By Dom Hammond 

Policymic 

August 27, 2013

Over the last two years, the positive news of a Myanmar embracing democracy and engaging with the developed world has been consistently offset by reports of sectarian violence between Buddhists and the minority Rohingya Muslim population. Estimates suggest that 300 Muslims have been killed and up to 300,000 displaced as refugees since the military junta nominally ceded power in 2011. No longer is this violence restricted to the state of Rakhine where the majority of Burmese Muslims live. Major incidents are reported in states as far south as Thaketa, just a few miles from Yangon, the cultural, historic and business capitol of the country which is now awash with western businessmen drinking expensive cocktails in expensive hotels. This worrying trend of more frequent and more widely spread violence threatens to derail the country’s turnaround.

As violence in Myanmar creeps closer to the capitol, shown below, the genocide taboo creeps closer to the consciousness of the west.

The violence we are forced to consider here is of the most disturbing kind — indiscriminate, brutal, and deadly. A further disturbing element is the widespread belief that government forces are supporting the violence by turning a blind eye. There are many reports of government forces standing by and, if not actively encouraging, being less than heavy-handed with Buddhist perpetrators. There is some convincing video evidence of this around the news sites and on YouTube. Convictions relating to sectarian violence have been proportionately more prevalent for Muslims who have also seen harsher sentences handed down. Despite political reforms, power is still in the hands of the military, and currently concentrated in the hands of exclusively ethnic Burmese Buddhists.

For those who believe that "genocide" is too shocking a term to use here, I would respond: The Rakhine Buddhists refer to the Rohingya as Bengali rather than Burmese and believe they are illegal immigrants despite their having settling in the Rakhine region centuries ago. By denying their history and denying the Rohingya’s right to call Myanmar home, I believe the term "genocide" can be used without hyperbole to describe this systematic approach to removing an ethnic minority. Human Rights Watch (HRW) agrees.

This makes my recent Sunday morning browse of the papers all the more extraordinary:

1. The Travel section of the Sunday Telegraph ran a feature on why you should consider a river cruise as the most relaxing way to take in the sites of Burma.

2. A McKinsey Global Institute’s report reminded me why global corporates are desperate to deploy capital in the region (in short: natural resources, geographic position and large, young workforce that can become more productive).

3. My Twitter feed reminded me that Hugo Swire, the UK’s FCO minister, is working hard to interact with Thein Sein’s government.

HRW has compared the ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya to that of the Tutsis in Rwanda. I did not spend my Sunday mornings reading the paper in 1994, but the idea that travellers would be vacationing in Kigali, investors throwing money at coffee plantations, and President Clinton welcoming Juvenile Habyarimana to the White House seems far-fetched.

It is wholly incumbent on the government of Myanmar, its law enforcers, and the robustness of its judiciary to stamp out this violence. For Muslims in Myanmar, it increasingly obvious that their lives are at stake, but wherever the government sits on the scale of indifference too complicity, they must know the future prosperity of the country is at stake too, for the following reasons:

1. The flourishing tourist industry is likely to stall if the violence continues to encroach on the most popular visitor sites. While attacks remained in Rakhine state it could be dismissed by tourists as “a skirmish among locals, hundreds of miles from our hotel”. But if the stunning, temple-laden plains of Bagan and the banks of the Irrawaddy play host to burning schools and mobs with machetes, the Ray-banned, camera-toting tourists will direct their wanderlust back to Thailand.

2. Global corporates who are serious about putting down roots in Myanmar to profit from the massive economic potential of this genuine frontier market will have to consider their responsible investment obligations far more carefully. Doing business in Myanmar will, for many years to come, rely on opaque local connections and relationships with government. The legal and reputational risk of being seen to be in cahoots with factions remotely connected to the notion of genocide would be disastrous.

3. Efforts of Western nations and ASEAN to engage with Thein Sein and his government, laudable as they are, must go hand-in-hand with pressure to react to the ethnic cleansing of its people in the manner expected of a democratic government being offered a seat at the table of global trade and diplomacy.

Just two days after my rose-tinted reading, I woke up to reports on Tuesday that a 1,000 strong Buddhist mob had torched Muslim homes and shops in Sagaing. To avoid points 1, 2 and 3 above, the Myanmar government should issue a statement condemning the attacks, confirming the legitimacy of the Rohingya as an indigenous ethnic group, and committing to investigating and enforcing the full extent of the law in convicting any offenders. 

Hope springs eternal.

By Ibrahim Shah 

RB Article 

August 27, 2013

Since 2012, authorities in Western Burma have been putting out magazines of religious hatred titled “Protection of Buddhist Nationalism”. Amongst the publications, The Passima Yet Hwong (the western region) magazine was the most notorious and smartly sketched to stimulate Buddhists as strong as Hurricane winds to insult other faiths. It was authorized by authorities of all kinds of state departments. 

When westerners, European countries, ASEAN and the rest international independent institutions spoke out against the long oppression of Burmese Buddhist majority regime against ethnic minorities. The mastermind of these continual collisions is the so called "reformist" or "pseudo democratic" president Thein Sein. The former high rank military officer, triggered unexpected and/or unwanted crisis— National protection for Buddhist Nationalism. 

President Thein Sein conspired with some migrant Buddhist people racially western Rakhines (Anot-thar Mogh), who migrated from Bangladesh to western Burma for economic crisis. Then, he internally designated his adopted-fiddles immoral militaristic officers in Rakhine state government. This, to trigger riots in order for the democracy transition from military transition could be back stepped rather than going ahead. 

A histrionic rape issue— a Rakhine Buddhist girl was raped and murdered and three Rohingya adults were alleged forcibly — was created by some members of Rakhine Nationalities Development Party (RNDP) and authorities detained them without any further inquiry and on the double, they were sentenced to death. 

