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Rohingya refugees (Photo: UNHCR)


By United to End Genocide
October 5, 2012

United to End Genocide interviewed Mr. Mohiuddin M. Yusof, President of Rohingya Concern International, to learn more about the current crisis facing Burma’s Rohingya people following the outbreak of deadly violence in Arakan State this past June.

Can you talk about what is happening right now in Burma’s Arakan State?

“The displaced people and those who are not displaced, but still live in their own homes and villages, are both still suffering a lot. Actually, those law enforcement agencies, security forces and police who have the responsibility to protect the lives of the Rohingya people have become an instrument of ethnic cleansing. This is still true today.”

“The situation may seem calm, but the inside is burning. The Rohingya people are traumatized. People are in constant fear of persecution.”

“The situation has not progressed. Protection is very important now. Citizenship rights and other rights are secondary for now; at this critical moment, it is a life and death question. The first step is protection. We need the Rohingya people to be protected. This will not happen until and unless the United Nations arranges a monitoring and protection force. Until that day, there will be no solution.”

“There also needs to be a UN commission of inquiry in addition to the monitoring and protection force. Everyone is saying that there should be reconciliation, peace and stability, but there’s still violence. Some people and groups don’t want peace. Some don’t want the Rohingya to have citizenship rights. The Burmese President Thein Sein wants to keep the Rohingya population in camps under supervision of the UN and then forcibly send them to other countries for resettlement. They say there is no place for the Rohingya in Burma’s Arakan State. It’s very worrisome.”

What should the international community be doing to help the Rohingya?

“I want the United States government, European Union countries, non-aligned movement, the Asian countries, the Organization of the Islamic Conference and international non-governmental organizations to put more pressure on the government of Burma to restore peace and promote reconciliation between the Rohingya and Rakhine. People need to be protected. Otherwise, there will be even more bloodshed. All the world governments should put more pressure on the Burmese government with all available means, so that at least the Rohingya people can survive in their own native land.”

“The world community needs to come forward to save the Rohingya people because they are human beings. We have to restore human dignity and human respect.”

If the Rohingya people were to be protected, what would be the next step to secure their rights?

“First and foremost, we want our people to survive. Protect them first, then restore all their rights and give them equal opportunities just like all other ethnic national groups in Burma.”

“The Rohingya are peace-loving people. They want to live in Burma in peace and security, abiding the laws of the country, according to the constitution, but they want guarantees from the local, state and national governments that they will be treated equally. They should have all rights. The Rohingya people want to make sure that they are bona fide citizens recognized as an indigenous people of Arakan under the current Burmese constitution.”

How do you feel about the U.S. government’s decision to end sanctions against the Burmese government?

“We feel that sanctions removal is not helpful for the Rohingya people, and will not be helpful until all our rights are granted.”

Is there anything else that you would like to add?

“Some people say that the situation has calmed down and that a solution is available, but this is not true. The problems facing the Rohingya are very complicated. The Rohingya are not only 800,000 people as the Burmese government says in their report. There are 3.5 million Rohingya people worldwide: 1 million live in Arakan State, 500,000 are scattered throughout Burma, and 2 million live in other countries after they were compelled to leave their native land in Arakan State due to a well-founded fear of persecution on the basis of race, religion and language. So, when we talk, we need to talk about all the Rohingya people. Those displaced outside of the country must have the right to return to Burma and live there with dignity and honor as citizens. We should be allowed to work for the progress and development of Burma to make our country peaceful. We all must endeavor to create an atmosphere of peaceful coexistence in Arakan State where all Burmese citizens can live together peacefully and in happiness.”

Rohingya Concern International is a New York-based human rights organization working for the protection and prevention of genocide against the Rohingya people, and the restoration of the Rohingyas’ fundamental rights.



M.S. Anwar
RB Article
October 5, 2012

Rohingyas and 1982 Citizenship Law of Burma

While Ne Win was bringing in Bangladeshi Rakhines into Arakan, he never forgot to either depopulate Rohingya population or expulse them. He invented and deployed a discriminatory and bigotry citizenship law in 1982. According to the law, Rohingyas need to prove their existence before 1824, which is a very difficult thing to be done. Yet, Rohingyas would be pleased if the law was and is applied to Rakhines as well. Almost three fourth of Rakhines would have already been expelled from Arakan had the law been equally applied to them! The law was specially designed for Rohingyas to expel them from the country. Consequently, it caused a mass exodus of Rohingyas into neighboring Bangladesh in 1982.

Since then, quite contrary to the accusations, Rohingyas have been leaving Arakan and there have been no such illegal Bengali settlements. Due to the racist propaganda of different Burmese regime throughout its history, general Burmese people could not have the chance to know Rohingya people and the term “Rohingya.” When they came to know the term, it was in the negative light propagated by the regime and Rakhine extremists. Rohingyas are successfully portrayed as the threats to the national sovereignty and Buddhism by the regime for its own political gains.

