Zoe Daniel

ABC News

March 11, 2013

There are mounting allegations the Thai military is trading Rohingya refugees from Western Burma to human traffickers.

Last week PM broadcast allegations that Thai military officers shot and killed Rohingya off the Thai coast but there is also continued accusations that Thai officials are involved in selling Rohingya to brokers, who then sell them on as bonded labourers.

The ABC has also discovered that unaccompanied children, who are arriving on the boats and others who have arrived with a parent, have been left alone in shelters while their parents are locked up.

Unsupervised in the shelters the children are vulnerable.

Seven children have already disappeared from a shelter and there is concern they may have fallen prey to human traffickers.

It is something that is difficult to police amid continuing accusations that Thai authorities are caught up in the trafficking business.

A man in hiding, who agreed to speak to the ABC, maintains that the Thai navy intercepted the boat he was on and then facilitated a handover to a broker.

"The navy asked if we had food to eat and where we were from," he said. "They said don't tell anyone the Thai navy has seen you."

He says the navy directed the boat to land at Ranong on the Thai coast where it was met by a human trafficker who 'bought' the human cargo. 

He explains he was beaten when he tried to escape.

"I was punched and my hands were tied up," he continued. "They burnt me on the back."

While his friends and family raised more than $1,000 to pay the broker for his freedom, he says dozens more remain in the camp.

"They said why don't you give us money, we bought you, why did you try to escape?"

A recent military investigation found no Thai officers were involved in human trafficking.

Fleeing by boat

Unwanted in western Burma, where violence between ethnic Rakhine Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims has seen the Rohingya attacked, they have been forced to flee by boat and are now isolated.

Dozens of women and children at shelters in Thailand are recovering from their arduous journeys and are now isolated.

"Our houses were burnt down, so there are 16 families that came from our village," Rohingya woman Rujambibi told the ABC.

Since the violence flared in Burma's Rakhine state last year, some 5,000 to 6,000 Rohingya have arrived in Thailand.

They have described scenes of fiery terror in the villages they called home as they were burnt out of town.

"When we were on the boat the food finished in two days," said Nulu, who got on a 15-day boat journey with her three children and 110 other people.

"There was raw rice but we couldn't cook it, there was no water."

Incredibly, Nulu gave birth to her fourth child on the boat; an already stateless boy, born in transit.

But at least her son has his mother; 10-year-old Anamuddin fled to the boat alone after his house was burnt and his mother and six siblings were killed.

"Rakhine people slashed her," he said. "Shot her and burnt the house."

Anamuddin says he took a boat in the hope of finding his father who left to find work in Malaysia five years ago.

"I went just like that," he continued. "I just followed others. I didn't have my mother or anyone left."

Eleven-year-old Marmoth, who lost his mother during the violence, is also looking for his dad who has been taken into detention by Thai authorities. He and his younger brother are alone.

Meanwhile, there is now concern for the safety of four Rohingya men who told the ABC last week that Thai officers had fired on refugees off the country's coast, and killed two of them.

Villagers who were sheltering the men say they went to the local mosque to watch television on Sunday night and have not been seen since.

+++++++++++++++++++++++

Burmese refugees being trafficked

There are mounting allegations that Rohingya refugees from Western Burma are being traded by the Thai military to human traffickers when they reach Thailand.

EMMA ALBERICI, PRESENTER: There are mounting allegations that Rohingya refugees from Western Burma are being traded by the Thai military to human traffickers when they reach Thailand.

Last week the ABC broadcast accusations that military officers were shooting and killing Rohingya off the Thai coast.

Now, there are persistent allegations that Thai officials are involved in trading them to brokers who then sell them on as bonded labourers.

The ABC has also discovered that some children who are arriving on boats have been left alone in shelters while their parents are placed in detention.

South-East Asia correspondent Zoe Daniel reports.

ZOE DANIEL, REPORTER: At this shelter in Southern Thailand, dozens of women and children recover from an arduous journey. Stateless Rohingya, they're unwanted in Western Burma, where violence between ethnic Rakhine Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims has seen the Rohingya attacked, banished, now isolated in camps. Having fled the violence by boat, now they're isolated here instead.

RUJAMBIBI, ROHINGYA ASYLUM SEEKER (voiceover translation): Our houses were burnt down, so there are 16 families that came from our village.

ZOE DANIEL: About 5,000 to 6,000 Rohingya have arrived in Thailand since the violence flared in Burma's Rakhine state last year. They describe scenes of fiery terror in the villages they called home as they were burnt out of town.

Nulu got on a boat with her three children and 110 other people to flee. On a 15-day journey, they ran out of food and water in two.

NULU, ROHINGYA ASYLUM SEEKER (voiceover translation): When we were on the boat, the food finished in two days. There was raw rice, but we couldn't cook it. There was no water.

ZOE DANIEL: Nulu gave birth to her fourth child on the boat, an already stateless boy born in transit. But at least her son has his mother.

10-year-old Annamudin fled to the boat alone after his house was burnt and his mother was killed.

ANNAMUDIN, ROHINGYA ASYLUM SEEKER (voiceover translation): They slashed her, shot her and burnt the house.

ZOE DANIEL: He watched his home burn. He believes his six siblings all died in the fire, so he took a boat in the hope of finding his father who left to find work in Malaysia five years ago.

ANNAMUDIN (voiceover translation): I went just like that. I followed the others. I did not have my mother or anyone left.

ZOE DANIEL: He records a message to his father on my phone in the hope that we can help find him.

ANNAMUDIN (voiceover translation, mobile phone video): We are lonely at night and cry. We are bitten by mosquitoes. There is no mosquito net. When we are sick, we cannot explain to them we need medicine. They do not understand.

ZOE DANIEL: 11-year-old Marmot is also missing his dad. His mother was also killed in the violence. Now his father's been taken into detention by Thai authorities and he and his younger brother are alone.

MARMOT (voiceover translation): I miss my father and I want to see him.

ZOE DANIEL: Unsupervised in the shelter, the boys are vulnerable. Seven children have already disappeared from here and there's concern they may have fallen prey to human traffickers.

It's something that's difficult to police amid continuing accusations that Thai authorities are caught up in the trafficking business. In hiding, this man maintains that the Thai Navy intercepted the boat he was on and then facilitated a handover to a broker.

MAN (voiceover translation): The Navy asked if we had food to eat and where we were from. Before they let us go they said, "Don't tell anyone the Thai Navy has seen you."

ZOE DANIEL: He says the Navy directed the boat to land at Ranong on the Thai coast where it was met by a human trafficker who bought the human cargo. He was beaten when he tried to escape.