That murder provoked an attack on a bus passing in the Taungup area of Rakhine state by a mob of 300 people killed the ten Muslim pilgrims on the spot on June 3, 2012. The government run newspaper New Light of Myanmar reported. "Here a censorious point that how the government could reveal the exact number of gangsters." 

Since June 2012, on the double, the deliberate, unprecedented violence erupted from Taungup to most parts of the Rakhine, central Burma and almost every Muslim quarter throughout the country. 

Amid the Burmese state-sponsored religious collision (in reality the ethnic cleansing of Rohingya and eradication of other Muslims), the security forces, Buddhist terrorists, monks, police, riot police and border security forces perpetrated such terrible crimes more repressively than ever. Gangbangs to mostly immature girls and slaughter, vandalization of tens of thousands of homes and religious buildings. Lively killings of innocent persons and arbitrary arrests, displaced hundreds of thousands of well settled people. Extortion of money and torturing until death in detained centres. Threats to flee into uncertain destinations leaving own properties, dragging women as sex slaves to army camps, forced labor, confiscation lands, confinements and so on. 

It is cruel and miserable that the government has been changing the demographics of western Burma. Resettling western Rakhines from Bangladesh in Rohingya quarters. 

A few months later, the president made a state-sponsored terrorist group 969 campaign, or 969 anti-Muslim movement led by a monk Wirathu. This man was sentenced in 2003 for inspiring Islamophobia. The main motive of the 969 campaign was only to simultaneously attack Muslims and to trigger more riots. To postpone access of international delegations including diplomats and journalists. Ultimately to avoid verdict of all real miscreants. 

Moreover, other double standard rulings of the so called Neo-Nazi democratic government of Burma, many Rohingya and other Muslim elites, politicians, religious experienced mentors and intellectuals are arrested as miscreants on suspicion. They have been quickly imprisoned with false verdicts. 

Whenever the Hitlerite officials of Burma give visitations to Western countries or Europe, they assured and pledged deceptively that there would be no more collisions. They would tackle the further unrest in Rakhine and will probe the unrest. 

They implemented all commitments negatively. President Thein Sein vowed he will open schools for Rohingya children in August 2012. Later, all of the religious schools of Rohingya children were locked up. University students harassed. In lieu of erecting homes to internally displaced people (IDP), they are kept in concentration camps. This is neat and clean though, in contrast of Rakhine IDPs who are enlisted as displaced ones unwillingly by Rakhine state authorities. 

Then, Burma’s Ministry of Border Affairs and a delegation led by OIC Ambassador Ufuk Gokcen, signed a MoU on Sept. 9 to postpone opening OIC offices In Burma. The regime made countrywide demonstrations by monks and finally the deceptive Hitlerite genocidal President Thein Sein announced that he will not allow OIC to open office, for it was against the people’s desire in 15 October 2012. 

Due to international reiterative condemnations, the government disbanded the most notorious and the ever most successive and destructive and discriminatory department "Nasaka." who oppressed repressively the Rohingya. They remained in historical records as unprecedented persecution against ethnic Rohingya on this earth surface; alternatively, the para-military discriminate and incriminate ever so than former ones. i.e. Extortion of unaffordable money from the most impoverished Rohingya to whom the regime impoverished tactfully and politically since 1962. 

Where the Human rights are for Rohingya despite the fact that they are human beings? 

When can the Rohingya deserve to be valued as equals as the Rakhines do? 

How can the ruthless para-military, Hlun Htine police could shoot direct-targeting to Rohingya at Ohn Daw Gyi and Bawdupha refugee camps in August 9, 2013? 

Similarly, the world wildest and ruthless genocidal Burmese regime led by president Thein Sein plays militaristic roles with international bodies, allowed the UN special envoy for human Rights in Burma Mr. Quintana to investigate the human rights in Burma. Alternatively, the regime paved thorny red-carpets in some areas for Quinta to encounter public unwelcome and violence depreciatively by state-sponsored terrorists. How the most impoverished Rakhines who are incapable even to have food with the cheapest and disgusted Burmese favorite food time Ngha Peeh (fish paste) were dare to protest holding decrial portraits of the dignified UN Envoy Quintana, if the authorities didn't sponsor it ? 

It is a good time for UN, EU, OIC, ASEAN, and NATO, USA to corporately denounce the confidential tactic policies of Burmese Hilterite regime led by President Thein Sein, who prefers for inconsistency of his reiterative words about assurances in his international historic tours. 

As well, the regime’s ever talented and successful policies to consolidate the democracy rules if the regime refrains from such discriminatory policies and diplomatic deceptions. 

When will the regime postpone officially harassment and arbitrarily arrest to every innocent Rohingya, or whoever speaks out against the persecution? It is deplorable that a prominent Rohingya human Rights Activist Kyaw Hla Aung and a Rohingya Facebooker Than Shwe, were detained recently. While the ongoing reform procedures, bell ringing ceaselessly throughout the country Burma.

By Radio Free Asia

August 27, 2013

Residents and legislators in central Myanmar’s Sagaing region expressed anger on Monday over a lack of action by authorities in containing Buddhist mobs who went on a rampage burning Muslim shops and houses at the weekend leaving hundreds homeless.

Hundreds of rioters armed with swords and sticks torched dozens of shops and houses in Htan Gone village in Sagaing's Kanbalu township beginning Saturday in the first of spreading anti-Muslim violence to hit the region.

Nearly 50 houses were burned down and 318 people were left homeless—many of them staying with friends and relatives or at a Muslim Arabic school in the areas after the two-day violence triggered by reports that a Buddhist woman was sexually assaulted by a Muslim man.

