Tuesday 14 August 2012Exclusive: As members of Burma's Muslim Rohingya minority are forced into camps after violent clashes, the government bans international observers - but Channel 4 News gains access.

There is a part of Sittwe, the capital of Rakhine State in Burma, that people still refer to as Narzi. But if you travel there, as Channel 4 News did recently, you will not find much to look at. In fact this substantial section of town, until recently the bustling home of 10,000, no longer exists.

Instead, you will find a post-apocalyptic world of rubble and burnt-out tree trunks. Personal effects are left scattered on the ground. It seems an incongruous scene in a country that claims to be remaking itself as modern, democratic state. Spend five minutes in Narzi, however, and you start to wonder whether Burma has really changed at all.

Until a month ago, Sittwe was home, in almost even proportions, to two different ethnic groups – the Rakhine Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims.

It seems an incongruous scene in a country that claims to be remaking itself as modern, democratic state.

There have long been tensions between the two, and the recent violence started with an allegation that three Rohingya men had raped and killed a young Buddhist woman. After the distribution of inflammatory pamphlets, ten Muslim pilgrims were pulled out of a bus and beaten to death. The immediate consequence was chaos. Hate-filled mobs from both communities went on the rampage, burning homes and settling scores.

Narzi and many other communities were lost in the storm. Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) estimate that some 100,000 people were displaced in the fighting. The government puts the death toll at 78, a figure human rights groups call "a gross underestimate".

In an effort to regain control, Burma's government sent in nine military regiments to Rakhine and implemented a policy of strict separation. In Sittwe, this meant moving 60,000 Rohingya out of the city, and "resettling" them in a series of camps located some distance from the city.

We were told by humanitarian agencies that conditions in these camps were "desperate", but access is strictly controlled, even to aid workers. Through our contacts however, we managed to reach several of these sites.

The camps were located on soggy pastures, squeezed between paddy fields. When our vehicle stopped, we were surrounded by residents desperate to communicate. The adults looked thin and many of the children were clearly malnourished. I asked a woman with three children how much food she was getting. "We’re living on rice and beans," she said. "It's not enough. We haven't got blankets. When we were in town, we could buy food for the kids, but now we can't."

Young men in the camp told me they were dreaming of escape. One young man told me: "I am from Sittwe, but I don't want to stay (in the camp). I want to go to Bangladesh. We are really suffering here."

In truth, he has few options. The Bangladeshis do not want the Rohingya - and they have long been treated with indifference and hostility in Burma. The United Nations has for some time called them "one of the most persecuted groups in the world". They are subjected to restrictions on marriage, employment and education, and they were denied in citizenship in 1982.

We're living on rice and beans. It's not enough. We haven't got blankets. When we were in town, we could buy food for the kids, but now we can't.Rohingya camp resident

Now they are in the camps, another weighty constraint has been added – they can't leave. Sittwe is now off-limits, and it seems unlikely its former residents will be able to return.

It is the cause of great anxiety here, for few people here can support themselves. One woman told us: "We have no jobs and our kids can't work. I use to run a shop in Sittwe, but I came here in the rain with nothing but my bare hands. No money, nothing."

International NGOs and the United Nations are struggling to provide assistance to the camps, with their efforts hindered by a determined campaign of obstruction by local Buddhists. Aid workers have been threatened and some shipments have been blocked. Local doctors have refused to treat Rohingya and businessmen have declined to provide humanitarian organisations with services like warehouse space – crucial for the storage of food, for example.

When we sought the views of local Buddhists, they told us that the UN and International NGOs engage in favouritism. Much sought after jobs with the agencies "always" go to the Rohingya, we were told. When I put these complaints to one NGO official, he was unapologetic however. "We go to where the need is greatest," he said.

Burma's government has been accused by international human rights organisations of doing little to stop the violence after the first clashes took place - and of siding with the local population when troops and military policemen were moved in. The UN Special Rapporteur for Burma, Tomas Quintana, told Channel 4 News that he had received allegations of mass arrests, torture and killings and the hands of the security forces on a recent visit there.

There is much justified excitement with the reforms currently being undertaken by Burma's new government. But the president, Thein Sein, has offered little on the issue, other than to suggest that a third country may be persuaded to take in the Rohingya. The opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi has also said, and done, little. When asked about the situation by one Muslim during the initial period of violence, she replied: "Yes, I understand, but I am not the government. I can't do anything. Only the government [can] do something."

There are many Rohingya Muslims – like the former residents of Narzi - who would beg to differ with that.

Source here 

On behalf of the concerned community of Malaysian Buddhists, we would like to highlight the cause of the minority Rohingya people in Burma's Arakan province.

We have been following with deep concern and sadness on the Amnesty International (July 19, 2012) report on the ongoing oppression and massacre of the Rohingyas by both the Rakhine and security forces.

The human rights violations that include physical abuse, rape, destruction of property, and unlawful killings, are urgent calls for attention for Buddhists in Malaysia as the minority Rohingya people suffer loss of lives and the extensive damage of property.

On July 11, Burma's National Human Rights Commission reported that at least 78 people have been killed since the violence began, but unofficial estimates exceed 100; with Amnesty International reporting up to 90,000 people have been displaced. 

