Two weekends ago, I had the pleasure of attending the Myanmar Muslims Genocide Awareness Convention in Culver City, CA. I went because I felt it was important to put my presence where my mouth was: as I’ve indicated here at this blog, the situation in Burma has been incredibly distressing to me, and rather than simply talk about it, I want to be more involved in helping in any small way that I can to get it resolved.

I’ve certainly tried to be involved, at least from my desk. My friend Joshua Eaton and I collaborated last year on an open letter from Buddhist teachers and scholars and others on Islamophobia that you can read at buddhistletteronislamophobia.wordpress.com. (Joshua authored the letter — though a few of us offered little tweaks and edits — and I put together the website and helped him get the word out and generate signatures.) Not long after I also added my name to “A Joint Buddhist-Muslim Statement on Inter–Communal Violence in Burma”, authored by my friend Bill Aiken at SGI-USA. In addition, I took the time to write a substantial post about Engaged Buddhist icon Aung San Suu Kyi’s silence and lack of action on this matter back in November, and you can read that post here.

Satellite imagery by Human Rights Watch that shows “widespread destruction of Rohingya homes, property.”

As I explained in that post, for the uninitiated: the Rohingyas are the 800,000 or so Muslims who live in the western part of Burma. They have lived in the area of the Rakhine state for centuries, with much immigration and flight between Burma and Bangladesh — the result of ever-changing political fortunes and conquest. British colonialists encouraged their immigration from Bangladesh in the nineteenth century to boost their agricultural yield in the region. By 1939, the population of Rohingya Muslims (and tensions with local Rakhine Buddhists) had risen to such a degree that a commission of inquiry decided to close the border. Once World War II began, the British left the region, and terrible violence erupted between the two groups. Thousands died. More bloodshed ensued when the Japanese arrived: the Rohingyas were supporters of the Allies — some of them even served as spies for the British — who had promised to support them in their goal of a separate Muslim state. Tens of thousands are believed to have fled to Bangladesh at this point. Following the coup of 1962, more were forced to seek refuge in Bangladesh and Pakistan due to the junta’s targeted attacks on the Rohingya community. In 1982, General Ne Win tightened a nationality law in the country and effectively (and illegally) rendered the Rohingyas a stateless people.

Today, the United Nations consider the Rohingyas “one of the most persecuted minorities in the world.” Right now there is considerable unrest and devastating violence — dozens are dead, whole villages have been razed, and well over 100,000 have been displaced — in the Rakhine state as a result of what the Agence France-Presse identified as “the rape and murder of a Rakhine women and the revenge mob killing of 10 Muslims.” By last fall, Human Rights Watch had issued a report noting that “recent events in Arakan State demonstrate… state-sponsored persecution and discrimination [of the Rohingyas],” including murder, rape, and mass arrest. Reuters released a shocking special investigative report not long after which led with what was essentially a confirmation of HRW’s report: “The wave of attacks was organized, central-government military sources told Reuters. They were led by Rakhine nationalists tied to a powerful political party in the state, incited by Buddhist monks, and, some witnesses said, abetted at times by local security forces.”

International news agencies and the Buddhist media have since been following the situation closely, and have reported on those in the Burmese sangha who are encouraging violence, as well as those trying to do something to help. It was all this news and information that brought me to the Myanmar Muslims Genocide Convention on June 9th.

Attended by easily 250-300 people or more — the crowd grew steadily throughout — the audience at the convention was made of largely persons of South Asian heritage, quite a few of them readily identifiable as Muslim from their hijab, kufi, and other distinctive dress. Things got off to a very strong start with some simple, important points of clarification from host Devin Hennessy. In the context of the event, a “Myanmar Muslim,” he stated, was “any Muslim living in the borders of the country, regardless of ethnicity.” This is an important point considering that, even though the Rohingya Muslims of the Rakhine state are dominating news coverage right now, there are more than one-hundred ethnic groups in Burma, and many of them have Muslims in their ranks. Hennessy also laid the groundwork for later discussion about proper terminology in this situation by stating that it had “escalated to a genocidal level,” and that the word “genocide” was being used specifically because what is happening is “within the criteria” for its use.

These introductory remarks were followed by a dua from a young boy in attendance, and a statement from Culver City Mayor Jeffrey Cooper. As the mayor took to the stage, I braced myself for the usual, rote politician’s speech at these sorts of things, only to be very pleasantly surprised: he spoke movingly as both “a Jew and the husband of a Burmese Muslim woman” about how much the cause and the event “hit home” for him. The powerful launch of the event wrapped with the singing of two national anthems: the United States and Burma’s.

Before speakers and others rose to speak, the Burmese American Muslims Association presented a video of their own making (with quite a lot of clips from this Al Jazeera English report) to set the stage for anyone unfamiliar with the situation in Burma. Two things in particular struck me in the video presentation, though neither were surprises exactly — just shocking to see explicitly: first, this clip from the BBC, which shows an attack on Muslim-owned gold shop, with police doing nothing and Buddhist monks joining in the violence. Second, the explication of how precisely what’s happening in Burma now fits with scholar and Genocide Watch president Dr. Gregory H. Stanton’s “8 Stages of Genocide” was arresting.

This segued nicely into Dr. Stanton himself, who presented prepared remarks for the conference via video. He noted that the plight of the Rohingya has been on Genocide Watch’s radar for at least two years, and offered useful perspective on what it means to be a Rohingya right now: no ID cards (needed for education and travel), placement in displaced persons camps and forced labor for many, no government employment, limits on marriage/childbirth, coercive situations, and a host of other indignities. Dr. Stanton also highlighted the unique threats to Rohingya refugees and “boat people” fleeing Burma.

