Chutima Sidasathian and Alan Morison

South China Morning Post

March 14, 2013

More damning evidence has emerged of what villagers describe as the "slaughter" of Rohingya refugees by members of the Thai military near the holiday island of Phuket, with Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra pledging to investigate the incident. 

A fisherman said he and others saw 15 to 20 corpses floating off the coast close to Hinlad village, near the port of Kuraburi, where four Rohingya survivors and villagers say shootings took place on February 22. 

The four survivors, who were among about 130 boat people who arrived in the area from Myanmar on February 21, said last week that the shooting occurred as members of the Thai military tried to separate the refugees between two boats. 

Some Rohingya refused. When the troops fired a warning shot, about 20 jumped overboard. The troops then opened fire on those in the water, survivors and villagers claimed. 

"I saw three bodies, one of the bodies was a woman," fisherman Yutdana Sangtong said yesterday. "But my friends on the other side of the bay said they saw about 15 to 20 bodies all together."

Sangtong said a friend described the bodies as being in a decomposed state. He believes the currents have since carried the dead out to sea. 

Red Cross Rescue Service leader Manat Aree said that he recovered two bloated bodies from the area on February 26 and 27, after being told their location by fishermen. 

The South China Morning Post saw photographs of the two male corpses, one of which clearly bore a wound to the head. 

"We would have liked to fetch the other bodies but we could not because we had no money for fuel for our boat," Manat said. 

The bodies were taken to Kuraburi hospital, then reclaimed by villagers for a swift burial according to Muslim custom. Villagers showed the graves to reporters. 

Hinlad's deputy chief Aduwat Ahamad works in a paramilitary role for Thailand's Internal Security Operations Command, which oversees border security and has been linked to previous mistreatment of the Rohingya. 

"In the past, we closed one eye to the people-trafficking that has been going on in secret all along the coast. But I cannot stay silent with the deaths of innocent Muslims. My heart is broken by this slaughter," he said. 

Aduwat was among eight villagers who support the account of the incident provided by the four Rohingya who made it to shore. They said a military patrol boat arrived on the scene soon after the refugee boat arrived and towed the Rohingya vessel. The next morning, villagers reported hearing gunfire. 

A video shot by locals shows the Rohingya boat under tow by a patrol boat with the hull designation 214. 

The four survivors disappeared at the weekend from the village where they were being sheltered. They have since telephoned their former protectors in Hinlad to say they are safe and in Malaysia. 

The village imam, Alit Damchor, said many Rohingya had come ashore around the Kuraburi district because word had spread that people there were tolerant and generous. Hinlad and other villages nearby are predominantly Muslim. 

"Our direction and the government's direction are totally different," Alit said. "Our concept of how to treat the Rohingya is also very different." 

The Thai navy has denied reports of the February 22 incident, without elaborating. However, on Monday night Yingluck pledged to investigate. 

"Our government has a policy to take care of the Rohingya on humanitarian grounds, so they won't be pushed back," she said. "We will investigate this." 

In a statement issued yesterday, US-based Human Rights Watch said the Thai navy had shot at the Rohingya and caused at least two deaths. The group called for an immediate government investigation. 

"Rohingya fleeing Burma should be given protection, not shot at," said Brad Adams, the group's Asia director. "The Thai government should urgently investigate why sailors opened fire on boat people helpless in the sea, and prosecute all those found responsible." 

The rights group also called on Thai authorities to reveal the whereabouts of the remaining 100-plus Rohingya, who it said were last seen in navy custody. 

Thai authorities have adopted a policy of "helping on" Rohingya boats which are apprehended in Thai waters, providing them with fuel, food and water on condition they do not land in Thailand. Thai security forces also co-ordinated a secret policy of towing the Rohingya out to sea in unpowered boats and casting them adrift. 

Hundreds died in 2008 and 2009 before the policy was exposed and repudiated.