Several people who moved to contain the violence were injured after being hit by slingshots and police had to fire several rounds of warning shots to keep the mobs at bay, eventually detaining about a dozen suspected arsonists.

Htet Aung, a Buddhist resident of Htan Gone, told RFA’s Myanmar Service that the violence spiraled out of control because authorities had reacted too slowly to contain them.

“This became bigger because of a slow reaction [by authorities],” he said, adding that it may be the first violence in the village since it was established. 

“The police had at least two hours to [bring in reinforcements] but they didn’t come in on time. They only came into the village after houses were already set on fire,” he said. 

Htet Aung said policemen who were there “were just standing around before that.”

Myint Naing, a member of parliament for Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) in Kanbalu, and his colleague Win Htein, an NLD lawmaker in Rakhine state’s Meikhtila—the site of a deadly Buddhist-Muslim clash earlier this year—both blamed police inaction for the scale of the Htan Gone violence.

There were indications as early as 5:00 p.m. on Saturday that riots would erupt, Myint Naing said, with mobs setting what was believed to be the first fire around three hours later.

By 10:00 p.m., he said, a number of houses had been torched and residents called on the police to intervene, but it was already too late.

“Several police came to the village, but it was not enough. The local people asked the police to bring in the military to stop the violence, but they didn’t do it,” he said.

“I can’t say why they didn’t ask for the military … I heard that the police thought they could control the violence by themselves, but that was a mistake.”

Meikhtila similarities

Win Htein said that the violence in Htan Gone was handled by authorities in much the same way as in his constituency Meikhtila, where a dispute between a Muslim goldsmith and his Buddhist customer led to a massive riot that left more than 40 dead and 12,000 displaced—most of them Muslims.

He said that several hours had passed between the dispute and the ensuing violence in Meikhtila—similar to in Htan Gone, where angry residents gathered outside of the local police station demanding authorities hand over a Muslim man suspected of sexually assaulting a Buddhist woman.

“The Meikhtila incident started at a goldsmith shop and the violence erupted two to three hours later. The incident in Kanbalu was the same as in Meikhtila. There were several silent hours between the start of the incident and the violence,” he said.

“When the violence began, police didn’t know what to do. The problem became bigger because the police had no experience [with communal riots] and didn’t decide on the correct way to control the violence.”

An official from the Organization to Protect Nationality and Religion named Tilawka called on the public to refrain from religious violence and for authorities to work more efficiently to prevent it.

“On behalf of our organization, I would like to say that nobody should employ violence,” he said, adding that people should be tolerant of one another’s religious beliefs.

“The relevant authorities need to collaborate with each other to prevent and control the violence.”

Action defended

Ye Htut, a spokesman for Myanmar’s reformist President Thein Sein, defended the police action Monday.

He said only a handful of officers were on duty when the violence erupted and would not have stood a chance against the hundreds of Buddhists who descended on the local police station demanding that the authorities hand over the Muslim man held on suspected sexual assault charges.

“Nine police from Kanbalu couldn’t stop the mob that came to attack the police station,” Ye Htut said.

“It was only because police from the village police station informed us that more police were deployed around 10:00 p.m. and again around 1:00 a.m., and only then could we control the mob,” he said, adding that authorities had a “faster response time” than in previous incidents around the country.

Ye Htut said that in a recent meeting with division and state level governments, Thein Sein had ordered local officials to take faster action against communal violence.

“That’s why you see more police were added and relevant authorities are able to get to affected areas faster than before,” he said.

But he added that a lack of equipment at the local level had hampered some efforts to improve police response time.

“Local police stations often lack enough vehicles to get to problem areas to take action,” he said.

“We need to improve these kinds of facilities. We have also planned to get more cars for police stations.”

The incident in Sagaing came after a spate of communal violence beginning with two deadly Buddhist-Muslim clashes in western Rakhine state last year, threatening the reform drive by the reformist Thein Sein.

The clashes in Rakhine in June and October left about 200 people dead and 140,000 displaced.

The violence then spread to central Myanmar's Meikhtila and Oakkan towns in March and April, respectively, and Lashio township in eastern Shan state in May.

Reported by Kyaw Thu and Sai Tun Aung Lwin for RFA’s Myanmar Service. Translated by Khet Mar. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.

Rohingya refugees suffer in Thailand

At least eight of the 37,000 who fled anti-Muslim violence in Myanmar have died while detained in Thailand.

An estimated 37,000 Rohingya have fled Myanmar since January because of the anti-Muslim violence there.

But according to reports, Thailand has also seriously mistreated the refugees.

Since January, eight Rohingya men have died in detention centres run by the Thai immigration department, the report said.

Al Jazeera's Veronica Pedrosa reports from southern Thailand.

RB News 

August 26, 2013 

Maungdaw, Arakan – Aung Kyaw Zin, a police of Special Branch (SB) based in Aley Than Kyaw in the Maungdaw Township of Arakan State have been arresting innocent Rohingya's. He is rottenly extorting money from them. Today, a Rohingya youth from U-Daung village was arrested by him. He is demanding 500,000 Kyat for the release of the Rohingya youth.

The Rohingya youth, 23 year old Narsu, son of Kala Miah, was coming back from Aley Than Kyaw bazaar and on his way back to home in U-Daung village. Narsu was arrested by SB police Aung Kyaw Zin on a false accusation that he was using a Bangladesh mobile phone.

Aung Kyaw Zin has been targeting Rohingyas who shop in Aley Than Kyaw bazaar for a long time. A local close to the family reported to RB News that the arrested Narsu was asked to pay 500,000 Kyat in extortion for his release. 

