“Regarding Situation of suffering Muslims in Burma”

BRAFA Chairman Shaukhat Kyaw Soe Aung alias MSK Jilani highlighted the situation of suffering Muslims in Burma at the MAS Convention- Milwaukee Chapter are as follows. 

- Burma is located in Southeast Asia and it is majority Buddhist country with a population of an estimated more than 60 million people consisting of Buddhist, Muslim, Christian, Hindu and other religious groups. Muslim settlements and propagation of Islam in Burma has been widely documented by Arab, Persian, European and Chinese travelers in the 8 century A.D. 

- The current Muslim population in Burma are an estimated 8 to 9 million and they are descendants of Arabs, Persians, Turks, Moors, Indians, Pakistanis, Pathans, Moghuls, Bengalis, Chinese Muslims, Malays and other indo-Mongoloid people who settled down and intermarried with the local people and other ethnic Burmese groups in Burma according to historical survey. 

- So, Muslims in Burma have been living for many centuries and they were recognized as indigenous people and bona fide citizens of Burma by the previous Burmese democratic government institutions. Muslims of Burma have been enjoyed the fruits of democratic rights and equal status and used to have a number of high-ranking officers in the previous parliamentary democratic government from 1948 to 1962. 

- Soon after Burmese dictator General Ne Win seized the power in March, 1962 Muslims have been deliberately and systematically excluded from the governmental positions and hundreds of thousands of Muslims were forced to leave Burma. Since then, Muslims in Burma have become the third class inhabitants and living as subjugated minority, who are no longer treated to be Burmese citizens. 

- With the enactment of 1982 discriminatory Burmese citizenship law which is against international law standards and basic fundamental human rights by the dictator General Ne Win and his political agent ultra-nationalists and racist academicians, Muslims of Burma particularly, the Rohingya people of Arakan has been denied citizenship rights and become stateless people or foreigners in their native home-land Arakan who were living there for many centuries with historical roots. 

- Muslims in Burma are being painfully subjected to barbaric and appalling atrocities of extremist Buddhists and security forces of Burmese government. Their lives are in a constant fear and under extremely threats. The brutal Burmese military regime has been carrying out massive atrocities, religious violence, racial discrimination, human rights abuses and restriction of movement on Muslim minority which are neither totally acceptable nor tolerable and these are all against the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and democratic norms. 

- Most evidently, starting from the last year June, 2012, Muslim minorities in Burma become suffering victims of widespread racial, religious and political persecutions and violent attacks at the hands of Burmese extremist Buddhist and government security forces and yet still on going the same violence and atrocities against Muslims throughout Burma (Myanmar). Today, Muslims in Burma are under horrible suppression and there is no scope of any security protection given to the Muslims by the President Thein Sein’s quasi-civilian government and its security forces because they themselves either directly or indirectly involved in the ongoing violence and anti-Muslim campaigns in collaboration with racist monks and Buddhist extremists to vanish and annihilate the Muslims from the land of Burma. 

- There have been two rounds of religious violence and terrorist attack erupted on the Rohingyas and Kaman Muslims in Arakan State, the western part of Burma in the last year. The first round is in June 2012 and the second round is in October 2012 which ultimately resulted over 25,000 Muslims includes men, women, and children have been butchered and untold numbers of Rohingyas and Kaman Muslims were missing when they were escaping the violence and still unknown where about. Hundreds of Muslim women and young girls were raped by the Buddhists and Burmese security forces while more than 125,000 Muslims includes Rohingyas and Kaman have been displaced and now they are living in the concentration camps in Sittwe (Akyab), Arakan State as internally displaced persons (IDP). The Burmese Government do not take any concrete program and planning yet to resettle the displaced Muslims to their original places and locations nor given any appropriate compensations to them for the loss and destruction of their houses and properties which were burned down and destroyed in the violence and terrorist attack by the Buddhist extremists and government security forces. Instead of amicably resolving the problem by protecting minority and innocent Muslims, the President Thein Sein led Burmese government and its security forces covertly supported the Buddhist rioters and racist monks, which created greater hardships for the defenseless Muslims. 

- Meanwhile, due to fear of extreme repression, brutal methods of torturing, killing, looting and arbitrary confiscation of Muslim properties, disappearances and rape of Muslim women, mass arrest, restriction of movement, harassment, inflicting physical and causing mental harm as well as other kinds of human rights violations such as blocking of humanitarian aid and relief goods, education and employment restriction, dire living conditions in the camps, and restriction on five time daily religious prayer services, several thousands of Muslim Rohingyas so far have fled the country in rickety (overcrowded) boats through Indian Andaman sea and eventually they managed to reach somehow to Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, India and Sri Lanka after several days voyaging in the sea without foods and water while hundreds of people have drowned already at sea because of engine breaking down. Currently, these boat people are under detention of Thailand, Malaysia and some are in Indonesia and Sri Lanka respectively. 

- Subsequently, another new wave of violence erupted on Burmese Muslims in Meiktila town of Mandalay region in central Burma on March 20, 2013 and now this violence has spreading all over cities, townships, and Muslim villages in central Burma and other eastern parts including the former capital city of Rangoon. As a result of extensive violence and anti-Muslim campaigns orchestrated by the Buddhist people, according to reliable news information from the ground, at least 30 mosques include Madaras and Maktabs have been destroyed and burnt down into ashes in front of the police personals and security forces. Hundreds of Burmese Muslims were killed in this violence by the Buddhist extremists and many injured. Several business properties, shops, stores and houses owned by the Burmese Muslims were burnt and destroyed while more than 20,000 Burmese Muslims were displaced and now they are taking shelter at the stadium complex in central Burma. They have no enough foods, no medical services and lack of other necessary shelter and equipment at this time for the contemporary life survival. 

- Unfortunately, neither United Nations - UN, European Union - EU, United States Government (U.S.), ASEAN, nor civilized world communities of the 21st century has initiated any affirmative action or positively raised voice against the inhumane atrocities, worst human massacre and the grim condition of Muslims in Burma. International communities including world veto power 5 countries are still so quiet and not taking any practical action on military backed Burmese government, despite receiving daily news through various media groups, watching the horrific video, and pictures of this unprecedented genocide of Muslims at the hands of Burmese security forces, civilian political party leaders, racist monks and Buddhist extremists in Burma. 