RB News 

March 14, 2013 

Amsterdam: Burmese Rohingya Community in Netherlands (BRCNL) had meeting with Jan Waltmans, Director for Asia of Minister for Foreign Affairs of Netherlands in Amsterdam on March 13, 2013. 

Chairman of BRCNL, Sazaat Ahammed along with three other members of BRCNL joined the meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Den Haag on March 13 from 2 to 3 pm. 

In the meeting, Sazaat Ahammed, Chairman of BRCNL handed over a letter along with a document that contained 52 graphic photos of the victims of genocide on Rohingya. 

Sazaat expressed the brief history Rohingya existence in Arakan State of Burma and recent genocide began on June 8, 2012. He also discussed about current situation of Rohingya IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons) and the situation of the Rohingyas in Northern Arakan State. 

In the meeting with Director for Asia of Minister for Foreign Affairs Jan Waltmans, Chairman of BRCNL, Sazaat Ahammed has pointed the proposal to deport the Rohingya from Arakan to third countries, the intention of not to revise 1982 citizenship law and awkward example of a Rohingya family has more than 70 family members by Burma President Thein Sein.

Letter to the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Netherlands by BRCNL

To:

President Barack H. Obama

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

Washington, DC 20500

Date: March 14, 2013

Sub: An Urgent Appeal to save the Rohingyas of Arakan-Burma

Dear Mr. President,

First of all, we, the members of the Burmese Rohingya American Friendship Association (BRAFA) would like to thank you for your historic visit to Burma (Myanmar) on November 19, 2012 and your great speech in Yangon University Convocation Hall in which you brought the issue of the suffering Rohingya people to the audience of the people of Burma.

The Rohingya community of Arakan, Burma (Myanmar) is one of the most down-trodden ethnic minorities of the world. They are victims of political, racial and religious oppression, economic exploitation and cultural slavery in their ancestral homeland-Arakan where they have been living for many centuries.

In this regard, we would like to bring to your kind attention that after your visit and the advocacy of solution of the Rohingya people nothing was changed. Moreover, the situation of the suffering Rohingya people has been more worsen and still today going on as following.

(1) No any kind of appropriate action and concrete plan has been taken yet by the Burmese quasi-civilian Government to solve the problems of the Rohingyas, to resettle them in their original villages which were burned down and destroyed by the Buddhist Rakhine people and Burmese security forces during the year 2012 in June and October and including the restoration of Rohingyas citizenship rights;

(2) The lives of the Muslim Rohingyas become so miserable with the artificial creation of starvation and unbearable hardship that Rohingyas are risking their lives escaping in small wooden boat by sea in search of safety and shelter unaware of where they are going, most of them were drown and died whereas some of them were able to reach floating to Indian Andaman island, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and etc…;

(3) The Arakan State Government officials and its supported Rakhine ruling political party (RNDP) leaders and members are blocking the humanitarian relief goods and medical supplies to the segregated camps where more than 120,000 Rohingyas are passing their days in subhuman condition. So, the situation of the Rohingyas in the camp is very bad as there is not enough food, clean water, hygiene and medical facilities for which hundreds of people comprising pregnant women, elder people and children have died due to severe starvation;

(4) The Immigration authority of the Arakan State Government with the direction of central government administration officials has been inflicting physical and psychological trauma by forcing the Rohingyas to confess Bengali ethnicity instead of Rohingya identity in the family data-checkup;

(5) More than 1,100 Muslim Rohingyas comprising scholars, religious and community leaders, students and youths are being arrested on fabricated charges and false accusations who are severely tortured in the prison some of whom were found dead due to excessing use of force and inhuman treatment by the Burmese prison security officials on the basis of reliable witnesses who came out from the prison paying a large amount of bribe to the government officials and security forces;

(6) Bangladeshi citizens Buddhist Rakhine families are brought into the Arakan by the local Arakan State Government and resettle them in the confiscated lands owned by the Rohingya people. The current Arakan State Government also has replaced Rohingya Holy places, historical monument and relics by building monasteries, pagodas and other Buddhist structures;