As many Rohingyas living around Aley Than Kyaw have been having trouble with Aung Kyaw Zin, they complained to higher authorities to take action against him. No action has been taken by the government. the villagers said that the government itself is enjoying the activities of that police officer. 

Aung Kyaw Zin is not only extorting money from the villagers but also has been reportedly engaging in human trafficking business.

RB News

August 26, 2013

Bangkok, Thailand – Thailand based Burmese Rohingya Association in Thailand (BRAT) held a press conference at Student Christian Centre in Bangkok on August 24, 2013.

At the press conference, BRAT’s president U Maung Kyaw Nu said that Rohingyas are not economic migrants but compelled by oppressive regime to flee their home and hearth for the fear of persecution which categorically considered under UN Convention of Refugee so that they should be dealt accordingly with humanity. Present treatment of Rohingya by Thailand is not a solution for now and then. It is clear violation of universal human rights while Rohingya are direly in need of protection and provision then a viable solution.

He stressed that Thai government to treat Rohingya as escapee from persecution in their homeland Arakan, Myanmar so that eligible to seek refugee status for protection and to let them access to UN/Regional/International agency timely manner so taken care of their basic needs and rights in line with international standards.

The speakers at the press conference endorsed that the Rohingya refugees in Thailand to get migrant worker status and to get the chance to reunite with their families.

Surapong Kongchantuk from Human Rights Committee of Lawyers Council of Thailand said “Thailand would no longer be accused of human rights violations if the Government treated them with more compassion.”

Khun Surapong said that Thai government is prepared to talk face-to-face with the Myanmar government about large economic projects but not to talk face-to-face about Myanmar resolving Rohingya issue.

And Human Rights Watch advisor Sunai Phasuk said it was shameful that Burma was about to assume the chair of ASEAN in 2014, yet ASEAN had done nothing to solve the Rohingya issue. 

Dr. Niran Pitakwatchara from National Human Rights Commissioner of Thailand said Rohingyas faced poor temporary shelter, exploitation by trafficking gangs, and extortion from smuggling gangs during their stay in Thailand. 

“Though Thailand is not a signatory to the 1951 UN Refugee Convention, relevant ministries could actually expedite their authority in providing decent and appropriate shelters for these people, based on human rights principles in the Thai Constitution” Dr. Niran continued.

The press conference and round-table discussion on August 24th was organized and sponsored by Burmese Rohingya Association in Thailand. The panel speakers are:

- Dr. Niran Pitakwatchara, National Human Right Commissioner of Thailand, 

- Mr. Surapong Kongchantuk, Human Rights Committee of Lawyers Council of Thailand,

- Mr. Sunai Phasuk, Advisor of Human Rights Watch (HRW)

- Ms. Saowanee Khomepatr, Director, Bureau of Anti-Trafficking in Woman and Children, Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, 

- Mr. Sarawoot Sriwannayos, Former President of Young Thai Muslim Organization and 

- U Maung Kyaw Nu, President of Burmese Rohinya Association in Thailand.

The Moderator was Ms. Thananuch Sanguansak, Editor of Feature News, Nation Channel.

RB News 

August 26, 2013

Pantanaw, Ayeyarwady – A Muslim house in Pantanaw Township in Ayeyarwady Division was destroyed by 969 Buddhist group today. 

Although the Buddhist religion is not official religion of Myanmar, the majority in Myanmar's population are Buddhists. Most of the ultra-religionists are celebrating as 52nd State Religion Day. Today a 969 group in Pantanaw Township is celebrating it and opening 969 related songs with super-speakers. A Muslim said to himself that the celebration is too noisy. Apparently a Buddhist heard what the Muslim said. The tension arose immediately.

The Muslim man was forced to leave from the town straight away. The 969 group asked local Muslims to destroy the house. The Muslims didn’t agree. Finally the Buddhist mob destroyed the house with the help of carpenters. The local authorities arrived at the conflict area but they couldn't manage to control the mobs.The authorities permitted the mobs to destroy the house. 

The Muslim people in the region are worried for tonight, as further attacks could be performed by the mobs. 

Moreover, today there is big celebration of State Religion Day in Thandaw Township of Arakan State. More than 500 monks and many thousand locals gather to celebrate the big day. They are about 1500 people walking in the town from place to place. There have been several alerts and information leaked from secret meetings of monks and 969 group in Thandwe that today the Buddhist mobs will terrorize the Muslims in Thandwe. 

The Kaman Muslims in Thandwe are also worried that tonight they could be attacked by the 969 group.

BMA Press Release on Latest Anti-Muslim Violence in Burma

Date: August 26, 2013

President U Thein Sein promised on his recent visit to the UK and France that there would be no tolerance for religious extremism and sectarian violence in Burma. Unfortunately, a number of serious incidents have taken place in recent days which raise questions about the government’s ability to prevent and take action against sectarian violence. 

On 24th August 2013, a rumour was spread that a Buddhist woman was raped by the three Muslim men from Htan Kone village, Kantbalu Township, Sagaing Division. The village is located at 15 miles Northern Shwebo Township. 

Mobs gathered near the police station in the evening and were joined by people from nearby villages. The group then started to attack Muslims. 

46 Muslims houses, 12 shops and one rice mill were torched and destroyed. The security forces were reported to have stood by and watched when the mobs were targeting the Muslims properties. Instead of protecting Muslims properties and arresting the attackers, the security forces requested the mob to stop the attack on Muslims.

The Burmese Muslim Association (BMA) has documented the movements of the 969 Buddhist extremist group in Shwebo Township since May 2013. Members of 969 have been distributing anti-Muslims leaflets and CDs for many months but the authorities never took any action against them.