In addition, he noted that the attacks on Muslims in Burma had reached the level of genocidal massacre, saying that “the world must speak out.” He chastised Aung San Suu Kyi, calling her much-discussed silence as a Nobel Peace Prize laureate “unacceptable.” Dr. Stanton also outlined other things that he felt must happen now: (i) Burma’s parliament must pass legislation to make the Rohingya citizens with full rights; (ii) displaced persons camps must be dissolved with UN and ASEAN assistance; (iii) authorities must cease all rights violations; and (iv) Bangladesh must stop turning away and pushing back refugees. This was the first of many times that the issue of Rohingya citizenship would come up in the proceedings.

The second instance came with the next speaker, who also spoke via video: Wai Hnin Pwint Thon, campaign officer for Burma Campaign UK. She began by lamenting that the international community still hadn’t “gotten the balance right” in terms of praise for Burma’s reforms and concrn/penalty over human rights violations. She pointed out that sanctions on Burma had been lifted despite stated benchmarks not being met; by her count, at least eight international laws and treaties are currently being violated by the Burmese government. As many others have pointed out, she reminded the audience that the Rohingya’s exclusion from citizenship in particular represents a clear violation of Article XV of the UN Declaration of Human Rights. “Casual racism and intolerance exist and must be acknowledged and confronted,” she said. “The Burmese have to decide what it means to be Burmese.”

At this point, after quite a bit of information had been presented, the organizers wisely changed up the pace and brought Rev. John Iwohara of the Venice Hongwanji Buddhist Temple to the stage. “It is difficult to receive a human form,” he preached, explaining the Buddhist way of helping others, or, at the very least, “acting less inhumanely.” “The pain and loss of losing a loved one is the same for everyone; you don’t feel more or less if you’re a Buddhist or a Muslim or a Christian or a…” he continued. He invoked the Dhammapada‘s fifth verse and King Ashoka’s experience at the Kalinga War as resources for Buddhists thinking about their approach to this situation. “Let us take this opportunity to exchange anger for love, and violence for beauty. May every life help us find beauty and joy.”

The Buddhist representation at the conference continued in a way with Gordon Welty from the U.S. Campaign for Burma, who named Soka Gakkai International president Daisaku Ikeda as “his mentor” during his remarks. A board member of the organization, he offered a helpful blow-by-blow of how things in Burma have escalated to the point of genocide. Like his predecessors, Welty stated that the removal of the 1982 citizenship law was the “first step” in fixing the problem. He also said authorities must “unambiguously” devote themselves to ending mob violence.

A rousing speech by Omar Jubran, executive member of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)-LA, was followed by a presentation of photographs by Matt Rains. Rains has done striking, groundbreaking work photographing Muslims in Burma, and jolted the audience as much with his words as his images. He claimed to have seen “boxes of DVDs from the national government” delivered to monasteries and video halls, which were then used to stir up anti-Muslim sentiment. “This has all been devised by the government,” he said flatly.

Naama Haviv, a genocide expert with Jewish World Watch, spoke next about genocide in general. She joked about being the only speaker who didn’t know anything about Burma, but added that genocide happens in places where leaders are “habituated” to it. The 1994 genocide in Rwanda, she reminded us, was actually the second (arguably third) such event in that country’s history. With such a violent past in the form of the military junta’s reign, she felt Burma was definitely a place that we should continue to watch closely.

Statements of support from House Committee on Foreign Affairs Chairman Ed Royce and Los Angeles Police Department Deputy Chief Michael Downing were read by Hennessy before the mighty Dr. Maung Zarni rose to speak. Buddhist magazine readers will undoubtedly recognize Dr. Zarni, whose name has been coming up a lot lately: his piece “Buddhist Nationalism in Burma” was a feature in one of the most recent issues of Tricycle: The Buddhist Review, and Alex Caring-Lobel interviewed him not long ago for Trike’s Awake in the World blog. A Visiting Fellow at the London School of Economics, Dr. Zarni received applause when he began his remarks by saying, “I offer my apologies as a Burmese — and a Buddhist at that.” Saying he felt compelled to “speak truth at any cost,” he castigated his fellow Burmese for “sleepwalking into a genocidal space,” adding that “the Buddha himself was not a Burmese, so he would be treated as such an outsider [under current laws and conditions].” Joining the chorus of voices decrying the 1982 citizenship law, he noted that “this problem has come to the Rohingya,” and not the other way around.

A panel discussion and Q&A with Haviv, Dr. Zarni, Dr. Rowley, Dr. Uddin, and Lwin Oo followed. Among the questions addressed was, “Why haven’t a majority of Buddhists — who are supposedly against violence — come out to strongly denounce the racist ’969 Movement’? Are they silently supporting them?” Dr. Zarni spoke about the false, fear-based narrative of 969, and how it ”criminalizes” Islam, and produces a largely complicit Burmese Buddhist population in the country. He then went “on the record” to say that the 969 Movement enjoys “the full backing of the Burmese state.” He continued, “In this [current] scenario, the 969 Movement is going to thrive and help destroy the Muslim communities. Therefore, I think it is important for the Buddhist community to wake up to the danger of 969, which is self-destructing the Burmese society.”

While the question, and Dr. Zarni’s response, were helpful, the question that was more important to me personally was, “What can Buddhists, particularly Buddhists outside of Burma, do to help?” So I set out to ask a few of the conference organizers and participants this question.

