An effort to read a message from President Thein Sein on the conflict in Rakhine State to a joint session of the Burmese Parliament was cancelled on Thursday, after objections from members of the Rakhine Nationalities Development Party [RNDP].

The review of the community violence said some political parties, monks and individuals incited “extreme racial hatred” and encouraged people to “commit irrational racial attacks” against “Rohingya Muslims.”

The review also said some people did not understand that Rohingyas can qualify for citizenship under the Burmese Citizenship Law. 

The review said that some Rakhine (Buddhist) businesspersons tried to take advantage of the conflict to get the upper hand on businesses owned by Rohingyas.

 It said some Rakhine  (Buddhist) bear grudges against the United Nations and international NGOs [INGOs] and object to their presence in the area.

To address the issue, the review listed several short-term solutions: obtain reliable figures on the number of Rohingyas and relevant immigration figures; to enhance security and establish more effective law enforcement; to cooperate with the UN and international NGOs; and to report accurate news and information from the area.

Long-term solutions included building all-weather roads along walls put up in areas of the Bangladesh-Burmese border; to improve communication between racial groups, to carry out the Sittway [Sittwe] civil project; to build a Sittway-Maungdaw bridge; and to improve the education and health of Rohingyas in order to promote and improved society.

Other specific steps mentioned included addressing the issue of land disputes between indigenous Rakhine and Rohingyas and to cooperate with India and Bangladesh business ventures to improve the area’s economy.

Also, included was the development of the Rakhine State shipbuilding project, to increase the region’s supply of electricity and to promote ecotourism projects.

Source : Mizzima

_______________________________________________________________

In an unvarnished assessment of the role of Buddhists in unrest in Rakhine state, which has left scores dead on both sides and displaced tens of thousands of people, President Thein Sein also said ethnic Rakhine could not accept the Rohingya as fellow citizens.

Decades of discrimination have left the Rohingya stateless and Myanmar’s government considers their 800,000-strong population as foreigners, while many citizens see them as illegal immigrants from neighbouring Bangladesh and view them with hostility.

“Political parties, some monks and some individuals are increasing the ethnic hatred. They even approach and lobby both the domestic and overseas Rakhine community,” Thein Sein said in a report sent to Myanmar’s union parliament – which combines the upper and lower houses – on August 17.

“Rakhine people are continuously thinking to terrorise the Bengali Muslims living across the country,” he said, using a term frequently used in Myanmar for Rohingya.

Thein Sein also said ethnic Rakhine could not envisage sharing their land with people they consider foreigners, echoing comments he made in July calling for camps or deportation of Rohingya.

“They cannot consider a situation in which the Bengali Muslims can be citizens,” the president said.

A leading Rakhine political party rejected the findings, saying it had already lodged “an objection” over the report to parliament.

“We don’t agree with their review… such a review should not be released in this current time…, it can worsen the clashes,” said Aye Maung, chairman of Rakhine Nationalities Development Party.

Myanmar’s authorities have faced heavy criticism from rights groups after clashes between Rohingya and ethnic Rakhine, which according to government figures left 87 people dead.

In response the government on August 18 announced a new 27-member investigating commission, including religious leaders, artists and former dissidents, to probe the causes of the violence and suggest ways forward.

The president’s review also found that the economy of Rakhine state had been decimated by the unrest, while both communities are suffering “mental trauma” after the clashes, which saw neighbours turn on each other and thousands of homes torched.

New York-based Human Rights Watch has accused Myanmar forces of opening fire on Rohingya during the June outbreak of unrest, as well as committing rape and standing by as rival mobs attacked each other.

Burmese Ambassador to Bangladesh Myo Myint Than called on Hasina at her office and informed her of the latest situation in Arakan state, said PM's Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad.

Burmese Ambassador to Bangladesh Myo Myint Than called on Hasina at her office to talk about recent Arakan State problem.

The Burmese government has set up a high-powered investigation commission to probe into the recent sectarian clash in Arakan state, The Burmese envoy told Prime Minister yesterday.

"The commission will find out the cause of the violence and recommend for necessary measures to avoid further incident," the envoy more added.

The Burmese ambassador told Hasina that his government tackled the situation sincerely “which is now under control of the authorities”. 

It is a great lie. The situation is not under the control of concerned authorities...So far, the concerned authorities such as---army, Nasaka, police, Hluntin accompanied by Rakhines committed persecution including harassment, torture, extorted money, arbitrary arrest, looting , destroying mosques, burning shops, locking mosques, committed rape, killing and relocated the villagers against the Rohingya community, said a politician from Maungdaw.

“PM Hasina said equal treatment to all people was the solution for peace.”

Bangladesh would also appreciate Burma’s acceptance of the MoU submitted by Bangladesh to import hydroelectric power from Rakhine and Chin states, Sheikh Hasina added.

Sources Here:

A refugee camp for Rohingyas in Myanmar // Source: Common Creatives / Flickr / EU Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection

The recent violence against the Rohingya minority in Myanmar has brought to the fold the hidden tensions within a society long isolated from the international community. This is part one in a series of two articles.

The two most repeated words in the English Language are “Never Again”, heard in commemorations of the Holocaust to express the commitment that genocide will never again take place. Yet “Never Again” has also come to symbolise the absolute weakness in the will of the international community to act against genocide. This weakness was exposed in Bosnia and in Rwanda and now it seems that it is being exposed yet again, now in Myanmar with its ethnic Rohingya people, a Muslim minority living in the Arakan region.

As reports of mass killings, mass graves, rape, and torture come out of Myanmar with figures of at least 20,000 Rohingya killed since June 28, it seems that like Rwanda and Bosnia, a group of voiceless people are once again being systematically wiped out. This seems to be sanctioned by their government, under the eyes of the international community. The pictures in circulation (although it is hard to verify their authenticity sometimes) depict the horrific nature and scale of the existing tensions in Myanmar.

Many of the Rohingyas have been forced to flee to Bangladesh by boat with some reportedly travelling for days on end to escape the trauma of the current situation. However, they have been refused entry by the Bangladeshi government which has also suspended aid agencies from working in the camps which harbour Rohingya refugees.