In Meikhtilar, some Muslims who were targeted, lost properties and lost love ones as a result of the brutal violence in March 2013 were sentenced 14 years jail while members of the Buddhist mob that committed mass murder and arson attacks on Muslims were sentenced only 2 years jail. 

On 19th August, when UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Myanmar Mr. Thomas Ojea Quintana visited Meikhtilar was met by an angry mob. Mr. Quintana’s experience with the mob clearly indicates the existing potential threat for the Muslims. The failure of the security forces to protect him clearly indicated the serious weakness of the state of the rule of law in Burma.

On 9th August a Muslim man was beaten by Buddhist monks from the Thayattaw Monastery in Pha’an city, Karen state. On 20th August, a Muslim man and a teenage boy were beaten by a monk from similar monastery. On 23rd August, three Muslim men were beaten by the monks from the same monastery. BMA has recorded many similar kinds of incidents in Karen state. 

In Arakan, Rakhine Buddhists have been campaigned around 26th August to commemorate 52 years of the declaration of Buddhism as the only State religion in Burma. Rakhine Buddhists in Arakan state plan to celebrate the anniversary in Thantwe city. In the meantime, we have documented that some Rakhine extremists are organising people to attack Muslims in Thantwe where majority Kaman peoples and Rohingyas are living. Ethnic Kamans are recognized as an ethnic minority of Burma. 

Buddhist extremist in Thantwe have ordered all Buddhists to put 969 logos on their doors. We have confirmed that 5 truckloads of Rakhine extremists from across the Arakan arrived Thantwe on 23rd August. Since then, Muslims in the city are in a state of panic. Muslims in Thantwe received information that Buddhist extremists are planning to attack them on 26th August.

Instigators of hate-speech and hate-acts such as U Wirathu continue to spread hatred against Muslims. This indicates that U Thein Sein government does not intend to address the root cause, or at least is so far ineffective at doing so. The riots have been taking place in different places every time. The consequences of not stopping these hate-crimes are very serious and could lead to further mass killings and even popular genocide campaigns. 

We, the Burmese Muslim Association urge the international community to put pressure on Burmese government to protect minorities in Burma from any massacre. Burmese government should protect its citizens equally, and also guarantee protection and security for those whose right to citizenship is contested, such as the stateless Rohingya. The rule of law should be same for everyone residing in Burma. All the displaced persons should be allowed to return to their former places without any restriction. All the religious premises should rebuilt and repair at similar places. All perpetrators of violence should be brought to justice without bias. 

On the eve of Burma's assumption of the ASEAN chair, the government must demonstrate its commitment to protecting peace and security for it citizens and for the entire region.

Burmese Muslim Association 

Media Contact:

Kyaw Win +44-740-345-2378(UK) kyawwin78@gmail.com; 

Ms. Yasmin +1 408 250 6227(USA) yasnohana@sbcglobal.net; 

Kyaw Swa +44 782 842 6801(UK) kyawzwa@b-m-a.org; 

Ms. Molly +1 416 516 7383 (Canada) law4women@gmail.com;

RB News 

August 25, 2013

Sittwe, Arakan – The Rohingya IDPs in Aung Mingalar quarter, Sittwe Township in Arakan State have been moving to designated camps since Saturday. The IDPs were given little notice. Just a few hours before the move was made. These people didn't want to move from Aung Mingalar. They moved there to escape life in the camps. They have to move now because they can’t disobey the order given by the local government. The government has two puppets in the quarter, one is a Rohingya man and another is a Kaman man. The local and international media were misinformed by them as if the moving of the IDPs was voluntary. 

RB News posted the news in English and Burmese after the ordered imposed in Aung Mingalar quarter. Two puppets of the local government are Rohingya man Shwe Hla and Kaman man Shwe Zan Aung. Among them, Shwe Zan Aung spoke to Radio Free Asia Burmese service and Associated Press that the government is not forcing them to move. It is simply a lie according to locals. 

Every family who are moving to the designated camps got Kyat 9,000. The money was paid by a group from Rangoon who visited the quarter recently. Locals said that the group donated Kyat 5 million for the people living in Aung Mingalar quarter. So the authority is giving 9,000 Kyat to every family who are moving. 

Yesterday 130 families, 577 people moved to the camp nearby Thet Kay Phyin and today 89 families, 396 people moved to the camps nearby Thet Kay Pyin and Baw Du Pha. The remaining IDPs will be moved on the following days. 

Regarding the lies of Shwe Zan Aung “We have two puppets of government in our quarter. They are Shwe Hla and Shwe Zan Aung. They have many opportunities as they are talking from the government side. They can go anywhere while many restrictions on us. They can also call any police and use them as their guards at any time. The government offered them something and is using them as informers. Every community has such opportunists. So as they are getting something, they are taking the government side and are echoing the same tune as them. Indeed nobody wants to move from Aung Mingalar. They are living here since last year because they didn't want to stay in designated camps.” a Rohingya from Aung Mingalar told RB News.

RB News 

August 25, 2013

Kanbalu, Sagaing - According to local State Media, MRTV News, 39 Muslim houses, 3 shops and 1 chicken farm were torched by radical Buddhist mobs. Additionally, 3 houses, 12 grocery store and 3 construction shops were destroyed in Htan Gone, Kanbalu Township of Sagaing Division. 

According to locals, although higher authorities were available at that time they couldn’t manage to stop the incident. The mobs set the fire at about 9 pm and the houses were burning till today early morning. Now the homeless Muslims are taking refuge in the Madarasa (Religious School) in Htan Gone. 

Wirathu, a radical monk based in Mandalay posted on his Facebook yesterday when the violence started in Htan Gone that three Muslim men raped a 19-years-old Buddhist girl. Although it is completely rumor, most of his followers believe whatever he propagates.

