Maha Min Khant

RB Article

April 2, 2013 

President Thein Sein and lt- General Ko Ko of Ministry of Home Affairs have already pledged and confirmed stability and peace among communities in their recent respective announcements. if so how and why did the state servicemen and the persons behind secretly set fire the Madarasa which situated in 48th street, Yangon. That means president Thein Sein doesn’t respect his promise or that of the administration is unbelievable and untrustworthy. U Thein Sein government becomes nothing more than a gangsters in the sight of the world with power to punish meaninglessly the innocent people along the country all years round -- to be honest, would you agree to investigate by independent investigation panel to that secret massacre rather than cheating this and that to internal and external medias like before? Or should all Madarasa (religious schools) and Mosques be equipped with night goggle cameras and CCTV cameras to envisage the perpetrators for your credible references in case of need--- Or should Muslims be captivating the responsibilities to take care of themselves by their own-- then what is the use of the government administrative mechanism and its oath … Or intentionally, does this government selectively ignore Muslims' live, property, dignity, livelihood, safety and security--- If so, how does your excellence’s deceitful mission go like this way to bring in the faith of internal and international community' confidence and assurance to invest in this country with your begging money that recently you made up excellent trip along Europe and Australia, …..as long as the country is in-stable by one way or another, meaning some Rakhine political parties and that of extreme politicians plus disguised monks like Wirathu, and extremists from every corner can freely play or allowed them for dirty games time and again to spoil the calm situation gaining right now, there would not be any social stability among public, incoming foreign investment and heavyweight investors’ trustworthy on our nation. In this regards from the right point of view, please don’t let disguised monks terrorists to hate us; don’t let Rakhine Aye Maung, Aye Chan, and Aye Thar Aung play filthy political games which has been tarnishing our country’s image instead arrest these major culprits and take action bravely as soon as possible. And through these frequent attacks on innocent Muslims in everywhere of the country, I am afraid such an oppression and frustration will force to choose us counterattack, that is why please don’t push us to choose the way to protect ourselves from the open attacks and helplessness, worrying such a way of counterattack will destabilize the country--- and we helpless ordinary and very faithful Burmese Muslims do not want to be the open enemy against Myanmar society to revenge in return what we have been suffering from. 

Government should be responsible all the things happening good or bad without bias, two-faced policies or double standard and propagating the skyful lies via sisterly journals (Eleven Journal is the most worst cheated one), radio and TV, but the government should be helpful and graceful to find out the outstanding results which accepted by all parties—please don’t lay out master plan to hide the truth, don’t defraud more because to cover up a piece of bogus, it should have to bilk millions of bogus-- yet it wouldn't be sure that the truth will coming out as per your scam at last-- Islam is peace, the religion of peace-- please don't let the plight of Myanmar Muslims in the hands of Buddhist terrorists being jeopardized, frustrated and acrimonious—please be reminded that do you (president) remember the words of Aye Maung that once he said that if “the fire from Arakan was transferred or come over to proper Burma like today what has been happening along Pegu Division, then Arakan would become calm” ... Imagine how he has been horrendous with a full fledged architect to tear down the peaceful society of Burmese people-- how, he, a destructive democratic transformation has being carried out by Aye Maung, Aye Chan, Aye Thar Aung, Eleven Journal and other disguised monks like Wirathu who is the most pioneer in this project running forward--how many times you have shifted the timetable to bring the report of Arakan to your table-- again you have set a good time on April 23 which after new year---Is it really your excellence’s honesty?-- it is a big and obvious con again and again and in fact that will smear your all pledges you have made before and how many investigating commissions you have formed as of today to count on the entire destructions which were occurred not only Rakhine state but in Myanmar proper -- Do you remember what did you pledge at the Last UN session before international dignitaries in regards Arakan and its people, then what did you accomplish about that as of today -- but all the time, all your advisors who are very near around you have been the exaggerators of the state affairs—and false propagandists have been putting the country into abyss because they are not aware of 21st century situation—these people should be thrown away soon and the educated scholars who are aware of the all round reality and honest be employed to engineer your administrative mechanism —the current notorious executors near around you are very awful for the country and the administration too-- their manipulated action in president office seems you have decided yourself that you will happily sacrifice your life in terms of many lives fatality and much more things destruction in coming days in this beautiful land—believe it or not -- it has been very obvious that they (Rakhine extremists leaders) are open enemies and destructive forces of the entire Myanmar people who-- all the time have been yearning for peaceful democratic transaction—to restore peace and stability-- the perpetrators, who have been manipulating the state affairs, are to be needed to restrain urgently and arrest and punish under the state rule of law-- whilst all these provocative, rancorous and coordinated perpetrators are controlled by the just government without hesitant, and then I believe the state will become peace and tranquility prevail—without punishing these beasts very soon, it is expected that there would be more jeopardy-- and no one could imagine that the upcoming one sided, pre-planned and communal clashes, which benefits neither the government future plan nor the lives of innocent people of Myanmar. 

We all have composed dream for our nation (to be a peaceful democratic one) and I pray this dream really comes true. 

Maha Min Khant

RB Article

April 2, 2013

The following is a reminder to Mr. Rick Heizman who has written “History, issues, and Truth in Arakan/Rakhine state, Western Burma.

“After thoroughly reading the entire his editorial, it has been found that it is no different anthology than that of Dr.Aye Chan who has written about Rohingya, who are the ancient people or the earliest settlers of the region than other people, in Arakan state, as influx viruses for ten years ago. 

Aye Chan’s authored influx virus book didn’t gross any international academicians’ interest and appreciation as a book of referable, dependable, identifiable and trustworthy for good reference for international intellectuals and historians. The book is surprisingly disgusting and unacceptable. No one will accept and talk about that but as evil booklet-- because the book is targeted against innocent Rohingyas people, who are the descendents of Indo-Arians and they were all ancient Bengali- their faith was Hinduism -- who were later converted to Islam after 1203CE particularly. 

All prominent authors from international community have unanimous conception that “the inhabitant of Arakan state are Bengali people and before 10th century Arakan was an Indian land with a population of similar to that of Bengal”. We, nowadays Rohingyas people are 200 years earlier settler people than Rakhine Maugh people who believe Buddhism— that Buddhism religion was ours earlier until 1203 CE —later on they (Rohingya) converted to Islam after 1203CE. All international debates and discussions have already proved that Rohingya are neither sneakers, immigrants nor frugal race as accused by U Aye Chan shamelessly. They all concurrently regards Rohingyas are sons of the soil and of course Rakhine Maugh- who are the branch race of Burma and settled in Arakan later. Rakhine people conception is that Rohingya are immigrants who were hired as manual workers by British at British periods and Rakhine Buddhists are as if “sky fallen down race” in Arakan state. 