This open letter is by both the Young Buddhist Association of Malaysia (YBAM) and the Malaysian Network of Engaged Buddhists (MNEB), in representing the Buddhist community in Malaysia, to call for three actions:-

a. The immediate ceasing of all violence and all further bloodshed in Arakan, with a call to all parties involved to seriously seek resolution through peaceful, non-violent means.

b. For the government of Burma and opposition parties to lead immediate intervening efforts to halt further violence on the people in Arakan province through the fair implementation of the democratic law.

c. For the government of Burma to grant immediate access to independent and international humanitarian agencies and humanitarian aid workers into the affected areas to offer the necessary assistance to stop further bloodshed in and around the Arakan region.

We fervently pray that peace returns to the province of Arakan and for all to join us in this prayer.

source here

Interview with Rohingya Part-1

A: Interviewer 

B: Regarding to the criminal case from Kyaut Ni Maw (the place where Rakhine Buddhist “Ma Thi Dar Htway” was raped and killed. This is the source that ignite this Rohingya Genocide). The Rakhine sparked this riot saying that you Muslim did such a bad thing to us. Actually, we have been living here since our ancestry. There were no Rakhine here at that time. All places are belonging to Muslim. The Rakhine immigrated here bit by bit later.The Muslim have been discriminated and suppressed so that they moved to Yangon and foreign (for their better life). This village is called Rohingya para by Muslim terms and we can call Zay Haung Maw Late for the whole village generally. This Zay Haung Maw Late village can be divided by the three wards of Kyaung Tan Lan, Yuu Pa Taung and Maw Late. There were 120 Muslim homes but they sold out theirs homes to Rakhine and moved out to the safer and better place as there are such suppression and discrimination. Frequently, if there were some problems, they made huge suppression towards us, minority Muslim. By the time this riot was began to broken out, we gave hundred calls to the police station and polices asked us who were marching to your villages who were making problem and noise, whether Muslim or Rakhine. When we answered that they were Rakhine and the police said that “Ok, then, it’s not important and no problem” and ended the phone conversation. There are so many cases like that in the past. It has been 4 times that they committed such violence to us when in 1985, 2000, 2004 and 2012 respectively. This 2012 riot is the most inhumane case. We assumed that this 2012 case is like the same case in the year mentioned above so that we didn’t go out and we remained inside of our homes when the violence was blasted. If we would know that this is such a critical crisis, we would run away and moved out from this place in advance. And why we still remained inside our home is there is a Mosque in our village and we don’t want to go away parting from this Mosque. And I m not so much in desperate on what people lost theirs homes and prosperities but I am very much in miss our Mosque and our Holy Quran which were burnt and destroyed. 

A: I heard that they are injures case currently? 

B: Yes, in my family, 5 people got injured. My 3 children are living in The Chaung (Refugee camp) currently and another one is in the other place. Here my head got injured as well. (The interviewee is showing his head). The person who is familiar with us in our village did not beat us but the person who is not familiar beat us. They are from our village too. They beat us saying that “U Muslim beat and kill our Rakhine in Maung Daw”. On 10th Jun, 2012 at 8:00 AM, they were throwing stones onto our Mosque severely. There were so many Rakhine who threw the stones harshly. The involvers are Ya.Wa.Ta (Authority), the employer Saw Win Kyaw and groups from Sein Video and how the authorized person U Hla Wai from Kyaung Tan Lan told to Rakhine is “don’t burn, don’t blast fire. Do what ever except theirs death”. Why he asked not to set fire is Rakhine homes and Muslim homes are near each other and they were afraid of theirs houses would be on fire too. Previously, there were 120 Muslim homes in our village of Zay Haung Maw Late but now only 36 were left as the rest sold out theirs home (to shift to safer place). Around 10:30 or 11:00 , I heard with my ears that the business man who live near to AZG made conversation with the Authorized person U Hla Wai from Kyaung Tan Lan ( when the riot is on going) to separate and to control the groups of Rakhine and Muslim such as he will control the Muslim and he want U Hal Wai to control the Rakhine. But he did not do instead he run away and was hiding in his homes. And this U Hla Wai did not speak out upon such violence towards us by Rakhine. We were hiding in our home to avoid this stones throwing by Rakhine. But, they push theirs knives into our home from every corners so that we family kept ourselves to station at the center of homes not to catch up by Rakhines knives. And our one window leave was opened and one guy said “Aunty, I m not involve in this riot, but my friends are”. So, we jumped out from another very high window and we assembled at that place. But they tied our children’s body saying that we would not do anything and looked for my husband. They threatened me that if my husband would not come out from home, they would search inside and if they would find they would kill him then. (Husband) So I came out leaving the two old women in home. Once they saw me they started to beat me with steel rod. Here is the effected arm resulted from this beating (the man is showing the injuries) I can’t straight my hand, need to bend like this all the time and now I m feeling dizzy always. The violence was sparked in this way, at 8:00 Am, they did throw stones and arrested every body to beat the head. They beat only head.