MAN (voiceover translation): I was punched here and my hands were tied up. They burnt me in the back here. They tied my feet and I yelled. They beat me up for two hours. I was not able to speak, so they stopped hitting me and another broker came to stop it and said, "Don't beat him anymore. He will die."

ZOE DANIEL: Friends and family raised more than $1,000 to pay the broker for his freedom. Dozens more remain in the camp.

MAN (voiceover translation): They said, "Why don't you give us money? We bought you. Why did you try to escape?" Then they hit us.

ZOE DANIEL: A recent military investigation found no Thai officers are involved in human trafficking.

The Nation Pakistan

March 12, 2013

UNITED NATIONS - While the ongoing reforms in Myanmar are improving the human rights situation, there is still a large gap between these efforts and their implementation on the ground, referring especially to the discrimination against Rohingya Muslims, a UN expert said Monday.

“While the process of reform is continuing in the right direction, there are significant human rights shortcomings that remain unaddressed, such as discrimination against the Rohingya in Rakhine state and the ongoing human rights violations in relation to the conflict in Kachin state,” the Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Myanmar, Tomas Ojea Quintana, said.

“Now is the time to address these shortcomings before they become further entrenched and destabilise the reform process.”

Several waves of clashes between ethnic Rakhine Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims have left 115,000 people displaced in Rakhine state, while some 75,000 people have fled their homes in Kachin since fighting began in June 2011 between Government troops and the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO). The fighting intensified in September and December last year, before authorities in Myanmar announced a unilateral ceasefire in January.

“The Government must establish the truth about what happened in Rakhine state during the two waves of communal violence last June and October, and hold those responsible for human rights violations to account,” Ojea Quintana said, offering his support to pursue further investigations.

Ojea Quintana also urged the Government to ease the harsh restriction on freedom of movement for the 120,000 people who remain in camps for the internally displaced in Rakhine and to begin their relocation into integrated communities before the start of the rainy season, which will flood many camps.

In Kachin, he welcomed the recent de-escalation of violence while highlighting the needs of those who have been displaced by the fighting. “I’m particularly concerned about the situation of the 40,000 displaced in non-Government controlled areas of Kachin state, and urged the Government to provide humanitarian organizations with regular access to these areas,” he said.

In addition, the Special Rapporteur expressed concern over the rights of journalists in the country due to a draft law that threatens to undo recent progress. “This would be giving with one hand while taking away with the other.” He also noted that while people now can associate freely, protestors continue to be imprisoned and police officers are still using excessive force when managing demonstrators.

Ojea Quintana acknowledged progress in other areas, such as the release of over 800 prisoners of conscience since May 2011, but called for the immediate release of the over 250 who remain behind bars. “I welcome the committee set up by the govt to identify remaining prisoners of conscience, and recommend that it be established as a permanent body to guard against future detentions for political reasons,” he said.

Ibrahim Shah

RB Analysis

March 11, 2013

In reality, if it is said neutrally and fairly about the deceptively denial of Rohingya existence into Arakan of intruders, Burmans the current ruling party of which head is a military backed high profile officer named president Thein Sein; Rohingya are the oldest indigenous commune of northern Arakan state currently Rakhine, western Myanmar who are massively living since immemorial decades, and Arakan was an independent sovereign Kingdom up to 1784 AD in that year it was invaded by Burmese King Bodawphaya. Let’s stand on the side of the intruders, Burmans and their religious Buddhist brotherhood commune Rakhines so that we could find any documentary evidence to drive out Rohingya; does the meaning of the river “Kaladan’’ relate exactly with Burmese or Persian or Arabic: its precise meaning is “intellectuals” which related accurately to Muslim so it is evident that there was Muslims, and today it is absolutely “instigating Islamophobia” to warmly welcome from international bodies to the Brutal president of Myanmar, killer Thein Sein who assures international bodies with positive attitude but alternatively he fulfils all his assurances with negative attitude since early June 2012. 

Let’s judge here actually either he is a democratic reformists or a ruler without principle and a killer 

1. Burma’s President Thein Sein has proposed opening schools to improve the education of minority Rohingya Muslim children. After some months later, all the Islamic religious houses are officially locked up and the children are miserably sitting in houses hoping further one day their destiny-door will be knocked for education. 
2. OIC and Myanmar sign agreement to establish humanitarian aid office. 
3. Accurately after six days later of mutually agreement, Thein Sein alternatively had handed-over the case to the depraved monks leader, Wirathu, one who perpetually set up Islamophobia mindset to every Buddhists to demonstrate throughout the state against OIC and the main intention of that is to dramatically show from government to international bodies that ‘suspension opening OIC office in Myanmar is the wishes of public. 
4. Since then as there are more increasingly condemnations coming from independent institutions such as HRW, AI, UN, OIC, ASEAN, etc then at once he, President Thein Sein handed over the hidden genocide so-called sectarian violence issue to the Rakhine state administration and RNDP. The head of RNDP Vet. Aye Maung is also currently MP from Rakhine State and is one of the master criminals of Rohingya genocide. He, President Thein Sein made collusion secretly with the RNDP to cover up the crimes against Rohingya. Thus it is so deplorable today that once international delegation asked about the basic rights of Rohingya then he, President Thein Sein concluded with one sentence that we had formed a special investigation team for Rakhine-Rohingya conflict and it is our internal affairs which we are thinking to solve under gradual peace process. 
5. Even it is threatened from local Rakhine commune to stop aid to Rohingya. Here is a fresh witness from MSF team­ - “That we are prevented from acting and threatened for wanting to deliver medical aid to those in need is shocking and leaves tens of thousands without the medical care they urgently need," MSF operations manager Joe Belliveau said. 

Accordingly, Since June 2012 the conflict zone, Arakan  State was banned from access of international tourists, aid groups, media and journalists because to conceal the actual and precise destructions and death tolls, and to kill more remained Rohingya making lack of adequate food which may lead to massively die of starvation. Here is not ended his inhumanely atrocities. Furthermore to implement his deportation program he prescribed discriminatory rules such as: banned proper medical treatment by Rakhine and Burmans of official doctors, nurses, restriction of movement outside camp, declared in government schools to beat and insult Rohingya children whenever they are met oppositely with Buddhists families, arbitrary arresting to demand a huge amount of money , to rape minor and elder female, suddenly penetration violently to Rohingya houses without prior notice in the name of operation for family members’ present or absent then at once during interrogation about family members there has been happening sexually assault and looting properties, slaughtering new born, dragging the beautiful virgins to the camps of concerned authorities particularly BORDER GUARD (Nasaka), etc. 

