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RB News | February 19, 2018

Buthidaung, Arakan State -- Three Rohingya houses have been destroyed in a fire in Buthidaung a while ago.

The Rohingya houses at Ward 4 (Thabbyay Gone) in the downtown of Buthidaung were reportedly set alight by 4 Rakhine extremists from the nearby Rakhine area of the same Ward at around 9:50pm.

A man, who spoke to us on the condition of anonymity and said to have witnessed the incident, said "I saw 4 Rakhine men armed with machetes and knives fleeing from the scene as soon as the fire has broken out. I believe they are the ones who torched the homes."

However, we are yet to independently verify his claim. 

The fire brigade arrived half an hour after the fire had broken out and extinguished the fire.

The owners of three houses destroyed in the fire are 1) Noormaal Hakim, 2) Farooque and 3) Laylay.

The Police arrested 'U Futunnia,' an elderly Rohingya man and father of Farooque (an owner of a house that got destroyed in the fire), under the allegation of causing the fire by negligence.

[Edited by M.S. Anwar]

Please email to: editor@rohingyablogger.com to send your reports and feedback.

Buthidaung [Photo: RFA]

 RB News | February 19, 2018

Buthidaung, Arakan state -- Rohingya students are racially segregated from Rakhine and other Buddhist students in Buthidaung Township as they sit for their school exams, say students' parents.

Exams for Class 4 (Grade 5) and Class 8 (Grade 9) students have started nation-wide from today (Feb 19) and but in Buthidaung, Rohingya students have now to sit for exams in racially segregated halls.

The Burmese letter 'Ba' (implicating 'Bengali') is written on the walls of the exam halls of the Rohingya students, whereas 'Ta' (implicating 'Taiyinthar' or natives) is written on that of Rakhine, Dainet, Khami, Mro and Bama students of Buddhist faith.

"This is the first time I've heard exams are held in segregated halls any where on this earth on the basis of one's race and religion. And I also believe 'this blatant discrimination in education sector' is happening in Myanmar for the 1st time and this is the only place (Buthidaung) where it's happening.

"We suspect that this is happening under the direction of the Rakhine state education minister, Aung Kyaw Tun, who is a reknown extremist and has, at early stages of his career, got transferred to other places because of extremist views. This is something unacceptable and must be stopped," said a parent of a student sitting for exam under such a condition.

This action, segregating Rohingya students on account of their faith and racial origin, is not only threatening the right to unfetterd access to education of the Rohingya children but also demeaning the whole education system of Myanmar and that, such explicit show of racism in schools could poison young minds.

[Edited by M.S. Anwar]

Please email to: editor@rohingyablogger.com to send your reports and feedback.

RB News
January 31, 2018

 Maungdaw, Arakan State -- At least 7 Rohingya houses were destroyed in a fire in northern Maungdaw today (Jan 31), report reliable sources .

 The fire, likely accidental, broke out from the house of a local man identified as 'Rahmat Ullah' at 'Kan Paing Na' hamlet of Shwe Zarr (Shujah) village in northern Maungdaw at around 12:50 am (night).

 Initially, the authorities prevented the villagers from reaching out to extinguish the fire.

 "At around 1:40 am, nearly an hour after the fire started, the firebrigade arrived to extinguish the fire. By then, 7 houses had already been burnt down", said a villager to RB News.

 Rahmat Ullah, the owner of the house where the fire started, is now reported on the run as the Burmese (Myanmar) authorities are seeking to arrest him.

 On January 29, five Rohingya homes and two cowsheds were destroyed in a fire, which the locals suspect the Burmese (Myanmar) Border Guard Police had ignited, at 'Kyauk Phyu Taung' village in Buthidaung Township.

 [Edited by M.S. Anwar]

 Please email to editor@rohingyablogger.com to send reports and feedback.



RB News
January 29, 2018

Buthidaung, Arakan State -- Five Rohingya houses and two Cowsheds have been destroyed in a fire in Buthidaung Township this afternoon.