Ignorance of the Truth

However, I was pretty much disgusted to see a revered leader like Daw Aung San Suu Kyi (DASSK) ignore the plight of the Rohingyas. During her recent talk at Amnesty International Office, an audience asked “Who are Rohingyas and why are they persecuted?” I felt that she was paralyzed upon hearing the question. She replied “one should not use an emotional word like “PERSECUTION.” Dear DASSK, what term should one use if not PERSECUTION? The truth is that Rohingyas have not been kissed or hugged but committed atrocities against by the regime throughout historical periods. She (DASSK) continued “The border security is fragile and badly policed” and that was indirectly supporting to the accusation that there are still illegal Bengali settlements.

During her trip to Europe, she said “She doesn’t know Rohingyas.” If so, how does she know that the Arakan border is badly policed? Therefore, with due respects, her statements are contradictory and oxymoronic and not so different from Thein Sein statements!! She seems to have no clue about Arakan situation as she has spent most of her life either in foreign countries or under house arrest. She has been just listening to her bigotry racist colleagues in her party. In Arakan, there is NaSaKa, a border security force which was specially designed only for the persecutions of Roingyas. It was formulated by ex-Gen Khin Nyunt to force Rohingyas out of Arakan and to make Border ever stringent. There have been immigration checks against Rohingyas all over Maung Daw and Buthidaung twice a year. If any Rohingya accidentally happens to go to Bangladesh, there is no way for him to come back to his own land.

Why will Bengalis Come to Arakan?

Moreover, at a time when Arakan has become a hell for its own people, Rohingyas, why will Bangalis come to the land? Why will Bengalis come to a land which is ruled by the world’s most oppressive government, relatively less economic opportunity, less income (GDP per Capita in Bangladesh and Myanmar in 2011 are US$1700 and US$1300 respectively) and poorer infrastructures? When a journalist friend of mine asked Ko Ko Gyi, a so-called democratic activist in Burma, why Bengalis should come to Arakan. He replied “the poorest people from Bangladesh come to Arakan.” When asked how they settle in Arakan, he replied “by bribing the authorities because they have a lot of money.” I seriously think most of the politicians in Burma today should get themselves checked up with psychiatrists. Or tell us what you think after comparing and contrasting the two immediate statements “the poorest people from Bangladesh come to Arakan” and “by bribing the authorities because they have a lot of money.”

And not to forget a recent statement Burma’s Immigration Minister, U Khin Yee that two third of immigration officers in Arakan are Rakhine themselves. Now tell us Rakhine Immigration Officers take bribes from illegal Bengali immigrants and let them settle in their own land to create problems. If so, Burmese government has to sack these corrupted Rakhine Immigration Officials and punish them according to the law. If not, there have not been any recent Bengali settlements in Arakan. Hence, Rakhines need to stop beating around the bush.

Conclusion

Dr. Maung Zarni has given his viewpoint on why majority Burmese think Bengalis from Bangladesh emigrating into Arakan though it is practically otherwise. He said “although Burmese are practically poorer than Bangladeshis are, Burmese regime, as a part of its political strategy, has successfully portrayed Burma as the golden land with fertile soils and rich natural resources with kind people with great hospitality towards their guests, where everybody craves to come to.” He was right to point out this because despite living in a hell-like country, majority Burmese thinks that there are still people who crave to come to and live in Burma. However, the bitter truth that Rakhines are afraid of admitting is that they are not Rohingyas who are sneaking into Arakan but Rakhines themselves taking advantage of the presence of their people in the state administration, immigration, police, security forces and NaSaKa etc. Rohingyas have only been leaving Arakan for decades to the extent that it caused Rohingya Diaspora all over the world. As a result, today, there are bigger numbers of Rohingyas living in foreign countries than in Burma itself.

Mohammed Sheikh Anwar is an activist studying Bachelor of Arts in Business Studies at Westminster International College, Malaysia

The Bitter Truth: Who’s sneaking into Arakan, Rakhine or Rohingya? (Part 1)

Indonesian Red Cross Society chairman Yusuf Kalla has called on Qatari authorities to extend humanitarian assistance to the displaced Rohingya Muslim population in the Rakhine State of Myanmar. “Qatar has been providing humanitarian support for the Myanmar community in Bangladesh,” he pointed out.
Kalla was in Doha yesterday for the ‘Second Meeting on the Humanitarian Situation in the Rakhine State’ organised by the Organisation of the Islamic Co-operation (OIC) in collaboration with the Qatar Charity.
About 30 local, regional and international organisations took part in the meeting, the second of its kind after the Kuala Lumpur meeting last August, and discussed a strategic plan for humanitarian intervention in Rakhine State in addition to ways of strengthening co-ordination between organisations interested in the issue of the Rohingya Muslims.
“We are aware that Qatar has, through Qatar Charity, initiated many activities for the over 300,000 Rohingya Muslims in Bangladesh and that the country is willing to give more support to those in need, especially in Africa and Asia. However, there is a need to focus more humanitarian supports on the Islamic world because there are presently around 80,000 refugees in Rakhine,” he noted.
“Qatar Charity is also providing support in terms of housing of up to 400,000 homes as well as hospital services for those affected by the Ache Tsunami, which killed around 200,000 people,” he said.
On whether Qatar should mediate in ongoing conflicts in the Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) region, the official said it will be a welcome idea but stressed it is important for Qatar or any other country willing to mediate, to understand the bane of the issues as well as the cultural differences of the warring groups before intervening.
“It is noteworthy that Qatar’s leading and successful roles in mediating to resolve a number of conflicts, within the Middle East and North Africa in the past, have given the country a proven track record, but it will not be a bad idea if the Qatari government take its time to study the situation within the Asean region critically in order to acquire knowledge of the people involved before attempting to mediate because the situation could be entirely different,” he cautioned.
However, on the role of Indonesia in supporting the refugees and ensuring peace and stability in the region, especially being a country with the world’s largest Muslim population, Kalla said: “Indonesia is providing support for other countries, especially within the OIC, on the issue of the refugees and this is the most important aspect for any humanitarian services to succeed.”
He mentioned that Indonesian Red Cross has worked with the OIC members by providing easy access and leeway to the refugees in Myanmar.
“We have been working with the OIC and the Myanmar government on conducting humanitarian work and many countries are presently asking to join the relief effort through the OIC,” he pointed out.
 Sources Here:


Maungdaw, Arakan State: British Ambassador to Burma Andrew Heyn accompanied by two others arrived in Maungdaw in the evening of October 3, according to a trader from Maungdaw Town.

“The Ambassador was accompanied by two others, of them, one is Muslim, and another one is Burman from Rangoon. They stayed in Nasaka headquarters of Kawar Bill of Maungdaw Township.”

Today, at about 9:30 am, the delegation went to Baggona, Horsara and Nurula Para and Ale Than Kyaw villages of Maungdaw Township where especially they met with rape victims, village elders and leaders. Most of the women and girls were raped by army, Hluntin, Nasaka and Natala villagers when the husbands were absent at homes for fear of arrest by the security forces. The victims openly told their matter to the delegation, said a village elder who denied to be named.

The delegation also asked to the village leaders and elders about the recent violence, the present situation of Roingya community and why the violence was occurred.

Regarding the questions villagers said, “During the violence, the Rakhine mobs were torching our houses and when we tried to extinguish the fire the security forces fired to us, so we are unable to switch off our houses. Meanwhile, many villagers were killed and wounded.

Another villager said, “The concerned authorities have been persecuted us by various means to expel us from the country. But, we still exist in Arakan. As a result, the concerned authorities created these riots between two communities.”

“The present situation is very bad. Daily the security forces such as—police, Hluntin, Nasaka, Sarapa, army--- enter our villages, and arrest villagers, torture, extort money, looting our properties, take away our cattle, and rape our women and girls. Now, we are under house arrest, We are not allowed to go to market to buy essentials. If police, army and local Rakhine extremists met us- they beat up and looted our money and goods. Even army robbed a bus of Rohingya passengers recently. How, can we trust them? We have no ration, no medicine, no money, no works, how will we survive. There are NGOs and other donors to support us, said a local leader on condition of anonymity.

A local youth from the village said, “Ten minutes before, the arrival of the delegation to our village, a group of patrol army severely tortured to a poor villager without any reason who was selling vegetables in Sarcombo village market.. He is belong to Konna Para ( village). This event was also appraised to the delegation.

Yesterday, the delegation arrived at Akyab (Sittwe) at about 3:00 pm. The Ambassador met RNDP Chairman Dr U Aye Maung along with other members of RNDP, Phethu Hluttaw member U Maung Nyu of Sittwe, NLD members, USDP members and other social welfare organization members.

They also met with Rohingya leaders in Sittwe (Akyab) and went to Refugee camps to see the situation of Rohingya refugees, said a Rohingya villager from Sittwe.

The aim of the delegation is to discuss with the local people, especially Rakhine and Rohingy, regarding the violence and how they will live together in future. The two groups;- Rohingyas want to stay together as before and the Rakhine want to stay spreatly as they don’t want again conflict( riot).

The Ambassador said that the British government donated 3 million US Dollar to Burma this year, for education, regional and social developments.

Tonight, they will stay at Nasaka Headquarters of Maungdaw Township.

Sources Here:
Rohingya people perennially leave their homes and families in Burma and Bangladesh where they face extreme discrimination and are denied citizenship. They often find they have little alternative but to try to travel illegally across the Andaman Sea to try to find work in Thailand, Malaysia or another third country. (PHOTO: Reuters)

Forty-three of the 85 Rohingya boatpeople who were sentenced to one year in prison for illegally entering Burma were on Wednesday released under a presidential pardon, with the remaining 42 due to be released on Thursday, according to sources in Mon State.

The 85 were sentenced in June and have been detained in Moulmein Prison since being arrested in May when their boat broke down while they were attempting to flee to Malaysia. The economic refugees were rescued in high seas by Mon fishermen and taken to the town of Ann Deim in Ye Township, Mon State. They were fed and sheltered by local villagers, but were subsequently arrested and detained for allegedly violating Burma’s immigration law.

Sources in Moulmein said that the 43 were pardoned by Burmese President Thein Sein, and were transported by truck to Pegu Division on Wednesday night.

Speaking to The Irrawaddy on Thursday, a Muslim religious leader in Pegu, Than Htike Aung, said that he had met the 43 released Rohingyas who were mostly young men between the ages of 17 and 50. He said they could not speak Burmese.

Than Htike Aung said that when the remaining 42 economic migrants arrive in Pegu, the local police intend to transfer them to Buthidaung near the Bangladeshi border.

