Sectarian violence erupts in Myanmar Curfew declared in town in Shan state following destruction of Muslim orphanage and mosque in latest outbreak of unrest.

Myanmar's government has called for calm after mobs burned down a Muslim orphanage, a mosque and shops during a new eruption of religious violence in the northeastern Shan state.
At least one person has died and four others were injured, state television said.
Authorities imposed a curfew late on Tuesday in Lashio, about 700km northeast of Yangon, after a mob of 200 local residents surrounded a local police station demanding they hand over a Muslim detainee.
Nay Win, 48, a Muslim from a nearby township, was arrested after allegedly setting fire to Aye Aye Win, 24, a Shan Buddhist, earlier in the day after the two had an altercation at a petrol station, Lashio police said.

The woman was admitted to hospital.

"According to witnesses, she was not burned seriously but has injuries on her face and arms," Sai Sam Min, a member of parliament from Lashio, said.

Jim Della-Giacoma, of the International Crisis Group, talks about the latest violence in Myanmar

Al Jazeera's Wayne Hay, reporting from Yangon, said the situation in Lashio had already been brought under control by police.
He said he had received reports that some officials in Lashio, including the fire department, "did very little" to stop the Buddhist mob from attacking Muslim establishments.
Myanmar's recent sectarian violence has been partly blamed on the 969 movement, launched in February by an extremist monk in Mandalay named Wirathu, who encourages Buddhists to shun Muslim-owned shops.
There are less than 2,000 Myanmar Muslims living in Lashio, sources said, of the city's estimated population of about 130,000.
Third outbreak
The incident in Shan state is the third outbreak of anti-Muslim violence to flare up in Myanmar this year.
On April 30, in Oakkan, about 100km north of Yangon, Buddhists went on a rampage after a Muslim woman allegedly bumped into a monk, breaking his begging bowl.

Curfew declared in town in Shan state following the attack.

One Muslim man was killed, and a mosque and 77 houses were set on fire.
In March at least 44 people were killed in sectarian strife in in Meiktila, 450km north of Yangon, where at least 8,000 people, most of them Muslims, were left homeless in riots prompted by an apparent row at a Muslim-owned gold shop.
Deadly unrest last year, mainly targeted at Rohingya Muslims in the western Rakhine state, left about 200 people dead and tens of thousands displaced.
Jim Della-Giacoma of the International Crisis Group says Myanmar needs to address the issue of sectarian violence before it gets worse.
"I think we are seeing a very weak law-enforcement and some poor nation-building," he told Al Jazeera from Jakarta, Indonesia.
"Anybody conducting violence should be punished.
"If you cannot keep these communities, be they Muslim, Christian, Hindu or Buddhist living together, then the future of the country is being challenged here".
Della-Giacoma said the violence could have the potential of spreading to Yangon if the sectarian issue was not resolved.

Nasaka officer threatens to seal all business to join the program of digital sign and photograph in Maungdaw south

Maungdaw, Arakan State: Burma border security force (Nasaka) commander of area number 7 threatened the Rohingya villagers to seal all their business if they didn’t join the program of digital signatures and photographs on May 24 meeting at high school of Alay Than Kyaw, said a village administration officer.

“The commander called all Rohingya villagers and village admin officers with members to Alay Than Kyaw high school, where he had given a speech “to join at their (authority) program of digital signatures and photographs which mention the race as Bengali, in the place of Rohingya.” The commander also threatened the villagers, he will seal all the business – fishing, farming and business- if not join the program.”
In the meeting, the Nasaka commander discussed many different issues with village leaders and administrators regarding the present situation of Arakan State, said an aide of Nasaka.
“If anyone doesn’t comply with the order, he/she will be punished according to the law and also will be imprisoned five years,” the commander added.
We don’t want to join the program as Arakan State government spokesperson U Win Myaing has insisted that recent household data collection for Muslim in Arakan, is related to next year’s census and preparation for the next coming census in 2014, where the UN Population Fund issued a statement on May 3 in which it said that “[h]ousehold data collection activities being undertaken in the camps, other sites in Sittwe, and other towns, Rakhine State, involving the update of family lists by teams composed of several government departments, are unrelated to the National Population and Housing Census scheduled for April 2014” and these activities are also not connected to the pilot census exercise that took place successfully from March 30 to April 10. Actual data collection for the 2014 National Population Census will take place from March 29 to April 10, 2014 in all parts of Myanmar. Every person present within the borders of Myanmar on the night of March 29, 2014 will be included in the census.” So, we did not want to participant the program for using us as Bengali in the name of Rohingya which authority trying to label us Bengali, said the villagers from Maungdaw south.
The commander also mention the recent Arakan State government imposed a two-child limit for Muslim Rohingya families, a policy that does not apply to Buddhists Rakhine in the area – Maungdaw and Buthidaung where Rohingyas are about 95 percent Muslim and comes amid accusations of ethnic cleansing in the aftermath of sectarian violence. But, this Law was issued sine long times when Nasaka started to control the marriage of Rohingya with these conditions and to extort money from Rohingya community. It is not a new one, but now it issued from state government, said a school teacher.
According to sources, Burma’s central government, Arakan State authorities and Arakanese politicians have long claimed that the Muslim population in the region is rapidly growing and pushing out local Buddhist communities.
Rohingyas villagers in northern Arakan State are now passing days and nights in panic for giving pressure to join the government program of digital sign and photograph by Nasaka, the politician said.
“They have no alternative way to go anywhere from Arakan soil, so they have to live at a big cage in Arakan State, Burma.