“Burmese Buddhist is different from other forms of Buddhism,” one of the conference’s spokesmen, Yousef Iqbal, told me. “So they don’t actually look at other Buddhists as ones who can inspire them. Unless you can find a Burmese Buddhist, in Burma’s Theravada Buddhist tradition, to say, ‘Killing people is wrong and you should not do it,’ I’m not sure how much it will do.” While he acknowledged the important contributions of Buddhists from other traditions, like Rev. Iwohara, he was clear about what was needed: “More participation from the Theravada, the Burmese Theravada Buddhists. They should be involved, especially those who have spiritual authority.”

Iqbal’s co-spokesman, Yusman Madha, was more optimistic about the wider Buddhist community. “It would definitely be helpful — definitely,” he said in response to my question of whether or not a more pronounced, ecumenical Buddhist response to the situation would be useful. “The teachings of their faith are being flouted by these thugs, and they should now speak up. There are Buddhist monks in Burma speaking up, but they are in the minority.”

Dr. Uddin agreed, and told me, “American Buddhist organization can do a lot to influence the [anti-Muslim] monks in Burma. We really believe that American Buddhist leaders can have a tremendous influence on this situation, and teach the heretical Buddhists in Burma that this is not the right path. We would like to open up more of a dialogue with the American Buddhist community, in fact. We’ve spoken to some monks here in America, and they’ve been receptive. The vast majority of Burmese Buddhists in America have a totally different vision [then their fellows within Burma]. We can work together — the Rohingya in diaspora and the American Buddhist community.”

As we talked, Dr. Uddin added, “We look forward to making these connections with American Buddhists, but we don’t have the means and know-how. We don’t know who to approach, or how to approach them. We’ve asked ISNA, the Islamic Society of North America, to help us open up a dialogue. We need to get connected to Buddhist leaders and discuss this and develop strategies.”

Before the conference, but even more so after, I was determined to help. After talking with Dr. Uddin about approach, I’d like to say, for whatever it’s worth, that I’m happy to help in any way I can to make these connections and get this conversation started. If you’re the leader of a Myanmar Muslim group and you’d like assistance making connections, please leave a comment. And if you’re a Buddhist leader, please feel free to leave a comment alerting us to anything you might be willing to do or offer.

Dr. Uddin offers a good starting point for us as concerned Buddhists in America: just get Buddhist American leaders to the table with Rohingya in diaspora to talk. At the very least, let’s all of us, as Buddhists in America, make sure this happens.

At one point during the conference, it was observed that the event bore the year 2013 in its title, implying that the Myanmar Muslim community is digging in for what portends to be a long struggle. If we as Buddhists in America truly aspire to love all beings the way a mother loves her only child, we need to get to that table with Rohingya leaders and see to it that this doesn’t become a yearly event.

ESSENTIAL: A non-governmental organisation is setting up three more Rohingya Education Centres in Kedah, Pahang and Johor in the next three years

BUKIT MERTAJAM: THE Future Global Network Foundation (FGN) will be setting up three more Rohingya Education Centres (REC) in Kedah, Pahang and Johor in the next three years.

Its chairman Ahmad Azam Ab Rahman said the first of the three centres would be set up in Alor Star next year, followed by two more in Kuantan and Kluang in the next couple of years.

Ahmad said the REC will equip the Rohingya community seeking refuge in this country with basic education and knowledge for their survival.

FGN had opened two REC in Klang, Selangor, and Permatang Pauh here, operated by a non-governmental organisation, Wadah Percerdasan Umat Malaysia (Wadah).

"REC was initiated by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) which funds the programme and FGN, as the project manager, accommodates about 270 students aged from 6 to 14 years throughout the centres," he added.

Meanwhile, Penang REC headmaster Mohd Arif Abdul Latif said the centre, which began its operation in 2010, has a headmaster and six teachers.

He said the centre conducts Bahasa Melayu, English, Mathematics, Science, Moral Education and Arts classes for the students.

"Our teachers are highly qualified. Some of them have degrees in their respective subjects," he said.

Arif said the curriculum was based on the standard set by the Education Ministry and monitored by the Takmir Education Foundation.

"Our centre operates from 7.30am to 1.30pm from Monday to Friday, and after the classes, the children attend the Islamic religious classes at the madrasah nearby," Arif said.

The United Nations had reported that the Rohingya community, which hails from the Rakhine state of western Myanmar as one of the most persecuted minorities in the world.

Many Rohingya have fled to ghettos and refugee camps in neighbouring Bangladesh and the Thai-Myanmar border following ethnic unrest over the past 35 years.

According to the UNHCR, as of May 31, there were least 30,000 Rohingya refugees seeking shelter in this country.

Orawin Narabal

PHUKET: Police continue to search for the missing 22 Rohingya children who have run away from the Phuket Shelter for Children and Families on Koh Sireh. The children have been missing since early April, says Phuket City Police Chief Sermphan Sirikong.

“I have notified the investigation team, and from time to time we patrol Muslim areas to look for them and ask villagers if they have seen any of them recently,” Col Sermphan said.

The director of the center, Jiranun Cheamcharoen, told the Phuket Gazette that she had notified the Phuket Provincial Police, Phuket City Police and Phuket Immigration Police after the children, all under 18, went missing. 

“We've also asked nearby residents, imams and members of the Phuket Muslim for Peace group to let us know if they come across any of the children,” she said. 

“After work, our staff ride their bikes through nearby areas to look for them,” she added.

“We did our best for them,” Ms Jiranun said, “but I believe the children ran away because they did not want to stay with us.”

For Immediate Release

Following her recent visit to Rakhine State with Refugees International, Rushanara Ali MP, Shadow Minister for International Development, spoke in a Westminster Hall debate to call for an end to the discrimination against the Rohingya community in Burma and an urgent resolution to their citizenship status.