He said that he and other representatives of the Muslim community in Pegu had brought food to the Rohingya boatpeople that morning, and had documented the returning refugees in case any of them go missing en route to the western border.

Rohingya people perennially leave their homes and families in Burma and Bangladesh where they face extreme discrimination and are denied citizenship.

The Muslim Rohingya often find they have little alternative but to try to travel illegally across the Andaman Sea to try to find work in Thailand, Malaysia or another third country.

They are frequently described by human rights groups as “one of the most persecuted people in the world.” The Rohingya issue drew international attention in 2009 when the Thai military was accused of intercepting boatloads of Rohingyas, sabotaging their vessels, and abandoning them at sea.

Sources Here:




 In the first of a two-part series, our reporters explore the root cause of human trafficking through the story of the Rohingyas, a stateless Muslim minority living in Burma and Bangladesh.

goodmorningbeautiful is a team of four Australians seeking inspiration, justice and adventure through film and art. We do whatever it takes to find stories from the edges of the world and share them with the global audience.

goodmorningbeautiful was founded in Cambodia in 2006, and now has offices in Asia, Africa and Australia.

 NO PLACE IN THE WORLD PART (1)
NO PLACE IN THE WORLD PART (2)




Sources Here :


(1)A Rohingya Vehicle attacked in Maungdaw South
- On 30th September, 2012, at 2:35pm, a Rohingya owned vehicle was attacked by a mob comprising of two military, 4 Nasaka and about 20 Bengali Rakhines in Kine Gyi hamlet (near Du-Thanda), Du Chi Ra Tan village tract, Maungdaw south. The car was leading to Maungdaw downtown from a trip from Inn Din that was paid on one day before. The car owner is Sayedul Amin from Ward-5, Maungdaw and the car Registered No. 1 Ka/441. There were 18 passengers, some of whom are from Inn Din area and some are from Maungdaw downtown, who do mini-business. On the way, another car (Nissan Hilux) being used by the said mob forcibly made the car stopped and all the passengers including the driver and spare were ordered to take off from the car. And all the victims were ordered to load on the mob’s car and drove to a Buddish temple in Kine Gyi. All the victims were inhumanly tortured and all the properties, goods and cash money that they had were looted by the mob and set them out. The panes of the aforementioned car were seriously demolished with the handle of the gun and some iron sticks. The victims were tortured so seriously that some of them cannot walk or speak properly till today. The estimated amount of cash money is over 2 million Kyats and the amount of goods and properties are unknown. This information was collected from the interview with the driver, Fozol Ahmed @ Halaya, son of Eliyas (55 years) from Ka Nyin Tan (Myoma), Maungdaw.

- (2)Looting, Torture and Robbery

- On 30th September, 2012, a mob consisting of 3 military, 2 Nasaka and over 10 Bengali Rakhines (Magh) raided Du-Thanda village, Maungdaw south, at 5:00pm and entered 14 houses and seriously beat Rohingya men and women found in the houses. The identified victims are:

1. Daw Shomjidah (F) U Nawzu Mia

2. Daw Fayruzah (F) U Nawzirr Ahmed

3. Daw Lyla (F) U Husson Ahmed

4. Daw Ohnmar Kulsum (F) U Abdu Karim

5. Daw Baidu (F) U Sultan

6. Daw Umbiyah Khatu (F) U Nawbi Hussain (she has delivered a baby only four days ago)

7. Daw Noor Harbar (F) U Fozol Karim

8. Daw Shaha Zhan (F) U Aman Ullah

9. Daw Hasina (F) Mv. U Abdu Karim

10. Daw Fatima (F) U Lalu

11. Daw Mabuba Begum (F) U Nawbi Husson

12. Daw Zahidah Begum (F) U Robiul Hasson

13. Daw Khawtizah (F) U Abdullah

14. Daw Shuna Mayrr (F) ?

The abovementioned mob had also taken away 23 cows and robbed 9 lakhs of cash money. The cow owners are identified as:
1. U Fozol Ahmed (F) U Sayed Ahmed (2) cows

2. U Shukkurr Ahmed (F) U Abul Kasim (1) cow

3. U Shakayr (F) U Ola Mia (8) cows

4. U Nawbi Husson (F) U Sulay (2) cows

5. U Aman Ullah (F) U Nawzir Ahmed (3) cows

6. Daw Zulay Kha (F) U Sultan (1) cow

7. U Aman Ullah (F) U Shuna Ali (3) cows

8. U Abdullah (F) U Abdul Hakim (2) cows

9. U Hamid (F) U Sulay (1) cow

The details of the robbed cash money are:

1. U Salim Ullah (F) U Kala Mia 2 lakhs

2. U Ajimullah (F) U Kala Mia 2 lakhs

3. Daw Dildar Begum (F) U Abdu Sawmoth 4 lakhs

4. U Ali Juharr (F) U Nawju Mia 1 lakh

(3)Rohingya Fishermen killed in Pauk Taw township

- On 30th September, 2012, 4 fishermen from Ward (3), Pauk Taw Township went to the nearby river in a registered boat. As the boat did not return back in a timely manner, the relatives of the said fishermen informed to the concerned authorities about the failure of boat return on the next day. When the relatives with the authorities searched for the boat along the river, they found the boat ashore. On the boat they found a fisherman dead with fire injuries. The dead fisherman was identified as U Shobbir Ahmed (F) U Basir Ahmed (35 years). The rest three fishermen were not found and no information about them was clued. They are:

1. U Basir Ahmed (F) U Fay Rhdan Ali 60 years

2. U Alom Bard Shah (F) U Sayed Ahmed 35 years

3. U Mohammed Rohim (F) U Bard Shah Mia 28 years

(4)Nasaka extorted money from Rohingyas in Maungdaw North
On 30th September, 2012, Nasaka Sector (5) Commander Win Hlaing and his personal assistant U Htun Htun Naing arrested the following Rohingyas from Auk Phyuu Ma (Hasari Bil), Maungdaw North and extorted money (Kyat) as per detailed below.

1. Ra Shayd (F) U Sayed Husson 7 lakhs

2. Salim Ullah (F) U Luk Mun 2 lakhs

3. Mohammed Kasim (F) ? 1.5 lakhs

4. Mohammed Khan (F) U Obai Dul Haque 2 lakhs

In the same way, on 29th September, 2012, another Rohingya from Kyet Yoe Pyin, Maungdaw North, was arrested and extorted money by the same personnel.
1. Fay Ru Duss (F) U Asaw Dullah 9 lakhs

Again, on 1st October, 2012, at 10:00pm, the aforementioned Nasaka Sector personnel arrested two Rohingyas from Laik Aing hamlet, Nga Sar Kyeu (Na Sha Furu) village tract, Maungdaw north. The arresters were Htun Htun Naing, Sit Oo Zi and another two Nasakas. The arrestees were tortured seriously and released after taking cash money on 2nd October, 2012, at 4:00pm. The arrestees and extorted cash are as follow:

1. Mohammed Noor (F) U Shom Shu 10 lakhs

2. Noor Kobir (F) U Zaa Ru 2 lakhs

On 3rd October, 2012, exactly the same Nasaka personnel who arrested Rohingyas from Nga Sar Kyeu arrested two more Rohingyas from Kyet Yoe Pyin and extorted cash money from them as per following.

1. Dil Dar Hussain (F) U Abu Kalam 7.5 lakhs

2. Nu Ru (F) ? 1.5 lakhs

The same event occurred in Maungdaw downtown on 2nd October, 2012. Police personnel U Hla Myint and his informers Maa Bu (F) Mohammed Amin-Retired police and Mawji Ullah (F) Gura Mia- current temporary administrator for Myoma East Quarter (Ward-2) extorted money from a Rohingya [Abu Bakkar Siddik (F) U Lal Mia] with fabricated allegation. The extorted amount is Kyat one lakh and the victim’s business is selling bamboo near a bridge that spans Kan Yi and Maung Ni.

(5)Three Rohingyas attacked in Min Bya township
On 30th September, 2012, three Rohingyas from The Ra Oak hamlet, Pit Myaung village tract, Min Bya township, were attacked by a mob composed of Bengali Rakhines and Bengali Marama Gyi (Bawr Gua) while the victims were schooling cows in the village pasture. The attackers threw piercing iron quills to the victims. One of the attackers was identified by the victims. When the police arrested the identified attacker, who is a Bengali Marama Gyi (Bawr Gua), a group of Bengali Rakhines forced the police to release the arrestee. Finally, the police had to release the arrestee for his life safety as the number of mob participants was huge. When the injured victims were tried to evacuate in the town general hospital, a group of monks blocked the patient not to admit in hospital. Eventually, with a help of a group of Military, the victim reached to Sittway general hospital and now the patient is under treatment.


"Compiled by Rohingya Youths"

CHIANG MAI, 4 October 2012 (IRIN) - Nearly 75,000 people living in temporary camps and shelters following inter-communal conflict in Myanmar’s Rakhine State in June face deteriorating living conditions, say local aid workers and residents.

“Right now [the displaced] are facing health problems from diarrhoea, fevers and colds. A lot of [them] are living together in small spaces,” said Mohammad Nawsim, secretary of the Rohingya Human Rights Association (RHRA) based in Bangkok. “Their condition is worse than animals.”

As of 25 September, the government estimated some 72,000 from the (mainly Muslim) Rohingya ethnic group and almost 3,000 people from the (mainly Buddhist) Rakhine ethnic group are displaced. They are staying in 40 camps and temporary sites in Sittwe and Kyauktaw townships, from where they are still able to access schools and work.

Immediately after the outbreak of violence in June, aid agencies visited areas in four affected townships and identified sanitation and clean water as major needs. At the time, only about 30 percent of the surveyed displaced persons had access to clean water, while six out of 10 people did not have any way to store it even if they secured some.

A number of camps had only one latrine serving 100 persons. Little has changed in recent months said Nawsim, noting that young and elderly Rohingya in the temporary camps along the road leading west out Sittwe (capital of Rakhine State) as well as Sittwe township are falling ill due to fetid living conditions.

Long-simmering ethnic and religious tensions between Rakhine State’s majority population from the Rakhine ethnic group and its minority Rohingya population erupted in early June after the alleged rape and murder of a Buddhist woman by a group of Rohingya.