Recently, date on 09-03-2013, U Aye Chan could not defend himself and he said Rakhine are Rohingyas—what a ridiculous, outlandish and embarrassment from his side being as a Rakhine mulish academic. U Aye Chan is nothing more than a bull chit valueless person among educated guises. 

Anyway, my advice to Mr. Rick Heizman as a Rohingya activist is not to follow the path of fanatic U Aye Chan and other Rakhine hit and miss bogus history makers who do not benefit both communities rather create problem which will devastate entire community in future. 

In Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand, there was a ceremony on 9/3/2013 regarding Rakhine History which was sponsored by Aye Chan—Aye Chan said that he is Rohingya and Rakhine are Rohingyas. He could not prove and answer some questions raised by Mr. Htay Lwin Oo in regards Rohingyas spoken words which are used by Rohingya only. Evidently U Aye Chan was visibly defeated in front of the audience and it has been milestone both for Rakhine Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims that Rakhine could undoubtedly recognize Rohingya that are earlier settler than Rakhine Mongoloid people who are descendant of Bamar tribe.

“BRAFA’s Appeal Letter to the President Barack H. Obama, Members of U.S. Congress, Secretary of State John Kerry, and U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations on Religious violence and human Rights Violations against entire Burmese Muslim population in Burma”

To,

- The President of the United States

The White House

Washington, DC 20500

- Members of the United States Congress

United States Capitol

Washington, DC 20510

- Secretary of State John Kerry

U.S. Department of State

Washington, DC 20520

- U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations

Senate Office Building

Washington, DC 20510

Date: March 28, 2013

Subject: - A fervent Appeal to use your good office for the protection and prevention of anti-Muslim Buddhists’ massacre against the Rohingyas and Muslims of Burma on humanitarian ground;

Dear Mr. President, Members of Congress, Secretary of State, and U.S. Senate Committee,

Most respectfully, we, the members of Burmese Rohingya American Friendship Association (BRAFA) would like to bring to your kind attention that the current situation of entire Muslim population in Burma is tremendously horrible and at bigger risk and the United States, United Nations, European Union, ASEAN as well as the world communities have been witnessing the anti-Muslim one sided Buddhists' violence against the Muslims of Burma particularly, the Rohingya ethnic community people in Arakan state since June-2012 which is still going on due to the Government of President Thein Sein's intentional blind-eye attitude and failure of appropriate strong exemplary punishment to the culprits of Buddhist religious extremists and racist monks.

Over the past week, Muslim religious buildings, Muslim owned shops, stores, properties and houses are being destroyed and burned down in central Burma of Meiktila, Yamithin, Pegu, Teggone, naypaydaw by the Buddhist extremists and religious monks in front of Burmese security forces and law enforcing agency personnel and then, this violence continued to spread all over the Muslim residing Townships, cities and other surrounding areas along central Burma including the former capital city of Rangoon (Yangon).

Because of current violence orchestrated in pre-planned way by the Buddhist monks, political party leaders and Buddhist extremist groups on March 20, 2013 taking opportunity from a simple argument between a Burmese Muslim gold shop owner and his Buddhist customer who was trying to sell fake gold in central Burma town of Meiktila resulted to at least 30 mosques and Muslim religious schools have been destroyed and burned down. Over hundreds of Burmese Muslims consisting of religious scholars, students, men, women, and children were brutally killed in the violence and set on fire and more than 20,000 Muslims were displaced and now they are sheltering temporarily in sports stadiums in central Burma.

Muslims in Burma are discriminated on the grounds of race and religion and hatred towards Muslims nationwide is a common practice by a group of racist, extremist and xenophobic Buddhist people at this moment because of instigation, false religious speech and mis-propaganda by the Buddhist religious monks, political leaders and Buddhist scholars. With the contemporary history of Burma, there were several anti-Muslim riots to make Muslim free zones in Burma by mass killing and torture time to time with strong master plan and roadmap. 

In this sense, we, the members of Burmese Rohingya American Friendship Association (BRAFA) earnestly call upon the President Mr. Obama, members of Congress, Secretary of State Mr. John Kerry, and U.S. Senate Committee to take appropriate action to end the current anti-Muslim sentiment and wrong propaganda in Burma and step up U.S. Government's diplomatic efforts to end the Rohingya and Burmese Muslims crises. The current crises and tragedies have evolved into Burmese government led repression not only against the Rohingya ethnic community people but also the entire Muslims of Burma.

After the extremists Buddhist Rakhines violence and massacre against the innocent Rohingya people in June-2012, in which many Rohingyas died and more than 120,000 Rohingya people were internally displaced and sheltered in the open-air prison like camps in Sittwe, Ratheydaung, Mrebon, Pauktaw, there is a growing humanitarian concern and human rights crisis which is not receiving sufficient international attention resulting the loss of many human lives.

The Burmese police, security forces and soldiers were raping, looting, torturing and arbitrarily killing Rohingya people and there have been mass arrests with Rohingyas who were kept in Burma prisons and police custody without trial, without food or medical services. Even, humanitarian aid is mostly being blocked by the Rakhine Buddhists and the local government agencies in Sittwe. Moreover, Rakhine mobs and Arakan state ruling authorities are refusing to allow the Rohingya people to go back to their own villages, shops and homes using ethnic cleansing tactics and showing unjustifiable reasons of concern against the Rohingya ethnic people.

In fact, the President of Burma Thein Sein himself has recently proposed a policy that is not different from ethnic cleansing, asking the UNHCR to arrange for Rohingya people to resettle to third countries saying they are not nationals of Burma. The current situation of Rohingyas is incredibly serious and it will continue to deteriorate further if timely action is not taken immediately.

We are fully aware of the US Government's active involvement and role with positive contribution to the cause of Rohingyas and Burmese Muslims since June 2012, but, due to maintaining soft diplomatic tune by U.S. Government, President Thein Sein was emboldened to feel that he would be able to expel all Rohingya people from the country. Without immediate strong international action, the situation will continue to deteriorate beyond the estimation.

A US led appropriate action needs to be taken now to ensure humanitarian aid can be delivered, arrests and human rights abuses can be stop, and the Rohingyas are allowed to return safely to their original homes and villages to start a new life.