The humanitarian situation

Since inter-communal violence broke out a year ago in Rakhine State, Rohingya Muslims have been forced into segregated settlements, completely unsuitable for displacement camps, and many have been cut off from lifesaving aid. Rushanara said that the humanitarian situation she witnessed was dire with tens of thousands of people living in makeshift camps lacking food, water, sanitation, adequate shelter and access to healthcare. She said:

“One camp I visited, in Pauk Taw township, was accessible only by means of a two-hour boat journey. Non-governmental organisations had to bring drinking water in on boats, and primary health care was provided just one morning a week. The shores adjacent to the camp were covered in faeces, and dead rats floated in the water just metres from children who were bathing to keep cool in the scorching heat.”

“I heard stories of many people—particularly women—dying unnecessarily because of the lack of health care. That experience—observing hospitals turning people away in life-and-death situations because of their ethnicity and the fact that they are not recognised—echoed, to me, apartheid. I do not use that term lightly. Being forced into camps and not allowed out is the equivalent of being a prisoner in one’s own country.”

Citizenship rights and human rights violations

At the heart of this humanitarian crisis lies the question of citizenship. The Rohingya have been described by the United Nations as “one of the most persecuted minorities in the world.” Rushanara condemned the discriminatory orders against the Rohingya, including a directive placing a two-child limit on Rohingya couples and restrictions on their movements, cutting them off from their livelihoods and rendering them reliant on aid. She said:

“When I visited camps, where malnutrition rates are dangerously near emergency levels and where people are forced to live in segregated areas cut off from their livelihoods and are struggling to survive, I did not expect citizenship and identity to top the list of issues that people wanted to talk about. However, every group of Rohingya men and women, including children, to whom I spoke told me that their priority was recognition of their Rohingya identity and the restoration of their Burmese citizenship rights, which were taken away from them in the 1980s.”

“Many Rohingyas were keen to insist that ethnic Rohingya Muslims had been in Burma for centuries, yet the national and state Governments deny them their Burmese citizenship and their ethnic Rohingya identity, instead claiming that they are “Kala,” a racist derogatory term, or Bengali migrants from Bangladesh. One woman lost her entire family—I met a group of women, many of whom had similar stories—and she told me, “If, after having lost everything, including my whole family, because we are Rohingya Muslims, the Government still don’t recognise me as Rohingya in my own country, then I might as well be dead.”

Following the lifting of EU sanctions she called on the Government to use what leverage remained to exert influence on the Burmese authorities to prevent human rights violations.

Rushanara also called on the UK Government to:

• Press the Burmese authorities to facilitate unimpeded humanitarian access to Rakhine State and other parts of Burma.
• Improve conditions for displaced people, particularly in flood prone areas, and address shelter needs as a matter of urgency.
• Exert pressure on the Burmese authorities to restore the Rohingya’s Burmese citizenship status as a matter of urgency.
• Encourage the Burmese authorities to support a safe and voluntary return process for Rohingya with adequate protection.
• In light of Human Rights Watch’s recent report ‘All we can do is pray’ which concluded that crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing were being committed towards Burma’s Rohingya Muslims, she called on the UK Government to exert pressure on our international partners for an international inquiry into the events of June and October 2012 and March 2013.

A full transcript of the debate can be found here.

Mizzima News

June 17, 2013

Veteran dissident Win Tin on Friday called for the people of Myanmar to work together to solve continuing communal violence between Muslims and Buddhists across the country.

“If we see conflict, we must solve it with the given law,” said the National League for Democracy co-founder at an event organized by the Peace Cultivation Network, an Islamic-founded NGO.

Leaders from many religions and professions took to the stage at the Royal Rose Restaurant in Yangon to call for peace in Myanmar.

“Opportunists are always waiting for opportunities to color religion,” said Aye Lwin, of the Islamic Center of Myanmar. “If anything, we [people of Myanmar] need to solve the problems as a family.”

The conference came as Buddhist leaders concluded a two-day summit on the outskirts of Yangon, addressing communal violence. A draft law was proposed by members of the 969 movement on the first day of talks, which suggested prohibiting interfaith marriages, particularly to restrict Buddhist women from marrying Muslim men.

When questioned by Mizzima on the sidelines of the event about the law, U Nyarnitha, a monk from Pauk Saydi Monastery, said, “In religion, we should not be addressing these political issues.”

More than 200 people were killed and 120,000 displaced when fighting first erupted between Buddhists and Muslims in Rakhine State last year. Since then, violent clashes have broken out in several pockets across the country where the communities of the two faiths live side-by-side.

The Daily Star

June 17, 2013

MYANMAR would start repatriation of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh but only after the situation in that country became stable. The conditional assurance came at the latest round of foreign office consultations held in Myanmar, between June 14 and 15.

There are presently 25,045 registered Rohingya refugees residing in two camps at Kutupalong and Noyapara waiting to be repatriated to Myanmar. Of them, around 9,000 were cleared by the Myanmar government in 2005. Although Bangladesh had never been for forced repatriation of refugees, we fail to see the reason of the foot dragging by the government of Myanmar even after lapse of eight years after according clearance. And the issue of ‘stability’ is a new caveat after the assurance given to the Bangladesh PM during her visit to Myanmar in December 2011to take back the Rohingyas.

For Bangladesh, the latest statement means little since the repatriation is predicated on the situation being stable in Myanmar. We feel that keeping stability in Myanmar is the sole responsibility of the government of Myanmar. And no international commitment should be made conditional to a situation whose description is highly subjective.