It has been reported that the fire broke out at 'Kyauk Phyu Taung' village in Buthidaung around 3 pm local time. Although the exact cause of the fire is unidentified, the villagers highly suspect that the BGP (Border Guard Police) set the houses on fire.

"The Immigration, Ma-Ka-Pha (short form of 'Team for Prevention of Illegal Immigration from Westgate') and the BGP arrived at the village this morning to conduct 'Headcount (Census) Operation'. While all the villagers gathered at one place, most parts of the village were void of people. 

"The BGP personnel were making rounds and hunting birds in the village. It was around that time, the fire started, said a villager to RB News.

Amidst the presence of the BGP, the villagers were apparently afraid to approach to the scene to extinguish the fire. The Fire Brigade arrived at the village after the fire razed the five houses and two other cowsheds.

Since August 25, 2017, the Joint Forces of Burmese (Myanmar) Military and BGP have entirely or partially burnt down more than 350 Rohingya villages in Maungdaw, Buthidaung and Rathedaung Townships.

[Reported by RB Correspondent; Edited by M.S. Anwar]

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RB News
Jan 29, 2018


Buthidaung, Arakan State -- While the International Focus is on Rohingya repatriation from Bangladesh to Burma (Myanmar), more Rohingya people are still being forced out from their homes by the Burmese authorities, report reliable sources.


 The Burmese joint-task forces comprising Military and Security Forces (Hlun Htein) have been carrying out a silent operation at 'U Hla Phay', a Rohingya village in northern Buthidaung Township, since January 16, 2018, forcing many villagers to flee to Bangladesh.


"This is Winter Season here. Very cold! It's been very difficult for us to spend nights outside homes. During the raids, the Military and the 'Hlun Htein' plunder homes and harass women.


 "They are indiscriminatingly targeting men including minors under alleged links with Rohingya rebels. They have already arrested some village men which we know they are innocent. They are being extremely tortured by the police in detention now", a village man told RB News while talking from a hideout.


 Mohammed Hassan s/o Mohammed Akbar, a Rohingya man from 'Ath-twin Nget-thae' village in northern Buthidaung known to have worked as a government informant, was killed by unknown assailants on August 10, 2017. On August 16, 2017, the Military and the BGP (Border Guard Police) carried out a raid at the village indiscriminatingly arresting 49 people. Most of them were farmers encountered and arrested while cultivating paddy in their farmlands.


The BGP at the Camp No. 21 in Buthidaung tortured them in detention and released 25 of them on August 18 after extorting huge amount of money from them, while remaining 24 villagers (whom the villagers affirm to be innocent) have still been in detention under ‘Unlawful Associations Acts’ 17 (A and B). [The list of the arrestees is to be updated].


The situation has calmed down a little bit until January 18, 2018, when Mv Ali Hussein s/o Lal Meah, the father-in-law of the deceased, as convinced by the Burmese authorities, alleged some random villagers of U Hla Phay to be behind the killing. Since then, the military and the security forces began raids at the village of 'U Hla Phay.'


On January 20 afternoon, the dead body of Mv Ali Hussein was found abandoned nearby the mountain yet far away from the village of U Hla Phay. It has been learnt that, since then, the military and security forces began targeting the villagers of 'U Hla Phay' at large with no proofs or whatsoever against them. Continuous raids, arbitrary arrests, beating people, money extortions and plundering homes are daily increasing and hence, creating panic and fear among the people.


According to a report today (Jan 29), the authorities have been conducting the Headcounts (Census) against 'the Household Registration List' in the village since January 27 while conducting raids in the village at night. During the process, innocent village men are being arrested.


Among some villagers arrested since the raids began are:

No.
Name
Father
Age
Village
Remark
1
U Maung Phyu
-
-
Ywet Nyo Taung
Member of Village’s Administrative Body, Arrested on Jan 21
2
Mohammed Ameen
UAbdu Jabbar
-
U Hla Phay
Arrested on Jan 23
3
Hf Rahmat Ullah
U Kadir Hussain
22
U Hla Phay
Arrested on Jan 29, detained in Hlun Htein Camp 21
4
Mv Yaseen Anis
Hf Mohammed Alam
24
U Hla Phay
Arrested on Jan 29, detained in Hlun Htein Camp 21
 5
Mv Abdullah

Mv Naeem
25
U Hla Phay
Arrested on Jan 29, detained in Hlun Htein Camp 21


Thus far, at least 100 families have fled from the village for Bangladesh in fear.


