Authority organizes religious leaders for Eid prayer in Maungdaw

Maungdaw, Arakan State: The concerned authorities of Maungdaw –Township and District administration officer-  and called all Rohingya community leaders to township admin office to discuss about forthcoming Eid-ul Fitr mass praying today, according to a community leader from Maungdaw.
“The Township administration officer- Kyi San – and District administration officer –Aung Myint Soe-called 50 community leaders from every village tracts  each, but there are only few Rohingya community leaders attend the meeting.”

The concerned authorities of Maungdaw told the Rohingya community leaders that the authority will give permission for mass praying in forthcoming Eid-ul-fitr. But, U Jangir ,the USDP MP called for daily five times congregational prayers not for Eid praying which the authority make remark to submit to the higher official, said a villager from Maungdaw.
“The authority is only to record document to show to international community that there is no conflict in Maungdaw between two communities –Rakhines and Rohingyas- and enjoying peacefully in the town. Another one , the authority want to show there is no religious persecution in the areas and the Rohingyas are enjoying with full facility of religious as  mass praying in the Mosques.”
But, the authority locked up the Mosques and not allows to pray inside the Mosques since June 8 and last month, the authority arrested religious leaders from villages. Now, the authority is asking to bring religious leaders to the meeting through village administration officers.”
After meeting in the township admin office, the officer ordered to their one puppet –Ayub Khan, the village administration officer of Myothu Gyi village- to bring some religious leaders and community leaders. He make fake religious leader and brought to the office who will go around the villages – Maung Ni, Bomu, Ward number 2, Ward number 5 and Myoma Khayoungdan- where the fake religious leader announced to the Rohingya community as Rohingya can pray during the Eid-ul-fitr with mass praying and the authority recorded the action of fake religious leader. That is the one which the authority want, said an educated person from Maungdaw.
“We are not trust the newly formed Investigation commission by President U Thein Sein to investigate on the violence of Arakan State which has no Rohingya representatives and most of the members are against the Rohingya community.”
Similarly, National Democratic Party for Human Rights (in exile) (NDPHR) issued a statement against the newly formation of the Commission of Investigation on the violence of Arakan State by President U Thein Sein  today  which has failed to comprise to equal ratio of members from both sides; Muslim and Rakhine, having the sort of person like the chairman of Rakhine Development Party Dr. Aye Maung who is known to be the instigator of violence, person like Ko Ko Gyi who declared that Rohingyas were foreign illegal immigrants and that they must be crashed down in collaboration with the Military force, the person like ZAGANA who has announced in an interview in Paris that the Rohingya are the foreigners and though there are some Muslim members in the commission but no single Rohingya is there to represent the Rohingya Muslim. So, we don’t think the Commission as genuine and qualified one and it never yields fruitful result.
The violence was erupted between the Rakhine and the Rohingya Muslim. But forming the commission with only the Rakhine and leaving behind the Rohngya is very clear enough that the intention was not based on honesty and the result will not be acceptable too, said U Hla Aung , President ,National Democratic Party for Human Rights (in exile) . President, National Democratic Party for Human Rights (in exile)Paris, France. “We would like to call upon the President U Thein Sein to dismiss the wrong persons from the Commission and to take some members from Rohingya Muslim who could represent the community in order to be a genuine and respectable Commission of investigation.“

More Rohingya kill in Maungdaw

Maungdaw, Arakan State: The security force –Burma border security force (Nasaka)-  and Rakhine  killed more Rohingya recently  in Maungdaw, said a village admin from Maungdaw.
“Oo Daung Nasaka camp officer Pyro Way Aung and Oo Daung village administration officer Thein Aung  ( Rakhine) with other Nasaka personnel went to  Salim Ullah home in Oo Daung village at about 10:00pm on August 16.  The Nasaka officer and his group went to Salim home with a plan of attempt to rape his dauhghter where Salim Ullah family has three members – he, his wife and his daughter (young lady).”