Taking everything into accounts of the suffering Muslims in Burma and pursuing their grim condition, on behalf of the Burmese Rohingya American Friendship Association (BRAFA), I sincerely want to request all of the participant Muslim brothers and sisters in this Muslim American Society (MAS) Convention including world-wide Muslim Ummah to help and provide moral and material support to the suffering Muslims in Burma and also demand the United Nations Security Council and US Government to dispatch international peace keeping forces to save the lives of the innocent and unarmed Muslims of Burma. Thein Sein led Burmese government does not give enough protection to the Muslim people and therefore, they are in need of international protection immediately.

The Nation

April 7, 2013

Thirteen Myanmar soldiers earlier reported as having been killed in a clash with unidentified armed forces on the Thai-Myanmar border were actually lost in a forest but are now safe, according to the Myanmar authorities. 

Myanmar also retracted its earlier report that an armed clash had erupted on the border in southern Ranong province, at the same location where 92 Thais were arrested last year.

Army deputy spokesman Winthai Suwaree said yesterday that the Thai authorities were informed that the inaccurate report was the result of miscommunication. 

The 13 soldiers were patrolling in the area at a time when a bush-fire occurred, he said. 

Cracking sounds caused by the fire were mistaken as gunfire by colleagues of the patrolling soldiers listening in on the other end of radio communications. After reporting to their base, they patrolling soldiers lost contact, which led the local Myanmar authorities to seek help from their Thai counterparts after the soldiers could not be located, according to the Thai Army spokesman.

"The latest report from the Myanmar authorities was that it was a misunderstanding. They asserted that there was no armed clash in the border area and there were no deaths at all," the spokesman said.

In Ranong, Colonel Uthit Anantananont, deputy commander of the 25th Infantry Regiment's Special Taskforce, which is responsible for the border area in question, said yesterday that the 13 Myanmar soldiers were found by their colleagues' search party deep in a forest in Myanmar. 

The patrol team had 15 soldiers and only two of them had managed to find their way back to the base before the search began, Uthit said. "Now the situation is considered to have returned to normal in the border area between Thailand's Ranong and Myanmar's Kawthaung," he said.

He added that a trip by the 4th Army Area commander to Ranong to look into the matter had been cancelled after the latest report from the Myanmar authorities.

Foreign Minister Surapong Towichukchaikul yesterday also confirmed that there had been a misunderstanding, saying the cracking sound of burning trees was mistaken by the missing soldiers' colleagues as gunfire.

In July last year, Myanmar authorities arrested 92 Thais in the border area opposite Ranong's Kra Buri district for encroaching on Myanmar territory. Eighty-eight of them were eventually released but the rest have been detained on weapons and drug-trafficking charges.

Ibrahim Shah

RB News

April 6, 2013

On 6th April 2013, today it is reliably informed by a phone call of one villager hails from Taungbazar belong to upper part of Buthidaung Township in western Burma as follows. 

Yesterday, Border Immigration (Nasaka) personnel named Captain Win Hlaing Oo from BI Sector No. 9, located in northern Taungbazar Joint, called only Rohingya villagers in a tea-shop of the market; threatened waving hands holding long knifes wrathfully and finally forced abusively many villagers to acknowledge themselves as Bengali signing with computerized figure-print. 

Once villagers refused to sign in the census papers, the Captain himself has beaten brutally to many villagers. Hardly few signed unwillingly and fearfully to escape beating brutally. Again, once the villagers mostly refused to acknowledge as Bengali and boldly claimed themselves as Rohingya, the BI personnel forcibly scrutinize entering every houses there. 

Meanwhile, most of the villagers flee home and hide in forest to escape the brutalities of BI personnel. When they met that head of family, male is absent, the BI personnel try to forcibly assault women. Though today Saturday is the shopping day of that market, even about 50 villagers did not go for shopping. The main reason to avoid going for shopping is only to escape the brutal beating of BI personnel. 

A villager named Anwar, son-of former private cigarette company Abdu Shokkor fled to escape the brutal beating which is a fresh atrocity initiated by the deputy- chief of Border Immigration Sector No. 9. 

One village Administrator named Esahaq, son of Muzer hailed from Kyeenockthie quarter was forcibly singed with finger-print as Bengali. He is in dire situation and now he is likely a chronic patient of heart disease. He is regretting that my life is ruined absolutely to unwillingly acknowledge as Bengali due to the forcibly beating and inhumanely insulting. 

Eventually, all the Rohingyas determined to refuse the forcibly Bengalization strategic planning of current military backed regime of President Thein Sein. But most are dreading that they will be killed alive at last when they would speak out altogether against Bengalization. 

In accordance with the evident historical records, Rohingya face discrimination from the Buddhist majority imperialist group since 1962. Amid the reform-term of so called president Thein Sein, Rohingya are killed, missed, displaced more times than ever. Since the initiation of the central government sponsored violence on minority Rohingya Muslims in the last year June, it is so increasingly going on numerous atrocities on Rohingya. This attempt to Bengalize Rohingya is the eventual path to accomplish Rohingya genocide.

Gianluca Mezzofiore

International Business Times

April 6, 2013

Buddhist Monk Saydaw Wirathu, the self-styled "Burmese bin Laden", has rejected claims that his 969 nationalist campaign was behind violence in central Myanmar's city of Meikhtila against Muslims. 

In an interview with Irrawaddy website, Wirathu blamed "kalar" - a scornful term for Muslims - for the Meikhtila sectarian riots that left at least 20 people dead. "They were carrying knives, sticks and other weapons and attacked the Burmese," he said. "When the crowd heard that one monk was killed during the unrest, they went to the kalar quarter without weapons. Only one Burmese person out of ten carried a stick from the ruined houses, and no other weapons. [...]So, the planned attacks came from the Muslim quarters." 

Wirathu, who has led numerous vocal campaigns against Muslims in Burma and was arrested in 2003 for distributing anti-Muslim literature, denied that the 969 campaign was responsible for the unrest. "People blame 969, saying it is involved in the atrocities because they cannot find the real culprits. [But] the 969 leaflets were not found and no one distributed it in Meikthila," he argued. "The 969 campaign was made the culprit, but actually it is innocent as it only represents the special attributes of the Buddha."

The numerology of 969 is derived from the Buddhist tradition in which 9 stands for the special attributes of Buddha; 6 for the special attributes of his teaching or Dhamma and 9 for the special attributes of the Sangha or Buddhist order. 