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Interview with Rohingya Part-2

B: And they brought us along with them saying that “you are required to send to police station”. When we reach to Yat Kwat Sone (Sone Ward), where there are a lot of Rakhine, almost all are Buddhist. So we though that we/our lives are going to be finish. My family except my two sons Saw Moe Kyaw and Saw Hein kyaw were brought to this ward. So we family were reciting the kalaymar (Muslim recite this verse when they are nearly to die). My son Saw Hein Kyaw was beaten with steel rod and he currently he is suffering dizzy, can’t move his body, if he do dizzy is starting to give trouble him. He is not getting remedying. We are not getting any surgery also. One thing we were lucky at that time is, we were asked to sit near to one stream where one women and one from one car shouted to the Rakhine croed who brought us here that “why you are keeping all these people, just finish all. They are finishing our Rakhine in Maung Daw.” But, one Rakhine boy who is my customer, used to buy tea from my shop replied that “how can we beat all this crowd” and send us to the police station. This is real process. On the way to police station, one old person aged 50 beat me with small steel plate that resulted major injury here in forehead. (Showing her forehead). We were very much afraid of this Buddhist crowd. Some are familiar with us, some immigrated here not too long. They are familiar with us so they didn’t beat us. There are also some Chinese, so we thought that they are not beating us because other are also existed at the site. Then we reached to the police station. When we reached there, police office said ‘Don’t you know that it will happen like that? Why you all are not staying away from your houses?’, then I answered, how do we know that and it was never happened before. Then inspector of the station took picture of both of us. Then they sent those injured people to the hospital using the police van. When reach to hospital, the treated us nicely. Dr. Thein Htay Aung treated my wound. Then a Rakhine Man, U Nay Win, gave us a meal, food and tea. It happened on Sunday, and on Tuesday, we are dismissed from hospital. There are only one officer following our vehicle and left all of us.

A: Where did they leave you?

B: They left us near ‘Thel Chaung’.

A: So it is very far?

B: Yes, we have to walk by ourselves to reach here. There are a man called Sunny who is from our village had left at the hospital. That man came to the hospital during evening time while we are fainted.

A: That Sunny is also from the village where your brother who had killed?

B: Yes, my own brother was killed and a child too. They don’t let us to be alone. If they see us alone, they will not let us escaped and kill us. There are three people died immediately on 10 June. My younger brother, my sister’s son-in-law and my cousin brother. Sunny died on hospital. And Kyaw Zin Htoo who dismissed hospital with me on 12 June passed away on 18 June here.

A: Do you willing to stay back at your own place where conflict was happened?

B: Yes we have to go back to our own place. Where else can we go? This (Myanma) is our birthplace. My parents were Burmese citizens with proper national ID cards. We were all born here. What is our crime? We are being persecuted simply because we are Muslims here in Rakhine State.

Friday, 17th August 20012, 01:00AM 

Arakan State, Burma 

The situation Rohingyas in 22 villages in Mrauk-Oo City of Arakan state are getting worse day by day due to lack of foods, emergency medical treatments and other humanitarian crises resulting from the boycott and blocks of extremist Rakhines led by Monks. Many of them (Rohingyas), particularly children and elderly people, are dying due to starvation and diseases. Seven people were dead due to lack of nutrition and lower blood pressure in Purin village alone. Of them, four were children aged from one to seven and three were elderly people” said Imam of a Mosque in Purin village. 

The Imam continued “authorities, in Mrauk Oo, restrict Rohingyas from moving from one place to another and blocked all the roads to the market and the city. Hence, we are unable to know what is going with our Rohinngya brothers in other villages located nearby Rakhine villages. Authorities always stand by Rakhine extremist group in attacking and killing Rohingyas. The authorities in Mrauk Oo even warned those Rakhines, who have been selling goods to Rohingyas with hiked prices, not to sell anything to Rohingyas. These Rakhine hooligans are always ready to burn Rohingyas’ houses and to kill them. Some of them even say “whatever you want to eat, eat now or you will have no time to eat later and the only way to save your lives are converting yourselves and your religion into Buddhism.” They are using such kinds of harsh words to demoralize Rohingyas who are already physically crippled. Women and Children are crying and praying to Allah to save them from the hands of these evils. And they are pleading international communities such as UN, OIC, NGOs, INGOs to have a visit to Mrauk Oo and help them out from cruel authorities and inhumane Rakhine extremists who have been on their ways to cleanse all Rohingyas from Arakan and to give them critically required humanitarian assistances.” 

An elderly Rohingya, from Kunnia Para of Maung Daw, who was released from Buthidaung jail a few days ago, said on the condition of anonymity “hundreds of Rohingyas were arrested soon after the violence (against them) on so-called charges of involving in the riot. Of them, 600 are kept in a dark room of Hostel No.2, Ground Floor under sub-human standards. The capacity of the hostel is 100 people only. They can only take shower once in a week with a gallon of water for a person. They are taken outside of the prison nude. They are provided food once in 24 hours. Till date, 43 Rohingyas died in jail with the injuries received from severe tortures. Their dead bodies were buried by a road-side near to the jail. Authorities are not returning their bodies to their respective families and that is a violation of human rights and standard. The innocent Rohingyas are languishing in jails in miserable condition for no reasons. International observers should visit Rohingyas in jails and immediate actions should be taken to help the victimized Rohingyas.” 

Breaking News: There have been fighting going on in Taung Baazar of Buthidaung Township between armed Rakhines and Rohingyas. Reports coming about the situation are uncertain. 