The Nasaka officer and Village admin enter to his house for checking of family list without calling any village admin member expect the village admin officer. When the officer went near to young lady to attempt to rape but, the father block the officer to reach his daughter. The officer was drunk and shot to old man with his gun. The old man was hit at his arm but the officer arrested him with an allegation of attacking on duty officer when the villagers rushed to the home for hearing the gun shot. Salim was kept at camp and took photograph with sword then sent him to the area commander office, said an elder from village.
Similarly, Army and Rakhine attacked the Fokira Bazar village where they killed 8 Rohingyas on August 16, according to an elder from Maungdaw.
Besides, Rakhines from Taungpro killed 6 Rohingyas on August 6 and the villagers found the dead bodies of Rohingyas near the stream which was informed to Nasaka . The Nasaka ordered the villagers to bury the dead bodies. The Taungpro villagers are not known the dead bodies and the realized that the dead Rohingyas are outsider, said a villager.
“May be, the Rakhine killed the Rohingyas who try to cross the border for recent riot and not able to stay at their home.”

Atrocitities, Rapes and Looting Continue against Rohingyas

Atrocitities, Rapes and Looting Continue against Rohingyas

Arakan, Burma

Sunday, 19^th August 2012, 03:00AM 

Maung Daw

“On 16^th August 2012 at 11 O’ Clock night, the In-Charge of Oo Daung NaSaKa camp of southern Maung Daw together with the village chairman, Pru Wai Aung (a Rakhine) and another Rakhine man raided the house of a poor Rohingya man called Salimullah, son of Shormulluk, (50 years old). As soon as they (NaSaKa in-charge, Village Chairman and another Rakhine) got into his house, they attempted to rape his under-aged daughter. When Salimullah and his wife tried to protect their daughter, NaSaKa In-Charge severely beat them and took the Rohingya man to the NaSaKa Camp Base 8 in Mayrulla (Myint Hlut). It is not know that what is going on with him now” reported by Faiz from Alay Than Kyaw.

“At 10:00pm on the same day, the military from Tharay Kunbaung camp and Natalas (new settlers) from the nearby village attacked Lambaguna Village (in southern Maung Daw). They started to harass villagers and to loot their properties. They raided the houses of Habezullah s/o Lal Mia and Esoup s/o Lal Miya and looted 430,000 Kyats and 750,000 Kyats respectively. Soon after, they attempted to rape Rohingya girls. When the villagers screamed, cried and shouted, some nearby villagers rushed to the spot to help the victimized people in Lambaguna. Military opened fire at the villagers. Four Rohingyas were shot dead and one woman was severely beaten. One of the corpses of Rohingya deceased was recovered and given funeral at 10:00AM on 18^th August 2012. The other three dead bodies are missing and might be taken to their camps. The profiles of those four Rohingyas killed are:

                Name                                                                                    Age       

1)     Abdu Salam s/o Amir Hussein                                     35 years              (dead body missing)

2)     Karimullah s/o Yasin                                                    28 years              (dead body missing)

3)     Shaf Miya s/o Yasin                                                       32 years              (dead body missing)

4)     Nurul Haque s/o Sultan Ahmed                                   45 years              (dead body recovered)                

The profile of the beaten Rohingya woman is:

1)     Noor Jahan D/o Ashraf Miya                                        35 years

At 2pm on 18^th August 2012, some Rakhine extremists stabbed four Rohingya men near a Jetty between a Rakhine village and a Rohingya village at the village track of Maung Daw Tsp. Soon after, NaSaKa came to the village and fired at Rohingyas in the village. Many were seriously wounded and taken to the hospital in Maung Daw. Now they are in Maung Daw hospital.