 "If this continues, I believe the village will be empty at least by two third soon. We request to the UN and the international community to pressure the Myanmar government to create a peaceful and breathable atmosphere for the Rohingya people remaining in the country before pursuing an untimely repatriation of our brothers and sisters in Bangladesh," the villager added.

 Meanwhile, at the this point of time, the villagers are spending nights in the open fields, in the forest and nearby the rivers in fear of arrests and tortures during the raids by the Burmese armed forces.


*** Watch this space for more updates…


 [Reported by RB Correspondents; Edited by M.S. Anwar]

Please email to: editor@rohingyablogger.com to send your reports and feedback.
RB News
January 24, 2018

 Buthidaung -- A group of Rakhine Buddhist extremists have set fire on Rohingya homes in Buthidaung Township this early morning, say reliable reports.

 The fire which happened at 'Htin Shaar Pyin' hamlet, 'Latwei Dek Pyinshay' village, in Buthidaung around 3 am today destroyed three houses (that had been) abandoned by their owners.

 "First they torched two deserted houses and then, another one that is four houses apart from the early two. As the villagers came out to extinguish the fire, a group of Rakhine extremists were seen fleeing towards the Rakhine villages called 'Inn Pauk' and 'Thabbyay Taw' (located to the West of
Htin Shaar Pyin).

 "The fire burnt down the three houses and the villagers extinguished the fire before it could do further damages", a local of the village told RB News.

 The houses destroyed in the fire belonged to 1) U Asmat Ullah s/o Basu Meah, 2) Daw Safura and 3) Mohammed Alam.

 Some 100 of total 300 houses (households) at 'Htin Shaar Pyin' were abandoned by their owners as they had sought refuge in Bangladesh to escape from the Burmese (Myanmar) military terrorism last year.

 On Monday (Jan 22) evening, the Burmese Security Forces burnt down 4 Rohingya homes at 'Taungpyo Letya' sub-township in Northern Maungdaw.




[Edited by M.S. Anwar]

 Please email to: editor@rohingyablogger.com to send your reports and feedback.

Rohingya Refugees in Bangladesh protest to fulfill demands before their repartriations.

 RB News
January 23, 2018

Cox's Bazaar, Bangladesh -- The Bangladesh Police arrested 3 Rohingya refugees in 'Ukhia' area on Monday (Jan 22) for reportedly trying to stage a protest, reports say.

The 3 refugee figureheads from 'Kutupalong camps' visited 'Zamtoli Camps' yesterday apparently to organize a protest against the forced repartriation of the refugees from Bangladesh to Burma (Myanmar).

"First, they were arrested and detained by the Bangladesh Army at around 11:30 am. After investigations, they were released in the afternoon.

"And at around 8 pm, the Ukhia Police arrested and detained them. They are still physically in safe condition in the Police custody but will be detained up to 7 days under the charges which we don't know", said an eyewitness at 'Zamtoli' Camps.

The 3 refugee figureheads are identified as: 1) Muhibullah s/o Fazal, 2) Ali Hussain s/o Rashid Ahmed and 3) Abdu Jaber s/o Kabir Ahmed.

We were unable to reach out to the Ukhia Police (through telephone) for further verifications and the latest information on the detainees.

More than 600,000 Rohingya refugees have fled to Bangladesh to escape from Genocide that the Burmese military and the Rakhine Buddhist extremists have unleashed in Arakan state, Burma, since August 25, 2017.

An overwhelming majority of them do not to be repatriated to Burma until and unless their ethnic status and citizenship are restored; the safety and securities for their lives are guaranteed; and other basic human rights are ensured through effective interferences of the UN and the international community.

[Reported by MYARF; Edited by M.S. Anwar]

Please email to: editor@rohingyablogger.com to send your reports and feedback.