Forcefully, Thein Sein and his culprits military MPs are corporately perpetrating numerous crimes against Rohingya as mentioned above and it is out of focus of international bodies about the inner strategically enmity of local Rakhine extremists: tens of dozens of Bengali Rakhine are sheltered officially in Maungdaw Township, near bay of Bengal by direct welcome from killer Thein Sein so called democratic reformist president; where tens of thousands of Rohingya are displaced by killer regime of Thein Sein. It is democratic reforms or instigating Islamophobia?? 

While numerous atrocities are forcefully and rapidly with climax momentum taking place in Rakhine State, Thein Sein is warmly hosted in Norway during his this historic tour in European region in last portion of February 2013. Though we are vulnerable and unarmed destitute people on the earth we were gladly hoped that Norway which is among one of ‘major donors toward peace establishment in Myanmar’ would diplomatically urge to stop inhumanely cruelties on Rohingya but unexpectedly we are kicked out into destitution more hastily due to the speaking out of Journalists against the silence of Norway and its response over interrogation of journalists such as - The Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide insisted that a nation is “not obligated to give citizenship to everybody who is living there." 

And I would like to appeal to AI, HRW, OIC, ASEAN, and other remained institutions around the world to urge UN to impose more sanctions and pressures to Myanmar regime to ensure officially the fundamental rights of ethnic minorities particularly Rohingya in western Myanmar, and best regards from bottom of my heart to you for your such creditable comments for destitute Rohingya Oddny Gumaer. 

The comments is hereby copied from DVB: Oddny Gumaer from Partners Relief and Development told that she was “shocked” by Eide’s comments, which seem to back the quasi-civilian regime’s claim that Rohingyas are not legitimate citizens, even though many have lived in the country for generations. The right to citizenship is also enshrined in international law. “I cannot believe that a man with his influence would say what he did,” said Gumaer. “I am considering writing him a letter asking him if he really believes the government’s line about the Rohingya being illegal immigrants. It is wrong and ugly.” 

It is indeed miserable today that most of stable countries of enriching Nuclear weapons are busy making their strong business ties with Myanmar rather than the focusing on violation public rights particularly ethnic minority rights. Rohingya are almost to be extinct from the land, Arakan western Myanmar - reported by BBC Journalist Ms Anna Jones in 2010. According to report of UN, Rohingya is one of the most persecuted victims on this planet but we would like to be asked ourselves dreadfully and silently about our life safety: who will save us from hell-fire of killer Thein Sein who recently has been included for 2013 Noble peace prize winners chart. 

Apparently, he killer Thein Sein violently disobeyed “the Universal Declaration of Human Rights”. In fact, it is mockery to uplift him awarding Noble peace prize to such a depraved, immoral, ruler without principles, the mentor of Rohingya genocide gangsters, killer Thein Sein. During his ruling term for nearly two years, tens of thousands of Rohingya have been killed and missed, more than hundred thousands are displaced and numerous are in destitution. The main knot of oppression to the Rohingya is only because of their faith –Islam. 

Since after the immediate return of Thein Sein so called democratic reformist president into Myanmar from Europe regional tour, the Rakhine extremists with armed forces are convincing people so hastily to initiate a third Rohingya massacre before the arrival of Buddhist New Year festival, Thingyan between March and April. An eye-witness said that mostly adults male and female from Rakhine communes are trained well how to shoot guns and self-defense for resistance against opposition attacks during violence. The internal Rohingya dread terribly and screams that right now he, killer Thein Sein will kill us like small insects ants. I therefore the author of this article, on behalf of entire Rohingya community plead to world government bodies to make concentrated efforts to save from this third massacre and to globally focus on this issue: Rohingya plight crisis for a quick permanent resolution by which Rohingya people can lead their life easily as others in this 21st century otherwise who will save them from the hand of slaughter Thein Sein?. 

Ibrahim Shah is a Rohingya youth activist and a student on exoteric and esoteric knowledge of comparative religion. The writings here are of his own and do not reflect the editorial policy of RB. 

AFP

March 11, 2013

Malaysian authorities have rescued at least 136 people believed to be ethnic Rohingya Muslims fleeing strife in Myanmar aboard a leaking boat with no food or water, an official said Monday. 

The rescue brings the number of boats intercepted this year to 11, marking a "big increase" in refugee arrivals, said Tan Kok Kwee of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, following deadly sectarian violence in Myanmar. 

The boats have typically carried at least 120-240 people, added Tan, the agency's northern region enforcement chief, but could not provide a total figure for the year so far. 

The latest boat was intercepted off the northern state of Penang on Sunday with at least 96 adults and 40 children aboard, he said, adding that he was awaiting a final tally. 

The passengers said they were at sea for 25 days in the rickety and overcrowded wooden vessel and had run out of food and water, Tan said. 

Among them were 10 children less than a year old, including a two-month-old infant. They will be sent to an immigration detention centre. 

A wave of violence in Myanmar's western state of Rakhine last year has accelerated an already steady flow of refugees, typically Rohingya who increasingly have sought haven in Muslim-majority Malaysia. 

The Rohingya have been described by the UN as one of the world's most persecuted minorities. About 800,000 are estimated to live in Myanmar, which denies them citizenship, rendering them stateless. 

The UN said in January that about 13,000 boat people, including many Rohingya, fled Myanmar and neighbouring Bangladesh last year with hundreds dying at sea. 

Malaysia does not grant Rohingya refugee status but has turned a blind eye to the steady arrivals in recent years, allowing them to stay.

Human Rights Watch

March 11, 2013

(Geneva) – The United Nations Human Rights Council should retain its current level of scrutiny of Burma’s still poor human rights situation, Human Rights Watch said today.

The draft resolution on Burma for the council’s present session should continue the mandate of the special rapporteur on Burma under Item 4 of the council’s agenda to ensure monitoring and reporting on human rights developments in the country. Agenda Item 4 is for situations that require the council’s continuing attention. 

“The Human Rights Council’s support for reform in Burma should not veil international concern about continued serious abuses in the country,” said Juliette de Rivero, Geneva director at Human Rights Watch. “The council should endorse continued monitoring and reporting on Burma to move human rights reform forward and address the many challenging human rights issues that remain.” 

The recently released report of the UN special rapporteur on human rights in Burma, Tomas Ojea Quintana, outlines continued challenges to improve the rights of Rohingya Muslims, end grave violations of the laws of war in Kachin State, ensure humanitarian aid reaches populations in need, and reform or revoke rights-abusing laws. President Thein Sein, who is visiting Europe, and government representatives at the council continue to deny independent findings of continuing abuses in Burma, including those described in the Quintana report.