As soon as the new moon appears, there will be Eid (Muslim Festival after the month of fasting) and Muslim will pray Eid prayer. Yet, there are arbitrary arrests, tortures and extortion of money going on against Rohingyas. Educated Rohingyas, their religious teachers, humanitarian workers are still in fear of being arrested and can’t stay at home. On 17^th August 2012, many poor Rohingyas were beaten and tortured by Hlutin (Security Froces) at Bo Mu Village near to government hospital. Two of them are Akram S/o Abdul Amin (28 years) and Amanullah S/o Nagu Miah (30 years) from Kadir Bill village of Maung Daw. Although many Rohingyas are killed, tortured, arrested and extorted money from, yet there are hardly any evidence of that because there are no International Media and Independent Observes there. This region is made technologically very backward by the Burmese government” said Qutub from Maung Daw

“On 18^th August 2012, the members of committees of the Mosques in Maung Daw called to the office of Maung Daw Administration. Rohingyas were asked to pray Eid Prayer (for Muslims, five times daily prayers are more important than the Eid prayer). There has been a strong plot on why Rohingyas were ordered to perform Eid prayer. Government and Rakhines are planning to shoot video while Rohingyas pray and show it to the world that Arakan has become peaceful (at a time when they are continuing all kinds of atrocities and tortures against Rohingyas). So, there is no need to send investigations, international media or independent observers. Authorities threatened that if they don’t perform Eid Prayer, they all will be arrested” a Rohingya from Myoma Kayin reported on the condition of anonymity.

Mass Arrests and Arbitrary Extortion of Money in Maung Daw

From 13^th Aug 2012 to 16^th August 2012 (in four days)

“On 15^th August 2012, In-Charge of NaSaKa Camp based in Oo Daung arrested Yakub S/o Aye Sha Dullah from Oo Daung and extorted Kyat 300,000. SaRaPha (State Security Affairs) in Alay Than Kyaw arrested Rohingyas and extorted the of money mentioned below.

1)     Rohimullah s/o Moggul                                  250,000 Kyats

2)     Boshor s/o Salamat                                        200,000 Kyats

3)     Abdullah s/o Nukmal Hakim                         300,000 Kyats

4)     Boshir s/o Ahmed                                          500,000 Kyats

5)     Mamun Rashid s/o Mv. Haroon                    200,000 Kyats

6)     Furkan Ahmed s/o Ali Johar                         200,000 Kyats

7)     Ismail s/o Kala Miya                                       200,000 Kyats

8)     Mv. Karim s/o Mohammed Amin                  200,000 Kyats

9)     Maburaman s/o Abduraman                        200,000 Kyats

10) Rohim s/o Noor                                             700,000 Kyats

     

Rathedaung

During the joint attack on Rohingyas in Rathedaung in last June and July, many Rohingyas were killed, their houses were burned and thousands were ousted from many villages in the region. Some of these villages are

1)     Thayet Pyin Village        (made up of 200 Rohingyas’ houses)

2)     Prime Chaung Village    (made up of 60 Rohingyas’ houses)

3)     Kudik Chaung Village    (made up of 50 Rohingya Houses)

4)     Annok Pyin Village         (made up of 550 Rohingyas’ houses)

Three thousand members of Rohingyas from these villages are now languishing in the villages of Shilkali, Don Sey, Bossara (Thawin Chaung) and Aandaang of southern Maung Daw. Their situation is just getting worse day by day because of starvation, lack of shelter and no medication. They are mostly suffering from Malaria and Diarrhea. Every day, there are 10 to 12 Rohingyas dying, of whom, most are children. Worse still, even they are targeted and harassed by Burmese Security Force. They are critically in need of urgent relief and assistances.  If this continues, none of them can be hoped to survive. Besides, on daily basis, Rohingyas from the remaining villages of Rathedaung are being arrested for no reason” reported by Abbas from Hossara.