“Police Officer Aye Tun Sein (Ranks-one star) from Maung Daw and with his Rakhine hooligan-associates have been severely harassing Rohingya shopkeepers and pedestrians in Maung Daw. To date, around 200 Rohingyas’ houses and 170 shops were looted by them. Local administrative authorities ordered Rohingyas to resume their business and shops. On the other hand, Rohingyas can’t do so unless they give huge amount of money to above-mentioned police. The police officer arrest Rohingya shopkeepers and any Rohingya pedestrians who come to the downtown of Maung Daw to buy the necessary foods and medicines threatening that they (Rohingyas) are in the pictures taken during the riot and he (the police officer) has permissions to arrest them. Then, Rohingyas are taken to a nearby “Super Star Boarding” owned by Rakhines. There, they are kept in a room and tortured until they can give huge amount of money. 

The police seize the government-approved phones (cost 200,000 each) from Rohingya shopkeepers. Time and again, police buy the goods from Rohingyas’ shops by paying only 50% of actual price. Besides, police are extorting money from Rohingyas to build 30 quarters for police personnel. They including police superintendent of Maung Daw are demanding Kyat 30 Lakhs every month from Rohingyas” said Rahim from Maung Daw. 

“On 12th August 2012, Thaung Htut, a two star Ranking police officer, with his two Rakhine associates and 8 Hluntin (security guards) went to Bagonna village of Muang Daw and destroyed 7 houses besides looting everything in broad day light. Moreover, Military camped near Nurulla Village of Muang Daw are making Rohingyas forced-labors and making them do hard-work without any payment at all. 

On 14th August 2012, some 15 Rohingyas from Myothugyi, Myoma Kayindan, Nyaung Chaung and Pandaw Pyin were arrested by Hlutin (Security Guards). Then, Hluntin called some 30 Rakhine youths and let them (Rakhines) beat Rohingyas until they were pleased. When one of the victims from Myoma Kayindan (a trishaw driver) went to Police to complain, police replied “we can’t do any justice for you and your people. If you can’t bear up the tortures, you can leave the country” a Rohingya from Myoma Kayindan reported on the condition of anonymity. 

Breaking News: “Some 70 Rakhine extremists with weapons have come to Sainda village and HausSara Village of Maung Daw to kill Rohingyas and loot their properties a while ago (i.e. around 8pm Myanmar Time on 16th August 2012). Now, there has been fighting going on between these armed Rakhines and Rohingyas. NaSaKa have come to the village and gun-shots are being heard. It is not certain yet that NaSaKa is firing at whom. Besides, there are 50 Rakhine extremists armed with guns have come to Baggonna village and there are around 20 military at Bagonna Baazar. They have not done anything yet. But the villages are extremely worried as to what will be done to thme” reported by Ahmed from southern Maung Daw. 

“Recently, three Rohingya villages made up of 900 houses in Rathedaung Township were razed to the ground by Rakhine extremists. Rohingya victims from these villages are languishing in Mayrulla, Udaung, Aandaang and Shil Khali villages of southern Maung Daw without any foods, medicines and shelters etc. 

Breaking news: In Kalachaung village (a Rohingya village), in the evening of 15th August 2012, some unknown people fired with guns at the village. Soon after, these people ran away and the authorities could not trace who these people were. Rakhine authorities accuse that these people were Rohingyas. Why would Rohingyas shoot at their own village? Shockingly, Rakhine authorities and military are raiding the Rohingya village and killing, arresting Rohingyas and looting their properties” said a Rohingya from Aandang. 

Maung Myint (second name) from Buthidaung reported last week, in RuaNya Village of Kyauk Taw, 10 Rakhine Militants from an India based Rakhine militant group were arrested by Myanmar government. Seven of them were caught with guns and other weapons. One of them was their leader. It is reported that these militants were brought by Rakhine National Development Party (RNDP) members. Subsequently, three of its members are being prosecuted by the government. I wonder why Burmese media didn’t mention this in their news. 

And the displaced Rohingyas in Kyauk Taw are without any assistances and shelters. Many of them (mostly Children) have been dying due to starvation and lack of medicines. They plead the government of the country and international communities to save them from meeting untimely demises. 

Compiled by M.S. Anwar

ARU DIRECTOR GENERAL PROF. DR. WAKAR UDDIN ATTENDS THE MAKKAH SUMMIT CONVENED BY HRH KING ABDULLAH OF SAUDI ARABIA

Director General of the Arakan Rohingya Union, Prof. Dr. Wakar Uddin, as part of the delegation from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, attended the Islamic Solidarity Summit, which was convened by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah at the Royal Palace in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. The OIC delegation includes H.E. Secretary General Prof. Dr. Ehsanoglu, Assistant Secretary Generals H.E. Ambassador Atta Al-Manan Bakhit and H.E. Ambassador Abdul Moiz Bhukhari, H.E. Ambassador to the United Nations Ufuk Gokcen, Director General of the Political Affairs Ambassador Mahdy Fathallah, Muslim Minority and Community Department’s Political Officer Ms. Dina Madani, and others. Dr. Uddin appealed to the entire Muslim Ummah to come together and press the Rohingya issue collectively. 