Pledges made by Thein Sein on November 19, 2012, on the eve of a visit to Rangoon by US President Barack Obama, included a promise to invite the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to establish an office in Burma, implement a mechanism to review the cases of political prisoners still in prison, end violence in Arakan State and hold accountable those responsible for attacks, and permit the International Committee of the Red Cross to resume prison visits and monitor conflict areas.

“The Human Rights Council should call for the fulfilment of these reform pledges and recognize that it has a prominent role to play monitoring their implementation,” de Rivero said. “Downgrading the scrutiny of the UN human rights body that has contributed so much to the current reforms would be premature and potentially disruptive of this fledgling process.” 

Human Rights Watch urged the Human Rights Council to call on the government of Burma to take the following steps to further the reform process: 

• Sign a memorandum of understanding on the establishment of an office of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in the country that has a full mandate for rights monitoring, protection, and technical assistance; 
• Fulfill the pledge to release remaining political prisoners and fully support the work of the political prisoner review mechanism established by the government in February; 
• Take all necessary measures to end human rights abuses that continue to be committed by the military, most notably in Kachin State, and hold accountable those responsible for such abuses; 
• Set a clear target date for the review of existing laws, decrees, and regulations that have been used to prosecute peaceful dissidents and otherwise violate fundamental rights, with the aim to revoke them or bring them into compliance with international human rights standards; and 
• Fulfill the pledge to “pursue sustainable political solutions that address efficient governance and rights of ethnic nationalities” in Burma. Addressing this issue should include amending the 1982 Citizenship Law, whose discriminatory provisions have been used to deny citizenship to most Rohingya Muslims and other minority groups. 

“The council should not let the government sweep the issue of minority rights under the rug,” de Rivero said. “This includes revising the 1982 Citizenship Law to end discrimination against Rohingya Muslims.”

BBC Impact

March 8, 2013

Burmese opposition party, the National League for Democracy, is holding its first party congress since it was formed more than 20 years ago. Delegates from across the country are gathering in Rangoon to set out new policies and to select new members for its ageing leadership. 

Meanwhile, the Burmese president Thein Sein is finishing his trip across Europe and will return home to a country whose recent reforms have been rewarded by the lifting of sanctions, but where ethnic populations are suffering violent assaults. 

Troops continued a raid on rebels in Kachin state in the east over recent months, despite the president's orders to cease. And in the western Rakhine state, tens of thousands of Rohingya Muslims have been displaced amid clashes with Rakhine Buddhists, violence in which some say the state is complicit. 

Lucy Hocking's was joined on BBC World News by Baroness Cox, the founder of the Humanitarian Aid Relief Trust charity and by Nurul Islam, of the Arakan Rohingya National Organisation.

M.S. Anwar 

RB Analysis 

March 10, 2013

On 9th March 2013, a conference was held at Mahidol University, Bangkok, led by Dr. Aye Chan with the help of Rakhines living in Thailand in an attempt to rewrite the history of Arakan. Neither any eminent Rohingya leaders nor any member of Rohingya community was invited to the so-called International Conference on the History of Arakan. The reason behind not inviting any Rohingya member to the conference might be to easily distort history to suit their agenda and reject Rohingyas outright. However, having realized this, a few eminent Rohingyas including Mr. Htay Lwin Oo attended the conference that hindered Dr. Aye Chan from further falsifying the history. 

First speaker in the conference was J. Leider, a French Historian, and he avoided stating that would cause conflicts. And the second was Stephen van Galen, a Dutch Scholar and he, too, avoided mentioning anything that would result in conflicts. And the last one to give speech in the conference was Dr. Aye Chan. In his talks about “From Rakhine cross-border settlement to ethnic violence,” he followed their traditional make-belief fictional story that there is no Rohingya in the history of Arakan and the term “Rohingya” was the creation of Mr. Gaffar in 1951. 

As he bluffed on so and so increase of cross-border settlements of Chittagong people in Arakan from 1826 to 1975 to become the majority in Maungdaw and Buthedaung townships, he forgot to mention the cross-border settlement of his own father, Kala Chand, a Bangladeshi Barua, in 1950s. It was not really surprising to see such a bigot falsifying the history as such and inversing the scenario of how Rohingyas became majority in Maung Daw and Buthidaung Townships (Mayu Region). Before 1942 Massacre of Rohingyas, Rohingyas were more or less equally scattered in Arakan than Rakhines were. As the aftermaths of the massacre, most of the Rohingyas from interior Arakan were pushed towards the Mayu region. Never were they able to return home and so settled in the region. This is the truth what Dr. Aye Chan was trying to distort in the conference. 

In the question and answer session, Mr. Htay Lwin Oo asked “Sir, you are a historian. Didn’t you know that the term “Rohingya” existed in Arakan before 1800 CE? If you don’t know, please read this (page)… of this (book)….” Mr. Htay Lwin Oo handed over a photocopy of the book. Upon that, Dr. Aye Chan answered “Rohingya was a name used to call us, Rakhines.” When Mr. Htay Lwin Oo rebutted that the term “Rohingya” was not a term used to call Rakhines because the terms for “Sun, Moon and Earth” mentioned in the section of Rohingya language are not same to that in the section of Rakhine languages, Dr. Aye Chan was at his wit’s end and rather hurried to end the session saying “it is enough.” Please read French Researcher and Medical Doctor Francis Buchanan’s “A Comparative Vocabulary of Some of the Languages Spoken in Burma Empire, Page 55” written in 1799 CE (http://bit.ly/TFJ4JJ). You will find the words used by Rohingyas today, not by Rakhines, under the “Rooinga” language section. And you will find totally different words under the language section of “Yakain.” Besides, in that, it is mentioned that Mohammedans used to call themselves “Rooinga” or “Rovingaw.” Now you tell us “was the term ‘Rohingya’ used to call Rakhines? 

Therefore, it is pretty obvious for even someone with a zero-knowledge on history to identify that Dr. Aye Chan was living in Rakhine’s father-to-son myths and beating around the bush. On one hand, they say there is no term such as “Rohingya” in the history of Arakan and on the other hand, it was a name used to call Rakhines. After all, how many names did Rakhines have? Rakkha, Rakkhita, Arakan, Rakuain and Rakhine, Roshang, Rohang and now Rohingya? The Sino-Tibetan tribe of Mongoloid stock hijacked the land of the forefathers of Rohingyas in 957 CE and now, they are trying to hijack even their name. Cruel and shameless invaders indeed!! 