Sittwe Update

According to a reliable source from Sittwe, since the violence against Rohingyas started, there have been 1500 Rohingyas either missing or killed. There are 2200 Rohingyas severely injured Rohingyas who are getting proper treatment. And there were twenty four mosques were burned by the local authority and Rakhine hooligans. Yet, Burmese government is ridiculously saying that there are only about hundreds people dead. They are lying to the world as they have been doing for decades.

Compiled by M.S. Anwar

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono Turns to Ex-Veep on Rohingya Issue

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, left, receives former vice president Jusuf Kalla at the presidential office in Jakarta. Yudhoyono wants Kalla to serve as Indonesia’s special envoy for the Rohingya issue. 

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said on Thursday he hoped that former Vice President Jusuf Kalla would be willing to become the country’s special envoy on the Rohingya issue.

“I hope that Mr. JK, with his extensive experience, can become our special envoy, so that Indonesia’s solidarity and attention on the humanitarian issue of the Rohingya is accurate, does not give rise to misunderstanding for Myanmar but also helps our Rohingnya brothers and sisters,” Yudhoyono said.

The president spoke after meeting Kalla, who came as chairman of the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) to discuss the Rohingnya issue.

Kalla had last week visited Rohingyas in Myanmar’s Rakhine state. Thursday’s meeting was to brief the president on the results of the visit.

Yudhoyono said the government was prepared to take a constructive role in helping secure a settlement to the Rohingya issue. Kalla is scheduled to meet with several figures in Myanmar on Sept. 8.

“We can participate in building houses or providing whatever food material needed by the displaced Rohingya. I asked what Indonesia can do, its government or its people,” Yudhoyono said.

He said he had sent Myanmar President Thein Sein a letter about the humanitarian plight of the Rohingya. ”Myanmar is open to participation by Indonesia,” he said.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said the country was at the forefront of efforts to solve the problems of the Rohingya ethnic minority.

“With pressure from Indonesia, Asean has moved a statement on the Rohingya and diplomatic efforts have resulted in an Asean statement on the Rohingya problem,” Marty said.

The minister also said that at a summit of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), Indonesia, along with Malaysia, Brunei and Bangladesh, had asked the organization’s members to push for humanitarian aid for the Rohingya and pressure Myanmar to allow international access to the ethnic group.

“The comprehensive nature of the approach, the humanitarian problem and the status of these Rohingya have to be settled within the framework of the state of Myanmar,” Marty added.

He said that Indonesia was sheltering some of the Rohingya who had fled their country or had been forcibly expelled from Myanmar but added that the Foreign Ministry was not yet considering providing Indonesian citizenship to the displaced Rohingya.

“ What we have been doing so far is just providing them with shelter,” the minister said.

Kalla, who in 2004 and 2005 successfully brokered a peace deal between the government and the armed rebel group Free Aceh Movement (GAM), said he was not aware that Yudhoyono had appointed him to be Indonesia’s special envoy.

“It was not mentioned in [Thursday’s meeting with Yudhoyono],” the former vice president said. “Next month we will start reconstructing a settlement with the Organization of Islamic Conference. Of course, I will use the visit to promote peace [in Myanmar].”

The PMI is also scheduled to meet with its counterparts in Myanmar to allow humanitarian aid to start flowing into the country.

“The PMI will cooperate with Myanmar [Red Cross] and its field operation will be conducted along with OIC countries and is open to possibly other Red Cross or Red Crescents from other countries to join,” PMI secretary general Budi A. Adiputro said on Friday.

The Response to the Formation of Commission of Investigation on Arakan Violence

Ref: NDPHR (IE) 007/2012 17/08/2012

1) We, with caution, welcome the formation of the Commission of Investigation on the violence of Arakan State by President U Thein Sein.

2) However, he failed to comprise to equal ratio of members from both sides; Muslim and Rakhine, having the sort of person like the chairman of Rakhine Development Party Dr. Aye Maung who is known to be the instigator of violence, person like Ko Ko Gyi who declared that Rohingyas were foreign illegal immigrants and that they must be crashed down in collaboration with the Military force, the person like ZAGANA who has announced in an interview in Paris that the Rohingya are the foreigners and though there are some Muslim members in the commission but no single Rohingya is there to represent the Rohingya Muslim. So, we don’t think the Commission as genuine and qualified one and it never yields fruitful result.