(7) The one sided violence against the innocent Rohingya people still today not mitigated and the President Thein Sein led Burmese Government authority has been subjecting them to severe persecutions including torture, looting, extortion, arbitrary arrest, summary executions, serious restriction on movement, restriction on employment, trade and business, seizure and confiscation of land and property, raping of Muslim women and young girls have become common practice, forced relocation and eviction, restriction to pursue higher education, prohibition of marriage of Rohingya couples, forced birth control and restriction on daily religious practices etc. rendering them to the status of modern-day slaves;

Considering the above mentioned major factors of the extreme suffering and worsening condition of the Rohingya people of Arakan State-Burma, we, the members of the Burmese Rohingya American Friendship Association (BRAFA) would like to urgently appeal our President of Great America to help and save the Rohingyas of Arakan on humanitarian ground.

Thanking you very much in advance and we greatly appreciate your kind attention to this very important matter of the suffering Rohingya people of Arakan.

Respectfully,

The Executive Committee Members

Burmese Rohingya American Friendship Association (BRAFA)

Milwaukee

Wisconsin.

Ibrahim Shah

RB Poem

March 13, 2013

Let’s struggle for liberty of Rohingya 

The native of Arakan, Rohingya you , 

Come nearer hastily where are you . 

Storm is hitting on nation but we are sitting lazily, 

Come whatever abilities you have to protect the nation. 

And don’t sleep you, 

Once they spoil the dignity of our mother and sister 

Come awakening with the might of heart, 

For resistance we against the racist 

And how many days would watch putting hand over chest, 

Suffering we the atrocities of mogh and Burmans and, 

Would die without movement any limbs we. 

Not anymore not anymore we would loosen against Mogh and Burman 

The native of Arakan, Rohingya you 

Come nearer hastily where are you. 

There is neither dread nor worry Rohingya for you, 

in Quran has witness about getting victory title or die as martyr we. 

Oh impudent Rohingya, pondered this ever have you? 

We have to be imprisoned once our nation seek political asylum, 

In turn of other nation they are granted costly shelter, 

Of made put bouquet over neck with better treatment. 

Come congregationally all of you, 

To protect the dignity of parents and siblings. 

We are struggling this time 

To set free the entire Rohingya nation forever 

From Mogh and Burman racists.

RB Poem

March 13, 2013

Patrick Boehler

Irrawaddy 

March 13, 2013

RANGOON — A member of Parliament for Burma’s ruling Union and Solidarity Party (USDP) has warned that simmering tensions between Buddhists and Muslims in Arakan State could lead to another outbreak of communal violence. 

“If the government doesn’t take any action, I fear for further violence in the very near future,” Shwe Maung, the USDP Lower House lawmaker for Buthidaung Township, said. “I’m not saying this emotionally. After proper analysis I am telling you that we need to control it, not let it happen.” 

At the same time, however, the Muslim lawmaker warned that “ ethnic hatred will become more and more” if the media focuses too much attention on crimes committed in the strife-torn state. 

“We can see a lack of the rule of law. Action taken by the local government is very unfair.” 

Shwe Maung joined the USDP a month ahead of the November 2010 parliamentary elections, and has since been a vocal supporter of an amendment to Burma’s 1982 citizenship law, which bars the Muslim Rohingya population mostly living in his state from being recognized as Burmese citizens. 

“In my personal view, it must be amended,” he said of the controversial law, which was introduced under former dictator Ne Win. 

Several clashes between Rohingya Muslims and ethnic Arakanese Buddhists left 115,000 displaced and more than 100 dead last year, according to United Nations estimates. Some 13,000 Rohingya fled the country on boats in 2012, and around 500 people are believed to have died at sea as a result. 

The lawmaker, also known as Abdul Razak, said he was concerned that the government’s failure to bring security to his state could lessen his party’s chances of being re-elected to power. 

“It will reflect especially in my constituency,” he said. “We need to explain to the people that [the failure] is not party policy, this is the responsibility of the government.” 

“Of course, the government is from the USDP, but they are working separately,” he said in his Rangoon office. 