We would like to fervently appeal all of you to take the lead in mobilizing the international community to respond to human rights and humanitarian crises against the Rohingyas and Muslims of Burma, but now seems to focus more on positive news with Burmese officials and activists rarely commenting on on-going serious human rights violations.

We would also earnestly request all of you to use every diplomatic and legal tool at your disposal to help bring an end to the current crises of Rohingyas and Burmese Muslims, mobilizing the international community and condemning the current one sided violence of Buddhist extremists Monks and the xenophobic mobs against Rohingyas and Muslims of Burma on humanitarian ground.

Thanking you all for your time and consideration to this appeal letter & wishing you all the success in your mission, we assure you that we are keeping you all in our prayers, and we remain,

Sincerely yours,

The Executive Committee Members

Burmese Rohingya American Friendship Association (BRAFA)

4818 South 14th Street

Milwaukee, WI 53221.

Human Rights Watch

April 1, 2013

Bangkok – The Burmese government should thoroughly investigate and hold accountable those who incited and committed deadly violence in Meiktila in central Burma from March 20 to 22, 2013. Decisive government action to combat impunity, end discrimination, and promote tolerance among religious groups is needed to end the tide of attacks against Muslim communities.

An estimated 40 people were killed and 61 wounded in the clashes between Muslims and majority Buddhists in Meiktila in the Mandalay Region. Satellite images analysed by Human Rights Watch show the scale of the destruction: an estimated 828 buildings, the vast majority residences, were totally destroyed and at least 35 other buildings were partially destroyed. Areas with near total destruction were concentrated within three locations in Meiktila measuring more than 24 hectares in total area west and northeast of the city’s main market. The destruction appears similar to satellite imagery of towns affected by sectarian violence in Arakan State in 2012, in which arson attacks left large, clearly defined residential areas in ashes.

“The government should investigate responsibility for the violence in Meiktila and the failure of the police to stop wanton killings and the burning of entire neighborhoods,” said Brad Adams, Asia director. “Burma’s government should have learned the lessons of recent sectarian clashes in Arakan State and moved quickly to bolster the capacity of the police to contain violence and protect lives and property.”

According to a needs assessment released by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of HumanitarianAffairs (OCHA), over 12,000 people were displaced by the violence in Meiktila and are in shelters around the town.

Since the Meiktila violence, attacks against Muslims have occurred elsewhere in central Burma, including Okpho, Gyobingauk, and Minhla townships of Pegu region. Soldiers reportedly fired warning shots in the air to disperse protesters in Pegu, and an estimated nine townships in Burma are under emergency provisions or curfew, limiting public assembly.

The spread of anti-Islamic sentiment and religious intolerance is a serious challenge to the rights of Muslims in Burma. Some well-known members of the Buddhist monkhood, or Sangha, have given sermons and distributed anti-Muslim tracts and directives that call on Buddhist residents to boycott Muslim businesses and shun contact with Muslim communities.

Burma’s 2008 Constitution contains provisions that ensure religious freedom and states that the government should “assist and protect the religions it recognizes to its utmost.” President Thein Sein’s office on March 28 called for “earnest effort[s] to control and address all forms of violence including instigations that lead to racial and religious tensions in the interest of the people in accord with the Constitution and existing laws.”

Such efforts need to be accompanied by strong measures, including holding those who planned, organized, and carried out the recent violence accountable, irrespective of the person’s position or the community from which they originate. The government should also make it clear that it will not tolerate incitement to violence, especially by clergy or others in positions of authority.

The government should also take urgent steps to ensure that the police respond impartially to violence. During the violence in Arakan State in June and October, police frequently sided with the majority Buddhist community against the minority Rohingya Muslim population. Frequently the police did nothing to stop the violence against Muslims and in many cases joined with Buddhist mobs to attack predominantly Muslim villages. 

“Burma’s government and political, religious, and community leaders should demand an end to the hate speech that has fuelled violence and discrimination against communities in Burma’s fragile multicultural society,” Adams said. “Decisive government action according to the rule of law is critically important to deter extremists and anyone else using violence to further economic, religious, and political agendas.”

Alex Caring-Lobel

Tricycle

In 2007, inspiring images of Burmese Buddhist monks leading their compatriots in demonstrations of civil resistance flooded the Western media. Just five years after the series of protests curiously referred to as the “Saffron Revolution” (Burmese monks wear maroon robes, not saffron-colored ones), Buddhist-led violence erupted in the western Rakhine state. Following a monk-led campaign against the Rohingya Muslim minority of Burma, recognized by the UN as one of the most persecuted minorities in the world, reports of rioting, killing, and the blocking of humanitarian aid to the Rohingya surfaced here and there in the media, devoid of the enthusiasm that the Burmese monks attracted back in 2007. 

Last Wednesday evening, over a Skype call to Indonesia, I spoke with Maung Zarni, a Burmese democracy activist, research fellow at the London School of Economics, and author of “Buddhist Nationalism in Burma” in the current issue of Tricycle, to try and make sense of last year’s anti-Rohingya violence and its historical roots. At the time, news was just reaching him of the spread of anti-Muslim violence to central Burma, which was to be featured by the most prominent Western media outlets by Friday. While Burmese state media reports the “official” death toll for the riots at 32, the number cannot be corroborated by outside reporters, who had to be rescued by Burmese police. (One AP photographer was reportedly held at knifepoint by a monk after snapping several images of the violence.) Following the riots, every witness that the New Statesman interviewed said that the police stood by and did nothing to stop the violence—accounts redolent of Human Rights Watch’s accusations of military complicity in last year’s massacres in western Burma. “Many here believe that this was pre-planned and that the official story, that it began with a dispute in a gold shop, is just a cover for violence against Muslims,” journalist Assed Baig reported on the recent riots. The violence in central Burma, perpetrated by a different Buddhist group (“Burmese Buddhists” rather than Rakhine Buddhists) who targeted Muslims of Indian origin, not Rohingyas, demonstrates a pattern of violence that does not bode well for Burma’s Muslims. 

Burmese native Maung Zarni has lent his voice to the Rohingya and other minorities in the predominantly Buddhist nation, advocating for their human rights and distinguishing himself by examining the social and historical causes of the current conflict. 

In the current issue of Tricycle you make the case for characterizing the current conflict between the Buddhist and Rohingya peoples in Burma as genocide. But such a conflict has a precedent in 1942, when there were a series of massacres of Rohingya Muslims at the hands of Rakhine Buddhists. How is this particular case different?