In a controversial video that emerged on YouTube, Wirathu called for a national boycott of Muslim businesses in Myanmar. Buddhist monasteries have been distributing anti-Muslim leaflets for months, according to reports. Wirahtu himself was arrested in 2003 for distributing anti-Muslim leaflets and has often stirred controversy over his Islamophobic activities.

According to the Democratic Voice of Burma, Wirathu played an active role in stirring tensions in a Rangoon suburb in February, by spreading unfounded rumours that a local school was being developed into a mosque, 

An angry mob of about 300 Buddhists assaulted the school and Muslim-owned businesses and shops in Rangoon. The 969 symbol was found spray-painted on damaged cars and Muslim buildings in other Myanmar areas after the Meikhtala riots. 

The monk also criticised Aung San Suu Kyi and her National league for Democracy (NLD) for not doing enough to protect Buddhists in Myanmar. "I have been supporting Daw Aung San Suu Kyi through the years, but she was not a reliable leader during the Rakhine State [sectarian] unrest," he said, referring to last year's clashes between Rohingya Muslims and ethnic Rakhine Burmese. 

"Nearly every NLD township office is operated by Muslims," he continued. "So I said the symbol of the NLD peacock is becoming a symbol for Muslims.[...] They are not very reliable in supporting the public in the case of the Arakan State riots. They don't stand on the side of the public. 

"They don't issue a specific statement to say that Rohingya [Muslims] are not a recognized national minority [in Burma] and they should condemn the killing of Arakanese [Buddhists] by Bengalis [Muslims]," he continued.

Courier Mail

April 6, 2013

INDONESIAN police have arrested 35 Muslim Rohingya from Burma planning to make the treacherous sea crossing to Australia to seek asylum.

Officials said the arrests came the same day Rohingya being held at a detention centre on Sumatra island beat to death eight Buddhist detainees from Burma after being enraged by photos of recent communal violence in their homeland.

Rohingya, described by the United Nations as one of the world's most persecuted minorities, have fled Burma in their thousands since Buddhist-Muslim tensions exploded in their home state of Rakhine last year.

The 35 migrants, who included 12 children, were arrested at a flat in the city of Surabaya, East Java province, for not having the necessary immigration documents to be in Indonesia, said local police chief Wiji Suwartini.

"They planned to go to Australia," she said, adding that they would be sent to an immigration detention centre in the city.

An increasing number of Rohingya have been arriving on Indonesian shores, where many face long stints in detention awaiting UN assessment for refugee status.

Friday's attack at the detention centre in Belawan underscored the soaring Muslim-Buddhist tensions that have cast a shadow over political reforms in Burma which have brought an end to decades of authoritarian military rule.

Australia is facing a steady influx of asylum-seekers arriving by boat, many of whom use Indonesia as a transit hub, paying people-smugglers for passage on leaky wooden vessels after fleeing their home countries.

Hundreds have died making the treacherous journey over the past few years.

The Freedom and Wisdom

The Freedom as a Human being! 

The Freedom as a Man of Citizen! 

The Freedom as a Universal Brotherhood! 

The Freedom as a Man of Asia! 

The Freedom that I feel, 

The Freedom that I need; 

The Freedom that I believed in, 

The Freedom that I see within; 

The Freedom that I asked for, 

The Freedom that I looked for; 

The Freedom that I dreamt for, 

The Freedom that I wished for; 

It is the Freedom I’ve never ever touched before. 

It has a mind of secret Feelings, 

It sighs and whispers in Sadness. 

Though it talks in gentle like a Pigeon! 

And cries in silence like a Horse! 

It makes no Sound and Tune! 

Just looking up the Sky; 

Feeling the Absence of Freedom thereby! 

When Tears silently rolling down the Cheeks! 

Leaving a Crack on the Heart with Reeks! 

No World, no Humans Remembers aside! 

Just looking for a Place to Hide! 

Chasing the Freedom through Wisdom, 

To build a Kingdom of Freedom. 

Without Blood and Wisdom, 

There is no Freedom. 

Freedom Talks and Laughs! 

With Breaths of Peace and Love! 

When there is Equality, 

There is Humanity. 

When there is Humanity, 

There is Freedom and Prosperity. 

It is not the End of an End, 

As it is not my Friend, 

It has many Trends, 

Sometimes Up and Down, 

Here and there in the Town, 

Leaving thousands of Lives! 

Finally, it comes again in Alive! 

Soe Raza is a social activist for Rohingyas’ citizenship rights & student at International Islamic University Malaysia pursuing a degree in Master in Pharmaceutical Sciences (Pharmacology).

Author’s Note: This poem was aimed to express the importance of wisdom for freedom while freedom for prosperity, peace and love among the people of different faiths with no ethics of colour and creed. And it was also aimed to explore the feelings of a Myanmar minority Muslim Rohingya who has never ever touched a breath of freedom in his/her birth place (Myanmar) due to religious and ethnic discriminations. It is noteworthy for me to mention through this poem that there should be no colour and code ethics for recognition of a Citizen of a country in the world as we all are bound to the Universe Friendship and Brotherhood. Without having equal rights and freedoms, there should be no genuine democracy. On the other hand, it was said that every person has a right to be the Citizen of a country where he/she has born.

Ibrahim Shah

RB Article

April 5, 2013

Since February numerous leaflets are circulated consisting of instigating Islamophobia sermons by prominent Buddhist monks led by Wirathu around the country. But the main backed string holder is the regime itself so the concerned authorities are deaf, dumb and blind to control the monk terrorist gangs by upper command. 

Due to social and political activists of internal and international are gladly out of concern to such prior stimulation papers against Muslims, the violence sponsored from Naypyidaw, capital of Myanmar perpetually taking place since June 2012 is now gradually infecting to every Muslim quarters. On 18th February 2013 in Thaketa from Yangon region, it happened cruelly a religious attack on Muslim by Buddhist monks which made a great loss for Muslim including properties and religious buildings. Again, on 19th March 2013 in Meikhtila from central Burma of Mandalay division, a crowd of Buddhists extremists with monks terrified inhumanely and completely destroyed Muslim shops worth of huge cost, burnt down houses, killed, and set fire to mosques which are proof for Muslim existence in there since many decades ago. 