“It will be difficult to stay in power” if the ethnic tensions in his state and in Kachin State aren’t solved before the 2015 elections, the lawmaker said. 

“But even other parties are not bringing any solutions. Especially the NLD has no solution,” he added, referring to Burma’s main opposition party, the National League for Democracy, led by Aung San Suu Kyi. 

Shwe Maung positioned himself as a supporter of Lower House Speaker Shwe Mann, calling the former armed forces joint chief of staff “intelligent, calm and professional,” amid reports that he would be taking over the ruling party’s chairmanship, a position currently occupied by President Thein Sein. 

“Although Thein Sein is the chairman, according to the Constitution he cannot fulfill the duties of the party,” said Shwe Maung, explaining why the president is stepping down as USDP chairman. 

Shwe Mann, who is currently the deputy chairman of the USDP, is ideally suited to assume the chairmanship, and stands a good chance of becoming Burma’s next president, believes Shwe Maung. 

“I believe he could be president in 2015, because when I look at him in Parliament, I see him accepted by all the parties,” he said. 

The lawmaker added that Shwe Mann had a better chance of becoming president that NLD leader Suu Kyi. 

“It doesn’t mean that she could not be president—she is highly qualified,” he said. “But becoming a president not only depends on qualifications, it also depends on the support of MPs.”

New Straits Times

March 13, 2013

ILLEGAL ENTRY: The 184 foreigners, including 68 children, had arrived in a cramped fishing vessel 

ALOR STAR: A TOTAL of 184 Rohingya, including 68 children, from Myanmar were detained for illegal entry at Pantai Kuala Jerlun in Jerlun, near here, early yesterday. 

The foreigners had earlier arrived in a cramped fishing vessel, manned by several Myanmar nationals, before they were forced to swim to the shore about 7am. 

They had were also forced to wade through a muddy patch before reaching the shore. 

Most of the Rohingya foreigners, especially the children, appeared pale and weak when they landed on the beach. 

It was learnt that the foreigners had been on the boat for about 12 days before they arrived here. 

Villagers, who tipped off the presence of the foreigners to the authorities, took pity on the Rohingya refugees and offered them food and drinks. 

The foreigners were picked up by 50 enforcement and security personnel comprising policemen, Immigration Department enforcement officers, Rela volunteers and members of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency. 

Shamsuddin Shafie, 38, said he was returning home from his fishing trip when he saw the refugees swimming to the shore. 

“My heart sank when I saw them trying to make it through the muddy beach.” 

State Immigration Department enforcement division chief Nar Aza man Ibrahim said the refugees would be placed at several immigration depots in the country. 

“However, two of the children would be sent to a protection house in Bukit Jalil since we could not locate their parents,” he said.

Ramzy Baroud

Gulf News

March 13, 2013

More voices must join those who are speaking out in support of the rights of the Muslims of Myanmar and their perpetual suffering must end

“Transparency is the most important word”. That was the pledge made by a Burmese official, Aung Kyaw Htoo on March 4, during a press conference in the capital Rangoon. It was aimed at wooing foreign companies to invest in his country’s energy sector. Largely untapped oil, gas and other industries in Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, promise to magnify the country’s economic potential and reap huge profits for everyone involved — regional and western companies, and, of course, the Burmese government. 

Kyaw Htoo, like other Burmese officials, knows how to iterate the needed key phrases that would tickle the soft spots of western media and governments. In fact, a whole democracy whitewash has been underway for quite some time now, taking the military junta in Rangoon through a most fascinating journey — from being perceived as an oppressive regime with a disconcerting human rights record to one managing a budding democracy. The official “promised international standards would be upheld in auctions for the rights to explore and exploit lucrative energy reserves,” Germany’s Deutsche Welle reported on March 5. 

Reality, however, is much too removed from official newspeak. When such words as ‘lucrative energy reserves’ and ‘exploit’ appear in the same sentence, ‘international standards’ become much more malleable and open for interpretation. International human rights standards seem completely absent regarding the immense suffering and humiliation of the Rohingya people, who according to the United Nations, as reported in Reuters, are “virtually friendless” in the face of a relentless ethnic cleansing campaign threatening their very existence. 