In a rather bad way, the current Rohingya genocide in Burma is a case in which different forces in society and politics have converged to create, basically, a living hell for this particular group. These forces include historically grounded Burmese anti-Indian racism that isn’t just directed against Muslims, but rather against the people of the Indian subcontinent. That racism arose out of the context of British colonial rule of Burma, which created a racially and ethnically divided economy—a colonial political economy—where the British occupied the top echelon of administrative positions and economic control. For some time beginning in the 19th century, British Burma and British India shared a border of over 1,000 kilometers long. Burma was actually annexed by the British Empire as a province of India. The British subsidized the migration of Indian skilled laborers as well as unskilled migratory labor for the new cash economy that they were building in Burma—oil, rice, industrial farming, and other sectors. Those from the then British India occupied the middle layer—the technical and commercial positions in that economy. In that ethnically stratified colonial economy, the Burmese citizens found themselves, for the most part, at the bottom. That triggered a very strong strain of popular Burmese racism toward the Indians. Of course, the Burmese also reacted strongly against the white man that ruled them, that dominated them and controlled them, and thereby achieved independence. 

Then, as you mentioned, in 1942, there were clashes between Rakhine Buddhists, who worked with the Japanese during WWII against the British and the allies, whereas the Muslims, Hindus, and others in western Burma worked with the British. So there is a colonial background to this narrative, to this conflict and the racism behind it. 

What’s the perceived threat of the Rohingya? One prevalent fear has to do with Islamic marriage customs. In Islam, or at least its popular practice in Burma, a Muslim person cannot marry a non-Islamic spouse, who would have to convert. Until she converts to Islam, she will be barred from wifehood. And if she’s not considered a wife, she will not be entitled to property, inheritance, and control of the children. I think that that has been one of the major points of contention between Buddhist society and Islamic minorities in Burma, where Buddhists understand this as a structurally imposed conversion of Buddhist women to the Islamic faith. 

The overall perceived threat, however, is that the Rohingya are agents of Islamicization. If you look at the formerly Malay or Indonesian Buddhist world, they used to be Buddhist, Hindu countries, but they were completely Islamicized by Muslim traders and others. The logic here is to preempt the growth of the Islamic population so that Burma won’t be susceptible to a similar type of Islamicization. 

What’s the role of the Burmese state and military in the current conflict? This is the most important element. After the military proxy party lost by a landslide in the most recent elections, they decided that the time was right to drive out the Rohingya in order to both curry Buddhist majority favor and demonstrate their relevance in reformed Burma. But you know, it's not possible for any state in this day and age to destroy an entire population of 800,000 to one million. Not after Nazi Germany. Instead, the military has created a situation where there would be communal riots. In doing so, the military state has attempted to do what amounts to outsourcing genocide. 

Here, I think genocide needs to be understood not simply as an act of overt violence against a population. If you look at the policies toward the Rohingya by the Burmese state over the past 40 plus years, it involves attempts to control their birthrate. If you attempt to control a people through population policies or restricting their movement—in short, creating living conditions so unbearable that the population would rather flee, risking their lives at sea or crossing a border—that is genocide. It is not just about how many people were killed. Of course that’s included, but it's the intent, the intent of the policy. Also, the use of the term “communal violence” between the Buddhist Rakhine and the Muslim Rohingya in the media is completely misleading. Of course there is a communal branch to this violence, but that’s only a small part of the story. The larger part of the story is the centrality of the Burmese military and the generals who have attempted to eliminate this population through different strategies. 

Why hasn’t any organization called this conflict genocide? No government, no international body, with the exception of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), is prepared to use the word genocide. Because if you do, it automatically triggers a sequence of policy action that would require the UN to intervene. But the West is no longer interested in punishing or isolating the Burmese generals. It has a different agenda, where human rights are being placed on the back burner in favor of economic reforms, the commercialization of Burma, and the opening up of the country as a new market—a frontier market. This has to do with the rebalancing of Western, especially American, power in Asia—as Obama put it, the Asian “pivot.” 

When commercial priorities assume center stage, the structural violation of the human rights of the Rohingya becomes less important. That's why I call this “the genocide that cannot be called genocide for political reasons.” Not because it doesn't qualify as genocide, but because the West has no political will to see through the actions that using the word genocide would warrant. 

How do the religions of the Rakhine and Rohingya come into play? I think to say that the intent to kill and expel the Rohingya has no religious undertone would be to greatly underestimate the anti-Islamic popular racism of Burmese society. This is not simply about the Burmese military state; this involves the society at large. And of course, the Islamic world is going to react strongly against the killing and destruction of a particular Islamic community. So there is a very strong religious element here. 

Just yesterday there was the looting, destruction, ransacking of Muslim businesses and Muslim homes in the dry zone in central Burma, in a town called Meikhtila. They were looting and destroying in broad daylight, under the nose of the police and military authority. This has nothing to do with the Rohingyas or the alleged illegal migration; it has everything to do with the fact that these businesses belonged to Muslim merchants and businesspeople. The public itself is involved in attacking anything that has Muslim signs. The irony here is that the Muslims do not control the Burmese economy. If any one ethnic group controls the Burmese economy, it is the Chinese. 

The Saffron Revolution of 2007 was touted as a new paradigm for what’s called engaged Buddhism—Buddhism involved with politics, human rights, and social issues. Now, with these same monks taking to the streets and terrorizing a religious and ethnic minority, are we getting a wakeup call? It seems that Buddhists, or “engaged” Buddhists for that matter, don’t hold any kind of privileged position of righteousness—that they’re just as corruptible as anyone else. The key is not to romanticize Buddhism at the level of popular practice. If you look at some of the worst genocidal conflicts in recent history—in Sri Lanka, for example, a very deeply Buddhist society—you see how Buddhist leaders and communities behave. There was the mass killing of the non-Buddhists Tamils in Sri Lanka after their surrender. And look at what’s going on now in the Islamic south of Thailand by the Thai Buddhist society and military. Why is the West holding onto this romanticized, fetishized image of Buddhist societies as peaceful, “mindful” societies when some of the most violent societies in the world are Buddhist? 

In terms of engaged Buddhism, well, I think the term is a misnomer, because Buddhism is about engagement with reality, and that involves poverty, that involves violence, and that involves our own individual greed. There is a disconnect between what Buddhists say they are and what they really are. What they really are, what we Buddhists really are, is as imperfect, as flawed, as greedy, as jealous, as violent as anyone else.