Religious violence erupts in Myanmar Curfew declared in town in Shan state following destruction of Muslim orphanage and mosque in latest outbreak of unrest.

Myanmar's government has called for calm after mobs burned down a Muslim orphanage, a mosque and shops during a new eruption of religious violence in the northeastern Shan state.
Authorities imposed a curfew late on Tuesday in Lashio, about 700km northeast of Yangon, after a mob of 200 local residents surrounded a local police station demanding they hand over a Muslim detainee.
Nay Win, 48, a Muslim from a nearby township, was arrested after allegedly setting fire to Aye Aye Win, 24, a Shan Buddhist, earlier in the day after the two had an altercation at a petrol station, Lashio police said.

The woman was admitted to hospital.

"According to witnesses, she was not burned seriously but has injuries on her face and arms," Sai Sam Min, a member of parliament from Lashio, said.

Jim Della-Giacoma, of the International Crisis Group, talks about the latest violence in Myanmar

"We imposed the curfew at 9pm (14:30 GMT) on Tuesday to control the angry mob which included Buddhist monks," a police station spokesman, who asked to remain anonymous, said.

"A mosque and a religious school and some houses were destroyed by the mob, but there were no deaths or injuries".
Al Jazeera's Wayne Hay, reporting from Yangon, said the situation in Lashio had already been brought under control by police.
He said he had received reports that some officials in Lashio, including the fire department, "did very little" to stop the Buddhist mob from attacking Muslim establishments.
Myanmar's recent sectarian violence has been partly blamed on the 969 movement, launched in February by an extremist monk in Mandalay named Wirathu, who encourages Buddhists to shun Muslim-owned shops.
There are less than 2,000 Myanmar Muslims living in Lashio, sources said, of the city's estimated population of about 130,000.
Third outbreak
The incident in Shan state is the third outbreak of anti-Muslim violence to flare up in Myanmar this year.
On April 30, in Oakkan, about 100km north of Yangon, Buddhists went on a rampage after a Muslim woman allegedly bumped into a monk, breaking his begging bowl.

Curfew declared in town in Shan state following the attack.

One Muslim man was killed, and a mosque and 77 houses were set on fire.
In March at least 44 people were killed in sectarian strife in in Meiktila, 450km north of Yangon, where at least 8,000 people, most of them Muslims, were left homeless in riots prompted by an apparent row at a Muslim-owned gold shop.
Deadly unrest last year, mainly targeted at Rohingya Muslims in the western Rakhine state, left about 200 people dead and tens of thousands displaced.
Jim Della-Giacoma of the International Crisis Group says Myanmar needs to address the issue of sectarian violence before it gets worse.
"I think we are seeing a very weak law-enforcement and some poor nation-building," he told Al Jazeera from Jakarta, Indonesia.
"Anybody conducting violence should be punished.
"If you cannot keep these communities, be they Muslim, Christian, Hindu or Buddhist living together, then the future of the country is being challenged here".
Della-Giacoma said the violence could have the potential of spreading to Yangon if the sectarian issue was not resolved

Limiting Myanmar's Rohingya?