On February 26, fishermen discovered a rickety wooden boat floating randomly at sea, nearly 25km off the coast of Indonesia’s northern province of Aceh. The Associated Press reported there were 121 people on board including children who were extremely weak, dehydrated and nearly starved. They were Rohingya refugees who preferred to take their chances at sea rather than stay in Myanmar.

This is hardly an isolated event. Such deadly journeys are reported daily, although each with a traumatic twist of its own. Another large rescue took place off the coast of India’s eastern Andaman archipelago, the Andaman Sheekha website reported, where 108 Rohingyas in dismal conditions were rescued on February 28. 

A week earlier, a group of Rohingya refugees were not so lucky. Writing from Phuket, Chutima Sidasathian and Alan Morison reported on the killing of at least two and the wounding of as many as 15 Rohingyas by Thai security forces. “The killings, which are said to have occurred on February 21, came during a botched attempt by the military to transfer about 20 would-be refugees from the large boat on which they arrived from Burma with 110 others, to a much smaller vessel,” the Phuket Wan reported. Stricken by fear that they will be separated from their families, witnesses said some of the refugees jumped into the sea, only to come under a barrage of bullets. 

The stories are too many to count and the details are as frightening as ever, yet the plight of the “world’s most persecuted people” — another UN designation — remains a mere irritant to Myanmar’s supposed democracy transformation, which is hailed as a success story by western media, companies and political elites. 

But who are the Rohingya people? Most Rohingya Muslims are native to the state of “Rohang” (originally a kingdom of its own), officially known as Rakhine or Arakan. Over the years, especially in the late 19th century and early 20th century, the original inhabitants of Arakan were joined by cheap or forced labour from Bengal and India, who permanently settled there. For decades, tension brewed between Buddhists and Muslims in the region. Eventually, a majority backed by a military junta prevailed over a minority without any serious regional or international backers. 

Without much balance of power to be mentioned, the Rohingya population of Arakan, estimated at nearly 800,000, subsisted between the nightmare of having no legal status (as they are still denied citizenship), little or no rights and the occasional ethnic purges carried out by their neighbours. The worst of such violence in recent years took place between June and October. Buddhists also paid a heavy price for the clashes, but the stateless Rohingyas, being isolated and defenceless, were the ones to carry the heaviest death toll and destruction. 

Reporting for Voice of America from Jakarta, Kate Lamb cited a moderate estimate of the outcome of communal violence in the Arakan state, which left hundreds of Rohingya Muslims dead, thousands of homes burnt and nearly 115,000 displaced. The number is likely to be higher at all fronts. Many fleeing Rohingya perished at sea or disappeared to never be seen again. The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) reported that nearly 13,000 Rohingya refugees attempted to leave Myanmar on smugglers’ boats in the Bay of Bengal in 2012. At least five hundred drowned. 

Meanwhile, western countries, led by the United States are clamouring to divide the large Myanmar economic cake amongst themselves, and are saying next to nothing about the current human rights records of Rangoon. As Rohangya boats were floating (or sinking) in various waters, Myanmar’s President Sein met in Oslo, on February 26, with Norway’s Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg in a ‘landmark’ visit. Regarding the conflict in Arakan, Jens Stoltenberg unambiguously declared it to be an internal Myanmar affair, reducing it to most belittling statements. In regards to ‘disagreements’ over citizenship, he said, “we have encouraged dialogue, but we will not demand that [Myanmar’s] government give citizenship to the Rohingyas.” 

Moreover, to reward Sein for his supposedly bold democratic reforms, Norway took the lead by waving off nearly half of its debt and other countries followed suit, including Japan which dropped $3 billion last year. 