For a long time the issue of Rohingya repatriation to their country has been stalled on some excuse or the other by Myanmar, and the latest condition is apparently yet another ploy to dither on the issue. Not only should Myanmar start the process of repatriation immediately, it must also address the underlying causes for the problem, starting with the restoration of Rohingya citizenship.

RB News

June 16, 2013

Münster, Germany: On 15th of June, Amnesty International Münster has organized a penal discussion on Burma Human Rights situation by the theme of “How to improve Human Rights in Burma” at Münster Community College.

More than 50 persons attended the penal discussion including some Burmese nationals with various ethnic backgrounds. The penal was moderated by Dr. Ludger Weckel, co-founder and member of the Institute of Theology and Politics, Münster. The penal speakers include; 

• U Nwe Aung, former Director of the National Council of the Union of Burma (NCUB) 
• Ulrich Delius, Society for The Persecuted People, NGO, Göttingen
• Andreas Cochlovius, Chairman of Lawyers Without Borders, Frankfurt
• Tanja Gohlert, European Burma Office (EBO) in Brussels
• Ruprecht Polenz, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the German Parliament (from current governing party CDU)
• Phuong Le Trong, a lecturer, Department of Southeast Asian Studies at the University of Bonn
• Christoph Strässer, Member of the Committee for Human Rights and Humanitarian Aid of the German Parliament (from opposition SPD party)

U Nwe Aung presented about the 2008 Constitution which is regarded as flawed. 25% Military presence in the parliament makes the Constitution more undemocratic and non amendable. “Though current government is called democratic civilian government, the final say is with the Chief of Staff which means the Military is the supreme ruler of the country.” he explained.

“IDPs and Refugees are the products of long standing ethnic conflicts” said Ulrich Delius. He has highlighted the need of political will from the government to end the internal conflicts permanently. He has also stated that the suffering of IDPs and Refugees of Rohingyas, Kachin, Karen and other minorities has to be acknowledged by the government. Burma government should take these issues seriously and tackle by the combined efforts of law enforcement and civil societies supported by NGOs helping capacity building of those persecuted people.

Mr. Adreas Cochlovius said that German government has a misconception on Burma’s reforms. Burmese ethnic people seeking Asylum in Germany have been rejected due to that misconception that Burma has already transformed to a democratic country. But actual Human Rights situation in Burma is still considerably poor. Many ethnic people such as Rohingyas are under severe human rights violations and the persecution on Minorities spread to Muslim minorities around Burma. “Federal government should see clearly the existence of persecution in Burma and treat Burmese Asylum seekers in accordance with the current Human Rights records” he said.

Tanja Gohlert praised the national reconciliation process in Burma which is getting momentum. “Recent reconciliation between Burmese government and Kachin ethnicity is a milestone and is the great achievement in this political reform.” she said. She added that the current civilian government’s approach to national reconciliation is serious and as Burma lacks resources and capacity, more time is need to achieve nationwide reconciliation level.

Phuong Le Trong discussed about the diversity of the ethnic minorities in Burma. Bringing all ethnicity under one umbrella is difficult unless government treats them as equal and respects their human dignity and rights. “Government should approach the diversity issue in a positive way and should bring strength and power out of the diversity” he said.

Chairman of the foreign affairs committee explained that Burma is located in a geopolitically important place. It is a place that needs a balance between Western democracies and China economic influence. Constructive engagement is the better way to persuade Burma to a democratic and rights respecting country rather than isolating it. But Germany will keep monitoring Burma Human Rights records and investment and engagement will be reflected on actual situations.

Christoph Strässer discussed about how the constructive engagement will serve as an incentive to Burmese reforms. At the same time, Burmese government should end long suffering of innocent people caught up in ethnic conflicts. The conflict with ethnic people is manmade and it can be solved by discussion, negotiation and mutual respect. Germany will be extra careful when companies are investing in Burma to see whether these investments serve community development, equality and human rights.

Some of the audiences have raised their concern on existing human rights violations in Burma. Some have suggested that by having too much engagement and support to current Burmese government, it could be interpreted as Western countries are satisfied with Burmese Human Rights records. Some also asked the MPs to monitor the human rights situation very carefully and to recommend German investment and engagement accordingly. 

The penal discussion is successfully concluded at 7PM with the remarks that “Burma is changing but Human Rights is still an issue that Burmese government must address seriously if it wants to be named as a full fledge Democratic Nation”.

Amir Jalil Bobra

The Nation PK

June 15, 2013

RB News

June 14, 2013

Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK President Tun Khin raised the issues of Rohingya IDPs inside Burma as well as about the Rohingya refugees living abroad particularly in Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, Thailand and Malaysia at the UNHCR annual consultations Conference which was held in UN International Conference Center Geneva on last Tuesday and Wednesday.

During the consultation, Tun Khin asked the conference to address the root cause of the problem and to find the long term solution for the ethnic Rohingyas living in Burma and for those taking refuge in various foreign countries.

BROUK President said “It is important that UN, ASEAN Countries, Bangladesh and EU countries have to come together to find out why Rohingyas are fleeing from their own homeland. More than 35,000 Rohingyas including women and children have already fled Burma on risky journey by boats. President Thein Sein government have created impossible situations for the Rohingyas to live in Burma and UNHCR needs to play a key role in this critical time to discuss with ASEAN, EU, US, UK and Bangladesh to solve the Rohingya issue permanently. It is urgently needed to stop the continuous exodus of Rohingyas from Burma”

On the same day a side event was taken place at International Conference Center Geneva which was organized by Equal Rights Trust. Tun Khin joined the panel with Chris Lewa, Director of Arakan Project and Melanie Teff from the Refugees International. The panel was moderated by Amal De Chickera from Equal Rights Trust. The discussion focused on different characteristics of Rohingya situation and the role of UNHCR in relation to the stateless persons, refugees and internally displaced persons. 