Perhaps what is even more shocking is the complicity of the entire country of Myanmar, from the President down to the grass roots. The President has come on record to tell the UN to “establish refugee camps and allow for the deportation of ethnic Rohingya as the ‘only solution’”, whilst Buddhist monks have backed calls for the extermination of the race of Rohingyas. This statewide support for the killing of “Kalaras”, which is the pejorative slur that has become a popular and casual way of referring to Muslims of South Asian decent - or the Rohingyas - is once again reminiscent of Rwanda which witnessed an exhortation for mass killings over the public airwaves.

The flood of nationalist sentiment that has followed these incidents will serve to distract the population from ongoing ethnic conflicts in the north, public anger at rising electricity prices, and industrial workers' strikes in Rangoon, all of which have threatened the government's standing in recent months. There is in fact good reason to suspect that government officials may also have a role in whipping up anti Rohingya sentiments. This has been verified by a Human Rights Watch report, which accused security forces of actively persecuting ethnic Rohingya during the most recent bout of violence. There are some who have also suggested that the timing of the latest cycle of violence is related to the growing acceptance of the country within the international community and the rising prospects for investment. Myanmar has untapped natural resources (which could render the country quite prosperous), yet a fair proportion of this is in areas which are now occupied by the Rohingyas. Hence the pogroms perhaps have an economic incentive as well.

The violence has reached an international level and the United Nations human rights chief Navi Pillay has called for an independent investigation into claims that security forces are systematically targeting the Rohingya. Yet with the banning of Foreign NGOs from the region by the government of Myanmar, and the prohibitions imposed by the government of Bangladesh, the ground realities are unclear. Whilst the Turkish government has led the way in its response to the humanitarian crisis, it seems that there is still some uncertainty in the international community over how best to respond to the humanitarian and human right crisis unfolding in Myanmar.

The trigger for this violence was the alleged rape of a Buddhist girl by Muslim boys. Though the exact details of what had happened is unclear, what is clear is that the ethnic (and religious tensions) are so high, particularly in the province of Rakhian, that a strong rumour is enough to spark off riots and killings.

Rakhine people are not protecting Rakhine State as such. You have to understand that we are protecting our mother land’s beautiful map from being distorted and its dignity, in addition to race and religion. Not only Rakhine but also all the people know that Kulars have grown up thanks to UN and NGOs that have watered poisonous plants. We recognize those, who work for the further development of Kulars by earning dollars, as traitors. We will no longer sit and watch you stay in our country and work for the Kulars’ development. If you want to continue, open your offices in Kular places to be able to wash Kulars’ buttocks closely. We cannot stand seeing you lick Kulars’ buttocks, opening offices in Sittwe, wearing pants and enjoying your stay in luxury hotels. We believe that the people who rent their houses to those organizations are indirectly supporting to lick Kulars’ buttocks. We recognize all of those, who are directly or indirectly working for the development of Kulars, as traitors and thereby our enemy. We will also attack landlords. All Rakhines are responsible. For all Rakhines to know, we will tell you how disgusting and terrifying the UN and NGOs are.

1) UNHCR – Kular United[2] that works for the Kular’s economic and social development, education, child protection and social discrimination, and help them achieve their so-called rights. A real Kular United, that protects Kular from being called Kular, based in Geneva, Switzerland. It’s been 30 years since they have introduced the term ‘stateless people’ and supported them to establish a Rohingya country. Kular United that’s waiting sneakily for a time to support the Rohingya by providing minimal assistance to Rakhine such as a pot and a blanket. We have to attack them.

2) WFP – Another Kular United that works closely with the UNHCR to provide rice to Kular for their food security and continued education. The organization now cleverly waiting to support Kulars while assisting Rakhines with a small portion of rice. It’s a Rome-based organization, working through a Rakhine officer and other Rakhine staff who are licking Kulars’ buttocks. We will attack them all.

3) AZG – A Holland and French NGO that is importing arms for Kulars to occupy Rakhine State.

4) ACF – A French Kular NGO, feeding nutritious food for Kulars’ future generation to become stronger. We have seen them trying to reopen their office by paying their Rakhine staff double.

5) AMI – A German NGO who is supporting Kulars’ health with medicines (Which was cracked down by the people in Buthidaung in 2010). Buthidaung fulfilled their national obligation just as Tunggup[3].

6) Malteser – A German NGO working 90% for Kulars and 10% for Rakhine. The real culprit that systematically cracked down the Buddha Wihara Monastery in Sittwe in 2010. They continue working by paying their Kulars’ buttock-licking Rakhine two-fold of their salary. We have to target those who earn double.

7) Save the Children – Save the Muslim organization that is providing daily update on the Kular and Rakhine situation so that other Kular NGOs can come in. Their office is busy every day. Stop now!

8) Solidarites – A Kular French NGOs cunningly waiting by opening half of their office door to support Kular.

9) NCV (Muslim Karuna group) – They have been here less than a week. Nothing assisted to Rakhines. A Muslim group directly supporting Kulars by using a huge amount of money. Using a logo of open palm and the youths organized by 88 generation student leader Ko Mya Aye (a Muslim), they are being active in Sittwe. We will eliminate them.

(Group of Wuntharnu Ethnic People)

***

[1] A derogatory term for Rohingyas (A derivation from the Myanmar word “People who crossed border”.)

[2] United Nations in Myanmar is pronounced “Kula Thamaga”. If the first word is changed from Kula to Kular, it becomes “Kular United”.

[3] The town where unidentified angry mob attacked a bus and killed 10 muslims on 3 June.

Source : Dr. Maung Zarni

“Religious persecution intensified alongside ethnic-cleansing in Arakan” 

1. Since June brutal violence, the Burmese security forces barred the Muslim Rohingyas from          worshipping in mosques across Rakhine (Arakan) State. The authorities have shut down almost all mosques in northern Arakan while prohibiting the daily 5 time congregational prayers. During the holy month of Ramadan the clampdown intensified. On the Annual Eid Festival Day of 20 August, the anxious Muslims have to remain inside their homes without congregating for prayers. 