The perpetual suffering of the Rohingya people must end. They are deserving of rights and dignity. They are weary of crossing unforgiving seas and walking harsh terrains seeking mere survival. More voices must join those who are speaking out in support of their rights. Southeast Asian countries must break away from their silence and tediously guarded policies and western countries must be confronted by their own civil societies: there should not be normalisation with Rangoon when innocent men, women and children are being burnt alive in their own homes and mosques. This injustice needs to be known to the world and serious, organised and determined efforts must follow to bring the persecution of the Rohingya people to an end. 

Ramzy Baroud is an internationally-syndicated columnist and the editor of PalestineChronicle.com. His latest book is: My Father was A Freedom Fighter: Gaza’s Untold Story (Pluto Press).

Human Rights Watch

March 13, 2013

Investigate Deadly Shooting at ‘Boat People’ During ‘Push Back’

(New York) – Sailors from Thailand’s navy shot at ethnic Rohingya “boat people,” causing at least two deaths, Human Rights Watch said today. The Thai government should immediately investigate the incident, and direct the navy to abide by international standards on the use of force.

On February 22, 2013, Thai sailors near a pier in Phang Nga province fired on a group of about 20 Rohingya asylum seekers who had been in navy custody since the previous day, when their boat with about 130 on board had run out of fuel on its journey from Burma to Malaysia.

“Rohingya fleeing Burma should be given protection, not shot at,” said Brad Adams, Asia director. “The Thai government should urgently investigate why sailors opened fire at boat people helpless in the sea and prosecute all those found responsible.” 

Survivors told Human Rights Watch that on the morning of February 20, Thai fishermen helped their drifting boat ashore on Surin Island off the coast of Phang Nga province. On that same day, at about 6:30 p.m., a Thai navy patrol boat numbered TOR214 arrived at the island and towed their boat back to the sea. Navy patrol boat TOR214 and the Rohingya boat arrived near a pier in Kuraburi district of Phang Nga province at around 5 a.m. the next morning. According to the survivors and Thai villagers on the shore, navy personnel from the patrol boat began to divide the Rohingya into small groups in the boat and ordered them to get ready to board smaller boats. At that point, the Rohingya became uncertain whether they would be taken to immigration detention on the mainland or be pushed back to the sea. When the first group of 20 Rohingya was put on a smaller boat by the Thai navy, some panicked and jumped overboard.

“Navy personnel fired into the air three times and told us not to move,” one survivor told Human Rights Watch. “But we were panicking and jumped off the boat, and then they opened fire at us in the water.”

Four Rohingya who swam to the shore were rescued by local Thai villagers. Thai security forces searched the area for two days after the incident, but the villagers kept the survivors hidden.

The bodies of two Rohingya showing bullet wounds were later pulled from the sea and buried in a Muslim cemetery in Kuraburi district. Thai fishermen told Human Rights Watch they saw more dead bodies in the water but had no more information. The fate of the remaining passengers on the boat remains unknown after it was towed away by the Thai navy.

Human Rights Watch called on the Thai government and the National Human Rights Commission to conduct thorough and transparent investigations into the shooting. If unnecessary or excessive force is found to have been used, all those responsible, including officers who gave orders to fire, should be prosecuted.

Thai security forces, when performing law enforcement duties, should abide by the United Nations Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials. The Basic Principles provide that law enforcement officials shall as far as possible apply nonviolent means before resorting to the use of force. Whenever the use of force is unavoidable, they must use restraint and act in proportion to the seriousness of the offense. The intentional lethal use of firearms may only be made when strictly unavoidable in order to protect life.

The Basic Principles also provide that the government shall ensure that superior officers are held responsible if they know, or should have known that personnel under their command have resorted to the unlawful use of firearms, and they “did not take all measures in their power to prevent, suppress or report such use.”

The Thai authorities should also reveal the whereabouts of the remaining Rohingya from the boat, who were last seen in navy custody, and provide unfettered access for investigators to those survivors. The government should grant at least temporary protection to those survivors, permit the office of the United National High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) access to them, and ensure that none of the survivors are deported or otherwise subject to abuse while investigations are conducted. The government should also provide humanitarian assistance to the survivors and ensure that appropriate compensation is paid to the families of those who died.