Disgracefully, Burmese domestic media such as Eleven Media Group, Rakhine Media Groups and their Social Networking Sites are rather spreading made-up information about the conference and wrong propaganda. They are spreading adverse information: Mr. Htay Lwin Oo ran away being unable to face off with Dr. Aye Chan, which was other-way-round in the reality. The truths will prevail soon as the videos of the conference are coming up. And disgustingly, Eleven Media reported ‘International Scholars Say No Rohingya in Myanmar’ (something they have never said) taking advantage of their silence but only to fool the naïve Burmese people. Maybe these international scholars were supposed and brought to the conference to be silent upon any statements by the bigotry Rakhine scholars. 

References: 

• http://bit.ly/Y2BKwP
• http://bit.ly/15G58ev
• http://bit.ly/Yl3EjP
• http://bit.ly/TFJ4JJ

M.S. Anwar is an activist and student in Malaysia. 

GEORGE TOWN: One hundred and twenty-six Rohingya refugees were found famished by local fishermen, as their cargo boat was on the verge of sinking at 2.5 nautical miles from Muka Head, Teluk Bahang here yesterday. 

The refugees, comprising 51 men, 35 women and 40 children, had spent 25 days sailing from Myanmar to Malaysia. 

Following a report lodged by the fishermen about 2pm, the Rohingyas were rescued by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA). 

MMEA (Northern Region) enforcement chief First Admiral Tan Kok Kwee said, at the time of rescue, the refugees, aged between two months and 50, were found cramped in their boat. 

"The Rohingyas looked tired and famished because food supply had run out, three days earlier, and they had to make do with just sea water. 

"The MMEA found a leak in the boat and mobilised a maritime ship, KM Nyireh, to rescue the refugees and tow their boat. 

Investigations are underway to determine who had brought them in," he told reporters here today. 

He said the Rohingyas were taken to the Limbungan Batu Maung Jetty about 10.30am and given food, as well as health check-ups. 

The refugees are now held at the Penang MMEA headquarters in Jalan Sri Bahari, pending a remand order.

Buddhist Nationalism in Burma: How Institutionalized Racism led to the Genocide of Rohingya Muslims, Tricycle, Spring 2013 by Maung Zarni

For those outside Burma, the broadcast images of the Theravada monks of the “Saffron Revolution” of 2007 are still fresh. Backed by the devout Buddhist population, these monks were seen chanting metta and the Lovingkindness Sutta on the streets of Rangoon, Mandalay, and Pakhoke-ku, calling for an improvement in public well-being in the face of the growing economic hardships afflicting Burma’s Buddhists. The barefooted monks’ brave protests against the rule of the country’s junta represented a fine example of engaged Buddhism, a version of Buddhist activism that resonates with the age-old Orientalist, decontextualized view of what Buddhists are like: lovable, smiley, hospitable people who lead their lives mindfully and have much to offer the non-Buddhist world in the ways of fostering peace.

Buddhist Nationalism in Burma: How Institutionalized Racism led to the Genocide of Rohingya Muslims, Tricyc...

M.S. Anwar 

RB News 

March 10, 2013 

Maung Daw, Arakan - Around 2AM this morning, a joint department of NaSaKa (Border Security Force), Police and Military together with some Rakhine extremists raided and looted two Rohingya houses in the village of Shujah (ShweZar), Maung Daw. Besides, of the two families that got looted, all the members of the first family were arrested and are now detained in the NaSaKa Camp No. 14 under the Commandment Area No. 6. 

“Around 2AM this morning, a joint department of NaSaKa, Police and Military together with some Rakhine extremists broke into the houses of Abul Shadar (around 60 years old) and his brother in-law, Ramzan Ali (around 36 years old) in the village of Guna Fara Village Tract of Shujah village. In the first house, Rakhine extremists stabbed Abul Shadar at his back and hit his wife and daughter at their heads as they tried to shout out. That left their heads bleeding and led them to unconscious state. 

Then, they looted Kyat 1Million and gold jewelries weighed around 245 gram. On top of that, they all (i.e. 11 family members) were arrested without any reason and are now detained in the NaSaKa Camp No. 14 under the Commandment Area No. 6. At the same time, the house of his bother-law, Ramzan Ali, also got raided and Kyat 0.5Milion and around 114 gram weight of gold looted” said a Rohingya from a nearby village. 

“It is very difficult to do anything when Rakhine extremists come together with the enforcement agencies and loot our houses. We can’t protect our lives, dignity and properties here. We don’t know what our future holds in the hands of these evils in human forms” he exclaimed.

Nizam Ahmed

Financial Express BD

March 10, 2013

A senior official of the United States (US) is expected to visit Bangladesh, Myanmar and Japan for a week from Tuesday next to discuss issues relating to conflicts in Myanmar and exodus of refugees from the country, officials said on Saturday. 

US State Department Senior Advisor for Myanmar Mr W. Patrick Murphy will undertake the tour at such a time when fleeing Rohingya refugees from Myanmar have become a matter of concern for neighbouring countries.

The intrusion of Rohingyas in the south and the southeast Asian countries including Bangladesh have increased following spells of communal riots between Rohingya Muslims and local Buddhists in Rakhine state, in western Myanmar since June last year.

Bangladesh, which has been hosting about 400,000 unregistered refugees from Myanmar, sent back several hundred Rohingyas who wanted to take refuge in the country fleeing the recent communal riots in Myanmar.

However, before sending them back, the refugees were given medical treatment when needed, food and even cash so that they can support them at least for a few days, according to officials of Border Guard Bangladesh.

Meanwhile, India, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Sri Lanka which have been hosting lots of Rohingya refugees since Myanmar riots last year, recently rescued hundreds of boat-people, mostly Rohingyas from the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean.

Senior Adviser Mr Murphy is scheduled to arrive in Dhaka Tuesday on a two-day visit to Bangladesh. He will also travel to Myanmar and Japan until March 18, said a press release of the US State Department made available to the FE on Saturday.

Mr Murphy will visit Rangoon, Naypyitaw and other Myanmar cities from March 13 to March 16, and the Japanese capital Tokyo on March 17 and 18, the state department said.

The senior adviser is expected to discuss with the relevant authorities in Dhaka and civil society groups on reforms and other recent developments in Myanmar.

"In particular, he will discuss US policies, conflict in Rakhine and Kachin States, and international support, including responsible investment, to strengthen reform and reconciliation efforts," said the press release.

Mr Murphy is also expected to pay a whirlwind visit to southeastern Cox's Bazar region to see the plight of the Myanmar refugees now living there, officials at the ministry of foreign affairs (MoFA) said in Dhaka.