His urgent appeals include intervention by the international community (Muslim Ummah and the Western countries) to pressure the Government of Myanmar to permanently put stop to ongoing violence by Buddhist Rakhine mobs aided by the Burmese forces, immediately stop the arrests of Rohingya men and women, rush the aid to Rohingya victims in all areas and distribute the aid supplies under international supervision, return and resettlement of Rohingya victims at their original homes and properties, protect the Rohingya people from all human right abuses, make concrete steps towards addressing the citizenship issue, and development of educational and economic infrastructure through the aid from Saudi Arabia, Gulf States, Western countries, OIC and other NGOs, and charity groups worldwide, and others. H.E. Prof. Dr. Ihsanoglu also made it very clear to the Burmese government that 1.5 billion Muslims of the world and the 57 nations of the OIC stood solidly behind the Rohingya Muslims. Quoting from the final OIC communique "The summit denounced the policy of brutalization and violence exercised by the Myanmar government against the Muslim Rohingya community, which is contrary to all the principles of human rights, values and international law.” 

STR / AFP / GETTY IMAGES

Muslim residents carry their belongings as they evacuate their houses amid ongoing violence in Sittwe, capital of Burma's western state of Rakhine, on June 12, 2012

The callous handling of sectarian violence in Arakan reminds us that the country's transition is far from complete 

For much of the past five decades, Burma has been a byword for political repression. The generals that seized power in 1962 ruled with fearsome, often reckless, authority, stomping out dissent and turning one of Asia’s breadbaskets into a barren, hungry place. In the past two years, the story changed. The men in green handed power to a quasi-civilian government, promising to end the country’s isolation. In April, the world watched Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi lead the National League for Democracy to a near sweep in by-elections hailed as a landmark for the Southeast Asian nation. Suu Kyi, long incarcerated by the junta, was now a parliamentarian acceptable to the regime. The nation’s own reversal, it seemed, was only a matter of time.

But a recent spate of violence in the country’s northwest reminds us that Burma’s transition is far from complete. Even as the West relaxes sanctions and investors flock to Rangoon, swaths of the country seethe. Since June, clashes between ethnic Arakan Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims in Arakan (also called Rakhine state) have left at least 78 people dead and tens of thousands displaced. An investigation by Human Rights Watch found government forces did little to quell the violence, leaving terrified villagers to defend themselves with sharpened sticks and homemade spears. Worse, police and paramilitary forces have since launched a crackdown on Rohingya, conducting violent sweeps, opening fire on villagers and arresting large numbers of Muslim men and boys.

The uncomfortable truth is that in Arakan, at least, the new Burma looks a lot like the old. This patchwork nation is still split along sectarian lines, still divided by history, geography and language. Military men still hold key positions in government. And whereas reformers might have spoken out, many are staying silent, turning away as Arakan burns. Fact is, most of Burma’s people don’t see the Rohingya as part of the country’s ethnic fabric. Asked about the Rohingya, President Thein Sein, a former general, suggested refugee camps or mass expulsion as “solutions.” “The government claims it is committed to ending ethnic strife and abuse,” said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch, in a statement accompanying the group’s 56-page report on the crisis. “But recent events in Arakan state demonstrate that state-sponsored persecution and discrimination persist.”

The immediate cause of the unrest was the alleged May 28 rape and murder of an ethnic Arakan woman, allegedly at the hands of three Muslim men. Word of the killing spread quickly, hastened by pamphlets steeped in anti-Muslim propaganda. On June 3, Arakan villagers in a neighboring township stopped a bus and murdered 10 Muslims onboard. Within the week, riots broke out in at least two cities to the north, Human Rights Watch found, escalating an ongoing cycle of mob violence. In the regional capital, Sittwe, most of the Rohingya are gone. The Muslim quarter sits shuttered. “It’s like looking at the aftermath of a natural disaster,” an unnamed Channel 4 News correspondent said, surveying the damage in a dispatch from the city. “Except human beings did this.”

In many ways, the conflict has been brewing for years. The Arakanese and the Rohingya live, literally and figuratively, at Burma’s periphery. The coastal state, which traces the Bay of Bengal to the Bangladesh border, is separated from the rest of the country by mountains. It is poor, even by Burma’s standards, and most of its residents are minorities in a country dominated by the ethnic Burmese of the heartland to the east. Like the Rohingya, and indeed most of Burma’s minorities, the Arakanese suffered immensely under military rule. Unlike the Rohingya, they are citizens. If there is common ground to be found between Naypyidaw and Arakan, it is the belief that Rohingya don’t belong in Burma.

The Rohingya are among the most isolated and oppressed people in the world. The end of British colonial rule left them stateless, sandwiched between present-day Burma and Bangladesh. Though many trace their Bay of Bengal roots back centuries, the Burmese government insists they are illegal South Asian migrants, relics of colonial times. They have never been recognized as one of Burma’s 135 indigenous races and have routinely been denied the right to travel, marry or work. The ruling junta played on nativist sentiment, stoking racial hatred. A Burmese diplomat once called them “ugly ogres.” Many still see them as outsiders bent on stealing Buddhist lands.