BBC Burmese service had an interview with the local police. The police said that a Muslim man proposed to a girl and tried to hug her. So the rumor spread out in the region that she was raped. The Muslim man is in custody now. Police are investigating the matter deeply.

The Eleven Media Group, well known as an instigator since last year, echoed the same as radical monk Wirathu in their Burmese news. Wirathu and Eleven Media have been instigating the Myanmar public by posting the rumors to fuel the violence. Although it is a matter that must be solved by local police, the radical 969 group is always ready in any region to attack Muslims. The authorities never try to control the situation, whenever there is an attack on Muslims.

The Ministry of Information released the news this afternoon and reported that the Muslim man tried to rape 25-years-old Buddhist girl. However the ministry could not provide the profile detail of the Muslim man. The news of the ministry said the police and fire brigade were attacked by the mobs. The police opened fire into the air to disperse the crowd. They use a different method against Buddhist and Muslims in Myanmar. The police opened fired directly into peaceful protesters when Muslims in Sittwe asked for the dead body of a Muslim fisherman killed by police on August 9, 2013.

Now that the Muslims in Htan Gone have lost their properties, they are homeless and left on their own. There is no hope that the government will help them rebuild their houses Although the government has full responsibility to protect its citizens.

By Hanna Hindstrom

Democratic Voice of Burma

August 24, 2013

Burma’s ethnic Rohingya continue to face heavy persecution in northern Arakan state, despite the dissolution of a controversial border guard force which had been implicated in mass atrocities against the Muslim community.

According to an independent report seen by DVB on Friday, Rohingyas living in the Muslim-majority Buthidaung and Maungdaw townships near the Bangladeshi border have been “subject to a campaign of mass arrest and renewed restrictions” since a wave of clashes with Buddhists in Arakan state last year.

Although Rohingyas in northern Arakan suffered fewer casualties, less segregation and displacement in the violence compared to those in Buddhist-majority regions, abuses against them are of “significant concern” and a climate of harassment and insecurity persists.

Hundreds of Rohingyas, including children, the elderly and four humanitarian workers, continue to be detained since last year’s riots which displaced over 140,000 people across the western state. The vast majority are being held in the notorious Buthidaung prison, where credible reports of “systematic torture” have emerged.

“They have not had access to fair judicial process and many had been tortured before or in jail custody,” warned the report. “While some are still awaiting trial, many were convicted with harsh prison sentences.”

Earlier this week, Buthidaung court sentenced 43 Rohingya detainees to jail terms ranging from six years to life for their alleged role in the violence. It is also alleged that “several truckloads” of Rohingya inmates, including children, were transferred out of the jail in the days preceding the visit of Tomás Ojea Quintana, the UN special Rapporteur, to the area in mid-August. They were reportedly sent back after he left.

This account was confirmed by Shwe Maung, a Rohingya MP from Buthidaung township. “An eyewitness called me before the visit of Mr Quintana and said that about 200 prisoners were moved to Maungdaw and after the visit they were [moved] back,” he told DVB on Friday.

Quintana, who wrapped up a 10-day visit to Burma this week, told DVB that concerns about torture in Buthidaung jail were legitimate.

“I can confirm last year during the violence that hundreds of Muslims in detention were subjected to systematic use of torture,” he said in an exclusive interview. “These are crimes that the government is obliged to investigate and to hold accountable those who are responsible.”

Meanwhile local sources say that the disbanding of the notorious Nasaka border guard force, which was set up in 1992 to patrol the Bangladeshi border, has only brought “modest improvements” and many Rohingyas view the move as simply “old wine in a new bottle”.

The report notes that while police officers have reduced their reliance on forced labour and eased some local travel restrictions, the collection of arbitrary taxation has skyrocketed. Rickshaw drivers have reported being forced to pay 100 kyat (US$0.10) each time they pass through police checkpoints outside of Maungdaw.

Shwe Maung adds that Rohingyas are still unable to travel between townships, such as Buthidaung and Maungdaw, and workers without travel permits have been arrested at police checkpoints.

“Even though the Nasaka was disbanded, people are still not allowed to move freely, they cannot go freely to Maungdaw, they cannot go freely to Sittwe. So socio-economically, it is very bad,” said Shwe Maung, who represents the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party.

After a meeting with Quintana, the Arakan Chief of Police confirmed that anyone found in possession of a Bangladeshi mobile phone or SIM card would be arrested and prosecuted in accordance with existing laws. But he denied that Rohingyas were subject to a two-child limit, as previously affirmed by the Burmese government.

Describing it to a Nasaka “practice”, he added that village administrators would now be in charge of issuing marriage permits, which Rohingya couples are required to obtain. Chris Lewa, head of the Arakan project, said that is too early to assess the long-term impact of the Nasaka’s dissolution, especially relating to the two-child policy but that marriage restrictions were “unlikely” to change.

She added that the main perpetrator of human rights violations and arbitrary arrests was the army, which is exclusively made up of Buddhists. “Nearly all forced labour is now carried out by the military,” said Lewa, who advocates for the rights of Rohingyas.

Locals say there has been a sharp increase in military troops in Maungdaw and Buthidaung, amid news reports that militant pro-Rohingya groups have been active along the border. But Shwe Maung dismissed the reports as “propaganda” intended to stir communal tensions.

President Thein Sein disbanded the Nasaka in mid-July amid heavy international criticisms of its treatment of the Rohingya, who are viewed as illegal Bengali immigrants by the government and denied citizenship in Burma.

RB News 

August 24, 2013 

Kanbalu, Sagaing – The Muslims in Htan Gone, Kanbalu Township in the Sagaing Division are under attacks by local Buddhist mobs according to locals.