“There are taking place perpetually hidden genocide against Rohingya by various methods such as: banned access of international journalists and aid agency, restricted travelling, starvation,ill-treatment by both local Rakhine extremists and government officials, gang bang to even immature virgins, looting, threats to desperately flee giving up homes,arbitrary arrest, torturing until dead,set fire to houses and religious buildings ,locked up all religious buildings,banned religious functions, forcefully converting from Rohingya to Bengali, etc. The regime eventually created another utmost enormous annihilation for Rohingya is completely changing the demography of Arakan/Rakhine, western Myanmar by placing new Bengali Rakhine from Bangladesh in Rohingya quarters.” 

“It is terribly horrible that the president and his collaborator RNDP head vet. Aye Maung with some NLD prominent members are Chasing Muslims from every corners of the country like filtering out dust from atomic sized particle by putting ahead some Buddhist terrorists led by devilish monk chief  Wirathu. After accomplishment of depopulation to Muslims fundamentally Rohingya, then the regime will eventually implement their prime strategies of perpetual hostility against Rohingya i.e. last edge of genocide and would tie the knot of eradication Rohingya so tightly so that the term Rohingya and Islam could not appear again on the land, Arakan and Myanmar.” 

“Rohingya are intolerantly victimized since many decades because Rohingya are vulnerable and are impoverished by government from every side brutally.” 

“The more the increasing of warmly invitation by super powers of western and European countries to such a pseudo reformist, immoral president, a killer, aptitude-les and so called president Then Sein; the more the restrictions are imposed, and the more the strategic plan of atrocities are increasingly implemented by creating fresh religious riot day by day.’’ 

Is it crime or absurdity of Myanmar president Thein Sein who does not control willingly this kinds of increasing oppression and religious riots on Muslim society who are minority and vulnerable? 

Woefully, UN special envoy Mr  Quintana and Mitchell, the US ambassador in Myanmar also expressed respectively regarding internal Rohingya, “It is more like prisons’’ and “Rohingya camps are far less developed”. 

It is really miserable that U Ye Htut, Myanmar's Deputy Information Minister and spokesman for President Thein Sein said that they will not provide any better improved treatment or granted citizenship to Rohingya in this running time. In fact, he deceptively answered the interrogations in an interview on ABC Australia Network News in 19th March 2013. Here is attached the link for hearing. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-03-19/myanmar-wont-provide-special-treatment-to-rohingya/4583134 

Therefore, it is a perfect time to pass a particular, sustainable resolution for the vulnerable Rohingya immediately to escape from further continual genocide of Myanmar government and to charge by ICC due penalty to the killer Thein Sein and his culprits for disobeying such a peace established law passed by united nations, ‘The Declaration of Universal Human Rights’. That means – he insults all the democrats of this earth planet. 

A final plea to international community including both government and INGOs regardless of faith,race,standard to make globally concentrated efforts without further delay and to look at Rohingya with a merciful eye amid stateless; we are almost to be drowned at the bottom of sea. Humanitarian crisis is dancing over Rohingya heads beating drum of starvation but nobody look for us to extinguish our starvation. We are the one of the most persecuted victims ever on this planet and are the least wanted people in this world reported by AI and UN- save the Rohingya please! Save the Rohingya please! 

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.

Look at us with Merciful Eye amid stateless: Rohingya (Part I)

Sectarian and ethnic tensions running high in Myanmar boiled over far outside the country's borders Friday, when Buddhist fishermen and Muslim asylum seekers from the country brawled with knives and rocks at an Indonesian immigration detention center, leaving eight dead and another 15 injured. 

The melee broke out in North Sumatra province, where more than 100 Rohingya migrants — most intercepted off Indonesia's coast after fleeing their homeland in rickety boats — and 11 Buddhists accused of illegal fishing were being housed together, said local police chief Endro Kiswanto. 

He said witnesses told police the clash started early Friday after a Rohingya Muslim cleric and a fisherman got into a heated debate about sectarian violence that erupted last month in central Myanmar when mobs of armed Buddhists torched Muslim-owned homes and shops, killing dozens and forcing thousands to flee. 

The argument apparently started after the Rohingya migrants saw photos showing destruction caused by the recent violence, said Yusuf Umardani, detention center chief. Insults were traded, and the cleric was allegedly attacked by a fisherman. When the cleric screamed, his friends jumped in to help. From there, the rumble broke out so quickly, security guards were too late to stop it. 

"The violence took place so fast, and it was completely unexpected because they had been living peacefully here so far," Umardani said. "Most of the dead victims suffered severe head injuries. Apparently, they fought using anything that they could get — rocks, wood, chairs and knives."

Eight Buddhists were killed, and 15 Rohingya were injured. Three other Buddhists escaped unharmed, Kiswanto said. 

Local police spokesman Col. Raden Heru Prakoso said 18 Rohingya detainees have been named as suspects. 

"Our friends were covered in blood," surviving fisherman Win Thike Oo told an Associated Press photographer at the scene. "If we were there at the time, we would also be dead." 

About 280 people are crammed into the overcrowded detention center — more than double its capacity. It is filled with a mix of mostly asylum seekers from different countries, including Afghanistan and Sri Lanka. 

Boatloads of Rohingya have been washing up on Indonesia's shores following a wave of violence last year in western Myanmar, where they are considered illegal Muslim settlers from neighboring Bangladesh. Hundreds have been killed and more than 100,000 left homeless in clashes between ethnic Rakhine Buddhists and Rohingya. 

The tensions have tested Myanmar's fledgling reformist government as it attempts to institute political and economic liberalization after nearly half a century of military rule. 

"We actually don't understand about what is happening in my country," said survivor Oo, who has been detained for nine months at the center after being nabbed for illegal fishing in Indonesian waters. "We are only fishermen. We don't care about politics or conflict." 

All of the victims from the detention center were rushed to a hospital in the provincial capital, Medan, about 23 kilometers (14 miles) south of the port town of Belawan. The three surviving fishermen have been moved to a separate building and hundreds of police have been deployed to secure the center. A forensics team was working to collect evidence and surveillance recordings were being reviewed. 

The UN Refugee Agency issued a statement saying it was saddened by news of the deaths. 

"UNHCR is calling for calm among the groups and urging the Indonesian authorities to take action to prevent further violence, including moving individuals into community housing as soon as possible," it said. 

Maj. Zaw Htay, the director of the president's office in Myanmar, said the country's embassy in Jakarta has urged Indonesian authorities to investigate and punish those involved. 

——— 

Associated Press writers Niniek Karmini in Jakarta, Indonesia, and Aye Aye Win in Yangon, Myanmar, contributed to this report.