Burmese (Myanmar) Security Forces carrying out surprise raids in Rohingya villages in Maungdaw after a rumor originally spread by the government officials themselves

Burmese Military in Maungdaw [Photo: AFP]

 RB News
January 22, 2018

Maungdaw -- Two suspicious people, who the authorities said, entered Maungdaw from Bangladesh last week and are plotting to carry out explosions in the township.

Following what's likely a rumor, the joint-forces of Burmese Military and Security Forces carried out surprise raids in 'Italia village and Bohmuu hamlet of Quarter 4' on Sunday (Jan 21). No suspicious people or materials were discovered in the raids.

At around 10:30pm on Sunday, at least 18-truck loads of the joint-forces were patrolling around the village of Shujah (Shwe Zar) in northern Maungdaw and afterwards, they continuosly carried out gun-fires and explosions that sounded like 'bomb explosions' at the Naff river-bank to the west of the village, according to a local's report.

The joint-forces conducted similar raids at Pantawpyin (Lal Boinna) village in southern Maungdaw today but no arrests were made. They searched in and around the Rohingya houses and checked the Family Members against the 'Family Registration List.'

"It is really a suspicious thing because the rumor-mongerers are government officials themselves. It's likely being done to intensify the situation during the time of a scheduled repartriation of the first batch of the Rohingya refugees from Bangladesh", said a local in Maungdaw.

[Reports by MYARF; Edited by M.S. Anwar]

Please email to: editor@rohingyablogger.com to send your reports and feedback.

Dr. Aye Maung interacts with media before taken into police custody. Photo: Nyo Ban/ Irrawaddy

M.S. Anwar
RB Opinion
January 20, 2018
 
Something unimaginable happened on Thursday (Jan 18) in Arakan state of Myanmar (Burma). Dr. Aye Maung, Chairman of Rakhine ultranationalist party ANP (Arakan National Party, was arrested by the Burmese authorities. According to a statement released by Myanmar's Ministry of Information on Wednesday night, U Aye Maung was booked with 3 charges: Section 17 (1) of the Illegal Associations Act, Section 505 (b) of the Penal Code causing Public Disorder and Section 122 of the Penal Code committing 'High Treason' against the State.

Without any reservation (of words), Dr. Aye Maung is one fascist politician who had cooperated with Burmese military regime by playing a direct role in genocidal violence unfolded against Rohingya in June 2012 onward and continued to be complicit in it up until his arrest on Thursday. So, what has led the Burmese military regime to arrest their once partner-in-genocide?
-
It's no secret that the Burmese regime treats common people/political figures including their own proxies as expendables. When they are no more in use or perceived as threats, they are disposed like disposable items. Thus, Aye Maung could be no exception for the regime. 

The Burmese military have seen using Dr. Aye Maung as a political proxy more benefitting than the threats posed by his long-time associations with Rakhine rebel groups such as Arakan Army (AA) and Arakan Liberation Party (ALP). But no more! He's now perceived as a significant threat by the Burmese Army Generals to their power and the sovereignty of the nation and hence, leading to his arrest.
-
The humanitarian and political situations in Arakan state have significantly deteriorated since the state-sponsored violence against Rohingya in June, 2012. Especially October 2016 onward, under pretext of a Clearance Operation in response to a few sporadic attacks on Police posts conducted by Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (known as ARSA, a home-grown but ill-trained Rohingya rebel group mostly armed with sticks and swords), the Burmese military have unfolded a systematic genocidal violence against the Rohingya with active collaborations of Rakhine Buddhist extremists largely followers of Dr. Aye Maung. 

Since then, we have witnessed the Burmese military, Security Forces and the Rakhine Extremists killing more than 10,000 Rohingya civilians; burning down entire swathes of Rohingya villages in Maungdaw District and Rathedaung Township; and expelling more than half a million of their population into neighboring Bangladesh, triggering one of the biggest humanitarian disasters in human history.
-
On January 16, during the 233rd commemoration ceremony of the Fall of Arakan Kingdom to the Invading Burmese Army, Dr. Aye Maung; U Wai Hun Aung, a Rakhine author and social commentator; and a few others were reported to have said that Burmese treated Rakhies as their Slaves and today's political climate in Arakan state was the perfect time for the Rakhine people to march towards secession of Rakhine state from Myanmar and create a separate independent Rakhine nation. They urged the Rakhine Buddhists in attendance to do civil disobedience to the Burmese government and revolt the Burmese military through joining Arm Struggles, apparently referring Arakan Army (AA).