It is unclear as to why the violence started, but it is not unusual in Myanmar, as the Muslims in several townships have been attacked by Buddhist mobs since March 2013. This has become far too routine after the violence took place in Arakan State in 2012.

RB News has received reports from locals that the monks and the Buddhist mobs have surrounded the mosque in Htan Gone since 9:30 pm local time. Although the situation was extremely tense the mosque hasn’t yet been attacked.

However, there have been about seven Muslim shops that were destroyed by the mobs and six Muslim homes that have been burnt down by the mobs. Additionally a chicken farm was also burnt down.

The military and local police are surrounding the nearby mosque to observe the situation. However, it can’t be said that the mosque would be safe seeing as how the security forces are constantly near the place where the violence take place and they never show any effort to stop the violence against Muslims.

Earlier in the day the telephone landlines and mobile phones were working properly but the lines became incommunicado after the crowds appeared in front of the mosque. The locals said the crowd was about 200 and now growing to somewhere around 500 in all.

Although the fire brigade came the mobs didn’t allow them to enter the area of the conflict.

By U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF)

Bottom Line Assessment: Issues of religion and ethnicity will shape the trajectory of Burma’s political reform before the planned 2015 elections. Burma is currently designated by the State Department as a “country of particular concern” for particularly severe violations of religious freedom, as ongoing political reforms have yet to dramatically improve the situation for freedom of religion and belief. Sectarian and societal violence, anti-Muslim exclusionary campaigns, and military incursions have caused egregious religious freedom violations against Muslims and some ethnic minority Christians. Nonetheless, in areas where the military has retreated from daily governance, the worst human rights abuses have receded in the past year (including many that affected religious communities). Legal restrictions on some religious activities remain in place, but are enforced sporadically, if at all, depending on region, ethnicity, and religious group. The situation of the ethnic minority Rohingya, which intertwines issues of religious freedom and ethnic discrimination, remains a profound humanitarian and political crisis. It threatens to inflame anti-Muslim prejudices in other parts of the country, create large refugee flows in the region, instigate additional sectarian violence and discrimination, and potentially undermine the political reform process.

Read full report on Scribd --

Burma: Implications of Religious and Ethnic Violence

U Kyaw Min

RB Opinion

August 24, 2013

President Thein Sein after his British and France trip on 21st of July met with some of his ministers, Myanmar Human Rights commission and interfaith trust building committee, where he emphatically declared zero tolerance for any racial and religious violence in the future. He said peace, stability and rule of law are the most important things. All should co-operate and take responsibility in this context. IDPs in Rakhine state should be resettled promptly, where by sustainable economic development program should be introduced. All should be treated equally. No further discrimination in the country. We know Rohingyas bore the brunt of the violence in Rakhine State. They principally suffered by the violence.

This notion of our president is a big change in the state policy. We appreciate it. A lot of kudos goes to the president.

But this anomalous and unexpected attitude of the president is challenged in the same meeting by some of his ministers and by Myanmar Human Rights Commission Chairman U Win Mra.

Union immigration minister U Khin Yee said so called Rohingya would be dealed in accord with 1982 citizenship Law. What we know is that Law is deliberately enacted to strip Rohingya of their citizenship after they had been repatriated in 1978. Almost all Rohingyas in the camps held National Registration Cards which at that time was nationality card. According to existing laws then no foreigners could hold NRCs. Foreigners were issued FRCs: Foreigner Registration Cards.

The possession of the NRCs by refugees compelled Burma to receive back the refugees as her citizens. Thenceforth U Ne Win got a second thought to make NRCs null and void. There came the 1982 new citizenship Law which implicitly abrogated the legal value of NRCs. There after NRCs holders are not recognized as citizens though these NRCs stood as genuine nationality cards until recently. In 1990 as well as in 2010 elections NRC holders could compete in the elections. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi contested in last year interim election with that NRC.

On the other hand NRC holding Rohingyas are alleged to be illegal immigrants. Their NRCs were seized and substituted with so called white cards, which has no legal value. If NRC of Rohingya is accepted as nationality cards as in case of others, all Rohingyas are entitled to obtain nationality scrutiny cards under 1982 citizenship law. But things in Myanmar are not going like this.

Formerly one without holding either NRC or FRC could not live freely in the country. A man without any registration cards would be arrested, imprisoned and lastly deported according to Myanmar immigration Law. It is a wonder how one million plus Rohingyas could live for generations in Myanmar if they are foreigners or illegal immigrants as Myanmar government accuses now.

U Khin Yee said in the above meeting that 1982 citizenship Law recognizes as citizens who formerly were naturalized, not those who hold NRCs. He further said Rohingya who could not prove three back generalizations could not have the right to apply for naturalization, but they will be issued white cards which actually have no legal value under any existing law. This dilemma is a creation of present government.

The core problem is there. For individuals it is difficult to show birth certificates or other residency related paper documents which really were not in existence in pre-independence period. The records of people would be only in the immigration and man power department offices in Myanmar.

U Ye Htut, deputy information minister most paradoxically said he learn there were thousands of Muslims in Rakhine during Myanmar King’s period. But they were Bangali whom we cannot recognize as indigenous race although our laws say a people who permanently live in our dominion before 1823 is indigenous race. He said descendents of those Bangali have the right for naturalization. Here this notion is not in accord with the existing laws but according to their whim.