Statement Condemning Persistent Persecution of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar: Call for Interventions by OIC and UN

We the representatives of Civil Society of Afghanistan, India and Pakistan who are meeting for a South Asian Consultation for “Building Bridges: Civil Society in OIC Countries Engaging with the Multilateral Sphere” in Lahore, Pakistan, and are committed to universal human rights, democratic values and justice are deeply alarmed and distressed by the continued violence against the Rohingya Muslims of Myanmar that is leading to deaths of hundreds, countless injuries and destruction of property of innocent members of the Rohingya Community of Myanmar. Over 150,000 Rohingyas are reported to have fled to neighbouring countries following the violence in June 2012 in Rakhine State in western Myanmar. The present outbreak in March 2013 in Meikhatila in Myanmar between Buddhists and Muslims has lead to fresh killings, destruction of property and businesses and declaration of state of emergency in the region. It is reported that a new wave of exodus of Muslims to the neighbouring countries has started from this area also. There have been similar situations of orchestrated violence against Rohingyas of Myanmar and their mass exodus to neighbouring countries in 1978 and again in 1991-92. 

Rohingiya Muslims of Myanmar, who are of Indo-Aryan descent and have been residing in the Myanmar region since 15th Century, are probably the most persecuted minority in the world due to the development of increasing antipathy by the majority Buddhist community of East Asian stock after independence of Myanmar in 1948 and the extremely discriminatory policies being pursued by the Government of Myanmar ever since. 

A common factor in whole of South Asia is the migration of people for economic reasons, and with independence coming many of the dominating communities are associating citizenship rights with religion or ethnicity and not the presence of a community in the area even for centuries. Due to this some communities are getting deprived of citizenship formally or informally and are being relegated to second class citizenship or condition of Statelesness. 

The situation is particularly bad for the Rohingya Muslims who have been adversely affected by the 1982 citizenship law, which has deprived them of citizenship and made them into “Stateless” people.. It is reported that they are also subjected to forced labour, arbitrary taxation and confiscation of land by the Myanmar Government without any pay. The UNHCR has noted that since 1991 their freedom of movement within the country is restricted. All these are leading to blatant violation of their human rights. Facing this adverse situation of gross violation of their rights resulting in impossible conditions for day to day survival and constant threat of physical violence by the majority community and the state, many of them are trying to flee to Bangladesh, Thailand, Malaysia, India and other countries. 

Though Muslims constitute 5% of the population of Myanmar and many of them had been the residents of this region from centuries, so denying them full citizenship defies all logic of a modern democratic state. Further, the persistent violence against the Rohingyas in Myanmar and its increasing scale and intensity is totally unacceptable, against principles of humanity and justice and calls for immediate action by the international community collectively and severally. 

Despite the gross violations of the basic human and democratic rights of Rohingyas for decades that has reduced them to the status of stateless persons in Myanmar and forces thousands to migrate to other countries during the last 50 years, neither the Un nor OIC has done anything substantive to check this persecution or facilitate their rehabilitation. Hence we demand that the OIC (Organization of Islamic Cooperation that has been founded with the object of being "the collective voice of the Muslim world" and to work to "safeguard and protect the interests of the Muslim world in the spirit of promoting international peace and harmony") and the United nations should condemn this violence and violation of basic human and democratic rights of Rohingyas in Myanmar and initiate processes for: 

- Immediate cessation of all forms of violence and discrimination against the Rohingyas in Myanmar. 

- Institution of an International Committee to investigate all cases of violence in the past one year, fix responsibility and recommend punitive action. 

- Ensure security and safety of all Rohingyas who have fled to other countries and make adequate provisions for their survival and well being till such time as they are rehabilitated back to their areas of origin in Myanmar. 

- Negotiate with all the host countries for complete legal sanctity and protection of all human rights of the Rohingyas till such time as they are resident in these countries and cannot be repatriated back to Myanmar. 

The OIC and the United Nations should also immediately undertake all possible steps to compel the Government of Myanmar to: 

- Repeal the obnoxious Citizenship Act of 1982 and grant full citizenship to the Rohingyas. 

- Restore freedom of religion, establish equality of religious communities and ensure dignity, honour and equal citizenship for people of all faiths. 

- Restore full democratic and human rights to the Rohingyas 

- Create appropriate and favourable conditions for repatriation of all Rohigyas to Myanmar who have been forced to flee in large numbers to other countries due to reasons of systemic discrimination and extreme insecurity. 

Copies of this statement are being submitted to the Secretary General, United Nations; Secretary General, OIC; President and Prime Minister of Myanmar and Ms. Aang Sung Su Kyi, Leader of the opposition, Myanmar for necessary and immediate action. 

Dated: 5th April 2013 

From: 

Dr. Massouda Jalal (Afghanistan) 

Mr. Nejeeb-ur-Rehman Naderi (Afghanistan) 

Ms. Mahfuza Folad (Afghanistan) 

Mr. Mazher Hussain (India) 

Mr. Mohammad Tahseen (Pakistan) 

Ms. Farzana Mumtaz (Pakistan)

Mr. Peter Jacob (Pakistan) 

Mr. Salman Javed (Pakistan) 

Mr. Abbas Ali Siddiqui (Pakistan) 

Ms. Sobia Iram (Pakistan) 

Ms. Kishwar Sultana (Pakistan) 

Mr. Tilawat Hussain (Pakistan) 

Mr. Umar Zada (Pakistan) 

Mr. Javed Pasha (Pakistan) 

Mr. Mohammad Zahid Islam (Pakistan)

Mr. Kamran Ahmad (Pakistan) 

Mr. Tanveer Akbar (Pakistan) 

Mr. Tariq Awan (Pakistan) 

Ms. Bushra Khaliq (Pakistan) 

Ms. Naghma Imdad (Pakistan) 

Ms. Zaman Khan (Pakistan) 

Mr. Asad Jamal (Pakistan) 

COVA (Confederation of Voluntary Associations) is a national network of voluntary organizations dedicated to the issues of social harmony, peace and justice. The prime focus of COVA is on citizenship rights and on perspective building for harmony and peace in South Asia. Through direct programmes and by networking with other CSOs, COVA organises perspective building activities and programs, carries out campaigns, and conducts research for influencing diverse sections of civil society and the state apparatus to adopt inclusive, secular and egalitarian outlook and policies that would foster rights and secure justice and peace for all.