The suspicion is such that even Burmese activists seem afraid, or unwilling, to speak out. Suu Kyi, the symbolic heart of the country’s opposition, has been accused of dodging questions on the matter. While touring Europe in June, she responded to a query about the crisis by saying, obliquely, that she does not know if the Rohingya are Burmese. Absent opposition from inside Burma, Muslim groups from Saudi Arabia, Indonesia and Turkey have rallied behind the Rohingya cause. The Burmese government last week agreed to aid from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, but maintains that the conflict is nonsectarian. In a way, of course, it’s right: this is, at its heart, a matter of basic rights and government accountability. On both counts, the new Burma has far to go.

August 16, 2012 

BANGKOK — She is known as the voice of Myanmar's downtrodden but there is one oppressed group that Aung San Suu Kyi does not want to discuss.

For weeks, Suu Kyi has dodged questions on the plight of a Muslim minority known as the Rohingya, prompting rare criticism of the woman whose struggle for democracy and human rights in Myanmar have earned her a Nobel Peace Prize, and adoration worldwide.

Human rights groups have expressed disappointment, noting that the United Nations has referred to the Rohingya – widely reviled by the Buddhist majority in Myanmar – as among the most persecuted people on Earth. They say Suu Kyi could play a crucial role in easing the hatred in Myanmar and in making the world pay more attention to the Rohingya.

Analysts and activists say that Suu Kyi's stance marks a new phase in her career: The former political prisoner is now a more calculating politician who is choosing her causes carefully.

"Politically, Aung San Suu Kyi has absolutely nothing to gain from opening her mouth on this," said Maung Zarni, a Myanmar expert and visiting fellow at the London School of Economics. "She is no longer a political dissident trying to stick to her principles. She's a politician and her eyes are fixed on the prize, which is the 2015 majority Buddhist vote."

The Rohingya have been denied citizenship even though many of their families have lived in Myanmar for generations. The U.N. estimates that 800,000 Rohingya live in Myanmar where they face heavy-handed restrictions: They need permission to marry, have more than two children and travel outside of their villages.

Myanmar considers the Rohingya to be illegal migrants from Bangladesh but Bangladesh also rejects them, rendering them stateless.

Long-standing resentment between the Muslim Rohingya and Rakhine Buddhists erupted in bloody fury in western Rakhine state in June. They attacked each other with spears and machetes and went on rampages burning homes and razing entire villages. Human Rights Watch estimates that 100,000 people were displaced by the fighting and says the government's tally of 78 dead is "undoubtedly conservative."

Rights groups claim the government did little to stop the violence initially and then turned its security forces on the Rohingya with targeted killings, rapes, mass arrests and torture.

Most of the world's outrage has come from the Muslim world. Saudi Arabia has accused Myanmar of launching an "ethnic cleansing campaign" and King Abdullah announced Saturday he would donate $50 million in aid to the Rohingya in Myanmar. Islamic hard-liners in Indonesia and Pakistan have threatened attacks against the Myanmar government.

The 57-nation Organization of Islamic Cooperation condemned the violence at a summit this week and said it will present its concerns to the upcoming U.N. General Assembly.

But the outrage stops at Myanmar's borders. A tide of nationalist sentiment against the Rohingya has put Suu Kyi in a no-win situation.

Speaking up for the Rohingya would risk alienating Myanmar's Buddhist majority and angering the government at a time when Suu Kyi and her opposition party are trying to consolidate political gains attained after they entered Parliament for the first time in April.

By not speaking up, she has offended some of her staunchest supporters in the international community – the very groups who lobbied tirelessly for her freedom during 15 years of house arrest. Though, many are cautious about directly criticizing Suu Kyi, who is hailed as a human rights superhero and often called the Gandhi of this generation.

Phil Robertson of Human Rights Watch called it "unfortunate" that Suu Kyi did not confront the issue during her triumphant tour of Europe in June, shortly after the violence occurred.

At news conferences in Geneva, Dublin and Paris, Suu Kyi dodged journalists' questions about the Rohingya by giving vague, scripted answers about a need for "rule of law" in Myanmar.

"The root of the problem is lack of rule of law," Suu Kyi said in Dublin, seated beside the rock star Bono at a news conference.

Asked if the Rohingya should be granted Myanmar citizenship, the Oxford-educated Suu Kyi replied: "I don't know."

Canadian-based academic Abid Bahar, a Bangladesh-born expert on Myanmar's ethnic groups, said he was "shocked" by Suu Kyi's failure to take a more principled stand.

"As a Nobel Peace Prize winner she has a big role to play, to work as a conscience for humanity, which she has ignored," Bahar said. "I thought she was the only person the Rohingya could depend on."

President Thein Sein's popularity at home has surged since the June crackdown, analysts say. Many in Myanmar rallied behind his proposal in July to send all of Myanmar's Rohingya to any country "willing to take them," a suggestion quickly shot down by the U.N. refugee agency.

"This is an unexpected difficulty that we have faced in our march to democracy," Thein Sein said in an interview with Voice of America broadcast this week. He denied accusations of genocide from Muslim countries, saying that images posted online showing piles of bodies were "fabrications" and from "incidents that happened in other countries, not here."

Thein Sein has won widespread praise for introducing a wave of reforms since taking office last year, following decades of repressive rule. But the United Nations and others say the violence in Rakhine state shows Myanmar still has a long way to go, and needs to place human rights at the top of its reforms.

