There were around 200 Burmese nationals democratic activists protested outside Burmese Embassy in London the United Kingdom on 15 September 2011 at 12:00 – 13:30 today. The demonstration was organised by Burmese Rohingya Association – UK. The demonstrators have demanded Rohingya’s nationality rights, Human Rights, Religious Freedom, Ethnic equality and Federal Democratic Government in Burma. Key speakers: Mr. Nurul Islam – Arakan Rohingya Organisation, Mr. Chris Ring Du Lachung – Kachin National Organisation, Mr. Ko Aung – 88 Student Generation, Mr. Van Biak Thang – Chinland Guardian News, A representative – Burma Democratic Concern, Mr. Mathew Jones – Christian Solidarity Worldwide, Waihnin Pwintthon – A daughter of Political Prisoner, Mrs. Nant Bwa Bwa Phan – Karen Community UK, Anna Roberts – Burma Campaign UK, Mr. Kyaw Zwa – Burma Muslim Association and Mr. Shwekey Hoipang – Chin Community UK. Mr. Tun Khin – Burmese Rohingya Association was Chairperson throughout the demonstration.

1. The responses of the USDP ministers in the parliament were full of hatred and are deliberate attempts to perpetrate human rights violations against the Rohingya people. We strongly condemn the Thein Sein government for its baseless and concocted allegation against the Rohingya people (of illegal immigrants) in the highest political forum. Such a foolish statement or uncivilized behavior is tantamount to committing crimes against humanity.

2. Since Dictator Ne Win, for about half a century, grave human rights violations and crimes against humanity have been perpetrated against the ethnic Rohingya by way inventing make-believe stories while putting the otherwise peacefully living communities of Rohingyas and Rakhine at loggerheads.

3. The irresponsible statements and lies in the parliament by the Thein Sein regime is nothing but an open threat to continue denying the Rohingya people of their rights and freedom, including their right to nationality and residence within the borders of the State.

4. The unfounded and irresponsible accusation against the ethnic Rohingya by the USDP ministers as illegal Bangladeshi infiltrators/Bengalis not only contradicts with the Rohingya historicity but also disagrees with the annual reports and statements of the various International Governmental and Non-Governmental Organizations. The real story is the other way, as about 1.5 million Rohingyas, who have had to leave their homeland to escape persecution since 1942, are already in Diasporas in many countries of the world. International community and UNHCR have confirmed that there is a protracted emergency in Bangladesh as result of the influx of Rohingya refugees from Burma.

If the Rohingyas were illegal Bengali infiltrators why Thein Sein and many other former SPDC ministers assured the Rohingya voters of restoring soon the Rohingya’s rights and freedom during their election campaigns to northern Arakan.

5. The open rejection of Rohingya people by Thein Sein government requiring them Form-4 to travel from place to place like aliens is tantamount to making them stateless in violation of the international covenants or treaties on reduction of statelessness and protection of minorities and the helpless people. We strongly denounce the Thein Sein government for having such wicked attitudes towards Rohingyas.

6. The USDP ministers hatefully tag the Rohingya children as black list babies accusing that their fathers have fled (in fact persecution) and illegally entered again into Arakan and have produced babies by unlawfully living together with their wives with whom they have legal wedlock. It is a clear violation of the Child’s Rights under Conventions and international law.

7. It is an affront to the humanity as well as to the people and government of Bangladesh that the Thein Sein government is firm to continue applying the so-called Burma Citizenship law of 1982, which was enacted in violation of the terms of international customary law, particularly to denationalize the Rohingya people by accusing them of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants.

8. Thein Sein government was particularly critical of the Muslim Rohingya’s common religion, culture, appearance and language with the people of Bangladesh in order to accuse them as aliens. Here it is worth-mentioning that Burma is an ethnically diverse country. Not only the Rohingya, all ethnic peoples (Kachin, Kayah, Karen, Chin, Mon, Rakhine, etc.) living along all the Burma borders have common religion, culture, appearance and language with the peoples living in the adjacent countries. Despite this the ministers made the Rohingyas special target for being Muslims with a view to accelerating its ethnic-cleansing policy.

9. The extreme view expressed by the USDP dictatorship implying the need for the ‘extermination of Rohingya’ as a national security plan reveals how much they abhor and preach systematic hatred against the Rohingyas (on grounds of ethnicity and religion). It is a serious concern that the foregoing statements of the Burmese civilianized military regime against the ethnic Rohingya people is a threat to regional and international peace and security. We, therefore, call upon the international community, UN Security Council and its member States, EU, ASEAN, OIC to mount effective pressures on the Thein Sein government to cease its ongoing human rights violations against the Rohingyas; to protect their rights and freedom and legitimate interests; and to provide them with necessary assistance. Meanwhile, we demand that the USDP government immediately restore the fundamental human rights and freedom, citizenship rights and ethnic rights of the Rohingya people.

The Rohingya organizations that signed this Joint statement:

1. Arakan Rohingya National Organization (ARNO)

2. Burmese Rohingya Organization UK (BROUK)

3. Rohingya League for Democracy Burma (RLDB)

4. Burmese Rohingya Association Japan (BRAJ)

5. Burmese Rohingya Community in Australia (BRCA)

6. Burmese Rohingya Community in Norway (BRCN)

7. Canadian Burmese Rohingya Organization (CBRO)

8. Free Rohingya Campaign (FRC)

Tun Khin :+ 44 788 871 4866

Ko Ko Linn :+ 88 0172 606 8413

Nay San Oo :+1 646 821 1475

Sittwe: Nine Muslims, including four women, were sentenced to two and a half years in prison by a court in Arakan on 8 September for traveling to Burma proper without permission from the authorities, report relatives.

One relative said, "They were sentenced to two and a half years in prison by a female judge in the Sittwe court at 4 pm on 8 September for traveling to Burma proper. I heard the female judge was pressured by the high authority in Naypyidaw to pass down the sentence for traveling to Burma proper."

The Chief of Immigration in Arakan State reported forced the judges to rule against the defendants in the case. Because of this, they were all sentenced under Article 188 of the penal code, and Article 6 (2) and 6 (3).

According to sources, 12 Muslims, including five children from Arakan state, were arrested by a joint force of authorities while they were traveling to Yangon by truck on 29th August, 2011. However, some of them reportedly hold National Registration Cards.

"They were arrested when they arrived at the Max Toll Gate in Maw Be Township, near Yangon, at 8:30 am Yangon time. After being arrested, they were detained in Maw Be police station. Some of them have genuine national identity cards," the relative added.

A day after their arrest, on 30 August, they were taken back to Arakan State by the Yangon immigration personnel via the Payi Township - Taung Goak - Sittwe Highway.

On 4 September, they arrived in Sittwe, the capital Arakan, and were detained in a police station there. On 5 September, five children under the age of ten were released without charges. On 6 September, five men were released on bail by a female judge but were approached by immigration personnel at their respective homes for questioning. They were then taken again to the police station and detained.

The Chief of Immigration called upon the judge who granted them bail in court. At 9 pm, the chief forced the judge to open her court and file charges against the defendants.

"The Chief of Immigration told the female judge to punish them according to Article 188 of the penal code, as well as Article 6 (2) and 6 (3), because there was a command from Naypyidaw," the source said.

Finally, on 8 September, all nine individuals - five men and four women - were sentenced by the female judge to two years and six months in prison.

The current government has imposed strong restrictions on the travel of Muslims from Arakan State to central Burma, much like the previous military government, despite that many have national identity cards, out of fear that Muslims will settle in Burma proper.

Link:  ;http://www.narinjara.com/details.asp?id=3096