Late Tuesday evening, following Aye Maung's speech in Rathedaung, around 4,000 Rakhine people in Mrauk-U (the State’s Ancient Capital) staged a protest which had been banned by the Government beforehand. The protesters reportedly attacked the police station and robbed Police's guns chanting the slogans of independence. The police responded recklessly by firing into the crowds killing at least 7 protesters and injuring a dozen. 

That created a perfect pretext for the Burmese regime to arrest Dr. Aye Maung, their one-time ally-turned-foe, and get rid of the threat from their way. And if he’s proven guilty, which is mostly like to happen as the Judiciary in Myanmar has always been subservient to the State’s Military; Aye Maung could face lifetime-imprisonment and even possible death penalty. [Note: punishments and penalties could be decreased through appeals and under the President’s amnesty.]
-
Nevertheless, my questions are "where do Rohingya, a people subjected to Genocide, stand amidst this increasingly hostile political climate in Arakan state? Do they have anything to gain or lose? Can they gain anything out of it and get a breathing space for themselves?"
-
Dr. Aye Maung clearly saw a political opportunity in the current fragile political environment in Arakan state which, if properly taken advantage of, is huge enough to create an Independent State. Thus, he dared urge the public to take up arms and resort to rebellion against the Burmese government knowing that it could risk him his career, his life or to a prolonged prison term.

So, does any Rohingya especially from among those leading the community see any opportunities to stop the ongoing violence and secure at least basic rights for the Rohingya out of the widening political gap between Rakhine and Burmese? Or will they still look on with their hands folded; and let Burmese military and others take advantage of the situation as usual? Will any of the Rohingya leaders dare take some risks like Dr. Aye Maung just taken?

Very soon, the Burmese military may need the Rohingya community to counterbalance the Rakhine separatist leaders and elements in Arakan state. Therefore, they could start approaching Rohingya leading figures at home and abroad to appease their fellow community members on various topics such as Rohingya refugee repatriations and other political rights etc with refreshed strategies. In their renewed strategies for Arakan state, the Burmese military could even try to conduct dialogues with ARSA, who knows? But as usual, their actions will be divisive and insincere to the core.

So, will the Rohingya leading figures and activists subject themselves to the Burmese divisive and exploitative politics yet again or be visionary and thoughtful enough to milk something out of the current political climate for their people?
-
To the Rohingya leading figures and prominent activists at home and abroad,

Do not subject yourselves to the divisive politics of the Burmese military for some narrow personal interests; or let others decide your future for you. Establish some careful strategies to achieve something out of the current political climate in Myanmar. Remember you have got another historic opportunity to your advantage. Do not let it go in vain.

Be thoughtful, smart, cautious, cooperative and proactive!

[About some terms in this article: Burma = Myanmar, Burmese = majority Buddhist people in Myanmar, Arakan = a Geographical Term, the name of the Western State in Myanmar now called Rakhine State, Rakhine = Minority Buddhist People in Arakan State (who also call themselves Arakan in English to imply to the World that the whole Arakan State belongs to them), Rohingya = Minority Muslim People in Arakan State]

M.S. Anwar is an activist-journalist and political commentator on Arakan affairs. Opinions expressed here are his. He can be reached at: editor@rohingyablogger.com

RB News
October 15, 2017

Akyab (Sittwe) -- Having forced nearly half a million Rohingyas out of the country and massacred thousands, the Myanmar authorities are now forcing the remaining of them into accepting NV Cards, according to local sources.

On October 14 morning, officials from Myanmar fishing department accompanied by many policemen arrived at 'Thae Chaung' village and held a meeting with the locals. During the meeting, the officials coerced them to accept NV Card but only met with absolute opposition from the people.