3) Normally, the violence was erupted between the Rakhine and the Rohingya Muslim. But forming the commission with only the Rakhine and leaving behind the Rohngya is very clear enough that the intention was not based on honesty and the result will not be acceptable too.

4) So, we would like to call upon the President U Thein Sein to dismiss the wrong persons from the Commission and to take some members from Rohingya Muslim who could represent the community in order to be a genuine and respectable Commission of investigation.

5) We would like to call upon the non –Rohingya Muslim members in the Commission to boycott the ‘Partial Commission’ and to walk out if there are no Rohingya Muslim members to represent the Rohingya community in the Commission.

( Hla Aung)

President

National Democratic Party for Human Rights (in exile)

Paris, France

Myanmar sets up internal Investigative Commission for the Recent Situation in Arakan State

Click on Image to Enlarge

By HANNA HINDSTROM

Following weeks of international pressure, President Thein Sein today formed a commission to investigate the deadly sectarian violence in Arakan state, which controversially pitted Buddhists against the Muslim Rohingya minority in June.

The 27 member commission, headed by former director of the Ministry of Religious Affairs Dr Myo Myint, is mandated “to reveal the truth behind the unrest” and “find solutions for communities with different religious beliefs to live together in harmony”, according to the President’s website.

The new body includes representatives from various religious groups, including Muslims, Christians, Buddhists and Hindus, as well as political parties and democracy groups, but no Rohingya.

A number of controversial figures have also been included, such as student leader Ko Ko Gyi, who notoriously called for the minority to be expelled from Burma, as well as the vehemently anti-Rohingya leader of the Rakhine Nationalities Development Party (RNDP) Dr Aye Maung.

“It is a good to form a body with people of various religions as the international community has been calling for the formation of an investigation commission,” he said of the appointment. “I assume we will be able to present the truth accurately.”

The Burmese government has faced fierce criticism for its handling of the Arakan crisis, which left at least 78 people dead and destroyed over 5,300 houses, according to government figures. A recent Human Rights Watch report accused the government of both failing to prevent the violence and later colluding in attacks against the Rohingya minority, who are denied citizenship and widely despised in Burmese society.

Although the formation of the commission marks a U-turn for the government, which until recently has rejected calls for an investigation into the violence, it is likely to face tough questions about its independence and reliability, as well as accusations of “window-dressing”.

Earlier this week, a coalition of 24 political parties, led by the RNDP, called for the removal of UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Burma, Tomas Quintana, who recently visited the conflict-torn region, over allegations of bias in favour of the Rohingya.

“When the president offered me to take part in the commission, I asked for only one thing; that I want it to be really independent and transparent,” said commission member and comedian Zaganar, who has previously condemned discrimination against the Rohingya. “I said I don’t want to be a part of it if there are interferences and I was given an answer that it won’t happen.”

Some members have also complained about the lack of clarity for their role.

“It would be very good if the president were to give us a specific mandate and power to deal with the issue,” said commission member Kyaw Khin, General Secretary of the Myanmar Muslim National Affairs Federation.

“I think conducting an independent investigation would be the best for Arakan state. I’m taking part in this more as a citizen rather than a religious leader. I think it’s a good thing that we are able to address both citizen rights and religious issues.”

Tensions flared in the western state after the rape and murder of an Arakanese girl in late May, allegedly by three Muslims, led to a brutal revenge attack on ten Muslim pilgrims. It brought to the fore long-simmering distrust against the Rohingya, who are viewed as “illegal Bengali immigrants” by many Burmese, including Muslims, and denied basic rights by the government.

The commission is set to present its findings to the President on 17 September.