2. Immeasurable copies of holy Quran and religious books have been burnt down or destroyed while many mosques and religious schools with libraries were devastated. The destruction still continues. At about 9 pm, on 22 August the army and Buddhist settler villagers destroyed the mosque of Tha Yae Kone Tan village under Zawmatak village tract and the madrassa (religious school) of Lambagona village, all under Maungdaw Township. 

3. The violence is directed at the Muslim Rohingyas. The government did nothing to prevent it. The army, police and security forces have become killer forces. The popular slogan of the Buddhist Rakhines with RNDP is “Arakan is for Rakhine. Rakhine and Buddhism are synonymous. Muslim Rohingya have nothing to do in Arakan and are to be kicked out of the country.” 

4. It is absurd to term the carnage in Arakan as ethnic violence, but is a government sponsored planned massacre, and is to all intents and purposes a state terrorism against unarmed and peaceful living ethnic Rohingyas. Silent extermination with sporadic killing, arrest, rape, destruction and extortion continue unabated. 

5. It is regrettable that the news media is still quoting the highly controversial government’s statement giving the number of deaths as 87 whereas at least 2500 Rohingyas were killed and disappeared who were presumably killed. We appeal to the UN with the international community to immediately conduct an independent investigation for a collection of facts from which true conclusions may be drawn. 

6. The Inquiry Commission formed by the government is not credible as it consists of controversial figures like Dr. Aye Maung, Chairman of the Rakhine National Democratic Party (RNDP), U Aye Tha Aung, Chairman of the Arakan League for Democracy, U Khin Maung Swe, Chairman of the National Democratic Force (NDF) and 88 Generation Student leader Ko Ko Gyi who were either involved in the violence or have been proved to have preconceived idea or deep ill will against the Rohingya people. 

7. President Thein Sein himself has disowned the Rohingyas asking the UN High Commissioner for Refugees to take care of them in refugee camps until resettlement in third countries. It affirms that the Rohingyas have no domestic or national protection. 

8. On the other hand Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has remained uncharacteristically silent on the persecution of Rohingyas making the situation more appalling while leaving them friendless within the country. 

9. Human rights are universal. The systematic grave violations of human rights of Rohingya by both state and non-state actors amount to crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing; and they cannot be pleaded as domestic affairs of Burma. 

10. It is urgent that the UN intervenes in the matter to prevent and alleviate further deaths, rape, destruction and other grave human rights violations against the helpless Rohingyas. Creation of a ‘safe haven’ inside Arakan may be actively considered. 

11. It is vital to constitute an independent UN Inquiry Commission to conduct proper investigation of the violence in the interest of international peace and security and to bring all those responsible to justice. 

12. It is equally important that unrestricted humanitarian aids be distributed to all victims without discrimination. 

13. It is also most urgent that Burmese government releases the full list and whereabouts of the persons arrested together with the list of number of persons killed with their burial places; and to immediately release all those who have been arrested under false and fabricated charges. 

14. Last not the least, the UN with OIC and the international community should take concerted efforts to find out a permanent solution of the long standing ‘Rohingya problem’ ensuring their rights and freedom, as an equal ethnic group in Arakan, on par with other nationalities of the ethnically diverse country of Burma. 

RB News Desk

YANGON—Intolerance toward Muslim Rohingyas in Myanmar has dented some Americans’ perceptions of the country, but hasn’t significantly altered Washington’s views on easing sanctions, the U.S.’s new ambassador in Yangon said.

Like other Western nations, the U.S. has eased some sanctions against Myanmar in recent months, and has signaled it could take further steps to reward Myanmar if its recent round of political and economic reforms continues. But even as relations between the two countries warm, sectarian violence between Buddhists and Muslim Rohingyas that left at least 88 people dead and displaced thousands of others has added a new strain.

“I have to say it did surprise us to the degree that there would be violence so quickly, that it would spread so terribly,” said U.S. Ambassador to Myanmar Derek Mitchell in a recent interview with The Wall Street Journal.

“I don’t think it affects our view on sanctions,” he went on. “It just means we have an even more complex challenge ahead of us in the country.”

Mr. Mitchell said the Rohingya conflicts were particularly troubling because they revealed deeper issues of injustice in the country than those usually considered by the international community. In the past, international leaders focused much of their attention on alleged human-rights abuses by the Myanmar military and government. But in the case of the Rohingyas, much of the discrimination comes from everyday citizens, some questioning the right of the Rohingyas merely to live in the country.

“It’s unfortunate when you see the depths of intolerance and discrimination….among citizens,” Mr. Mitchell said—including “people who otherwise you would think of as progressive and who have fought so long for civil rights,” such as Buddhist monks.

As a result, the concerns raised by the recent violence are “broader than what our traditional concern is, which is the system, or the government, or the military,” he said. “This had to do with the deep-seated intolerance that seemed to be within the society writ large. So I think that’s where the deep disappointment came. And it creates a division between them and us to a degree.”

In a statement issued Tuesday and circulated by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Thursday, Myanmar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs blasted what it called “false and fabricated news reporting” on the Rohingya clashes, which it described as “purely internal affairs of a sovereign state.” The violence was “not relating to any kind of religious persecution or religious discrimination,” it said, but rather related to a conflict between two communities following a criminal act, widely reported as a rape of a Buddhist woman.

“Therefore,” the statement said, “we will not accept any attempt to politically regionalize or internationalize this conflict as a religious issue.”

Mr. Mitchell said U.S. officials were sensitive to the feelings among Buddhists in Western Myanmar that they, too, have suffered in recent years, and that international organizations focus too heavily on Rohingya concerns.

But he said that doesn’t mitigate the need to aid the Rohingyas, who have struggled for many years to find a home in a region where no government seems to want them. Myanmar excludes them from citizenship laws and restricts their movements and activities, including marriage. Myanmar officials argue that many Rohingyas are living illegally in the country, and say they have done their best to protect them.

The “Rohingya are oppressed by everybody,” Mr. Mitchell said. “These people are stateless. They have nowhere to turn. And it is not going to be lost on the international community.”

Even so, it’s unclear how much leverage U.S. officials will have to pressure the Myanmar government to expand rights for Rohingyas so long as momentum builds to keep easing sanctions. Although the U.S. continues to ban Myanmar imports and maintains some other restrictions, it recently suspended sanctions blocking U.S. investment, and U.S. companies are moving quickly to step up their involvement there.