One fisherman in Sittwe said "the government threatened to ban us from going out to sea for fishing if we don't accept NV Card. They are trying to coerce us by banning access to our livelihood. So, let us die of starvation but not accept NV Cards."

It has been learnt that the government officials have informed the immigration and the police at 'Thae Chaung' and 'Bay Dar' beach check-posts to block all Rohingya fishermen from fishing unless they accept NV Card. There are more than 600 fishing boats, belong to Rohingya people at 'Thae Chaung' and 'Bay Dar' beaches, that are unable to set off to the sea for fishing.

The NV Card or National Verification Card (NVC) is, in effect, issued to a foreigner while he/she is going through citizenship verification during his/her citizenship application in Myanmar. The Rohingyas, who are natives of Arakan state of Myanmar and its citizens by birth, categorically reject the NV Card.

Several groups of government officials have begun threatening the locals of 'Shwe Zar' village  (originally called Shujah Fara) in Maungdaw Township to accept NV Cards since October 11.

"The government officials came at north hamlet of 'Shwe Zar' village again today (i.e. on Oct 15) and threatened to burn down the village if the villagers didn't accept NV Cards. So, the villagers ran away in fear.

"So, the officials have begun forcing passers-by, rickshaw pullers and farmers or any Rohingya they encounter into accepting the NV Card", said one village man.

The Myanmar government has subjected the Rohingya to go through the process of NV Card that seems like Myanmar government is taking steps to give citizenships to Rohingyas when it is a step to downgrade the native status of Rohingya. The Rohingyas do not need to go through citizenship verification as they were natives of Myanmar and until 1982, they were an indegenous ethnic group of Myanmar.

[Reported by Saeed Arkani & Rights Seeker; Edited by M.S. Anwar]

Please email to: editor@rohingyablogger.com to send your reports and feedback.





Photo: MOI


RB News
October 3, 2017

Maungdaw -- The Myanmar Border Guard Police (BGP) has been chasing a Rohingya man for speaking to the UN Officials and the Foreign Diplomats during their visit to Maungdaw on Monday (Oct 2), sources say.

The UN Officials and the Diplomats visited the village of PanTawPyin (locally called Nol Boinna), one of a few Rohingya villages remained unburnt, in southern Maungdaw in two groups: one at around 12:30pm and another at 1pm. The authorities had the groups of diplomats meet with some villagers coerced and instructed in advance (by the authorities) as to what to say to them (i.e. the diplomats).

"The authorities had the groups of diplomats meet with the temporary in-charge of the village, Anwar, and his team who had been coerced before-hand to say good about the government like 'people at this village could live peacefully. The government looks after us. They always come and help us.' There was also no choice for them but to follow the government order as the authorities always tagged along with the diplomats. It was not an unfettered but planned and closely-watched trip for the diplomats," said a local villager to RB News.

While the diplimats were speaking to the villagers led by the village in-charge, a local Rohingya man speaking in English interuptted and explained the real situation of Rohingya on the ground. He vividly explained how the Burmese armed forces and the Rakhine extremists torched his house, too.

No sooner did the diplomats leave the village, the BGP have started an operation to hunt him down. But he knew he would be arrested for speaking to the diplomats. So, he fled the village before that, the villager added.

At around 5pm, the commander of 'Maggyi Chaung' BGP Camp sent 2 BGP personnel to bring the temporary in-charge of PanTawPyin village to the camp for investigations regarding that issue. Fearing of tortures and arrests, the village in-charge fled after giving impressions to the 2 policemen that he would follow them.

It has been learnt that the army lodged a report to their superior regarding the issue and commander in-charge of the region and he replied "the English speaking man have made allegations. He's a terrorist. Because of terrorists like him, the government's intugrity is affected."

Many villagers are now afraid to live in the village and attempting to flee to Bangladesh because of the raids being carried out and threats being posed by the BGP in regard to the English speaking Rohingya man who explained the real situation to the groups of diplomats.

[Reported by MYARF; Edited by M.S. Anwar]

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    • Rohingya Exodus