Fear

Meanwhile, Rohingya both in the camps and villages have reported arbitrary arrests and detention, said Nawsim, citing frequent phone calls with those in and around camps and shelters for the displaced.

“They send me messages and then I call them back but it's still very dangerous for them to have mobile phones because the soldiers will search them often. They used Bangladesh mobile phones. The phone only works for a while so when I get on the phone they will give me all details such as how many people are missing and which villages they come from.”

Phil Robertson, deputy director of Human Rights Watch’s Asia division based in Bangkok, told IRIN the displaced are “effectively restricted to camps by both the security forces and by the violent attacks they fear from the Rakhine [community].”

Most Muslims have shuttered their former businesses and left Sittwe after the authorities ordered their departure, said Chris Lewa, director of the Arakan Project, an advocacy organization for the Rohingya.

While supplies and relief are getting into the camps, delivery is still hampered, she added.

Based on her visits to the displaced in Sittwe with the NGO Refugees International at the end of September, she said: “Many of the staff of the NGOs are local workers and are afraid to go to the Muslim camps - not so much that they are afraid to be attacked by Muslims in the camps, but they are mostly afraid that if the Rakhine Buddhists see that they are assisting the Muslims, they will be attacked by their own community.”

According to a 4 September report from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, “humanitarian partners remain concerned that access is still limited to some affected areas and townships outside of Sittwe,” which includes aid groups working with Rohingya before the most recent bloodshed which have now been forced to discontinue their services.

International aid workers report being unable to get travel authorization to work in affected northern townships in Rakhine State, including Maungdaw, which borders on Bangladesh and where almost 500 homes were burnt down in the violence.

Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya have fled persecution in Myanmar over the past three decades, the vast majority to Bangladesh in the 1990s.

International aid efforts

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Myanmar’s President Thein Sein discussed how to address the root causes of inter-communal tensions in Rakhine State, including through development efforts, on 29 September at the recent UN General Assembly meeting in New York. The president said the government would address the needs.

The Burmese government signed a memorandum of understanding with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in mid-August to facilitate OIC partner organizations’ humanitarian assistance to displaced Rohingya. The head of international relief and development of Qatar Red Crescent Society, Khaled Diab, told IRIN his chapter will carry out relief work estimated at US$1.5 million among displaced Rohingya over the next six months - and possibly longer depending on funding - in health, shelter, water and sanitation.

A multi-agency Rakhine Response Plan estimates it will take some $32.5 million to cover basic emergency needs until the end of the year for an estimated 80,000 displaced.

“Most people in the camps believe they will never be able to go back to the town, even though the government says the camps are only temporary,” Arakan Project's Lewa said.

Aid groups working in Rakhine State are meeting in Myanmar’s capital - most recently on 22-23 September - to review longer-term issues of relief, rehabilitation and rule of law in the state.

According to the UN database which records international humanitarian aid, the Financial Tracking Service, and not-yet-recorded recent donor announcements, some $11 million has been pledged or contributed to humanitarian assistance in Rakhine State this year.

Sources Here:

Global Movement of Moderates chairman Tan Sri Razali Ismail has called on the Myanmar government to consider giving citizenship to the Rohingya community. Razali, who was formerly the United Nations’ special envoy to Myanmar, talks to the New Straits Times on the role of Malaysia and the international community in forming solutions to the plight of the Rohingya.
Q :. You took part in the recent Perdana Global Peace Foundation Conference on the Plight of the Rohingyas, in which they came up with 16 resolutions to be handed to various parties including to the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak), the Myanmar government, and the United Nations. What is the progress on the resolutions?

A : I’m not an executive council member of the PGPF so I can’t speak on the progress of the resolutions. But they should be preparing the submissions right now, firstly to give to the government of Malaysia, because I do think it’s clear that many Malaysians do feel very strongly about the fate of the Rohingyas.
To me, however, it is not enough to simply send the letter to Najib. The impact would be more worthwhile if you can actually get him to meet and discuss the issues. Otherwise, it would just get lost among every other letters sent to his office.
If that’s not possible, then the letter should at least be sent to Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman. But as I said earlier, they should try very hard to get the PM in person for at least half an hour, so that a few proposals for solutions can be put on the table to see whether they’re feasible.

Q : What can Najib do on an international level to help move this effort forward?

A :Najib will not want to ruffle or upset Myanmar by making unrealistic, impractical demands. We have such a good relationship with Myanmar, built over many decades. We do not want to be part of a group that constantly pressures them over something that is not easy for them to resolve.
In the context of Asean, we want the democratisation process to take hold irreversibly, so we don’t want anything that might slow that process down. We want all of Myanmar to benefit from development, from economic growth and new infrastructure.
That said, the situation in Myanmar affects many countries in Southeast Asia and Asean countries do have a responsibility towards those who have escaped Myanmar as refugees, including the Rohingyas.
Asean leaders should recognise that the situation in Myanmar is complicated and will take a very long time to resolve.
Here in Malaysia, we have some 30,000 Rohingya refugees. There is a lot of support for the community but it can be improved. I think we should begin to treat them better. Their children need to be given the right to go to school, they should be given the right to find temporary work, to be given access to medical and health services, and the right not to be harassed by enforcement authorities.
These are people who are very close friends of us, who have connection as fellow Muslims. Many here support the Rohingyas. But support by words alone is not enough. If you want to help the Rohingya, help them here.