"However the itinerary of Mr Murphy has no mention of a probable visit to refugee camps in Cox's Bazar district, but the arrangement will be kept ready in case the senior US adviser wants to visit the refugee infested region," a senior official at MoFA told the FE.

Like the US administration, Bangladesh has also a great concern on the Myanmar issues as tens of thousands of unregistered refugees from Myanmar have seriously affected socio economic situation in the refugee infested region.

The unregistered Rohingya refugees from Myanmar are now living in scattered squalid makeshift camps in southeastern region of Bangladesh near Myanmar border.

Besides the unregistered refugees, there are some 30,000 Rohingyas living in two official camps, run by the government of Bangladesh and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, near Cox's Bazar resort town.

The inmates of the official camps are the remnants of some 250,000 Rohingya refugees, who fled Myanmar alleging persecution by military junta in late 1991 and 1992.

Recently, hundreds of Rohingya Muslims trying to flee their native Arakans (now Rakhine state) of Myanmar or their makeshift camps in Bangladesh have been nabbed or rescued from the sea in recent weeks in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, India and Sri Lanka, according to news agencies.

Since the communal clashes began in Arakan State in June 2012, the number of Rohingyas fleeing by boats to neighbouring Southeast Asian countries has increased significantly.

News agencies say many Rohingyas flee Buddhist-majority Myanmar, which considers them illegal Muslim settlers from neighboring Bangladesh.

However, Bangladesh refutes the stance of Myanmar and claims that the Rohingys have been the residents of Arakan for several hundred years.

Meanwhile, the United Nations has recently considered about 800,000 Rohingya people of Myanmar's Rakhine state as the most persecuted people in the world.

With an estimated 115,000 people in Arakan displaced by the communal clashes, it is not surprising thousands more Rohingyas have fled from other parts of Arakan State not only by boat, but by air and overland too, say the news agencies.

M.S. Anwar 

RB News 

March 9, 2013

Maung Daw, Arakan - Around 3AM on 9th March 2013, five extremist Rakhine youths attempted to torch a house owned by Rohingya in Shikdar Fara (Myoma Kayintan), Maung Daw. Fortunately, the house owner happened to wake up in time to prevent his house from being torched. 

“Five extremist Rakhine youths came to the house of Zahid Hussain S/o Nurul Amin at around 3AM secretly and with them, there were petrol gallons and lighters. The house owner woke up and saw them trying to torch his house. When the house-owner and his neighbors chased them, four of the escaped and one got caught. Upon questioning, the Rakhine who got caught said that he was Minbraa Township and had been in Maung Daw for around 10 days. Then, he suddenly began to behave as if he was a fool. 

Later, the villagers informed the commander of the military battalion encamped at the High School in the village that they had caught a Rakhine trying to set fire to a house. The battalion commander, without even asking who he was, said “he is a fool” and asked the villagers to inform the Police. Police came and they, too, without even seeing him, said “he is a fool.” And Police released him. The guy was again seen traversing in the village in the evening of the day” said a Rohingya Elder from Maung Daw.

“There are curfew order imposed at night and two military camps at the two ends of the village. Police and Military always patrol at night. So, how could they come at night to set fire to the house? How could the commander say that he was a fool without even asking who was the person that got caught? If he was really a fool, why did he give some straight answers at first? Above all, why is he set free if he is a fool? There are a lot one can question upon. But we feel it is a CONSPIRACY to create violence against Rohingyas again, in which the enforcement authorities are involved. Now, we suspect that the six houses of Rohingyas burnt down in the village the night before might have been torched by the same fools” he continued.

March 7, 2013

Burma Campaign UK

March 8, 2013

British government receiving; ‘disturbing reports of the use of sexual violence by the military in Burma.’ 

On International Women’s Day, Burma Campaign UK is calling on members of the United Nations Human Rights Council to ensure that the Council continues to investigate serious human rights abuses in Burma, including sexual violence. There have been moves by some countries not to renew the mandate of the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Burma, and for Burma to be downgraded from agenda Item 4; ‘Human rights situations that require the Council’s attention’, to Item 10, ‘Technical assistance and capacity building.’ 

UN Human Rights Council members will discuss Burma on Monday 11th March. 

The moves come just one week after a British Foreign Office Minister, Baroness Warsi, stated: “We continue to receive disturbing reports of the use of sexual violence by the military in Burma. We are concerned that the Burmese authorities have done little to investigate.” The statement came in an answer to a question in the British Parliament on 26th February 2013. 

“Since Thein Sein became President, we have received more, not fewer, reports of rape and sexual violence by the Burmese Army,” said Zoya Phan, Campaigns Manager at Burma Campaign UK. “The government of Burma continues to either ignore or deny its forces are committing sexual violence, instead of investigating and stopping the attacks. If Human Rights Council members end the mandate of the Special Rapporteur, they will be helping the Burmese government to cover up rape and other abuses. In their own countries if they helped a rapist get away with their crime that would also be a crime. There are double standards here and women in Burma are being left to pay the price.” 

Numerous cases of rape and sexual violence by government forces in the past two years have been documented in Shan State, Rakhine State and Kachin State. Reports are available online at: http://www.burmacampaign.org.uk/index.php/campaigns/crimes-against-humanity/142/132

“It is not just naive but also criminally negligent to think the issue of rape and sexual violence in Burma can be addressed internally without international involvement,” said Zoya Phan. “Thein Sein has presided over an increase of sexual violence by government forces and has taken no action. He has a track record of allowing his soldiers to commit rape. When he was a commander in Shan State in the 1990s, the Shan Women’s Action Network documented 45 cases of rape by soldiers under his command.”

Greg Torode

South China Morning Post

March 8, 2013
 

United Nations officials have demanded urgent explanations from Thailand over reports that its security forces shot dead up to 15 unarmed Rohingya migrants trying to flee neighbouring Myanmar. 

Vivian Tan, spokeswoman for the UN's High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Thailand, said officials yesterday met counterparts from the Thai Foreign Ministry in Bangkok. 

"We … are watching this closely and we are concerned," Tan said. While no specific timetable was offered from the Thai side, "we did say it was urgent".

Her comments follow reports in yesterday's South China Morning Post from its correspondents in Phuket detailing allegations from survivors of the February 22 incident near the island of Phuket on Thailand's Andaman coast. 

The alleged killings came during an attempt by the military to transfer about 20 migrants from the boat that had carried them and more than 100 others from Myanmar to a smaller boat. 