To investigate the latest violence, Myanmar officials have established a commission whose 27 members include former student activists, representatives from political parties and even some government critics who spent time in jail as political prisoners. The well-known comedian known as Zarganar is a member, as is activist Ko Ko Gyi, who helped lead student protests against the old military regime in 1988. The commission is supposed to submit its findings by Sept. 17.

Although some international organizations applauded the creation of the commission, others remain skeptical. In a joint statement issued last week, a group of international Rohingya associations including the Burmese Rohingya Organisation U.K. said they believe the commission “will not be credible and truly independent” unless Rohingya representatives are added to its membership, which it said included people who had “directly or indirectly” fueled the violence. The groups called for a U.N. commission of inquiry.

In its latest statement on the violence, Myanmar’s government said it had created the 27-member commission “with a view to exposing the real cause of the incident and to give advice for the national interest.” It added that the government is “working closely” with the international community to bring relief to areas affected by the violence.

—Celine Fernandez contributed to this article

Source here 

Maung Daw, Arakan Stateယ24th August 2012, 1:00AM 

“Around 1AM on 23rd August 2012, military and security forces along with many Rakhine hooligans torched Rohingyas’ shops in Foira Baazaar Village (Kamok Seik Rua) of northern Maung Daw. Consequently, around 40 Rohingyas’ shops were burned. It is believed that each of the shops was worth around 1 billion Kyats. Therefore, all of the shops were worth around Kyats 40 billion. This place was quiet and unaffected in last June and July because the villagers tried to avoid any kind of violence as much as possible. But Rakhine extremists did not want to see the stable situation of the village and therefore did the destructions of Rohingyas’ properties” said a Rohingya youth from Maung Daw. 

“Besides, on 21st August 2012 around 11pm, in Tharay Kunbaung village tract, some Rakhine extremists in collaboration with security forces, military and police destroyed an ancient mosque called Khala Masjid. When Rohingyas tried to prevent the destructions, military fired at them. Fortunately, no one died due to Military’s firing. If Rohingyas are not religiously targeted, then why are they destroying Mosques?” said a victimized Rohingya from the village. He further exclaimed that in the future, Rakhines might not be able to do more atrocitie because there may be the presence of humanitarian workers, non-Rakhine people and investigations. That may be the reasons why Rakhines recently speeded up their atrocities against Rohingyas and destroying and looting their properties within the remaining time. 

According to local Rohingyas in Maung Daw, since last few days, Rakhines have been rushing to set up temporary camps (tents) in rural areas of Maung Daw. The few affected Rakhines during the riot are kept safe and sound in the monasteries in the area. But now even unaffected Rakhines and rich ones are planning to move to the camps for one to two days during the visit of inquiry commission set up by the President U Thein Sein. Though one cannot expect impartial investigations when the culprits who started this ugly racism and committed all the crimes themselves against Rohingyas have taken charge of the investigations, yet, reportedly, the members of Rakhine National Development Party (RNDP) raised some objections against involvement of some people in the Inquiry Commission Team. Previously, the inquiry was supposed to be done within a month. Now it is delayed and will be done in three months. They are deliberately delaying the inquiry so that they can cover up all the ongoing crimes against Rohingyas and further delay the forthcoming general assembly in United Nation regarding Rohingyas’ case. 

Elsewhere, according to an internal source, Rakhine terrorists have been bringing the weapons such as guns and hand bombs etc into Arakan. They are keeping it in the places such as Rakhine monasteries and other secret places all over Arakan. They might have secret plans and want to make full use of the situation to achieve their long awaited dream of having independent Arakan. 

Compiled by M.S. Anwar

DHARAMSHALA, August 23: Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama has written a letter to Burmese pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, expressing his concerns over the outbreak of communal violence in Burma.

In the letter, the Dalai Lama said that he was “deeply saddened” and remains “very concerned” with the violence inflicted on the Rohingya Muslims.

The two Nobel laureates had recently met in London, England on July 19, for the first time. 

The Tibetan spiritual leader also directed his representative in the Indian capital, Tempa Tsering, to meet the Ambassador of Myanmar. The Embassy, however, is yet to schedule the meeting.

Details of the letter were made public by Kalon Tripa Dr Lobsang Sangay during his meeting with Syed Yahya Bukhari, President, Jama Masjid United Forum on Wednesday at the latter’s residence on the auspicious occasion of Eid.

Two mainstream Urdu print media, the Daily Sahafat and The Inquilab, were also present at the hour-long discussions during which Dr Sangay expressed his heartfelt Eid greetings to Bukhari and the Muslim community.

The elected Tibetan leader also sought to clear misunderstandings within certain sections of the Muslim community on Tibetans by presenting a copy of the 2010 Kyegudo earthquake photo which has been “mistakenly or deliberately” used by some websites to create negative perceptions.

Source here 

(New York) – The government of Bangladesh should immediately cease its punitive restrictions on international organizations providing lifesaving humanitarian aid to the more than 200,000 Rohingya Muslims in Bangladesh, Human Rights Watch said today. The government should also open its borders to Rohingya fleeing sectarian violence and abuses by Burmese security forces in Arakan State in western Burma.

In late July 2012, the Bangladesh government ordered three prominent international aid organizations – Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders), Action Contre la Faim (Action Against Hunger), and Muslim Aid – to cease providing assistance to Rohingya living in Cox’s Bazaar and surrounding areas.

“The Bangladeshi government is trying to make conditions for Rohingya refugees already living in Bangladesh so awful that people fleeing brutal abuses in neighboring Burma will stay home,” said Bill Frelick, director of the Refugees Program at Human Rights Watch. “This is a cruel and inhumane policy that should immediately be reversed. The government should be welcoming aid organizations that provide life-saving aid, not shutting down their programs to assist refugees.”

Since mid-June, Bangladesh authorities have admitted to forcing back at least 1,300 Rohingya trying to flee to Bangladesh, though the actual number is likely substantially higher, Human Rights Watch said. Rohingya are escaping killings, looting, and other sectarian violence in Arakan State, as well as abuses by the Burmese authorities, including ethnically motivated attacks and mass arrests.