Chis Lewa highlighted the current situations of the Northern Arakan State in details and boatpeople issue. Melanie Teff raised concern on the situations of Rohingya IDPs in Sittwe, Pauktaw and other parts of Arakan. Tun Khin spoke about the incompatibility of the Burmese Citizenship Law 1982 with the International Human Rights Law. He also mentioned about Rohingya existence in Burma since early 7th Century A.D and how Rohingya ethnic and citizenship rights were stripped of by the successive Burmese governments.

Tun Khin urged UN for immediate intervention in Arakan to stop crimes against humanities and to send international Observers. He has further highlighted the importance of forming a UN Commission of Inquiry to these crimes and by bringing the perpetrators to justice, it will help to protect the lives, and properties of the Rohingyas in future. Human dignity and honor of the most vulnerable and persecuted Rohingyas will be also reassured by the international mandate. The commission of enquiry will encourage Burmese government to guarantee the Rule of Law in Arakan. It could also serve as a platform in assisting the government to rehabilitate the Muslim Rohingyas from IDP camps back to their original homes. Bringing accountability to the violence will end the segregation of the communities and villages and entire Arakan population could live in their homes with mutual respect and peaceful coexistence. He also urged to include the proposal of UN Commission of Inquiry to be discussed in the current UN Human Right Council session.

Maung Auther 

RB News

June 14, 2013

Maung Daw, Arakan - Captain Htaik Soe of Military Light Infantry Unit 355 and U Tin Tun, head of Police Base, at Kayemyaing, Southern Maung Daw and their comrades are continuously beating and robbing Rohingyas in Southern Maung Daw. According to the reports, they had robbed three Rohingyas in Southern Maung Daw on 11th June 2013.

Besides, “between 9:30AM and 1PM on 12th June 2013, they robbed money and jewelries from six Rohingya families in the village of Kilaindaung (Duchira Dan), Southern Maung Daw. The heads of the robbed Rohingya families are:

On 12th June 2013 morning, Deputy NaSaKa (Border Security Force) Administrator (Du-Kwaykay YeHmuu) visited the village of Kilaidaung for investigation concerning some Rakhine terrorists’ attempts to torch Rohingyas’ houses in the village on 9th June 2013. Two military including the captain Htaik Soe, nine NaSaKas and the Police Head of Kayemyaing Station took charge of the security ahead of the his visit. 

Before his arrival and after his departure, the military, NaSaKa and Police altogether broke into the houses of Rohingyas and robbed whatever they found before them. Fearing their barbaric behaviors, few Rohingyas had left their houses as they were coming to rob. And other Rohingyas who defied them and resisted from being robbed were severely beaten and threatened of life imprisonments” said a nearby Rohingya villager.

“These officers such Captain Htaik Soe, Police Head Tin Tun and another Police officer called Aye Tun are beating, robbing and continuing all their barbarous acts against Rohingyas every day. Our situation is only getting worse and more disastrous day by day here” he exclaimed.

AFP

June 14, 2013

WASHINGTON — Myanmar's influential parliament speaker vowed Thursday to press forward with democratic reforms but said the country already had laws against discrimination amid a furor over anti-Muslim violence.

Shwe Mann, a former general who is a key architect of reforms and is eyeing the presidency, was visiting Washington, where he said he hoped to study the US democratic system including the separation of government powers.

"For the interest of our people and the international community, we wish to see that a continuous democratic system is deeply rooted in Myanmar," he said at the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars.

Leading a delegation of lawmakers, Shwe Mann said that he hoped to encourage reconciliation in the long conflict-torn nation and also to build a "more inclusive society."

But asked whether parliament needed to do more to protect the Rohingya Muslim minority following a wave of violence, Shwe Mann said that "actions will be taken" against anyone who violated existing laws.

"According to our law, discrimination does not exist whether you are a Rohingya or whether you call them Bengali, or even in religion," he said.

"There are still some weaknesses in terms of the rule of law. Therefore, we are working hard so that the rule of law will prevail in Myanmar," he said.

Myanmar's roughly 800,000 Rohingya are considered by the UN to be one of the world's most persecuted minorities. Myanmar does not consider them to be citizens, saying they are illegal migrants from Bangladesh, and local authorities have reimposed a ban on Rohingya having more than two children.

Up to 140,000 people -- mainly Rohingya -- were displaced in two waves of sectarian unrest between Buddhists and Muslims in Rakhine state last year that left about 200 people dead.

Myanmar has faced strong international criticism over the Rohingya, a stark contrast to the enthusiasm over reforms in recent years over democratic reforms that have included an easing of censorship and freeing of political prisoners.

Shwe Mann told Radio Free Asia while in Washington that he plans to run for president in 2015, making him the only declared candidate besides opposition icon Aung San Suu Kyi, who was freed from house arrest in 2010.

Shwe Mann met Tuesday with Deputy Secretary of State William Burns and discussed various topics including human rights and legal reform, a State Department official said.

Radio Australia

June 14, 2013

European MPs have jointly condemned the violence against Myanmar's Rohingya Muslims, and called on the government to do more to protect them.

The European Parliament has passed a motion saying it condemns the grave violations of human rights against the Muslim minority in Rakhine state.

The motion says it "deplores the failure of the Myanmar government to protect the Rohingyas against organised violence."

The Rohingya diaspora has welcomed the motion, but has also called for an international investigation into what they call a 'genocide'.