The worse is what the Myanmar Human Rights commission Chairman, U Win Mra said, “We cannot give our citizenship to this Rohingya because they cannot speak our (Rakhine) Language”. Here U Win Mra (a Rakhine) forgets the fact that all Rakhine including their kings spoke Rohingya Language. All Rakhnie including U Win Mra himself were bilingual in the past. Rakhine kings had Muslim names. Rakhine courts use Bangali and Parsian (the language of Rohingya then) as official Language. Rohingya were not required to speak Rakhine Language. (See, Thibaut d Hubert and Jacques P. Leider; Traders and Poets at the Mrauk-U court, 2011)

Again what U Win Mra said is in disrespect of international Human Rights norms and standard. It is deplorable to here this notion from a Human Rights commission chairman. He does not deserve that post.

Since hundreds of scholars are unfolding through their vigorous research the historicity and ethnicity of Rohingya, U Win Mra’s assertion or condition for Rohingyas’ citizenship will fade away in the air. Here one of the renowned Scholar Nobel Laureate, Harvard Professor Amartya Sen perceptively observed: Rohingya did not come to Burma but Burma came to Rohingya (Land).

So I hope Myanmar government and extremist with chauvinistic mentality will reconcile themselves with reason and truth. They should have courage to accept the reality of Rohingyas historicity. 21st century is not a century of racialists and apartheid. Therefore my request here to them is “stop crying for segregation and separation”. It is the age of globalization, human rights and democracy.

By UN News Centre

August 23, 2013

A United Nations independent expert today urged greater inclusion of women and other minority voices in the peace efforts in Myanmar and called on the Government to fulfil its obligations in stemming the spread of incitement of religious hatred directed against minority communities.

Wrapping up his eighth visit to the South-East Asian country, the Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Myanmar, Tomás Ojea Quintana, stressed that Myanmar had made positive improvement in its human rights situation, and has the potential for further progress.

But at the same time, he stressed that the historical need of reconciliation with ethnic groups and the spread of incitement of hatred against religious minority groups are among remaining critical challenges.

“The initiatives being implemented at the highest levels by the Government to stop more fighting in the country needs to be accompanied, in parallel, with measures at the grassroots level to also engage local and rural communities in the process of peacebuilding and reconciliation,” Mr. Ojea Quintana said.

He commended the Government for increasing space for civil society, including the recent commemoration of the 1988 pro-democracy protests but urged more space to be opened up for “all voices to be heard” so communities have trust and belief that this process will lead to a better future.

“The past is unavoidable and will always come up in a country that has suffered decades of conflict and oppression,” he stressed. “The Government, together with civil society has to build on this progress towards addressing the past through mechanisms to establish the truth and bring reconciliation.”

Mr. Ojea Quintana also called on the Government to stem the spread of incitement of religious hatred directed against minority communities through strong public messaging, the establishment of the rule of law, and policing in line with international human rights standards.

He expressed concern over the continued separation and segregation of communities in Rakhine State adding that it was becoming increasingly permanent and impacting negatively on the Muslim community.

Any attempt by the Special Rapporteur to visit Meiktila, where violence in March targeting the Muslim community left over 10,000 people displaced and led to 43 people killed, was cut short after this entourage was roughed up by demonstrators.

“Around 200 people descended over my car. They punched and kicked the windows and doors and [were] shouting abuses,” Mr. Ojea Quintana told UN Radio. “My concern is that the police nearby, stood by without really stopping these people and intervening. The incident which took place in Meiktila was very serious, but I already discussed [it] with the Government and I hope in the near future this will not happen again.”

During his 10-day visit, the Special Rapporteur also visited Chin State, Kachin State and Shan State, and Meikhtila in Mandalay Region.

He also noted that Myanmar still has prisoners of conscience, some of whom he met during his visit to the Insein prison in Yangon, and other detention centres in Rakhine State.

“They should be released immediately and unconditionally,” Mr. Ojea Quintana reiterated.

President Thein Sein granted amnesty in July to 73 prisoners of conscience, as part of a series of reforms initiated two years ago following the establishment of a new Government. He has announced that by the end of the year all remaining political prisoners will have been released.

Special rapporteurs are appointed by the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council to examine and report back on a country situation or a specific human rights theme. The positions are honorary and the experts are not UN staff, nor are they paid for their work.

The Nation

August 23, 2013

RB News 

August 23, 2013

Sittwe, Arakan – Rohingya IDPs who have been staying in Aung Mingalar quarter in the Sittwe Township in Arakan State, have been ordered to move to designated refugee camps by the local authorities. They will have to move from Aung Mingalar without prior notice. 

After violence broke out in Sittwe, 301 Rohingya families IDPs from Kyaung Gyi Lane, Ka The and Kone Dan fled to the Aung Mingalar quarter to escape life in refugee camps. Most of them are living at their relatives houses in the Aung Mingalar quarter. Today the authorities ordered them to move to the UN registered refugee camps in Ohn Daw Gyi, Say Ta Mar Gyi and Baw Du Pha. The locals said more than 1500 IDPs will be moving forcibly. 

“They lost all of their properties during the violence in 2012. However they didn’t move to refugee camps as they don’t like to stay there. All of them are living in their relatives’ houses in Aung Mingalar. Now the leader of Aung Mingalar quarter, U Shwe Hla is collecting the names of those IDPs and they will have to move tomorrow morning at 9 am although they are flatly denying to move from here.” a Rohingya from Aung Mingalar quarter told RB News.

Another Rohingya from Aung Mingalar said “It is declared with some official document by the Chief Minister. There are nearly 1500 registered Rohingya IDPs in Aung Mingalar up to now. And the IDPs are guess that they will be placed in Say Ta Ma Gyi camps but it is not confirmed which camps they have to go. Some are refusing peacefully saying to the village leaders that they won’t go there even the authorities stop the ration for them.”

“The authorities are threatening that they will not provide the ration any more if the IDPs do not move to the camps. Although they are not getting much ration, they will be helpless if the ration stops as everyone in Aung Mingalar has no earning at all since last year.” the Rohingya man continued.