Some feared they would be separated from family members and jumped into the water, at which point the military opened fire, witnesses said. Survivors are being sheltered by local Thai villagers, some of whom heard the shooting and photographed Thai military vessels towing a Rohingya vessel. Thai naval officials have yet to comment. 

Tan said the UNHCR was aware of earlier, vague media reports of shootings in Thailand from Rohingya boatpeople arriving in Sri Lanka and two recent boatloads in Aceh, on the north-western tip of the Indonesian island of Sumatra. 

UNCHR staff had yet to be allowed access to the Sri Lanka migrants but had started interviewing the arrivals in Aceh. 

"We are aware of the reports but we don't yet have our own information. We are trying to find out what happened," Tan said. 

If correct, the reports suggest a lethal new twist in Thailand's previously controversial handling of the Rohingya, according to diplomats and observers. 

Conservative Muslims from Myanmar's isolated Rakhine state, Rohingya have been described by the UNHCR as the most persecuted people on earth. 

Denied citizenship in Myanmar - despite settlements going back centuries - Rohingya have fled across the land border with Bangladesh, where hundreds of thousands still languish in camps, and by boat to Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia. 

Lack of citizenship means it is difficult for Rohingya to marry or work legally. 

Thousands have set sail to escape a recent outbreak of violence targeting their communities in Myanmar while hundreds languish in Thailand, which has yet to allow the UNHCR to screen them as refugees. 

In 2009, a series of Post reports revealed a campaign by Thailand's Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC), an elite but secretive Thai army unit, to tow Rohingya in powerless boats out to sea and cast them adrift. 

Hundreds died before the policy was disavowed by then-prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva. 

ISOC officials launched the crackdown apparently fearing the Rohingya could swell the number of terrorists in Thailand's restive Muslim deep south - even though they have never been linked to any violent groups. 

Since then, the Thai military has publicly adopted a policy of "helping on" Rohingya boats intercepted at sea, supplying them with fuel, food and water on the promise that they keep sailing and do not land in Thailand.

OpenDemocracy

March 7, 2013

The Rohingya, a Muslim minority from Rakhine State in Burma, are among the most persecuted minorities in the world. Hamid sends a letter detailing the violence and exclusion his community continues to face. 

Since June 2012 the Rohingya have been subject to an intense spate of inter-communal violence and state-sanctioned persecution in Myanmar (Burma). Reports of untold deaths, thousands of homes being destroyed, and tens of thousands of Rohingya being displaced have coincided with a time of great change for the country as it transitions to democracy. 

The Rohingya are a Muslim minority from Rakhine State in western Burma, and have been acknowledged by the United Nations to be one of the most persecuted minorities in the world. For decades, the estimated 800,000 population from Rakhine State has confronted restrictions on their freedom of movement, marriage, education, and worship. In 1982 the Government of Burma enacted the ‘Burma Citizenship Law’ constitutionally excluding the Rohingya people from citizenship, making them a stateless people. At the heart of the tension lies a contested history of the origins of the Rohingya. The Burmese government considers them to be illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. 

Bangladesh, as the eighth most populated country in the world, is estimated to be host to over 200,000 Rohingya refugees. Whilst many refugees have resided in Bangladesh since 1978, with another key migration in 1991, the recent arrival of those fleeing persecution from Burma has stirred ongoing tensions. Competition over scarce resources and employment is said to have fueled these tensions between local residents and the Rohingya. This, along with the Government of Bangladesh’s suspension of humanitarian aid in refugee camps in July 2012, prompted my investigations about the protection needs of the Rohingya. 

After making research inquiries into the consequences of forced migration on both the Rohingyas and the local Bangladesh host population in the Cox’s Bazar District of southern Bangladesh, I met a community with a resounding plea for international help and for others to know the Rohingya story. 

One young man, Hamid, wrote this letter, and requested his testimony be shared. 

[Editor's note: Where marked, the text below is expedited for Hamid's security. Grammar has been altered for ease of reading. In all other respects this is an unedited translation of Hamid's letter. ] 

Who I am 

I finished my primary study in U Hla Pae village and continued my high school in Buthidaung Township. After I finished my study, I continued to study politics. However I could not live in my hometown and had to flee to Bangladesh, and am now living in Cox’s Bazar. Bangladesh government also arrested me here with illegal entry to Bangladesh from Myanmar. It is very difficult to get a job here as an illegal immigrant. We are neither accepted by the Bangladesh government nor Myanmar government. We cannot go back to Myanmar. We would like to request to the international community to show us a peaceful place. I am here now for 5 months. I came here to save my life and feed myself. Because there are so many Rohingya in Bangladesh, we only get work once a week. We do not know what to do. People coming from Myanmar are now starving. These people get food once a day only. The Bangladesh government also arrests them. These people cannot live in cities so they have to stay in countryside villages. My hope is to get donations from rich countries to feed us. [sentence excluded for confidentiality]. I am very thankful and grateful that you listen to our news. I cannot give information about us because I cannot get in contact with any NGOs. 

Reality behind the Taunggot event 

A group of 52 Muslim pilgrims from Yangon, former capital of Myanmar travelled to the cities in Rakhine state with the purpose of religious activities. For their activities, they had to stay for 45 days in different cities and travelled to Yangon through Taunggot. Taunggot is a crosslink city between Rakhine state and Yangon division. On the way back to Yangon on 3rd June 2012, a Rakhine mob attacked them in Taunggot highway. The mob was so cruel that the pilgrim group was killed inhumanly. They were beaten in head till their brains came out, and slaughtered. That night, the Rakhine mob openly celebrated their successful killings with music and alcohol in Taunggot with the presence of local authorities. 

Reality about the story in Kyauk Ni Maw (Than Dwe) 

In Kyauk Ni Maw, a Rakhine girl was in love with a Kaman Muslim boy since their high school. There was another Rakhine boy who loved this Rakhine girl. The two lovers broke up for some reason. In general, Rakhine girls were not allowed to have affairs with Muslims in Rakhine state. Therefore some Rakhines made a plan to kill that girl for not loving someone of the same race ([the] Rakhine boy) and murdered her inhumanly. After she was murdered, her body was left closer to the Muslim village and accused her former lover, the Muslim boy, as the rapist and murderer and arrested him. However according to initial medical report, she was not raped at all. Together with him, two of his Muslim friends were also arrested with the same accusation. With that news, some Rakhine extremists distributed pamphlets to instigate the anger and hatred against Muslims among the Rakhine community. 