Mint Press News

March 31, 2013

RB News 

March 31, 2013

Maung Daw, Arakan - On March 12, 2013, a 15-year-old abnormal Rohingya child from the village of Waccha, (Nearby Alay-Than-Kyaw), Maung Daw, was abducted by NaSaKa (Border Security Force) from the commandment area (7). Now, NaSaKa is demanding humongous amount of money for his release. 

“Asmat Ullah S/o Umzul Haque is an abnormal child. He is just 15. NaSaKa from the commandment area 7 abducted him on 12th March 2013. He has not been released yet as his parents are unable to pay the money demanded by NaSaKa. He has not committed any crime. He was just abducted to extort money from his parents as doing so is so usual these days” said local Rohingya to RB News. 

Major Aung Naing Oo is the commander of the NaSaKa area 7 and under his commandment; Rohingyas are facing arbitrary arrests and with extortion of huge amount of money. Besides, a 25-year-old Rohingya youth from Tharay-Kunbaung, Maung Daw, was arrested by NaSaKa from the same area under the false accusation of using Bangladesh Phone Network (i.e. Bangladesh Sim Card). 

“On Thursday, 28th March 2013, at night, Jawat Ullah S/o U Rabi Ullah was arrested by NaSaKa from the camp 14, commandment area 7 under the false accusation of using Bangladesh Sim Card. Arresting Rohingyas by so accusing is so regular these days. And his family is unable to pay the amount demanded by the in-charge of the camp. So, he has not been released yet” said a Rohingya from Maung Daw. 

NaSaKa normally keep many Rohingyas in detention under different accusations and release them after the extortion of money. Sadly, they are not even sparing the above-mentioned abormal child and the youth from poor family background and it is believed that the detainees will be released after their demand has been fulifilled. 

On top of having been being tortured by NaSaKa, Rohingyas have to endure the troubles caused by Special Investigation Branch (SaSaSa). On 28th March 2013, the incharge of SaSaSa, U Aung Kyaw Thein, beat and arrested Kayfayat Ullah S/o Noor Ahmed, 26, from Alay-Than-Kyaw, Maung Daw. 

“Kayfayat Ullah was arrested under a forged case of taking part in the riot at the Bazaar of Alay-Than-Kyaw on 12th June 2012. He was beaten by the in-charge of SaSaSa on the spot and is now detained in the cell of SaSaSa. The in-charge demanded Kyat 500,000 from the family of Kayfayat Ullah. The next day, the family of Kayfayat Ullah got him released after paying Kyat 400,000. 

“Few days before this case took place, the elder brother of Kayfayat Ullah had faced with a similar arrest, torture and detention. He, too, had to bribe Kyat 400,000 to U Aung Kyaw Thein for his release” said a villager.

Many Rohingyas and Kamans lost their lives to the terrorist attacks by Rakhine extremists in Maung Daw, Rathedaung, Akyab (Sittwe) and other parts of Arakan state in early June 2012. 

Although Rohingyas have no arm-groups, Burmese domestic media and the former major and director of the president’s office, Zaw Htay alias Hmuu Zaw, via his Facebook Page spread a wrong propaganda and portray Rohingyas as if they were invading Arakan state and committing Genocide against Rakhines. Consequently, the violence against Rohingyas and Kamans took place twice: first round in June 2012 and second round in October 2012 respectively. 

Though the death toll announced by the Central Government of Myanmar happened to be only 180 people, in actual fact, there were untold numbers of Rohingyas and Kamans killed in the violence. Besides, hundreds of the victims escaping the violence died even in the sea. The violence has displaced more than 120,000 people who have now to live in the camps that are dire and worst in all angles. 

INGOs have been aiding them as much as possible and likewise, Turkey in cooperation with the government is also planning to build some cheap and temporary houses for these vulnerable people. However, on 7th March 2013, Rakhine extremists held protests in Sittwe and other townships and demanded to even cancel the mentioned resettlement programs. 

There have been rumors since last February that Rakhine extremists will trigger yet another round of violence against Rohingyas sometime in between March and April 2013 (i.e. during the period of Myanmar traditional water-festival). We have investigated through our internal reliable source to confirm its degree of reliability and found out that Rakhine extremists have already planned and programmed to massacre Muslims in Arakan state once in last week of March and the next in the second week of April. 

Eye-witnesses tell RB News that NaTaLa Rakhine Extremists, in Maung Daw, northern Arakan, have been being trained on how to use guns and swords since last February. Moreover, there were 300 Bama officers in Sittwe Security Force and now they have been replaced by Rakhine Security Officers. The trainings have also being given to them according to a reliable source. 

Although the forthcoming violence in the last week of March has been now widely known in Rakhine community, Rohingyas and Kamans are still totally unaware of it and will most likely be attacked all of a sudden. As before, there are plans to create false stories and spread wrong propaganda by the domestic media and the former major and director of the president’s office, Zaw Htay alias Hmuu Zaw, will take up his usual role of fooling naive Burmese people. 

Therefore, with a view to protecting the lives of the innocent civilians and the losses of their properties in the hands of the politically self-centered and vested-interest groups, we, by writing this highly alert letter, plead to the Government of Myanmar and International Government Bodies to seriously take this matter into consideration and to control the situation in advance. 

With Hopes, 

RB News Team

March 8, 2013

Ibrahim Shah

RB Article

March 30, 2013

“A plea to world inhabitants to rescue Rohingya from the lively killings of Rakhine extremists” 

According to ‘The Declaration of Universal Human Rights’, we learnt that every human kind has the right to claim about his/her own identity as their ancestry. It is a major crime to force somebody to acknowledge wrongly about his/her identity. In accordance with, the analysis on the “History of Arakan and her people” we meet with the two main indigenous races namely: the Mohammedans, Rohingya from northern Arakan and the Mogh, Rakhine in the southern part but it is so disgraceful today that the intruders Myanmarese led by late Burmese King Bowdawphaya captured the sovereign power of the Arakan territory since 1784 AD, changed mostly the ancient names of Arakan properties such as temples, shrines, mosques, streets, rivers, etc and eventually deny officially the existence of Rohingya . 

