, in Burmese society, there will peace and harmony for all in Burma.

    Prof. Dr. Wakar Uddin
    Director General
    The Secretariat
    Arakan Rohingya Union

  4. Thank you so much Dr. Zarni.
    Actually, Our nation needs people like you that respect Human Rights.
    God bless you.

  5. I have known Dr.Zarni for the past eight years through his interviews in BBC Burmese, RFA and VOA etc. I have always agreed to his opinions including some of his criticism against Daw Suu. Because I have always felt that his arguments are logical and rationale. So as to to develop Myanmar into a developed and peaceful national, we need some more people like Dr.Zarni.

  6. Dear Dr. Zarni,

    I thank you for your humane argument over the discriminatory or abusive behaviour towards members of the Rohingya community. I also thank you for expressing solidarity with the Rohingya people at this trying situation when they find themselves in a most awkward predicament. To develop Myanmar into a developed and peaceful nation, we need some more people like
    Dr.Zarni.

  7. Dear Dr. Zarni

    Your ideology is quite peaceful and democratic one. If every Burmese national thinks as you think, there would be no racism in Burma.Most of the Rohingya want to live peacefully with other ethnic nationalities of Burma but with equal honor and dignity of rights. To give rights, no money is needed but it is due racism and Hitler's ideology (i.e, Burmanisation or Hatred of Islam or Islamophobia). Myanmar is known as 'Golden Land' in terms of natural beauty and resource but now it is the country of bribery, dictators,hatred to each other. I believe that if your politics is implemented by NayPyiTaw, Burma will become as Core of peace and Democracy' in the SE Asia. Thanking you is not enough for me to express my support to your kind and fair ideological words. We should think like you and we love and respect each other as we continue to live in peacefully in the same region or country.

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