The Bangladesh government contends that the presence of aid groups in Cox’s Bazaar encourages Burmese Rohingya to come to Bangladesh, and that it cannot afford to host them. The government accused the three aid groups of encouraging the Rohingyas’ flight by providing medical and other assistance. It also raised concerns about criticisms of Bangladesh in the international media. However, as a party to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Bangladesh is prohibited from denying those within its borders, including refugees and asylum seekers, access to food and healthcare, among other protections.

The three aid organizations provide water, healthcare, sanitation, and other basic assistance to Rohingya refugees and asylum seekers in Bangladesh. Approximately 30,000 Rohingya who are officially recognized refugees are living in two camps; 40,000 who are unregistered live in a makeshift refugee camp, and the remaining 130,000 live in surrounding areas. All of the settlements are squalid and overcrowded.

The conditions for the Rohingya include overcrowding, shortages of food leading to widespread malnourishment among the children, a lack of clean water and sanitation resulting in disease, and restrictions on movement coupled with extortion and human rights abuses. These conditions have created an ongoing humanitarian emergency in the official and unofficial camps, and surrounding areas.

Seasoned aid workers have told Human Rights Watch that the conditions in the makeshift camps for Rohingya are among the worst they have seen anywhere in the world.

“Bangladesh authorities are placing the lives of Rohingya refugees at grave risk by forcing aid groups to stop their feeding and health programs,” Frelick said. “It is unthinkable that the government would actively attempt to make the terrible conditions faced by Rohingya even worse by stopping aid from reaching them.”

The sectarian violence in Arakan state broke out in early June between ethnic Arakan Buddhists and both Rohingya and non-Rohingya Muslims, displacing over 100,000 people. Burmese authorities failed to protect both communities from violent mobs and committed killings, beatings, rape, mass arrests, and other abuses against Rohingya, in some cases alongside armed Arakan.

Indonesia has appointed former vice president Jusuf Kalla as a special envoy to help address sectarian violence in Burma's Rakhine state.

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said the move was a form of "solidarity with our Rohingya brothers".

Mr Kalla, who is chairman of the Indonesian Red Cross, is expected to arrive in Burma on September 8.

"It started as a personal conflict, and going to a political conflict, and then going to an ethnic conflict and it will be a religious conflict," Mr Kalla told Radio Australia's Connect Asia program.

"As an humanitarian, Asian, Muslim country, it should be our duty to assist and to participate to support the government there in stopping this violence."

Burma recently allowed the Indonesian Red Cross, along with other international humanitarian agencies, to send aid to refugees forced to flee the deadly conflicts between Rohingyas and Rakhines that have left at least 87 dead.

Source : Abc Australia

Myanmar (formerly Burma) is going through a deep crisis in dealing with ethnic conflicts, especially in its western Rakhine (formerly Arakan) state. To find probable solutions to the existing problems, Arakan Rohingya Organization - Japan (JARO) and Rohingya National Organization in Thailand (RNOT) jointly sponsored an International Rohingya Conference in Bangkok, Thailand.

The theme of the conference was “Contemplating Burma’s Rohingya People’s Future in Reconciliation and (Democratic) Reform.”

The conference was held on August 15, 2012 at Thammasat University, Thaprachan, Bangkok. Besides the participants coming from Japan, Canada, USA, Myanmar, Malaysia, Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia and Singapore, the members from the local/international media, NGOs, ASEAN countries, and Thai-based foreign embassies attended this conference.

The conference was moderated by Mrs. Chalida Tajaroensuk, Director of People’s Empowerment Foundation and started with an opening speech from Mr. Salim Ullah, President of JARO. I was invited as the keynote speaker. The other speakers included Professor Abid Bahar (author of the book - Burma's Missing Dots) from Canada and Mr. Azmi Abdul Hamid (Secretary General of MAPIM and a human rights activist) from Malaysia.

At the end of the conference the following declaration was made.

1. The on-going violence against the Rohingya people of Myanmar (Burma) is part of a very sinister and calculated national project towards ethnically cleansing them that is orchestrated by the Myanmar government and widely supported and promoted at the central and local levels by the ultra-racist elements within the government and civilian population of the Rakhine (formerly Arakan) state.

2. The latest pogrom, which started on June 3 with the gruesome murder of ten Tablighi Burmese Muslims by an organized Rakhine mob, has already resulted in the estimated deaths of tens of thousands of Rohingya Muslims, and destruction of their villages, townships and schools, madrasas, mosques and business centers. Thousands of Muslim girls and women have also been raped by the armed members of the government security forces and local Buddhist population within the Rakhine state. As a result, nearly a hundred thousand Rohingyas are internally displaced, who are also denied access to food and shelter. Tens of thousands of panicked Rohingya population have been pushed to seek refuge or asylum in any country willing to provide them shelter.

3. The Myanmar government and the Rakhine state administration are guilty of practicing an apartheid policy towards the Rohingya people. They are also guilty of committing crimes against humanity.

4. The Muslim minority community that identifies itself as the "Rohingya" is an indigenous people of the Rakhine (former Arakan) state of Myanmar. They were neither implanted by the British administration since 1826 nor did they intrude into Arakan from Bangladesh after the Union of Burma (Myanmar) achieved her independence in 1948.

5. The 1982 Citizenship Law of Burma, which has effectively declared the Rohingya as "stateless", is inconsistent with the United Nations and international laws recognizing inherent dignity, equality and inalienable rights of ALL members of the human family. Through its discriminatory laws and practices against the Rohingya people, the Myanmar government is in violation of each and every Article of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, making the Rohingya an "endangered" people of the 21st century who need protection of their human rights.

6. The 1982 Citizenship Law has essentially made the Rohingya an endangered people, the most persecuted on earth - as once again clearly demonstrated by the current ethnic cleansing efforts by the Thein Sein government that is enthusiastically aided by ultra-racist and bigoted elements within the Rakhine Buddhist monks and populace.

7. As recently demonstrated by the statement issued from the office of the President, the Thein Sein Government of Myanmar appears not to be serious about resolving the Rohingya problem in a peaceful manner that is consistent with its international obligations.