Since 1784 the sovereign Rakhine territory, formerly Arakan was hit by devilish storm of colonization repeatedly until today. According to reliable geographical and historical backgrounds, the Rohingya people have been living fundamentally and centrally in western part of Myanmar, northern Rakhine state mainly in Buthidaung, Maungdaw, western part of Rathedaung, Sittwe Townships massively and also there are some living scattered around the whole country Myanmar. The Rohingya is one of the distinguished races of Myanmar with own ancient tradition, celebrated culture, popular heritage, rich grammatical language, glorious religion, unique fashion, typical uniform and surprisingly distinction from other races because they protect strictly from eradication their ethnic race by others both politically and racially. If we focus watchfully throughout the Myanmar most of the ethnic races could not saved themselves from the brutality of dominant group, majority Myanmarese and mostly the Myanmarese made transformed into Myanmarese by forcibly marriage to non-Myanmarese only aiming to rebuild chauvinistically the country with only one race --- Myanmarese. 

Apparently, it is in fact, injustice to rule perpetually the whole state with double standard according to the circumstances of respective territories by racially differentiation. Mostly in ethnic minorities areas it is being perpetuated the racially differentiation even with national registration card: i.e. first step. For Mon, Mon + Burma, after some years later, as second step, put only Burma after Mon deleting; with such strategic planning the Myanmarese already built up the whole country with only one race Myanmarese. If we see watchfully throughout the state from top to bottom in all kinds of official posts, only meet with one race Myanmarese in any higher ranks and the rest ethnic races perceive desperately flavor of lower class posts. 

To perceive and become purity from the accusation created by Myanmar chauvinists and Rakhine racists against Rohingya it is extremely necessary for perfect explanation about the term Rohingya so here by it is highlighted briefly with illustration of rooted evidence from an authentic primary source; evidently it is recorded the existence of Rohingya in to Arakan by European Historian in 1799 as such: Francis Buchanan, “A Comparative Vocabulary of Some of the Languages Spoken in the Burma Empire”. And it is the first historical document mentioning the Rooinga, today’s Rohingya without any corruption. And later Rohingya is officially announced from parliamentary government of prime minister U Nu in 1951 and later in 1954 the president U Ba Swe also said that the Rohingya are a race like other races in Burma and have equal rights. Rohingya are allowed to broadcast radio programs in Rohingya language, currently Rohingyalish by this systematical schedule: from 15 May 1961 to 1 October 1965. 

Unfortunately, the devilish mentor, world worst dictator general Ne Win violently deprived the full citizenship rights imposing a discriminatory law, Act 1982 citizenship which affected mainly and fundamentally to Rohingya . Since his dictatorship, he clearly cleansed up preferring racism of Buddhism most of Rohingya brilliant students, illustrious religious scholars, experienced politicians including writers and national singers. 

Furthermore, there is imposed restrictions for higher education, marriage, population growing rate, domestic and international travelling, religious functions, communication, transportation, traditional ceremonies, politics, health, living standard, etc. Later since 1990, instigated racism chauvinistically to Buddhist officials gradually and at last in 2012 every Buddhists families are put mindset of racism of Buddhism by one of Buddhist monk chiefs Virathu from Mandalay region,central Burma directly sponsored from president Thein Sein. Thein Sein was a former military high rank officer and later become civilianized president of Myanmar in 2010 .it is to be described with great anxiety that he implements all the rest procedure to eradicate ethnic minorities mainly Rohingya that remained during the dictatorship of his predecessor senior general Than Shwe. 

While democratic reforms are gradually adopted forward, only aiming to eliminate the Rohingya from feeling of taste of flavor of democracy the regime chief boldly took the multiple- sword: slaughtering innocent people of Rohingya. On 8th June 2012, the deliberately happened collision was created with severe preparation mainly containing modern weapons, in which, attempted to completely genocide the entire Rohingya for the last time ever. The most wicked and the most powerful organizer of that genocide was President Thein Sein. Due to suddenly approaching misfortune unto them, their criminally formed stragical plan of Rohingya genocide was became miscarriage and at once he, president Thein Sein proposed immorally and impudently disobeying the democratic rules in last July 11 to UNHCR chief Mr. Gueteress to congregate the Rohingya building a camp as temporary shelter until any third country simply welcomes. 

Again, through resumption of the perpetration Genocide against Rohingya in last October, to implement the conspiracy for eradication Rohingya, the Buddhists extremists and regime of president thein Sein with RNDP victimized the whole Rakhine state only strictly Rohingya and become IDPs more times than the first time over crowded. And ceased external-shooting dramatically to show international communities that the regime itself restoring peace and harmony within Rakhine and Rohingya but alternatively they long breathed it i.e. sophisticated preparation for finally onetime diminish plan. 

To be continued. 

Ibrahim Shah is a Rohingya activist. He can be reached via Twitter: @ibrmshah. The writings, here, are of his own and do not reflect the editorial policy of RB.

Bangkok Post

March 30, 2013

The murderous communal riots that have wracked Myanmar for nearly six months are edging closer to the country's most important cities, and to strong notice abroad, particularly in Muslim-majority countries. 

The government faces serious security questions from civil rights activists at home and overseas, including its knee-jerk reaction to declare a state of emergency and call in the army at every riot. 

The deaths, injuries and property destruction pose security threats to the government of President Thein Sein, and especially to its fragile attempt to transform Myanmar from a military-ruled tyranny into a functioning, free state. 

Democracy requires free speech, but free speech is putting Myanmar at risk at the moment. Extremists, especially anti-Muslim radicals, have dominated and taken control of the country's community message. Unless government and decent civil society responds soon, Myanmar faces a downward spiral of violence with unpredictable but disastrous consequences. 

The proper solution to offensive free speech is more free speech. That is not working and may not work in post-tyranny Myanmar for critical reasons. 

The most important problem is the abject failure of the government, opposition and civil society to engage the extremists. 

Thein Sein has been quick to bask in praise for what he claims are "reforms without parallel in modern times", but he has refused to condemn even murder and ethnic cleansing by Buddhists in Myanmar. 

Even Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi has merely called for new laws that she thinks may protect minorities, without serious criticism of killing and mass arson. 

The army, which once controlled radicals with prison, torture, threats and ruthless intimidation, has completely abandoned that role. So far, it has stepped in to restore order when directed by the president, but has been totally inert as a proactive force. 

Thus, the militants and extremists have not only gained control of the microphone, they also are using free speech without serious challenge to their message. 

The other major failing of free speech in Myanmar is an inability to counter the extremists, currently controlling the microphones _ and the internet. 

The seasoned Myanmar reporter James Hookway, in a report for The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday, pictured pro-violent groups like the scurrilous Buddhist 969 Movement as dominating the Myanmar internet channels, and forcing out moderate messages. 