"The situation in (Rakhine) state is giving the so-called new Burma a black eye – in the eyes of the international community," said Robertson of Human Rights Watch.

"As a political leader with moral authority, Suu Kyi should take this on," he said. "No one is saying she can dictate policy to the government, but if she speaks out everyone will pay attention."

Associated Press writer Xinyan Yu contributed to this report.

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ARAB NEWS

Thursday 16 August 2012

MAKKAH: The Organization of Islamic Cooperation suspended Syria’s membership early on Thursday at a summit of Muslim leaders in Makkah, citing President Bashar Assad’s violent suppression of the Syrian revolt.

source : http://en.republika.co.id/

All the Religions in the worlds help to stable social lives; give the communities regarding ethic, morality, and spiritual development that help to establish a peaceful society. Every religion has right to claim that “it is a best religion” but no religion can claim that “this is the only best religion in the world”. 

Buddhism was founded by Siddhartha Gautama in 500 B.C. In the beginning, it had a lot of followers because it could help for peace and justice. In China, during the Han dynasty, people fed up with internal conflicts and Buddhism showed them peaceful lives that caused to spread Buddhism in China. 

In Indian sub-continent, Buddhism did not stand longer; when Asoka converted to Buddhist, he contributed a lot to spread Buddhism through out Asia. He gathered together all Buddhists monks and scholars to compile Gautama’s saying. 

There are two main sects of Buddhism; Mahayana Buddhism and Theravada Buddhism. In Mahayana, Buddhist monk can do whatever a normal person does but, in Theravada, monk should conduct completely different from public. 

In Myanmar, majority of Buddhist believe in Theravada Buddhism which had influenced after the unification of whole Burma by King Anawratha. During the British colonial period, Burmese people started their political movement under religious and social organizations. Steadily, Burmese politician used religion to gain their political goals. 

After the assassination of General Aung San, Burmese politician tried to deprive rights of other religions; especially Christianity and Islam. Buddhists politicians look these two religions as danger and propagate against those. After independent, because of injustice, ethnic minority started to revolt against government. In Arakan State, Mujahedin movement fought to get Rohingyas’ fundamental rights, soon, through reconciliation, Rohingyas were approved as an indigenous ethnic race of Burma by parliament democratic government. 

With nationalization by Dictator Ne Win, ethnic minorities became under persecution; especially Christians and Muslims. 

Before Independence of Myanmar, there were 3 million Buddhists living in East Pakistan, Bangladesh. It was claimed that newly- born country, Bangladesh had attempted to displace the indigenous Buddhist inhabitants. 

The total population of Bangladesh in 2004 is about 125 million with only 1 million Buddhists living in Chittagong, Chittagong Hill Tracts, Comilla, Noakhali, Cox’s Bazar and Barisal. Buddhism is the third largest faith in Bangladesh comprising of about 0.7% of the total population. Most of Buddhist belong to the Chakma, Chak,Marma,Tenchungya and Kyang tribes which you can find in the Rakhine State too. 

In order to figure out what is the real attitude of Buddhists toward Muslims in Myanmar, could you please pay attention to the following facts? 

1. Before independence of Myanmar, there were 3 million Buddhists in Bangladesh, in 2004 , it became 1 million, now it is less than 1 million, where did the rest go, did Bangladesh government kill them, or they suicide themselves? 

2. For Buddhists, there is full right in Rakhine State; all security forces, polices, immigrations, and office staffs are Rakhines, Rohingya are not allowed to serve. 

3. Buddhists are considered as an indigenous ethnic both in Bangladesh and Myanmar, Rohingya are considered foreigners both in Bangladesh and Myanmar. 

4. Several times, thousands of Rohingya fled to Bangladesh because of persecution, and Myanmar government received them as their citizens but still Rohingya are not recognized as Myanmar citizens. 

5. Bangladesh government give full right to the Buddhist without discrimination, Buddhist can get high position in Bangldesh where majority is Muslim, and even Bangladesh ambassador of Myanmar is Buddhist now. Buddhist Myanmar has been oppressing Muslims of Myanmar since 1962. 

6. Prime Minister Mrs. Sheikh Hasina has urged people of all faiths and communities to work shoulder to shoulder to build Bangldesh as the most peaceful and prosperous nation in South Asia. She gave the call while speaking as chief guest at a function marking the unveiling of 48-feet high statue of Lord Buddha at Dharmarajika Buddhist Monastery campus. 

7. Myanmar government had already banned to build Churches and Mosques since 1962, beside, hundreds of Mosques had been already destroyed, old Mosques can not be decorated, Muslims can not pray five times prayers in all new cities and townships which establish by military regime. 

8. Myanmar Buddhists’ main propaganda is “Muslims are trying to spread Islam through marriage; Christians use aids to convert Buddhist to Christain. 

9. In every school, there is Buddhist worship house, in every street, there is Buddhist Dammayun, worship house, why not Church, why not Mosque? 

10. Thousands of Rohigyas were killed , their houses were burnt, their properties were looted that did not satisfy them ,they announced that Rohingya should be deported to third country. Is it called Buddhist justice? Is it the essence of Buddhism? 

11. Could you please study these two countries, Bangladesh and Myanmar, and focus on the essences of two religions, Buddhism and Islam. If the attitude of Myanmar Buddhists is wrong, why are you still silent then? 