8. The Rohingyas are victims of neo-Nazi Racism in which they are targeted for marginalization and total elimination from the soil of Myanmar.

9. The statements from the so-called democratic icon Daw Suu Kyi and other leaders (including those of the 8888 student movement) have been deceptive, hypocritical and unacceptable revealing that none of them are serious about democracy and human rights.

10. The Thein Sein government has miserably failed to stop the carnage against and suffering of the Rohingya people, and as such, is guilty of abetting crime against humanity.

11. The Thein Sein government is guilty of evading its responsibility for protecting the lives and properties of the Rohingya people, who are not refugees from outside but are internally displaced because of the government’s apartheid policy.

12. The Myanmar government’s latest announcement of forming a 27-member commission to investigate the current unrest in Arakan, although a welcome gesture, seems self-defeating and inadequate for a transparent, fair and unbiased inquiry process. It is aimed once again to ease mounting pressure on the regime and to block or dodge a much needed UN inquiry. By including members who not too long ago had either organized or encouraged ethnic cleansing of the targeted Rohingya minorities, the commission’s intents and purposes are highly questionable, and appear to produce a document to cover up unfathomable crimes of the Rakhine community and Myanmar government. Regrettably, while the majority Rakhaing community is represented, not a single member of the affected minority Rohingya community is represented in this commission of inquiry.

Now, therefore, the participants of the Bangkok International Conference calls upon --

(1) To immediately amend or repeal the 1982 Burma Citizenship Law thereby removing the burdensome standard of proof for attaining citizenship. The government should grant the Rohingya and other minority entities full citizenship and accompanying rights. The Myanmar government should furthermore sign and ratify the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons and the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness and fulfill its international obligation to prevent statelessness of all affected people.

(2) To address the other fundamental human rights problems which have caused the Rohingya and other minority communities to flee to Bangladesh, Thailand, Malaysia, India and elsewhere. Specifically, it should abolish the practice of forced labor in compliance with the 1930 International Labor Organization (ILO) Convention on Forced Labor, which the Burmese government signed in 1955. Towards this end, as recommended by the ILO, the Myanmar government should amend or repeal the sections of the Village and Towns Acts that legally sanction the conscription of labor.

(3) To protect the rights of the children, in accordance with the government's commitment to children's rights through its ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1991. In particular, all children born of Rohingya parents (and other "stateless" minorities) should be granted Myanmar nationality, including those born in refugee camps in Bangladesh, Thailand and elsewhere. Children must not be forced to work under any circumstance, and the government should not discriminate against Muslim (and non-Buddhist) children in its provision of education benefits.

(4) To ensure that all refugees are able to exercise their right to return and must guarantee their full reintegration with full respect for their human rights.

(5) To release ALL its political prisoners, dropping all charges against them and their family members.

(6) To exclude certain members (e.g., Dr. Aye Maung, Khin Maung Swe, Zarganar, and Ko Ko Gyi, and others) from the currently announced Commission of Inquiry whose statements during the crisis had been anything but neutral, and had instead contributed to the added misery and suffering of the Rohingya people. For the inquiry commission to be fair, it must ensure equal participation from the affected Rohingya community. It must also ensure absolute accuracy and neutrality of the commission so that truth is not compromised in any way. Once the internal inquiry report identifies the criminals, the government must prosecute and punish the culprits in an open trial (and not make a mockery of the judicial system via a kangaroo court).

(7) To pay due compensation for the loss of lives and properties of the victims of the current pogrom.

(8) To repatriate and rehabilitate each one of the fleeing refugees who had fled or sought refugee status outside.

(9) To allow for an independent international inquiry at the behest of either the ASEAN or the UN to investigate the current crisis and to honor its findings and to take appropriate actions needed to not only punish the criminal elements but also to ensure through reconciliation efforts so that such crimes will never be committed in the future. (The government’s internal inquiry commission is biased and does not guarantee the needed neutrality required for an objective and scrupulous investigation.)

(10) To allow international NGOs and aid agencies to provide material and medical aid to the suffering people.

(11) To allow the presence of international monitors, e.g., human rights groups and journalists, to continuously monitor the restive region so as to provide needed and accurate information on a timely manner.

(12) To open a dialogue with the leaders of the Rohingya community immediately towards reconciliation, inclusion and integrating it within Myanmar without any prejudice.

(13) To understand that citizenship based on ethnicity or race is a feudal concept that has no place in the 21st century, as such, it must do whatever is necessary to amend its constitution to bring it at par with those of the civilized world.

(14) To understand that the protection of minorities against injustice and intolerance is not a matter of compassion or sympathy of the majority. Human rights in a democracy are held to be inalienable – no human being could be deprived of those rights in a democracy by the will of the majority of the sovereign people. As such, the government must correct its age-old xenophobia, hatred and intolerance of the Rohingya people through all means necessary including education and media outlets. By punishing the culprits – both the perpetrators and promoters of hatred, it must make it absolutely clear that there is no place for hatred and intolerance in new Myanmar.

(15) To understand that the failure to resolve the crisis -- by amending or removing the Citizenship Law, which is at the heart of the Rohingya problem -- can result in its leaders being pursued in the International Criminal Court (similar to those faced by the likes of Slobodan Milosevic of former Yugoslavia) for serious violations of international humanitarian laws against the Rohingyas of Myanmar.

(1) To foster unity and work in their individual capacities at the local, regional and international levels towards promoting the cause of the Rohingya people so that their suffering ends and they live as equals within Myanmar. Any activity that is detrimental to Rohingya interest and unity should be shunned at all costs. Members and leaders should iron out their petty differences and find common grounds to unite and cooperate like organs of a single body.

(1) To promote and practice true democratic values of inclusion and participation away from curses of racism and xenophobia, which are crimes against humanity. They must also ensure that they have no tolerance for all those hate provocateurs (the likes of Aye Chan and late Aye Kyaw) that have smeared their purported claims, goals and records about genuine democracy and human rights.