Q : What is the situation in Myanmar right now? Are their leaders receptive to the idea of granting citizenship to the Rohingyas?

A :The key problem right now isn’t the leaders, but getting the people of Myanmar themselves to accept the Rohingya as one of them.
It’s not easy for the Myanmar leadership, including (human rights activist) Aung San Suu Kyi, to think of specific solutions because, if you asked the other ethnic groups there, unfortunately, you would find that many of them do not believe the Rohingya are Myanmar citizens.
In some ways, it is similar to Malaysia’s experience during independence. When Malaysia decided to accept the Chinese and Indian immigrants as citizens, we accepted everyone - to the extent that the new citizens made up 20 per cent of the population. So it does not matter if the Rohingyas are not indigenous to the country - they should be recognised as belonging to Myanmar.
But even if the Myanmar president Thein Sein wants to do something now, it will be a very unpopular move. Plus, it would have to be carried out in the context of the other ethnic groups and larger issues such as economic development. The Myanmar government has their own priorities to consider.

Q : The Myanmar government has agreed to set up a commission of inquiry to look at the causes behind the violent clashes between Rohingya community and ethnic Rakhine Buddists last June. Will this help?

A : The commission of inquiry is focusing only on the events that led to the clashes so I don’t think it will change anything. It is just delaying time.
That said, I cannot imagine that the Myanmar government will never give citizenship to the Rohingya. I’m sure it is possible to make the people in Myanmar understand in time, that some process to give the Rohingya citizenship must be attempted in the name of human rights and democracy.

Q : What role does the international community have to play? At the recent UN general assembly, UN secretary-general Ban Ki-Moon said that Myanmar should tread carefully in resolving this issue.

A : Yes, it’s becoming more difficult for Thein Sein to keep quiet every time this subject comes up now. I think the UN should continue badgering and cajoling the Myanmar government to take the right steps.
That said, I would counsel that the process should be carried out exclusively by the Myanmar government. Right now, they are looking towards the West and Asean for help (in their development process). But there’s a tendency for some countries, in the West especially, to go too far to the point of being intrusive.
As much as other countries are involved, the Myanmar may look to the UN for technical expertise if it’s really necessary. Ootherwise, it’s a process that require a very difficult political decision, that is best carried out by Myanmar on their own.

Q :. At the PGPF conference, former prime minister Tun Mahathir Mohamad brought up the idea that the United States should put pressure on the Myanmar government to recognise the Rohingyas. Some of the panelists also advocated a process where other countries can call on Myanmar to set a certain level of democratic reform in exchange for foreign investment. Do you agree?

A : Myanmar, at the moment, has all the potentials to develop rapidly. So it’s important for them to make the right decisions on questions like what kind of infrastructure do they need? What kind of schools? How do they achieve a proper balance in terms of their ethnic make-up?
Many countries are knocking on Myanmar’s door - China, especially, is a large presence. They have many options in terms of attracting foreign investment. They can choose what kind of assistance they need.
So I think that rather than impose conditions, especially unrealistic conditions, on them to meet, it’s more important to guide Myanmar into making the right decisions for them to develop.

Q : What do you think of calls from certain quarters to set up a separate state for the Rohingya?

A : Personally, I do not think such calls help. That will only scare the Myanmar government further from any attempt at a real resolution.
I’m very partial towards Myanmar but they need to accept the hard truth that the Rohingya have been there for such a long time that they deserve to be recognized as citizens.
Even while I was there, I was always aware of the people that had suffered from the military, and the Rohingya were among them. These groups became what the UN termed as internally displaced persons (IDPs), and it was an issue that I was always aware about. Back then, we could never get concrete answers but now, mass displacement of people within the country is something that cannot be allowed to continue.
It is very crucial for this issue to be solved sooner rather than later because people exploit situations like this for money. The longer this issue remains unresolved, the more possibilities there are for people to do terrible things, such as human trafficking.
Sources Here:


  
A Rohingya girl carries her books through a fish market on her way to the school at a slum in Sittwe on 19 May 2012. (Reuters)
Arakanese women who were planning to rally in Sittwe to highlight ‘threats to their security’ were prevented from demonstrating by police after the slogans they submitted for review contained incendiary language targeting the area’s Rohingya minority.

The demonstration was originally planned for 30 September and was being organised by members of the National League for Democracy (NLD) and Rakhine [Arakan] Nationalities Development Party (RNDP).

However, the rally leaders were not given the necessary permission to demonstrate after submitting their slogans to authorities for review in line with the Peaceful Assembly and Procession Law.

“We’ve agreed to change the slogans: one calling on the OIC [Organisation of Islamic Cooperation] not to ‘meddle’ to ‘OIC-NO’ and a second one that [described Rohingyas as] ‘eating the leather that they sleep on’ to ‘Please help assist the Bengalis to resettle in a third-country,’” said organiser Nyo Aye.

The latter is a Burmese phrase referring to the perceived behaviour of a dog.