12. Do you really believe in Buddhism? Why don’t you practice eight fold paths? 

13. If you really want to spread Buddhism, please don’t try by force, you can not convince anyone to convert, try in humble and gentle way, like Christian and Islam. 

14. You can read Bible and Quran in every language of World but in Myanmar which Buddhist claim as a Buddhist Country, people can hardly find Buddhist Tripitika in Burmese language, 99% of Buddhist do not know the essence of Buddhism. Why don’t you try to educate them? 

15. This is my humble advice to you that through injustice way, you can not overwhelm, you can not spread Buddhism, and injustice can not stand longer. 

16. If you really believe Buddhism as a true religion, why you don’t try to show its beauty, why are you still silent regarding persecution of Rohingya in Arakan State. 

17. Don’t you feel ashamed that Bangladesh can give the full right to Buddhist and Myanmar is continuously discriminating? Is it reality of Buddhism? 

18. I believe Siddhartha Gautama as a great teacher, I respect him as I respect to all Prophets. I don’t see racism in his teaching, why are you insulting him in the name Buddhism? 

Yours Faithfully

Aung Aung Oo 

Chin Pain Road 

Kun Dan Quarter 

Sittwe (Akyab) 

Myanmar.

According to various news reports, a campaign of systematic ethnic cleansing of Rohingya Muslims began in Myanmar (Burma) on June 3rd. It was reported that ethnic ‘Rakhine’ Buddhists began a largescale campaign of murder, arson and rape against the native Rohingya population. The Rohingyas, who are all Muslims, have been fleeing to Bangladesh in the hundreds of thousands. Currently, Bangladesh has over 300,000 displaced Rohingyas. With no running water, electricity, or proper sanitation, the Rohingyas temporarily live in squalid refugee camps. The Bangladesh government and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) recognize only a limited number of refugees within the camps, while Bangladesh refuses to take any more refugees and is reported to have turned away many boatloads. According to Al-Jazeera, Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikha Hasina is reportedly to have said that the refugees were not the Bangladesh’s responsibility.

The Origins of the Rohingyas In the region of the Rakhine in Burma, there are two groups: the Rohingya, who are Muslims, and the Rakhaing, who are Buddhists. The conflict lies in the claim by Buddhists that the Rohingyas are interlopers, not original inhabitants of the region, in spite of the fact that Rohingyas trace their ancestry in Burma to at least eight hundred years back. Buddhists base their claims on the assumption that the Indo-Bengali characteristics of the Rohingyas point to their origins in the Indo-Bengal regions.

Proponents argue that Rohingyas are an indigenous people of the Burmese state whose ancestors embraced Islam after Arab travelers shipwrecked at a place called “Akyab.” According to Rohingya history, Arab traders shipwrecked around the 8th century C.E. and the Arakanese king at the time ordered the shipwrecked executed. The traders then shouted in Arabic, ‘Rahma!’ (Mercy!). From that time on, they were called ‘Raham’. The name evolved into Rhohang and finally became Rohingyas. After this incident, Islam was accepted by the natives and many converted to the new faith. The Burmese state, however, refuses to recognize the Rohingyas as lawful citizens, leaving the people without any form of identification.

In a 2002 report done by Shan Women’s Action Network, 83% of documented rapes committed against the Rohingyas were done by thugs with ties to the Burmese military. The statistics only cover rapes that were reported. Most incidents are never reported due to death threats and intimidation. Recently, the Burmese government declared a state of emergency in the Rakhine region and this led to the implementation of martial law.

Forgotten Massacres Reports that cannot be verified by InFocus claim that the Rakhaing, along with the Burmese soldiers, are entering into villages with populations ranging from 10,000 to 20,000 people and committing extensive atrocities. There is a general sense of lack of awareness about the plight of the Rohingyas due to many reasons.

The Rakhine state is marked as “red territory,” and Rohingyas proponents claim that government forces do not allow aid to reach Muslims but that the Rakhaing are allowed to move freely. Most of the Rohingyas lack identification because they are not recognized by the government, which means Rohingya deaths usually go unreported and unrecorded. Rohingyas claim that there is a deeply embedded racism in the primarily Buddhist Burmese nation towards Muslims, which means that most Burmese citizens do not acknowledge the legitimate claims of injustice done to the Rohingyas. Within Myanmar, the Rohingyas are identified as “internally displaced citizens.” According to the Democratic Voice of Burma, Myanmar president Thein Sein stated that the government is prepared to hand over the Rohingyas to the UNHCR and have it resettle the ethnic group in any third country “that is willing to take them.”

Many Rohingyas hoped democratic icon Aung Sung Su Kyi would win a place in parliament and stand up for Myanmar’s oppressed ethnic minorities like the Rohingyas. However, their hopes were dashed. According to The Nation, Su Kyi was asked about the citizenship status of the Rohingyas during her recent Europe tour. Her response was, “I don’t know. We have to be very clear about what the laws of citizenship are and who are entitled to them.”

The “Recognize Rohingya” campaign’s goal is to spread awareness of the atrocities occurring in Burma. If you would like to get involved, please contact adean@recognizerohingya.org.

Please visit : http://recognizerohingya.org/action.htm