(2) To realize that the ideology of the Myanmar regime has been "Myanmarism", which is arrogant, racist, militaristic, feudal, exclusionary and thus, self-defeating. It is a recipe for a 'failed' state, setting off perpetual war within itself, and destabilizing the region. Thus, all the leaders must work towards promoting the spirit of Republicanism.

(3) To realize that the Rohingya rights cannot take a back seat while demands for equality, freedom, democracy and human rights are sought from the quasi-civil-military regime. That is hypocrisy! The dissident leaders must treat Rohingyas as their equal partners and comrades, craving for equity and human rights.

(4) To ensure that the ENC includes representation from the Rohingya community to address and accommodate their legitimate grievances, especially those relating to the 1982 Citizenship Act.

(5) To effectively engage in correcting the old and false notions of exclusionism through education, preaching and reconciliations (much like what has happened in South Africa) so that the general public and government agencies understand that racism and discrimination against any minority community (including the Rohingya) are unacceptable and are in violation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. If Myanmar is to survive as a Federal Union, enough trust-building provisions must be made so that every minority community – religious, ethnic, or otherwise - feels equal with other dominant races and groups. The true spirit of Republicanism, in clear distinction to 'Myanmarism', must be embraced as the only alternative for survival of a future democratic Myanmar.

(6) To understand that there is absolutely no place for neo-Nazi Fascism, racism and bigotry in our time.

(7) To also understand that their willful failure to arresting intolerance and genocidal urges against the Rohingya and other persecuted minorities are tantamount to promoting crimes against humanity for which they can face prosecution in the international courts (much like what has happened with Julius Streicher of the Nazi era in the Nuremburg Trial).

(1) To press the Myanmar government to immediately repeal its 1982 Citizenship Act that is highly discriminatory and in violations of several international laws and charters of the UN and its member agencies.

(2) To press the Myanmar government to stop its inhuman and degrading treatment of all minorities, esp. the Rohingyas of the Rakhine State.

(3) To stop the ‘push back’ of fleeing refugees from Myanmar against their wishes. And, instead, they should be given shelter with adequate provisions for food, education, job and healthcare. They should not be barred from seeking asylum in a third country.

(4) To improve, through the offices of the UNHCR, the living conditions within the refugee camps, and to ensure that the returning refugees are not mistreated and abused by the Myanmar regime.

(5) To ensure, esp. through the offices of the ASEAN countries, that the legitimate demand for full citizenship rights of the Rohingya and other affected minorities of Myanmar are restored within the current year (2012).

(6) To ensure that none of the UN member states, esp. the ASEAN countries, reward the Thein Sein regime with trade and other benefits unless the citizenship and human rights are fully restored to the Rohingya and other affected minorities.

(7) To immediately demand an independent inquiry into the crisis through its own fact-finding mission.

(1) To pass UNSC Resolutions so that the Myanmar government is forced to repeal its highly discriminatory 1982 Citizenship Act, which has epitomized racism, xenophobia, inequality, intolerance and discrimination against minority communities like the Rohingya. The Act has effectively reduced the Rohingya people to be deprived of their fundamental rights to citizenship, movement, education, job, marriage, property and healthcare. The Act must be recognized as challenging the very principle and spirit of the UN. Myanmar's membership to the United Nations must, therefore, be revoked for its monumental crimes against humanity unless the Myanmar government fulfils its international obligations by restoring full citizenship rights of the Rohingyas and other affected minorities of Myanmar.

(2) To ensure that the Myanmar government understands that as per UN Charter – Article 55 (c) and 56, Myanmar being a member of the UN, it is legally obliged to honor the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and promote human rights and fundamental freedom for all without distinction as to race, sex, language and religion.

(3) To ensure that the Myanmar government understands that its genocidal actions against the Rohingyas, the Myanmar regime have proven itself to be guilty of crimes against humanity, and as such, deserve serious punitive actions from the UN -- from annulling its membership in the world body to sanctions that force the regime to change its uncivilized and brutal ways.

To ensure that unless, the Myanmar government amends its ways to integrate the Rohingya people as equals within the state, it can face a total ban, cutting it off from the rest of the world, including losing its UN membership.

(4) To ensure that trade and economic bans are not immaturely lifted from the member states without a true change restoring the dignity and human rights of the minorities within Myanmar.

(5) To ensure that the Myanmar government releases all its political prisoners, and allowing them to leave the country voluntarily, if they so choose.

(6) To stop Myanmar government’s crime against its own people.

Reported ByDr. Habib Siddiqui, Director, Arakan-Burma Research Institute, [On behalf of the

Arakan Rohingya Organization-Japan (JARO),

Rohingya National Organization in Thailand (RNOT),

People's Empowerment - Empowering People for a Strong Civil Society, and

ARAKAN-BURMA RESEARCH INSTITUTE (USA)]

To:

Secretary General

United Nations

Dated: :August 22, 2012

Your Excellency,

In connection to the formation of investigation commission formed by the President Thein Sein to expose the real cause of the incident and to give suggestion for national interest date on 17th August, 2012 is simply a showoff in the sight of domestic, regional and international community to ‘cover real nightmare let happened in Rakhine state’ and at the same to buy time to coil the United Nation General Assembly to be held in next September.

President Thein Sein has first set by 17th September to be submitted the finding directly to the president but later he changed his mind the investigation report is to be submitted by 16 November, 2012. Being honestly the first submission time-frame to the president by the formed commission been before the September UN General Assembly in which Mr. Thomas Ojea Quintana has to be submitted details about his mission, recently surveyed along Rakhine state—president Thein Sein’s Union government and its Rakhine state government have realized that they didn’t have enough time to redesign newly created one for the real terrifying which was let happened in Rakhine state to show the international community.

We Rohingya community inside and outside the country have firmly believed that only international community which comprised international human rights activists, historians, intellectuals, intelligentsias, philanthropists, journalists, geographers, language experts, lawyers, experts in criminal investigation would only have the best suited to involve and participate with recently formed investigation commission by president Thein Sein to expose the real cause of the incident which particularly devastating largely social affairs of Rohingya.