Reality behind the events at Myauk-O, Kyauk Phyu and Kyauk Taw 

In Myauk-O, the number of Rakhine villages is more than Muslim villages. Therefore Muslim population is much less than Rakhine population. Rakhine used their numbers as an advantage and killed Muslims above 4000 by using long knife and guns. Among the victims, 2500 were children and new born babies. Rakhines attached the new born babies at the edge of steel rods and put into fire. Many Muslim houses were also burnt down. Similar stories in Kyauk Phyu and Kyauk Taw as well. 

Reality behind Sittwe’s crisis 

In Sittwe, it started on 7 June 2012. The Rakhine started killing Muslims, burning the houses in Zalla Fara (a Muslim village) and all villagers were killed on that day. It continued to other Muslim villages such as Nazir Fara, Amala Fara, Hausha Fara, San Taw Laik, Bomu Rwar and Bo Pwa Fara with the combination of Rakhines, Police forces, NaSaKa (Burmese Border Security Forces), Lone Tein and Military forces. Rakhines used long knives and homemade guns while the government forces [used] guns to kill Muslims. 

Muslims were burnt alive in their own houses and some were tied up while being burnt. Children and newborn babies were thrown into the river when the Rakhines got tired of stabbing with knives. Some of the children were also thrown into fire. All the government bodies in Sittwe were involved in helping the Rakhine mob to target Muslims. Rakhines had guns and together with Nasaka, Police and Lone Tein, they directly shot at Muslims. Those who were not killed and became homeless are in refugee concentration camps now. 

Muslims from Sittwe tried to flee from their birth places to save their lives and travelled by five small boats to Bangladesh. However those five boats were not accepted by the Bangladesh government and were pushed back towards Burma. Among 5 boats, 3 boats were destroyed by NaSaKa with guns in the sea. The other 2 were also not lucky. There were few pregnant women in those 2 boats and they all died while trying to deliver the baby on the boat. The remaining Muslims were also shot dead by local security forces when they reached back to Rakhine state side. 

Local security forces were famous for torturing and raping Muslim women previously. In this crisis, they did not stay behind doing all those atrocities towards Muslim girls. The government never take action for that. The monks also encouraged and instigated the Rakhines to kill Muslims. Moreover, the monks were involved by themself to kill and drive away Muslims from their land by changing their clothes to ordinary people. 

Reality behind Maungdaw’s crisis 

In Maungdaw, it was started on 8 June 2012. When the problem started in Maungdaw between Rakhine and Muslims, NaSaKa supported to first Rakhines to kill Muslims. When there was a big chance of a riot starting in Maungdaw, a Rakhine trashed a Muslim with his motor bike on 8 June 2012 at 12 pm. After hitting the Muslim, he ran away and the police came and arrested and tortured the victim instead of the Rakhine in the street where the intentional accident happened. When the Muslims (around 10) gathered to the event and asked the police why he was torturing and beating him instead of the Rakhine, the police left the scene with anger and the Muslim was escaped. 

That day was Friday and therefore all Muslims go to mosque to pray Juamma at noon. During that time, the police and NaSaKa force arrived and waited outside till people came out from mosque and shot at Muslims and 2 Muslims died on the spot. When the police and NaSaKa fired shots into the group, people were dispersed and ran away in different directions. After that scene, the Rakhine went to a local mosque and fired it to burn it down. Muslim houses were also burnt down. As the officers shot fire into Muslims, some of them were seriously injured and some of them escaped to Bangladesh to save their life and to treat their injuries. Some are still in Chittagong continuing their treatment and some were dead with their injuries. Back in Maungdaw, NaSaKa threw some Muslim corpses into the river. 

Reality behind Buthidaung’s crisis 

In Buthidaung, there were no clashes yet between Rakhines and Muslims as the Rakhines are the minority there. The military station Sa Kha Ka group no 15 and Strategy group no 18 are trying to not have any clashes till today. However the commissioner from the police station commanded the police officers to arrest the educated Muslims from every village and kept them in police custody for 2 days and sent to jail. Some of the Muslims were tortured to death. The police are still arresting the known and rich Muslims and extorting money from them to release them from jails. If the demanded money cannot be provided, the Muslims were tortured inhumanely. 

Recently the monks from Buthidaung called a meeting for Rakhines and made a secret plan to bring the guns from Sittwe together with Rakhines from there and stored in Buthidaung. The Muslims are afraid of the guns as they do not have anything to protect themselves. The local government also support the Rakhines and encourage them to attack and oppress Muslims. All of the police are Rakhines and therefore they do not show any mercy to shoot at Muslims. On 3 November 2012, the military seized 180 handmade guns from Rakhines in Buthidaung. 

Law and Order in Rakhine State 

In 1950s and 1960s, Muslims from Rakhine state from various cities entered to government posts after they finished their study. However now Muslims cannot enter to government jobs at all. Moreover they created different law and order for Muslims in the whole of Rakhine state. Muslims have to follow the rule strictly. No Rakhine has to follow that rule. Muslims cannot marry according to Islamic law. Muslims can only marry after paying 300,000 kyats to NaSaKa (Boarder security forces). Only Muslims who have money can marry and poor Muslims cannot. If anyone marries without getting permission from NaSaKa they can be sentenced to 5 years according to strict law. Rakhine people do not have such kind of rule. If Muslims have to visit to Maungdaw and Buthidaung, they have to get permission (called Form 4) from the authority. To obtain that form, 5000 kyats need to be paid and anyone who is caught travelling without that form, he/she will be sentenced to 4 years. 

Moreover one cannot live in another house even in the same village without permission. Muslims cannot stay in their relatives’ house without any permission from the authority. Otherwise they will be fined 300,000 kyats. It is a very miserable life for Muslims in Rakhine state. 

Four years ago, the police forces and NaSaKa forces went to villages in Buthidaung and Maungdaw and gathered all the young girls, young boys and women in police headquarters. They were raped, tortured and beaten inhumanely. Muslims are facing all difficulties to survive in Rakhine state. 

Another important matter is that the authority is giving trouble with improper law to UNHCR and UNDP, with the accusation of sending the news of Rakhine state overseas, and sentenced to jails some staff. Those who sent information through the internet and mobile phone are sentenced to 45 years. Therefore some of the real news from Maungdaw and Buthidaung was not sent through internet and phone. Moreover the internet lines were filtered and closed not to be able to send the news. Therefore the international community do not get the real information of Rakhine state. Therefore I am trying now to send the news to international communities. 

I hope this letter will reach everyone and after reading this, please help and sympathize to Muslims in Rakhine state. 

This letter is directly translated from the original Burmese letter. Translated by Mohammed Anwar, the current president of the Burmese Rohingya Community in Australia. 

This testimony is not necessarily representative of the researcher's views.