Each year tens of thousands of ethnic Rohingya in Burma’s Arakan State set sail to flee persecution by the Burmese government and dire poverty. The situation significantly worsened in 2012 following communal violence in Arakan State in June and October targeting Rohingya and other Muslim groups.

The so-called “help on” policy of the government of Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has failed to provide Rohingya asylum seekers with the protections required under international law, and in some cases increases their risk. Under this policy, the Thai navy is under orders to intercept Rohingya boats that come too close to the Thai coast. Upon intercepting a boat, officials are supposed to provide the boat with fuel, food, water, and other supplies on the condition that the boats sail onward to Malaysia or Indonesia. All passengers must remain on their own boats during the re-supply operation.

Enforcement actions to strictly implement this policy have apparently intensified after the Thai government came under domestic and international pressure to provide temporary, six-month protection for more than 1,700 Rohingya who arrived in Thailand since January 2013.

“The Thai government should scrap its ‘push back’ and ‘help on’ policies that deny Rohingya boat people their right to seek asylum,” Adams said.

Under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, everyone has the right to seek asylum from persecution. While Thailand is not a party to the 1951 Refugee Convention, under customary international law the Thai government has an obligation of “nonrefoulement” – not to return anyone to places where their life or freedom would be at risk. In this regard, UNHCR has the technical expertise to screen for refugee status and the mandate to protect refugees and stateless people. Effective UNHCR screening of all Rohingya boat arrivals would help the Thai government determine who is entitled to refugee status.

“The Thai government should help the oppressed Rohingya from Burma, not worsen their plight,” Adams said. “Thailand should immediately grant the UN refugee agency unhindered access to screen all Rohingya arriving in Thailand to identify and assist those seeking refugee status.”

Matali

RB News 

March 12, 2013

(Translated into English by M.S. Anwar) 

Buthidaung, Arakan- Around 12:30 AM today, a Rohingya youth was inhumanely killed by some terrorists from a Rakhine terrorist group in the village of Tha-Yet-Pyin, Buthidaung Township. He was a second year university student and after being killed, his dead body was thrown in the river of Saing-Tin in the township. 

“U Ali, a staff at the department of the forestry, together with his son, Iliyas @ Maung Than Hlaing- a second year university student, went to serve his duty at the forestry security post in Tha-Yet-Pyin. Meanwhile, around 12-Armed-Rakhine Terrorists came down from the side of Saing-Tin waterfall and attacked the father and the son. U Ali managed to escape the murder, while his son, Iliyas, was hacked and stabbed by swords. The terrorists tightened his hands and legs as he was taking his last breathe and threw him in the river of Saing-Tin” said a villager of Tha-Yet-Pyin. 

The dead body of the inhumanely and brutally killed, Iliyas, has not been found out yet. 

“The twelve Rakhine terrorists have been identified as Aung San Thein from Immigration Department, Buthidaung Tsp., Than Tin from Settlement and Land Records Department, Hla Tuan, Tin Soe @Thein Soe and Aung Myint from the the Department of Forestry, Buthidaung Tsp., Zarni Aung and Nay Lin from the Department of Agriculture, Buthidaung Tsp., San Thein from the department of the General Administration of Buthidaung Tsp and other four terrorists are unidentified yet. Their leader was the above-mentioned Aung San Thein” he continued. 

Majority of those who are, at the moment, in the front line of attacking innocent Rohingyas in order to create a third-time violence against Rohingyas are Rakhines working at different departments in the government. Of all, Rakhines working at the immigration department are the worst and taking the front seat to trigger violence. 

Since President Thein Sein gave green signal to root out Rohingyas on 7th July 2012, Rakhine terrorists have often been committing massacres of Rohingyas if they (Rohingyas) are found lonely and isolated all over Arakan. And their dead bodies are destroyed to conceal the crimes. 