RB News

April 4, 2013

A Joint Demonstration was took place in front of The European Commission in Brussels at 13:00 to 15:00 on 2nd April 2013. Demonstration was jointly organised by Burmese Rohingya Community Netherlands (BRCNL), Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK (BROUK) and Burmese Rohingya Community in Demark (BRCD). 

There are about 70 people joined the protest including Burmese Muslims from Germany, Norway and France. BROUK President Tun Khin participated as a Master of ceremony and various Speakers gave short speeches during Demonstration. The speakers were Hla Aung (NDPHR in exile), Jimmy (Burmese Muslim Community in Germany), Gillet Pierre- Yves (Burma Action Belgium), Sazaat Ahammed (Chairman of BRCNL), Wai Zin Oo (Burmese Muslims Community in Germany), Tun Khin (Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK), Omar (Burmese Muslim from Denmark), Sayed Hussein (Rohingya Community in Norway), Eng. Siddique (Rohingya Language Foundation) and Ms. Rahhena (Rohingya Community in Demark). 

After demonstration a delegation of from joint demonstration Sazaat Ahammed, Tun Khin and Zakaria Abdul Rahim submitted a memorandum with a document of 52 Graphic photos of Genocide in Burma to H.E. Georgios Antoniou, Director of European External Action Service [EEAS] for South-East Asia Division. During 30 minutes meeting with Mr. Georgios Antoniou Sazaat Ahammed, Chairman of BRCNL highlighted that employees of Government of President Thein Sein and Rakhine Nationals Developments Party [RNDP] have incited and involved in killings, destruction of places of worship of Muslims in Burma. European Union urgently has to put pressure on Burma to immediately stop killings, violence and destruction of places of worship and religious schools of Muslims in Burma. He also expressed that it is urgent European Union must put concreter pressure to provide unhindered international humanitarian aids to Rohingyas in Arakan. 

BROUK President Tun Khin requested that lifting or suspension of sanctions on Burma is premature in this stage and it is important to reinstate sanctions in order to protect the Rohingya and other minorities, promote human rights and inclusive democratic and political reforms in Burma. The government of Burma has not only failed to provide safety and security for the Rohingya, it has also encouraged those committing acts of violence by validating their prejudice. Government ministers have spoken of the Rohingya being foreigners and President Thein Sein has asked for international assistance in deporting all Rohingya to third countries. 

Zakaria, Coordinator of Burmese Rohingya Community in Denmark urged to put pressure on Burmese Government to scrap Burma Citizenship Law of 1982 and to replace it with a new law that conform to international law standards. He also mentioned to support a UN independent inquiry and bring those responsible to justice.

Joint Memorandum on the "Hidden Genocide" in Burma

Press TV
April 4, 2013

A political analyst says the Islamic Republic of Iran has had a much stronger position in support of the Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar compared to that of nearly all Arab countries.

The comment comes as the Human Rights Watch has called on Myanmar’s government to adopt effective measures aimed at putting an end to attacks against the Rohingya Muslims in the Asian country. 

In a statement released on Monday, the New York-based human rights group said security forces stood by and allowed deadly violence and arson attacks against Muslims to continue for days. The New York-based rights group then called on Naypyidaw to investigate the issue and bring to justice those responsible for violence in the central city of Meiktila between March 20 and 22. 

More than 40 people were killed in the chaos and 12,000 others were driven from their homes in the spate of violence. 

Press TV has conducted an interview with political analyst Intifad Qanbar in Beirut to further discuss the issue. What follows is an approximate transcription of the interview. 

Press TV: Mr. Qanbar thanks a lot for joining us. I wanted to ask you about the fact that we continue seeing Myanmar’s authorities being complacent in these attacks on Muslim communities. Why is the international community silent on that? 

Qanbar: Well before we talk about the international community we must talk about the Arab League most recent meeting and also the Muslim League which basically put the priority of Muslim lives situation in Myanmar not second but third or tenth or hundredth maybe. 

It is very embarrassing that a country such as Burma which is weak politically and economically and Arab Muslim countries and Muslim countries generally speaking could practice immense power and pressure on Myanmar, Burma formally to protect the Muslims from killing. 

It is very clear that the government of Myanmar is basically as you mentioned correctly in your report complacent about these attacks. I think we saw that countries like Qatar for example pressured to expel Syria from the Arab League and put in place the Syrian opposition and made absent the issue of the Bahraini people and so put up the life stake of Muslims in Myanmar of no importance in such meetings which is I think very important. 

I think the Arab League and the Muslim League should lead the world, the international community to pressure Myanmar. The Islamic Republic in Iran and Turkey had better stance and actions in terms of protecting the Muslims in Myanmar better than most of the Arab countries if not all. 

Press TV: the question Mr. Qanbar the ever present question is why, why is there this silence? Why is Myanmar giving these countries that they are so silent on this issue of attacks against Muslims? 

Qanbar: Well because there is a bias in the international arena and specifically in the West. 

I think the actions should start from here and the West will probably lead by practicing immense power through economical means and political means.

“The world This week” Program is a panel program which is for weekly World affairs Program. Last week panel was about Burma and discussed the Burmese state's position on anti-Muslim violence. 

The Panel was joined by with Waihnin Pwint Thon from the Burma Campaign UK, the President of the Burmese Rohingya Organisation in the UK, Tun Khin, and by phone, Justin Wintle, author of Perfect Hostage, a biography of Aung San Suu Kyi , chaired by Phil Rees, the former BBC journalist who directed 'The Hidden Genocide' (Al-Jazeera documentary on the Rohingyas).

Thousands of Rohingya flee religious persecution in Myanmar, many dying along the way. Thanks to Anonymous, #RohingyaNOW is trending on Twitter, but will it matter?

Press TV

April 3, 2013

An analyst says the sufferings of Myanmar’s Rohingya Muslims who are forced into slave labor and subject to horrendous human rights violation is reminiscent of the Palestinian plight. 

The comment comes as the Human Rights Watch has called on Myanmar’s government to adopt effective measures aimed at putting an end to attacks against the Rohingya Muslims in the Asian country. 

In a statement released on Monday, the New York-based human rights group said security forces stood by and allowed deadly violence and arson attacks against Muslims to continue for days. The New York-based rights group then called on Naypyidaw to investigate the issue and bring to justice those responsible for violence in the central city of Meiktila between March 20 and 22. 