Presenter: Sen Lam

Speaker: Nurul Islam, president, Arakan Rohingya National Organisation, London

NURUL ISLAM: This is very encouraging and we're very much thankful to the European parliament for adopting this resolution, and we take it as a proper encouragement for the Rohingyah people.

LAM: Do you think it might improve the situation for them?

NURUL ISLAM: No, it depends actually... we hope so, but the Burmese government is very much uncompromising, sometimes, in the case of the Rohingya people, that's what we're afraid of. It is time for the international and the investigation is necessary, in fact. That is very important, because there's an Enquiry Commission formed internally by the Burmese government, but it is completely biased. The world knows it. And that will not bring any solution.

The recommendation given by the internal commission, is against the Rohingya people. And there're lots of reports by the credible international organisations, like Human Rights Watch and there's evidence of mass graves in Arakan (Rakhine state). But these are needed to be investigated, for these and other things, like the great humanitarian crisis that's existing. And the segregation that's going on there, apartheid policy has been imposed. And the two-child policy - this is a very discriminatory policy that has been imposed.

We need international intervention, with a UN Commission of Enquiry. We would prefer to call it a 'genocide' because the intention to destroy our people is very much established. In that sense, you can consider it a case of genocide. With international jurisdiction - for these, even the responsibility to protect these people is an international responsibility - we in the international communities. In that sense, the international community should intervene and the (Rohingya) peoples are protected.

LAM: Senior monks in Yangon have called for peace at a monastery in Yangon. Do you think the Buddhist clergy is doing enough to curb anti-Muslim, and particularly, anti-Rohingya violence?

NURUL ISLAM: They can have discussions on this but the way they're going, to do things. Who's leading the controversial 'nine-six-nine' movement? This is a movement against the Rohingya people in particular, and the Muslims in general. Until now, although this 'nine-sixty-nine movement' has done many injuries. Although it is injurious to the Muslim community, the government has until now, taken no action against them.

Whatever changes, whatever democratic reforms take place in the country, it is important that good sense prevails in the minds of the government, number one.

Number two, this is the good sense prevailing in the minds of the majority Buddhis community, and then, the democratic and the parliamentary and political process in the country should be all-inclusive, and the Rohingya must be a part of it, otherwise, we don't hold hope or change the circumstances of the Rohingya people. Because, you know, we are a people, with a history and glorious past.

We are not a floating people or infiltrators from foreign countries, as they (the government) allege. But we have our roots deeply-rooted in Arakan (Rakhine state) and therefore, to Burma. So our citizenship rights and our ethnic rights must be guaranteed, must be ensured in Burma.

The Nation

June 14, 2013

The European Union is committing 200,000 euro to provide humanitarian assistance to Rohingya refugees being detained in Thailand, the EU Delegation to Thailand announced Friday.

The help will be directed to Rohingya men at detention centres and Rohingya women and children at social welfare facilities.

TheInternational Organization for Migration (IOM) will take charge of the aid, which will provide the Rohingya with basic household items, food and health care.

The project will be monitored by the EU's Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection department (ECHO), which maintains a regional office in Bangkok.

The funding decision was made after ECHO experts, accompanied by ECHO's Director of Operations, Jean-Louis de Brouwer, paid a visit to one of the detention facilities in May.

Some 2,000 Rohingyas, fleeing communal violence in Myanmar, were intercepted in Thailand in early 2013, while trying to reach Malaysia.

Central government funding to provide food and basic care to the refugees is minimal and donations from local communities have dried up, prompting the Head of the EU Delegation to Thailand, David Lipman, to express the EU's concern about conditions in these facilities.

"We are worried that the unhealthy and overcrowded conditions inside these facilities are detrimental to the health of the refugees" he explained.

"Men and boys are being held in separate facilities from their families and they live in constant fear of being repatriated. We therefore urge the government to work together with international agencies in finding durable solutions for these refugees." 

Following inter-communal violence in Rakhine State in Myanmar, thousands of Rohingyas have been fleeing on boats, hoping to reach Malaysia. 

Since January some 2,000 Rohingya men, women and children have been detained, while trying to cross Thailand into Malaysia. Rohingya families have been split up, with women and children sent to government-run shelters separate from the men, who are placed in immigration detention centres.

Bangkok Post

June 13, 2013

BALI - The Myanmar government will next week begin a process of screening the nationalities of about 2,000 Rohingya migrants now being sheltered in Thailand, Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul said on Thursday.

Mr Surapong said Myanmar Foreign Minister Wanna Muang Lwin had informed him that Nay Pyi Taw had set up a working group, led by Myanmar ambassador to Thailand Myo Tint, to begin examining the nationalities of the Rohingya next week.

The ministers met for bilateral talks on the sidelines of the Forum for East Asia-Latin America Cooperation in Indonesia on Thursday.

The Myanmar move to deal with the Rohingya problem in Thailand was the result of earlier talks between the two countries in Brunei on the sidelines of the Asean Ministerial Meeting on April 10-11.

Mr Surapong had at that time asked Myanmar to take back Rohingya migrants in Thailand. However, Nay Pyi Taw was not convinced all 2,000 had travelled from Rakhine State, claiming some might have travelled from Bangladesh's border area to Myanmar.

Nay Pyi Taw still refuses to recognise most Rohingya as Myanmar citizens.

The nationality-screening process would examine whether they really had travelled from Rakhine State, Mr Surapong said. 

He said the Rohingya migrants, including children and women, had been fleeing Rakhine State in western Myanmar to Thailand via boat since early this year.

The Thai government in January agreed to give them shelter for six months, which expires soon.

Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)
June 13, 2013

The European Parliament Thursday passed a resolution condemning the "grave violations of human rights and the violence perpetrated against Rohingya Muslims in Burma/Myanmar." The resolution urges the government and the whole of Burmese/Myanmar society " to act immediately to end the human rights abuses against the Rohingya Muslims and to bring the perpetrators of the violent attacks and other related abuses to justice." It calls on the Myanmar government to stop discriminatory policies against the Rohingya Muslims such as the two child regulation. The EP for an investigation into the allegations that members of Burmese security forces participated in the violence.

While recognising the steps to introduce democratic reforms over the past year, the EP urges the government in Myanmar to continue implementing solutions to the underlying causes of the tensions, including measures to address the status of the Rohingya.

Meanwhile, British Member of Parliament, Sajjad Karim, who drafted the resolution expressed his delight over its adoption by the European Parliament. "This is a further step towards putting greater pressure on President U Thein Sein and to force him to stop the atrocities being carried out in his country," he said in press statements.

"State sponsored violence, mass expulsions and a complete disregard of humanity has no place in our world, let alone in a country seeking to be recognised as fully democratic," said Karim.

"My colleagues and I in the EU are working hard to ensure the plight of the Rohingya Muslims is not forgotten and enough aid, medical supplies and support is being sent to the regions which need it most. But we also call upon countries in the region to step up and assist in the aid delivery," he said.

Karim noted that since the election of Burma's President U Thein Sein in March 2011, sectarian violence in the region has erupted and has forced over 1million Rohingya Muslims to flee the country. The community are denied basic human rights and are classed as 'stateless' due to the government's refusal to recognise the minority.

Zoe Daniel

ABC News

June 13, 2013

There are new allegations that the Thai navy is involved in the human trafficking of Rohingya Muslims trying to flee religious violence in western Myanmar. The ABC has tracked down Rohingya Muslims in Malaysia who claim they were intercepted, brutally beaten and then sold to traffickers by the Thai military.

ASHLEY HALL: There are new allegations that the Thai navy is involved in the human trafficking of Rohingya Muslims trying to flee religious violence in western Myanmar.

Earlier this year, the ABC reported eyewitness claims that the Thai military had been involved in the shooting of Rohingya who had arrived on the shores of Thailand by boat.

Now the ABC has tracked down Rohingya Muslims in Malaysia who claim they were intercepted, brutally beaten and then sold to traffickers by the Thai military.

South East Asia correspondent Zoe Daniel reports.

ZOE DANIEL: His story is frighteningly familiar. He fled religious violence and anti-Muslim sentiment in western Myanmar, but on his journey to Malaysia the boat he was on reached Thai waters and was intercepted by the Thai navy.

ZAFAR AHMAD (translated): The navy arrested us and took us to an island, they took us into a forest, then they took our clothes so we had only underwear. They beat us and asked us why we came to this country. A few days later, another boat arrived and the people on it joined us.

ZOE DANIEL: Zafar is a Rohingya asylum seeker. He says the boats then had their engines removed and, under the Thai navy's push back policy, more than 200 passengers were put back on board and towed out to sea, then left to drift.

Seemingly, one boat made it all the way to Sri Lanka, making headlines when it landed. Ninety-six people had died on the way due to lack of food and water.

His boat made it back to Thai shores, towed in by a fisherman, but then the passengers were captured and sold by villagers.

ZAFAR AHMAD (translated): We spent 12 days on the sea and 12 people died before the fishing boat helped us. Then Thai Muslims gave us food while we were in the jungle but after that they sold us.

ZOE DANIEL: Earlier this year PM revealed allegations that shots were fired and at least two asylum seekers were killed after a boatload of Rohingya was intercepted by the Thai navy off Phuket.

The navy denied shooting people who had jumped into the water in an attempt to escape, along with further allegations that the navy had sold captured Rohingya to human traffickers.

But now we've tracked down more Rohingya men who make similar trafficking claims.

AN SARRULLA (translated): The navy allowed us to the shore, they spoke Thai, I did not understand. We asked for food. I don't not know if they understood but they beat us instead.

NURUL AMIN (translated): The navy beat me the whole night and then I was handed over to some Thai people in the morning. I was beaten a lot. I was then transferred again to traffickers and they beat me almost 12 times.

ZOE DANIEL: An and Nurul are new arrivals to Malaysia. If true, their claims confirm that trafficking involving the Thai navy continues, despite repeated denials by Thai authorities.

AN SARRULLA (translated): They were in uniform. They had guns in their hands. We did not know then, but we knew about it later: that we were sold.

ZOE DANIEL: Thousands of Rohingya have been living in camps since fighting broke out between Buddhists and Muslims in Myanmar's Rakhine state last year, many heading to Malaysia because it's a Muslim country.

Thousands are also in detention in Thailand, being held in appallingly squalid conditions. The Thai government has said they can't stay more than six months.

Yet they continue to come.

Nineteen-year-old Shabin describes fleeing from Myanmar to Bangladesh, before taking a known route to a docked ship that runs a business in human cargo because it was the only way out.

SHABIN ISLAM (translated): We were beaten on the ship, it was a trafficking ship. We had to stand in the sun in the day time. We could only sit at night. If we wanted to sleep, we would be hit by a stick and wire. The traffickers tied us with rope on our necks. We, 32 people, were tied together. They were afraid we would run away.

ZOE DANIEL: The ship was eventually stopped by the Thai navy and the passengers handed over to yet more traffickers. Those who got away paid their way out. It's believed those who couldn't pay were sold on as bonded labourers.

In Bangkok this is Zoe Daniel for PM.