Since the central government of Myanmar set the Rakhine terrorists free without taking any actions against them, the lives and properties of Rohingya civilians are under extremely insecure condition. Rohingyas in Buthidaung Township are living in grave fear because of the lawlessness in the region and the barbaric killings often carried out by Rakhine terrorists. 

Supalak Ganjanakhundee

The Nation

March 13, 2013

It is does not matter what they are known as - Rohingya or Bengali - but they must have basic rights and be protected from violence and fear while living in Myanmar, which is supposed to be their homeland. 

In responding to violence in western Rakhine state, the authorities in Myanmar tried to launch a political discourse to say there are no people called Rohingya in the country, and therefore the authorities have no responsibility for what happened to them.

Rather than finding the truth and the root cause of the violence in June and October last year, lawmakers, officials and intellectuals in Myanmar are debating the very existence of the ethnic group called Rohingya. They have tried to build a consensus within their society and the international community to deny the existence of Rohingya and call them instead "Bengali", to make this group of people seem alien.

The latest report of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar, Tomas Ojea Quintana, indicates that "Rakhine state is going through a profound crisis". The violence might spread to other parts of the country and has the potential to undermine the country's entire reform process, the report said.

The violence caused by the communal conflict between Buddhist Rakhine and Muslim Rohingya or 'Bengalis', as many in Myanmar call them, saw nearly 200 people killed and more than 100 others injured. About 120,000 people have been displaced in the state since initial clashes last June.

There have also been ongoing allegations of harassment, arbitrary arrests, arbitrary restriction of movement, destruction of places of worship and restrictions on religious worship, the UN report said.

The 27-member Investigation Commission set up by President Thein Sein on August 17, 2012 to investigate the violence was originally due to present its report in November, but is now scheduled to present its report on March 31, 2013, the UN said.

It is widely feared that the government-sponsored investigation report will not properly address the rights issue and the truth of what happened. Judging from what Myanmar officials, lawmakers and the elite in society are discussing these days, perhaps such fears might become true. The Investigation Commission's report might not reflect the reality.

Quintana emphasised in his report that "establishing the truth of what has happened and holding those responsible to account will be integral to reconciliation and re-establishing trustful and harmonious relations between communities".

Feeling of fear, distrust, hatred and anger remained high between Buddhist and Muslim communities in the state. Prejudice, bias and discrimination on the basis of race and religions are major obstacles to find out the truth.

As a result of discrimination, treatment of the Muslim population now living in camps for internally displaced persons in Rakhine state is not proper, as they face restrictions on movement. They cannot access food or enjoy a normal livelihood.

As long as the promotion of a political discourse to paint the Rohingya as "outsiders" in Myanmar goes on, discrimination against some 800,000 Muslim Rohingya will continue.

A basic requirement to resolve the problem in Rakhine state is a review of the Rohingyas' legal status and their access to basic rights. As long as Myanmar society regards them as "others", foreigners or aliens, the Rohingya or Bengalis will not able to live in harmony with Rakhine people.

Myanmar intellectuals and the elite are keen to promote this political discourse. Some two decades ago, they coined the name "Myanmar", and changed the country's name from Burma, in order to include all races and nationalities into the notion of state building for modern times.

To carry forward the spirit of "Myanmar", the Rohingya should be included, rather than excluded.

The Voice Of A Rohingya 

After decades of discriminations and abuses 

I still to leave Arakan refuse 

As I was born there and wanted to die 

Inside my heart up that ever lie 

I was made of soil Arakan 

Force me can no one to leave Arakan 

Men come and die for name and fame 

But I will die simply for shame 

And the last man I hope to resist 

While stand firmly and strong against those racists and rapists 

No pain, no gain what our Hero said again and again 

Your name in the history will ever remain 

Accept and tolerate the burden of defence 

If a little of patriotic you have sense 

Go and save the last Rohingya in time 

Is saving thousands of lives not a crime 

It is the time to raise both of your hands 

To resist with words and deeds by hand in hand 

Just take you up whatever you can 

Never let it go again to happen.

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.