But while the 969 group does dominate some internet forums, the truth is there's little to dominate. 

Myanmar's hate and xenophobia are not controlled by militant messaging and microphone control. They are fuelled by a lack of means to communicate. 

An excellent and credible in-depth survey of Myanmar's communications turned up a pitiful and pitiable lack of means to counter the hate speech with free speech. 

Newspapers and magazines remain untrustworthy. TV and radio are unavailable to reasonable voices. 

But it is precisely in new information and communications technology (ICT) where reasonable voices have no chance in Myanmar. 

Three million of the country's 60 million people have mobile phones. Four million have no access at all to the internet, and a measly 1% of the country has an internet subscription. All three mobile phone operators are effectively government-controlled. 

In short, the extremists have the only voice. Militant monks like Sayataw Wira Thu of 969 are not effectively countered anywhere _ not by the government, by civil society or the media including the internet. 

As a result, this is a forking moment for free speech in Myanmar. The government and citizens have to decide whether the "free speech" of the extremist monks and nationalists can continue to foment violence, murders and ethnic cleansing. 

Until high-ranking authorities expose the hate, and an effective internet-based media can affect public opinion, the government may be forced to revert to the old way of controlling hate speech, by the prison system. That would scratch the veneer of democratic reforms, but probably would stop the blatant and murderous attacks on minorities, especially Muslims. It is a tough call for the self-styled world-class reformer, but Thein Sein must face the hard choice soon, before racial and communal riots get entirely out of hand.

Hameed Shaheen

Kashmir Watch

March 30, 2013

ISLAMABAD - The OIC (Organization of Islamic Cooperation) has activated its administrative apparatus to provide relief to Myanmar-uprooted Muslims. The OIC Secretary General, Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, announced on Saturday in Jeddah that the his organization is planning to hold a meeting at the level of Foreign Ministers on 14 April 2013 to discuss the issue of violence against Muslims in Myanmar, says an emailed press release.

In his speech at the Contact Group meeting on Rohingya held at the OIC headquarters in Jeddah on Saturday, Ihsanoglu announced two messages, the first was directed to Muslims in Myanmar stressing that the OIC will stand in support of their cause, and that the Organization and its Member States are following up the issue and are ready to take all necessary measures and actions to deal with it. In his second message, Ihsanoglu addressed the government of Myanmar and stressed that it should put an end to the Buddhist extremists and hate campaigns, as well as ethnic cleansing that they had launched against Muslims in the country, pointing out that the OIC will take up this issue to international forums to find a full solution to it.

Ihsanoglu said that the OIC has called for the convening of this Contact Group meeting in its headquarters in Jeddah due to renewed acts of violence against Muslims in Myanmar by Buddhist extremists, which resulted in the killing of dozens of Muslims, burning of their homes, in addition to setting fire to mosques and schools and displacement of hundreds. He warned against the spread of violence, which had began in Arakan State, west of the country, and spread to other regions and cities.

Ihsanoglu called on the countries members of the Contact Group to establish contact channels with the international community to implement the recommendations of the Extraordinary Mecca Islamic Summit held last August, stressing the Group's ability to move and have an effective impact. Ihsanoglu expressed the Organization's willingness to coordinate positions in order to provide necessary support to improve the situation of Muslims in Myanmar in order to restore all their legitimate rights and to return to their land.

The Secretary General pointed out that the meeting should seek to gain the confidence of the Rohingya people, and that the international community should fulfill its promises that are not for compromise or bargain.

Asad Naeem

Business Recorder

March 30, 2013 

ISLAMABAD: Expressing concern of Pakistanis over the recurrence of communal riots in Myanmar, President Asif Ali Zardari has called upon his Myanmar counterpart President U. Thein Sein to use all the resources to prevent violence and protect the lives of minority Muslim community.

In his letter to President U. Thein Sein, the President said that he was deeply saddened at the eruption of yet another wave of violence in Meiktila Town of Mandalay Region and expressed the concern of the people over communal riots that have resulted into the loss of life and property as well as desecration of places of worship.

Following is the text of President's letter to President U. Thein Sein; "Excellency,

I am deeply saddened at the eruption of yet another wave of violence this time in Meiktila Town of Mandalay Region, Myanmar. The people of Pakistan are concerned at the recurrence of communal riots resulting in loss of life and property as well as desecration of places of worship.

I appreciate Your Excellency's personal efforts and that of the Government of Myanmar to defuse the situation. We have confidence in Your Excellency's leadership in restoring communal harmony that is so essential for strengthening of democratic process.

I request, as a friend of Myanmar, to kindly use all your resources to prevent violence and protect the lives of minority Muslim community. As you would kindly agree that peaceful co- existence of communities in Myanmar would be an essential element to make the transition of democracy a success. Let me assure you that Pakistan fully supports your efforts to strengthen democracy in Myanmar.

I wish Your Excellency, the Government and the people of Myanmar success in restoring peace, stability and economic progress in the country.

Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest considerations.

Channel 4 News

March 29, 2013

It wasn’t supposed to be this way. Two years ago, Burma’s military junta stepped down, handing the keys to a softly spoken soldier called Thein Sein. 

The newly installed president promised an orderly transition from pariah state to democracy – and what a great story it was.

Government ministers began to dismantle the architecture of the authoritarian state – the release and recent election of long-time dissident, Aung San Suu Kyi served as headline events. In the process, President Sein won the heartfelt thanks of his people – and the admiration of much of the international community. 

Yet this transition has unleashed forces that the country’s leaders are struggling to control. 

They currently find themselves in the midst a national emergency – a firestorm of ethnic hatred between Buddhists and Muslims in central parts of the country. Over the last week or so, 40 people have been confirmed dead and 12,000 Muslims have been forced to flee their homes – and the violence is edging closer to the country’s largest city, Rangoon. 

Last night Thein Sein went on national television to plead with his people; “We must rise above sixty years of historical bitterness, confrontational approaches, and a zero-sum attitude in solving our differences,” he said. There was more to this than a simple call for calm – the country’s transitional leader was threatening to bring back the army. “In general, I do not endorse the use of force to solve problems. However, I will not hesitate to use force as a last resort to protect the lives and safeguard the property of general public.” 

Commentators have blamed much of the trouble on the relaxation of social controls. People are largely free to say what they want in Burma, whether it is in the press or online, and this freedom has been used to whip up sectarian and ethnic tensions. 