More than 40 people were killed in the chaos and 12,000 others were driven from their homes in the spate of violence. 

Press TV has conducted an interview with political commentator, Mark Mason, in San Francisco to further discuss the issue. What follows is an approximate transcription of the interview. 

Press TV Mr. Mason first of all there is a lot of questions now on how involved the Myanmarese government is in the violence? 

Mason Well, they’re directly involved, the military junta and the military security forces are directly involved in citing conflicts between the Burmese, I will refer to the country as Burma if you will allow me in South Western Burma between Burmese Buddhists and the ethnic group called Rohingya Muslims. They are about 800,000 population in South Western Burma. 

About 125,000 of them have been driven off of their land; their villages burned; individuals have been murdered by state military troops, rapes, horrible crimes against humanity have been committed against the Rohingya Muslims in South- Western Burma. 

So here we have people who are effectively very much, the Rohingya Muslims are very much like the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. They are a stateless people. Burma has refused to acknowledge that they are citizens. They are a stateless people. People who don’t have citizenship. They are driven into slave labor working on roads, railways and pipelines. So this is a horrendous human rights violation here in South Western Burma.

RTT News

April 3, 2013

The European Union has demanded an investigation into the deaths of 13 children in a fire at a Myanmar Muslim religious school on Tuesday.

"The High Representative calls on the authorities to urgently conduct a thorough investigation that will leave no doubt as to the causes of this tragic incident," spokesperson for EU Foreign Policy chief Catherine Ashton said in a statement.

"The High Representative is deeply troubled by reports of deaths of 13 children caused by a fire in the dormitory of a Muslim school in Yangon. She expresses her condolences to the families of the victims," the statement added.

The pre-dawn fire on Tuesday was ignited by an electrical short-circuit, reports quoting officials said. The rest of about 75 orphans, who were accommodated in the building adjacent to a mosque, escaped unhurt.

Authorities ruled out foul play in the incident that occurred amid an upsurge in fatal sectarian violence between Buddhists and Muslims, which so far claimed more than 40 lives in central Myanmar.

All the victims reportedly were boys, who died of burns or smoke inhalation.

Yangon, formerly known as Rangoon, was the country's capital when it was called Burma.

Press Release: BRCA Raised Concern Over the Suspicious Deadly Blaze at Muslim Religious School in Yangon

Bernama

April 3, 2013

NUSA DUA, Bali -- Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegawa and his Bangladeshi counterpart, Dipu Moni, held a bilateral meeting to discuss the Rohingya issue, on the sidelines of the Fifth Bali Process Meeting, here, Tuesday.

Bangladesh, as the major recipient of Rohingya refugees, wanted to have in-depth discussion with Indonesia regarding the problem, Indonesia's Antara news agency quoted Marty as saying.

Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslim refugees have migrated to Bangladesh.

"The point is how we could prevent the problem from becoming more complicated," he added.

In the meeting, the two foreign ministers also discussed the bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Indonesia.

Minister Marty Natalegawa also held a bilateral meeting with Erika Feller, the Assistant High Commissioner of the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) on the sidelines of the Bali Process on People Smuggling, Trafficking in Persons and Related Transnational Crime.

The UN agency expressed appreciation to Indonesia for the country`s contribution to the implementation of the Bali Process and to helping find solution to the Rohingya issue in Myanmar.

"They appreciate what we have contributed in the Bali Process and our contribution to finding solution to the Myanmar problem," the minister said.

Marty Natalegawa and his Australian counterpart are co-chairs of the Fifth Bali Process meeting.

Dr. Ali Al-Ghamdi

Saudi Gazette

April 3, 2013

A report recently published by the British newspaper The Independent said about 100 Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar died slowly of hunger after spending 25 days at sea on their way to find a new home. The report said this might be shocking to those who do not know what is going on in what is alleged to be the latest democracy in Asia. It added that news about the rape and torture of Rohingyas in the western state of Rakhine may also seem shocking to those who are not aware of what is happening to Muslims in Myanmar.

However, for those who closely follow the seemingly endless waves of threats, violence and torture of Rohingya Muslims, such news is not at all surprising. The Rohingyas are the weakest minority in Asia. They have been deprived of their citizenship rights in the country in which they have lived since birth. They have no right to education, health care or employment and are not allowed to own land. They have very few options. They do not want to leave their homes and the communities where they live for fear of the violence and intimidation by organized criminal gangs and also by border guards.

The report said that the world media has ignored the plight of the Rohingya Muslims except in very rare cases. It said that Western politicians have made a lot of noise about the Rohingya issue but have not done anything to put an end to their misery. It added that Western politicians have sent trade and economic delegations to Myanmar to conclude commercial deals with businessmen who have close links to the former military rulers of the country.

The British newspaper report said that international media and the world community have not done anything to help the Rohingyas who, according to many analysts, will face hunger and more violence and disease in the coming days, resulting in a terrible human catastrophe which could easily have been avoided. The report said the besieging of a number of cities in the Rohingya region including, among others, Maungdaw, Min Pya and Mrauk, could result in famine and mass starvation. 

The Independent quoted local sources as saying that whoever tries to leave these besieged cities is killed or apprehended. The sources also said the boats used by the Rohingyas to smuggle food to their besieged compatriots have been sunk by hostile groups from the state of Rakhine. It said massacres were committed at sea in which entire families were slaughtered.

According to the newspaper, those who succeeded in escaping the massacres were killed by Buddhist gangs coming from Rakhine on large fishing boats, and 97 Rohingya Muslims were killed in one day. The UN special rapporteur on Myanmar human rights Tomas Ojea Quintana issued a strongly-worded statement denouncing the violence between Muslims and Buddhists in Myanmar. He urged the government of President Thein Sein to adopt stern measures to end this violence which might adversely affect the process of reforms in the country. Quintana also asked the government to take drastic steps to put an end to the religious persecution of Muslims.

The rapporteur was referring to the appearance of extremist Buddhist groups led by Buddhist monks who orchestrate violence against Muslims and advocate the boycott of Muslim merchants.

He said that the government was warned about the dangerous activities of extremist Buddhists at the outbreak of violence last summer but that it has done little to stop the persecution of Muslims.

Quintana accused some government officials of openly encouraging hatred against Muslims and called for them to be brought to trial. He asked the government not to turn a blind eye to the violence against Muslims and to prevent its employees from doing the same.

