thesailnews@yahoo.com The Existence Of Arakan

The Existence Of Arakan

Preface About Identity: History is not God given and it is potentiality of man research and his conscience and historical evidences. The work of History research is humanitarian and academic concern.
Racial name is not God given, but there is a trend that the different ethnic groups invent their racial/ethnic name as their ethnic identity in order to enjoying their fundamental rights from their central Government. But it depends on demographic and geographical situation of the ethnic groups. Muslim is not a name of ethnic group because ethnic name not depends on Religion.  (Rohingya Historian)

Note About The Arakan: (compiled by The Sail)
The Land & people:
The land of the Arakan’s creation was 5 million years ago, and the origin people of Arakan entered from part of India in about 5,000 years ago.
At present two major ethnic races, the Rohingyas and the Rakhines (Maghs) inhabit in Arakan. The Rohingyas are Muslims and the Rakhines are Buddhists. Its unofficial total population now is more than 5 million, both inside and outside the country.  In addition there are about 2 lakhs tribal people [Saks, Dinets (Chakmas) and Mros (Kamais)] and 2 lakhs Burman people in Arakan.  The Rohingyas are mostly concentrated in the riparian plains of Naf, Mayu and Kaladan. Arakan is the only Muslim majority province among the 14 provinces of Burma. Out of the 7 million Muslim population of Burma half of them are in Arakan. (from History Background of Arakan)
Politic: Under different periods of history, Arakan had been an independent and sovereign monarchy ruled by Hindus, Buddhists and Muslims. Possibly the history of Arakan can be classified in the following manner into 10 periods; (1) 100-788 AD (Some Hindu dynasties), (2) 788-957 AD (Chandra Hindu dynasty), (3) 957-1430 (A Chaotic period of Mongolians, Buddhists and Muslims), (4) 1430-1784 AD (Mrauk-U dynasty of Muslims & Buddhists), (5) 1784-1826 AD (Burman Buddhist Rule), (6) 1826-1948 AD (British Colonial Rule), (7) 1948-1962 (Parliamentary Democracy Rule), (8) 1962-1974 AD (Revolutionary Military Government Rule),  (9) 1975-1988 (One Party Socialist Programme Party Government Rule), (10) 1988-1999 AD (SLORC/SPDC Military Government Rule).
 According to A. P Phayer and G.E. Harvey, the Arakanese kings established alternately capitals in eight different towns, transferring from one to another. They were successively at Dinnyawadi, 25 kings (146-746 AD); Vesali, 12 kings (788-994 AD); First Pyinsa (Sanbawut), 15 kings (1018-1103 AD); Parin, 8 kings (1103-1167 AD); Krit, 4 kings (1167-1180 AD); Second Pyinsa, 16 kings (1180-1237 AD); Launggyet, 17 kings (1237-1433 AD) and Mrauk-U, 48 kings (1433-1785 AD).  (from History Background of Arakan)

The Arakan Flag Design During Sanda-Thu-Ri-Ya King

Arakan to Rakhine state:  In 1974 the Burmese Socialist Programme Party (BSPP)government of Ne Win constituted Rakhine State from Arakan Division to restoration of Rakhine Independence. The government also created 17 townships before this changes. More in 1983, Thandwe, Gwa, Taungup, Ponnagyan townships were defined as Muslim-free Zones by government.

Existence of Rohingya:
Between 7th Century to 16th Century AD, tradings in Java, Malacca, Myanmar and Arakan were influenced by Arab traders. At the same time, the religion Islam was introduced there. When Islamic preachers arrived,  some of the first group in Arakan who accepted Muslim were moon worshippers, descendants of   ”San-Da-Wan-Tha” and people of Sandathuriya king who ruled over Sandawantha-moon worshipers and Thuriyawantha-sun worshipers. (Researcher)
“In 680 AD after the war of ‘Karbala’ Mohammed Hanofiya with his army arrived at Arab-Shah Para, near Maungdaw in the Northern Arakan, while Kaiyapuri, the queen of Cannibals ruled this hilly deep forest attacking and looting the people of Arakan. Mohammed Hanif attacked the Cannibals and captured the queen. She was converted to Islam and married to him. Her followers embraced Islam en masse. Mohammed Hanif and the queen Kaiyapuri lived in Mayu range. The peaks where they lived were still known as Hanifa Tonki and Kaiyapui Tonki. The wild cannibals were tamed and became civilised. Arakan was no more in danger of them and peace and tranquillity prevailed. The followers of Mohammed Hanif and Kaiyapuri were mixed up and lived peacefully.” The descendants of these mixed people no doubt formed the original nucleus of the Rohingya Muslims in Arakan. (from Historical Background of Arakan)
In 788 AD, during the season of Wae Tha Li, many of Arab traders’ boats were demolished by cyclone and landed to an island. And the king of the land relocated them into the lands. Thus, they named that Island as ‘Raham Bre’ (In Arabic, helper island), today call as ‘Rambre Island’. (from historians)
 
In 887 AD, most of Arakaneses converted to Islam as the results of propagation from India. (from Arab history)
 
Later from Portugal slavery time, some people from Bangladesh including non-Bangladeshies, were brought into Arakan and sold as slaves to Arab traders and Arakaneses.
In 1430, the two large army groups of Bangal had been entered into Arakan to expel Burman occupiers and settled in Arakan. As, Arakan was invaded by upper Burman(Ava) king Min Khaung in 1404 and he refuged 24 years at Bangal professed himself into Muslim. Later, the Arakan king Narameik Hla@ Saw Mon expelled Burmese invaders by the help of general Wali Khan consisting tens of  thousands of  Bangal forces in 1429. However, general Wali Khan betrayed by taking the throne of Arakan and imprisoned the king Narameik Hla. After he escaped from prison, sought again from Bangal king and he reentered into Arakan by a second larger army led by general Sandhi Khan of Bangal king Nasiruddin Shah and then retook his throne in 1430. He designated himself Muslim title as Solaiman Shah and kept Arakan under the governor of Cittagong in order to prevent from foreign invasions. The readers could understand about how many Bangal soldiers and other ordinary people had been settled in that period once political, social, culture structures and goals changed. (according to former chairman of Burma Historical Commission, Lt.Col. Ba Shin)
In early 16th Century during the reign of Mrauk U, Indian Muslims missionary headed into Arakan and preached Muslim religion through village to village converting Islam. (from Rakine Razawin BE1282)
Thou, we can say today Rohingya is mixed stocks of Arab, Mongolia, Arakanese (Maghs) and clashed into Fore-Arian, Indo-Arian, Indo-Mongo. As Burma is originally home to firstly Pyu states and secondly Mon states. I would not make mention as some mix from Bengali as some states of Bangladesh (Cittagong) were well enacted and fell under Arakan for some periods and separated later.
 
Rohingya in Arakan is long rooted, can be proved by historical buildings with Mosques firstly built  in 7th Century AD, Muslim Kings ruled for 4 centuries in Arakan, and others of Islamic names of towns, villages, rivers and others, and some Rakine kings also used Islamic names in 14 Century. Otherwise, the latest DNA may prove their existences. Moreover, some buildings built by Arakanese Muslim combatants, can be seen today in Yangon and Mawlamyaing. (from Burman King Invasions)
The name of Rohingya is founded as the people from Roshang/Rohang-Arakan: Rohang-Gya (‘Gya’ is villager). Like ‘Rakhasa’ to ‘Rakkha’ to ‘Rakkhaing’ to Rakhaing (Rakhine). Like Arakan to Rakhine, Burma to Myanmar. Time by time, states, people, names, cultures, are changed based on determination by influences