More importantly however, the crisis has also been caused by a lack of leadership at the top – the unwillingness of people like President Sein and Aung San Suu Kyi to take a clear ethical and political position when other Muslim groups – like the Rohingya – were being burnt out of their homes last year in Burma’s north-east. 

Some 200 Rohingya were killed last year and 120,000 now live in squalid camps in Rakhine State. Prevented from working or travelling, many thousands have tried to escape in rickety fishing boats – an option that serves only the desperate. 

In response, the government and Burma’s political opposition have looked the other way. President Sein suggested deportation as a “solution”: “We will send (the Rohingya) away if any third country would accept them.” It was an incredible – and barely credible proposal – no other country would accept the one million Rohingya who live Burma. 

Aung San Suu Kyi refused to get involved, arguing simply that “both sides are to blame” and urging a “return to the rule of law”. 

However, in their actions and their statements both leaders have failed to lead. They have failed to check and challenge long-standing prejudices and enmities that exist in Burma – stirred up in part by the military generals who have now departed the scene – and they have failed to paint and sell an inclusive notion of Burmese citizenship to every member of this multi-ethnic and religious population. 

Perhaps they are starting to get the message now. Last week, Ms Suu Kyi told reporters that that she viewed the most recent bout of violence, “as a threat for the whole country as it can spread easily.” President Sein found room in his speech last night to say this: “it is our firm belief that an inclusive democratic society based on equality for all citizens will ensure peace and stability, especially in our country made up of various ethnic nationalities, religious beliefs, and cultures.” 

Despite the hope and optimism that most people feel for this nation, its leaders and its institutions are proving weak and ineffectual – and the cost of continuing failure could be dire.

ABC/AFP

March 29, 2013

The UN has warned tens of thousands of Rohingya Muslims living in squalid, flood-prone camps in western Myanmar face "imminent danger" from looming monsoon rains.

An estimated 125,000 Rohingya and other Muslims have languished in insanitary camps since violence flared last year with ethnic Rakhine Buddhists, leaving scores dead and whole neighbourhoods in ruins.

John Ging from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is calling on Myanmar's government to take action now "to prevent a predictable tragedy".

"The gravity and urgency of the situation cannot be overstated," he said.

"Community and religious leaders also have a major role in promoting a culture of peace and mutual respect in multicultural and multi-ethnic Myanmar."

The monsoon season is expected to start in May and Mr Ging is urging the government to release new land for camps and to help rebuild community relations after spreading anti-Muslim violence in central Myanmar this month.

His comments follow allegations by rights groups that humanitarian aid to the Rohingya is being restricted by Myanmar's authorities.

Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch, says curbs on relief to the camps are creating a "crisis that will become a disaster when the rainy season arrives".

Mr Robertson says Myanmar's leaders seem intent on keeping the Rohingya segregated in camps rather than planning for them to return to their homes.

He also warns heavy rains are likely to spread waterborne diseases among vulnerable camp residents.

Medical aid agency Doctors Without Borders has said a lack of clean drinking water in the camps has caused skin infections, worms, chronic coughing and diarrhoea, while many malnourished people are going without urgent medical care.

'Enough Shelter'

Earlier this month, Myanmar presidential spokesman U Ye Htut told Australia Network's Newsline program the shelter at the camps was adequate.

"I think most of the people are still living in the camp but they have enough shelter and food supply for the rainy season," he said.

His comments followed UN Special Rapporteur Tomás Ojea Quintana's report which recommended the Rohingya be integrated into communities "to avoid a humanitarian disaster" during the rainy season.

Thousands of Rohingya have fled Myanmar in recent months on rickety boats, mostly believed to be heading for Malaysia.

Myanmar views its population of roughly 800,000 Rohingya as illegal Bangladeshi immigrants and denies them citizenship.

The country's Rakhine state suffered two bouts of deadly sectarian violence last year between ethnic Rakhine Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims.

The fighting has divided the community and led to Rohingya Muslims being separated into temporary camps.

In central Myanmar, the country's Muslims have been targeted by violence led by Buddhist mobs since March 20. 

At least 40 people have been killed and mosques burned in several towns, prompting the government to impose emergency rule and curfews in some areas.

Mizzima News

March 29, 2013

The UN’s Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Myanmar, Tomás Ojea Quintana, on Friday issued a statement from Geneva expressing his “serious concerns” about the spread of violence between Muslim and Buddhist communities in Myanmar and urged the Thein Sein government to take “bold steps” to counteract what he called a “frightening trend”. 

“The Government must take immediate action to stop the violence from spreading to other parts of the country and undermining the reform process,” Quintana said. “This includes stemming campaigns of discrimination and hate speech which are fuelling racist and, in particular, anti-Muslim feeling in the country.”

The UN envoy was undoubtedly referring to the emergence of Buddhist extremists, in many cases led by monks, who stand accused of masterminding the violence. A group calling itself “969”, which appears to be spearheaded by a Buddhist monk named Wirathu, has inundated social media with anti-Muslim vitriol and called for a boycott of all Muslim businesses.

“The warning signs have been there since the communal violence in Rakhine State last June, and the Government has simply not done enough to address the spread of discrimination and prejudice against Muslim communities across the country, and to tackle the organised and coordinated mobs that are inciting hatred and violently attacking Muslim communities,” Quintana said.

He called for Myanmar’s authorities to hold to account those responsible for acts of violence and destruction against religious and ethnic minorities.

Quintana also alluded to allegations that some State officials, including local politicians and administrators, have been encouraging discriminatory views and inciting hatred.

“The Government must clearly distance itself from such incitement to hatred, and instruct its officials to do likewise,” the UN envoy said. “Although Myanmar is a majority Buddhist country, the Government must promote tolerance of all faiths and religions.”

Quintana went on to say that he had received reports that the military, police and other civilian law enforcement forces had stood by “while atrocities have been committed before their very eyes, including by well organised ultra-nationalist Buddhist mobs.”

He called for Myanmar to also hold to account those military and police officers who were responsible for tolerating attacks against Muslims.

Quintana praised the work of 88 Generation leaders, such as Min Ko Naing, who had travelled to Meiktila following the violence and worked to ease tensions and promote understanding. 

In the Special Rapporteur’s latest report to the UN Human Rights Council earlier this month, he warned that the crisis in Rakhine State could spread to other parts of the country, and issued a number of recommendations to the Government aimed at addressing the widespread discrimination and prejudice against ethnic and religious minority groups in Myanmar, including lifting restrictions on discriminatory practices against Muslim communities, and reviewing the functions of the border security forces.