The rapporteur also accused the police and the military of watching Muslims being physically abused without doing anything to protect them. He called for these military and police personnel to be tried in court and warned that the violence against Muslims might spread from the state of Rakhine to other areas.

The killing, rape, and torture of Muslims, along with the destruction and burning of houses and mosques are a shame on the face of the world especially of Muslim countries.

The strong warning to the Myanmar government issued by Muslim leaders during their extraordinary summit conference in Makkah last August has not led to political or diplomatic initiatives. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has not carried out the duties assigned to it by the summit. The OIC secretary general did not respond to the invitation extended to him by the Myanmar president to visit the turbulent areas. He only wrote a letter to US President Obama urging him on his visit to the country to ask the Myanmar government to grant the Rohingya Muslims their legitimate rights. It was as if Obama was going to Myanmar to discuss the issue of human rights with the country’s leaders and not to discuss trade cooperation and finding markets for US products.

The OIC recently opened a center for Rohingyas in Jeddah. The role of the center in rescuing Rohingyas from death at sea or at the hands of Buddhist gangs is still unclear. The OIC has moral, religious and humanitarian obligations to Rohingya Muslims. The organization should save them from the killing and rape. The Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi has not said a word to protest what is happening to Muslims in her country. She must fulfill her duty as an advocate of peace to the human rights organizations who stood by her during her years of captivity. 

— Dr. Ali Al-Ghamdi is a former Saudi diplomat who specializes in Southeast Asian affairs. He can be reached at algham@hotmail.com

A Special Representative in the UN Secretary-General, has assessed the violence in Myanmar by stating “the support of the international community is necessary for the Rohingya Muslims.” for humanitarian aid / support of the international community needed.'' 

In an interview with Turkish media, Vijay Nambiar— a Special Representative in the UN Secretary-General—reminded that the attacks against the Muslim minority in the Arakan state of Myanmar have been ongoing since last year. 

Nambiar indicated that, according to the government’s figures, around 100 people lost their lives in the events last June, but other sources claim that the death toll was much higher. 

Emphasizing that the approximeatly 1.5 million Rohingya Muslims have been struggling with problems over the last 60 years, Nambiar stated: 

“The Myanmar government must solve the problems of the Rohingya Muslims problems as part of the democratization process. If this problem is not resolved on the basis of equality, the whole reform process will be negatively affected. First the physical problems of these people should be solved, their security should be guaranteed, and they should be allowed to return to the places they were forced to leave. The government should then make arrangements so that these two communities can live in peace arrangements. But since tensions are still high in the region, displaced persons will have to remain in camps for a while.'' 

Stressing that the support of the international community was needed for humanitarian assistance, Nambiar explained that political pressure on the Myanmar government could also be effective. 

Suggesting that regional countries and the international community also had a role in resolving the problem, Vijay Nambiar mentioned that countries in the region sometimes do not accept Muslims who fled Arakan. 

Meanwhile, the RISE advocacy groups has also called on other refugee advocacy groups to be more active in denouncing Paris Aristotle, Director of the Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture Inc, who has built his career as a self-proclaimed refugee advocate. 

Aristotle has called on the Australian Parliament to reassess the ''template'' for asylum seekers and refugees outlined in the Houston report devised by a panel chaired by former defence chief, Air Chief Marshall Angus Houston, and to reconsider the Malaysia swap deal. 

The Melbourne Anti-Deportation Campaign has responded to the Houston report by condemning “the absolute hollowness of the moral considerations that are presented as justifying an aggressive campaign of regional policy and border control.” 

The response report denounces the Houston report for “provid[ing] justification for the undertaking of misconceived deportations” and for how “In a bizarre feat of ‘humanitarianism’ the proposals made by the [Houston] Report make it not only admissible, but advisable to act in order to prevent family reunions for refugees.”

RB News 

April 2, 2013

Yangon, Myanmar - In a conspired blazing of an Islamic Religious School at 48th Street (Upper Block) in Botataung, Yangon, at 2:45AM this morning, 13 Hafiz (Learners of Quran by-heart) Students got burnt and consequently died. It happened when everybody was sleeping. 

Even though the government and some domestic media are spreading the news that the blaze took place due to the electric wire-shock and over-heating caused by the increase of voltage, according to the escaping students and the eye-witnesses, there was no electricity in the mosque and school area at that time and the school was actually set ablaze. (The school is adjacent to a mosque.) 

Shockingly, Eleven Media Group dominated by some racists had mentioned that “the burning took place due to the electric wire-shock” even before the confirmation of the Electricity Department. 

According to some local residents, five people in a car were seen driving towards the 48th Street at 1:30AM. 

As a teacher from the school came to know that the school was on fire, he started rushing to put off the fire. And he slipped and fell down stepping on kerosene-like-oil spread on the floor. His clothes are still wet with the oil. According to them, it was not an accidental blaze but a conspired one. The electricity transformer at the ground floor of the school only rang alarm much long after the burning had taken place. (Ref: Ye Yint Thit Sar) 

The actual number of the killed students is 13 though it was earlier rumored that 17 students had died. Their dead bodies were taken to hospital. 

A teacher from the school was arrested by Police while he was being interviewed by Media. Though the teacher said that the school was set ablaze using petrol, Police arrested him saying “the burning took place due to the electric wire-shock.” The teacher, too, had got burnt and his clothes were wet with petrol at the time he was arrested. (Ref: Sithu Aung Ibrahim) 

Eye-witnesses said that the clothes of the young students at the relief camps were wet with diesel oil and releasing its smell. (Ref: Kay Te Zat O) 

“Our school was a two-storey building. We didn’t know our school got torched in the beginning and when we came to know, it was on the extreme flame. Therefore, when we rushed and came down, we saw the ground floor was dispersed with petrol. We slipped stepping on the oil and fell down on the floor. We were 70 students in the school and 51 of us managed to come out and escape. We didn’t have any petrol stored in our school. The burning might begin from the shoe-shelf. Our clothes are still having the smell of petrol” said a 15-year-old student to M-Media. 

Besides, according to M-Media news, although there were 3 fire brigades at the burning site, only 1 brigade was putting off the fire. Therefore, people had to force other two to start to put off the fire. The shocking news was that the residents heard the fire-brigade sirens even before the burning had taken place. 

According to the eye-witnesses’ statements on social networking sites, the blaze was not accidental but conspired. The terrorists are now carrying out their destructive operations secretly because local elderly people are hindering them altogether when they (the terrorists) do so openly.