The local police commander Nay Myo said he would be in contact with the group in two weeks after reviewing the changes to the slogans.

Organisers of the demonstration submitted eight slogans for review including, ‘Respect the 1982 Citizen Law’, ‘No illegal immigrants’, ‘Rohingyas never existed in Burma’, ‘For the splendour and safety of Burmese women’ and ‘All Burmese people unite!’

According to organisers, the rally was expected to gather about 200 women, including NLD and RNDP members from Sittwe.

Nyo Aye said the rally aimed to support Arakanese women who were traumatised by June’s rioting, which pitted Buddhist Arakanese against Muslim Rohingyas, leaving dozens dead and more than 60,000 people displaced, according to government figures.

RNDP affiliates have a history of targeting the Rohingya group, which is denied citizenship under Burma’s controversial 1982 Citizenship Law. In July, security forces briefly detained two RNDP members in Arakan state’s Mrauk-U township for urging Arakanese rice mill owners not to sell their goods to Rohingyas. 
Sources Here:

Doha is to host tomorrow the second meeting of the humanitarian organisations on the situation of Myanmar Muslims.

The meeting will be organised by the Jeddah-based Organisation of Islamic Co-operation (OIC ) and Qatar Charity with about 30 regional and international organisations attending the event.

The event follows the first consultative meeting held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, earlier last month.

Ambassador Atta al-Mannan Bakhait, the Assistant Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs at OIC said in a press release issued here yesterday that the Doha meeting is the first of its kind in the Arab region since such organisations have not met under one umbrealla to discuss the gravely deteriorating situation in Myanmar.

For his part, Qatar Charity’s executive chairman Yusuf Ahmed al-Kuwari highlighted in a press statement yesterday the importance of co-ordination among those organisations interested in the issue of Rohingya Muslims and the need to take practical steps in this respect.

The co-ordinated joint action between all the concerned organisations working in the rescue operation in Myanmar, whether Islamic or international, would further boost the support needed for the Rohingya Muslims urgently, said al-Kuwari in his statement.

The OIC and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) provided recommendations related to the situation in Myanmar after they held a meeting in Kuala Lumpur.

The meeting asked the international community to support and mobilise efforts in Myanmar in accordance with humanitarian principles like impartiality, neutrality, and independence.

It called for the creation of a special fund for reconstruction and rehabilitation in the region of Arakan under the auspices of the OIC, and an international media campaign, including social media, to share information about the protracted violence in Myanmar and humanitarian consequences for the minority groups in the country.

It called for the setting up of a private group of leading international advocate for peace, sustainable solutions to the unrest in Myanmar and humanitarian consequences for minorities in the country.

It noted that some 69,000 people in Myanmar (also known as Burma) have been displaced by recent clashes in Rakhine State in Western Burma, according to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR). About 46% of the displaced people are children.

More than 5,000 buildings were destroyed. The conditions are dire: Fires have been burning for weeks and a state of emergency has been declared.

According to government reports, the majority of those fleeing are Muslims. The UN reports that some 800,000 Muslims of Rohingya ethnicity live in Myanmar in the northern Rakhine State.

They are regarded as some of the most persecuted people in the world, and face regular food shortages. As clashes continue in their home area, their desperate situation has turned even more horrid.

Some who have fled the recent violence have crossed over into neighbouring Bangladesh. But as the violence continues and more refugees attempt to escape, many are being turned away and any existing refugee camps are being capped.
Sources Here:

Arakan News ,Min Bya, 3-10-2012 ,Three Rohingya boys whose names and details have been mentioned in Rohingya Blogger News on 29-9-2012. The boys were shot by eleven Rakhine and four Baruwa extremists on 29-9-2012 in Min Bya while they are watching their cattle in the pasture nearby the village, Thayet Aouk (Nuwar Para).

One suspected Baruwa culprit was arrested by polices on 30-9-2012, but dozens of R.N.D.P members and Rakhine extremists attacked to release the culprit. Finally extremists obtained success as their desire.

In the first day, Rohingya villagers informed to police and military to see the casualty and to assist for admission to hospital. Securities arrived on 30-9-2012 and allowed to carry Min Bya hospital. But hundreds of R.N.D.P members and Rakhines obstructed and refused for the treatment in the hospital. In that occasion one of the monks advised to Rakhines that the injured Muslims must get proper treatment but Rakhines denied and replied to monk that we are obeying your guidance which you ordered us. Then they were forcefully turned the injured boys to nearby village, Tharmale.

There, military surgeon treated briefly and urged to go Akyab hospital by motor boat. Relatives arranged one boat which owner is a Muslim. Rakhines crowded and tried to kill the boat owner. Then securities urged again to arrange a motor car to go Akyab escorting securities. Thus they arranged a car and started trip to Akyab on 2-10-2012, but Rakhine extremists blocked them while they were crossing Mrauk-U Township and then forcefully turned them to Min Bya.

For these extreme and insecure conditions, the injured Rohingya boys became helpless and hopeless in their village and counting seconds and minutes to die. Who will do to stop these kinds of atrocities which have been happening in everyday in every where of Rakhine State?


Nyi Nyi Aung
Rohingya Activist, RB News Desk




    • Rohingya Exodus