Unfortunately, the commission in which comprised some extreme hard-line Rakhine Nationalists who have clearly been participated to incite the one sided riots and their open interviewing with several Burmese programs of oversea to expel Rohingya, to make aliens Rohingya, to make separation between two communities like Israel, to annihilate Rohingya-- the so called 88 generation leader who has been blatantly denying the true facts of Rohingyas’ existence without knowing any real background of Rohingyas history and branding us as just immigrants from adjacent Bangladesh soon he had visited in Rakhine state recently-- the fabricated news makers who had been in line principal of Rakhine chauvinists, whom the president Thein Sein indirectly quoted in his interview with VOA/Burmese program --- the Bishops, Islamic organizations and Hindu religious organization which are under the bond of government not to involve in politics in line principle of organization---some leaders of political parties who never ever talked and suggested to stop the violence rather fanned the flames via journals and talk shows ---- as long as the absence of international community and our own Rohingyas who concerned in this affairs as stakeholder, we Rohingyas feel that such kind of unilateral inquiring commission in the real field would not on the go to extract the true grounds of violence between Rakhine and Rohingya but would make worse by complicating, fabricating, deviating, twisting, diverging, confusing and at last this would make prolonging and buying time to be settling this hot issue which concerned day in day out the miserable life of Rohingya along Rakhine state once and for all.

To be blasting this clandestine joint plan starting by Ma Thida Htwe from Rambray to Taungup, Maungdaw to Sittwe, Buthidaung, Rathedaung, Kyauktaw, Kyauknimaw and so on---there have been synchronized voice and action of people of all Rakhine mass and class to annihilate or at least to push into harshest trouble to face in this rainy season such as to escape Rakhine hooligans’ intimidation, mass killing and burning --- into rivers, seas, mountain pass, scarcity of food, blockade of food and foodstuff, settling in concentrated camps all Rohingyas people by one way or another so as to die by malnutrition, food scarcity, affecting diarrhea, inefficient sanitary, other infectious deadly diseases and so on --- where there are Muslims Rohingya all along Rakhine state.

Honestly, to find out easily the culprits all along the past maneuver, it has been very simple to point out without exaggerating ---- the words broadcasted via all Burmese programs of oversea radios and television channels before and after the violence plus the routinely issuances of local journals inside Myanmar until now would have been strong evidences that the Rakhine Nationalities Democratic Party headed by Veterinary Dr. Aye Maung --- U Aye Tha Aung, chairman of Rakhine League of Democracy --- the Paccima Zone Magazine which was issued on February 2012 by Rakhine-thar-gyi Sarpay by the permission record no. 5301201211 under the order of Ministry of information --- are crystal clear culprits of this communal master planners to cause communal conflict that undermines peace and stability, causalities, very deep misunderstanding among people to trust one another, for social building, property losses and other damages due to clashes. Seeing this with open eyes, the investigation commission formed by President would be very ridiculous as a perpetrator would not find out a perpetrator in the session of investigation --- a killer would not responsibly arrest the killer in the search out—a sinner would not point out a sinner in a court and so on.

Who can deny that the persons who are shown up in the Paccima Zone Magazine aren’t responsible and accountable of the articles prescribed bravely which have been generally obstruction and suggested to make so called Rohingya in Rakhine state as guest people or slave in that each and every article --- and much more way of authors feeling have been shown to annihilate Rohingyas in the land -- all the readers are being urged to use derogatory terms as Rohingya downtrodden----- these prescriptions are the main master plan to cause the last communal clashes which made Rohingya desolation in the sight of international community. The coordinated people whom shown in the Paccima Zone Magazine who held respective government offices in Rakhine state have been different department ranging from Buddhist Monks, township administrative officers and police officers who are responsible in the last riots, arson, extra-judicial killing, rape, looting, blockage of food and foodstuff, extorting money, shooting innocent people under the cover of 144 order, mass arrest in fasting month in mosques alleging them gathering more than 5 people and thus violating the President emergency order, travel restriction from one township to another, sending innocent people to the jail after prosecuting false accusation without proper trial in the court, forcefully entering into the houses, arresting and shooting people in townships such as Maungdaw, Buthidaung, Rathedaung, Kyauktaw, MraukOo, Punnagyun and MinBya without any reason, taking away the dead bodies and buried as per their arrangement---- all in all there are no rule of law in Rakhine state for Rohingyas and these all have been because of RNDP party, ALD and due to the legal Rakhine intellectuals incitement of the Paccima Zone Magazine—to show the responsible persons from that Magazine are ---U Aung Myint Soe, district administrator,MaungDawdistrict— Monk-AshinSeikinda (Natmyit SanAung),consultant—Monk-Ashinzayandabawdi (PanAung), consultant ---- Monk Ashineindarsariya (ArdinAungMyay) consultant--- Monk-Ashinkawthala (kawthala Gawaythi) consultant --- Monk –AshinKuthala (Thandwe) consultant --- U Myo Win (district police officer,Maungdaw)--- Kyaw Thi (district project Manager, Maungdaw) --- U Aung Kyaw Oo, Township administrator, Buthidaung township --- U Aung Thar Win, police officer, Buthidaung township --- U SoeNaing, township project officer, Buthidaung --- these people have been extremely Rohingya people’ blood exploiters and main perpetrators with RNDP party and ALD party to spoil the normal situation into boiling environment.

Sir, as a matter of fact, the investigation commission should be formed, to extract real information in the victimized ground, through by the group of respected persons who should be flawless, honest and benevolently coordinated persons for a good contemplation as supposed by President Thein Sein----- but right now we, vulnerable and the most persecuted people, as prescribed by the United Nations, believe that the formed investigation commission will only work for Rakhine people who have attacked, burned, undermined and sent to hell-camp and they have more master plans to attack, to weaken, annihilate and at last push entire Rohingya people into hell in a cell in future. In this regards, though international community has welcomed the formation of investigation commission by president and its result, entire world would not be perceived by fabricated presentation of the formed commission to accept the mission’s deceitful finding while in the mission some of the members are widely believed to have been involved and committed crime against humanity by one way or another in violence from beginning to the end. Please accept my suggestion.

Sincerely Yours,

Mahan Min Khant

(Researcher)

Note: (1) please find the Paccima Zone Magazine’s cover, and its board of director who incite the riots in attached files.

Note: (2) please find the attach file of the members of formed investigation commission