We ask if recent government measures are a violation of human rights, or a justifiable means to maintain security. Inside Story Last Modified: 27 May 2013 13:09 Email Print Share Feedback

The Rohingya Muslims of Myamnar have been described as some of the world's least wanted, and most persecuted, people. Now, a government-appointed commission has declared that their rapidly growing population represents a serious threat that makes ethnic Buddhists feel insecure. Hundreds of people have been killed, and many Muslim villages burned down, in communal violence in Myanmar's Rakhine state over the past year. Rights groups have accused the government of an organised campaign of ethnic cleansing against the Rohingya, and now, local officials have limited family size in the townships of Buthidaung and Maundaw to two children and banned polygamy. The restrictions will apply only to Rohingya Muslims, and not to any other ethnic group. They have been classified as stateless since 1982, and last July, the government did not include them on an official list of 135 recognised ethnic groups. This is actually to drive out the Rohingya people from Arakan, this is an ethnic cleansing policy against the Rohingya people … a kind of diversion that distracts the attention of Rohingya genocide from [the] international community. Tun Khin, Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK That means they cannot claim Myanmar citizenship, they cannot travel without permission, they cannot own land, and now, some of them cannot have more than two children. Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been criticised for failing to speak out strongly in defence of the Muslim community. But she was drawn in after seven Muslim men were convicted on Tuesday of killing a Buddhist monk during unrest in March. They were handed sentences of between two years to life in prison, and violence spread to 15 other towns and villages. No Buddhists have been charged. "There is no transparency in Myanmar's justice system and the administrative branch has too much influence. The judicial system has to be independent to be credible," Suu Kyi declared. "We must forge a new and more inclusive national identity. Myanmar people of all ethnic backgrounds and all faiths - Buddhist, Christian, Hindu and other - must feel part of this new national identity. We must end all forms of discrimination and we must ensure that not only that intercommunal violence is brought to a halt, but that all perpetrators are brought to justice."Myanmar has been raising its profile on the international stage. Japan's prime minister, Shinzo Abe, arrived on Friday for the first visit by a Japanese leader for 36 years. And last week, Myanmar's president became the first leader to visit the White House in nearly half a century - making this commitment: And it drew this response from the US president: "I also shared with President Sein our deep concern about communal violence that has been directed at Muslim communities inside of Myanmar, the displacement of people, the violence directed towards them needs to stop and we are prepared to work in any ways that we can with both the government of Myanmar and the international community to assure that people are getting the help that they need, but more importantly, that their rights and their dignity is recognised over the long term." So, are these actions by Myanmar's government a violation of human rights, or a justifiable measure to maintain security? To discuss this, Inside Story, with presenter, Jane Dutton, is joined by guests: Tun Khin, a human rights activist and president of the Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK; and Phil Robertson, deputy director for Asia at Human Rights Watch.

Nasaka officer threatens to seal all business to join the program of digital sign and photograph in Maungdaw south

Maungdaw, Arakan State: Burma border security force (Nasaka) commander of area number 7 threatened the Rohingya villagers to seal all their business if they didn’t join the program of digital signatures and photographs on May 24 meeting at high school of Alay Than Kyaw, said a village administration officer.

“The commander called all Rohingya villagers and village admin officers with members to Alay Than Kyaw high school, where he had given a speech “to join at their (authority) program of digital signatures and photographs which mention the race as Bengali, in the place of Rohingya.” The commander also threatened the villagers, he will seal all the business – fishing, farming and business- if not join the program.”
In the meeting, the Nasaka commander discussed many different issues with village leaders and administrators regarding the present situation of Arakan State, said an aide of Nasaka.
“If anyone doesn’t comply with the order, he/she will be punished according to the law and also will be imprisoned five years,” the commander added.
We don’t want to join the program as Arakan State government spokesperson U Win Myaing has insisted that recent household data collection for Muslim in Arakan, is related to next year’s census and preparation for the next coming census in 2014, where the UN Population Fund issued a statement on May 3 in which it said that “[h]ousehold data collection activities being undertaken in the camps, other sites in Sittwe, and other towns, Rakhine State, involving the update of family lists by teams composed of several government departments, are unrelated to the National Population and Housing Census scheduled for April 2014” and these activities are also not connected to the pilot census exercise that took place successfully from March 30 to April 10. Actual data collection for the 2014 National Population Census will take place from March 29 to April 10, 2014 in all parts of Myanmar. Every person present within the borders of Myanmar on the night of March 29, 2014 will be included in the census.” So, we did not want to participant the program for using us as Bengali in the name of Rohingya which authority trying to label us Bengali, said the villagers from Maungdaw south.
The commander also mention the recent Arakan State government imposed a two-child limit for Muslim Rohingya families, a policy that does not apply to Buddhists Rakhine in the area – Maungdaw and Buthidaung where Rohingyas are about 95 percent Muslim and comes amid accusations of ethnic cleansing in the aftermath of sectarian violence. But, this Law was issued sine long times when Nasaka started to control the marriage of Rohingya with these conditions and to extort money from Rohingya community. It is not a new one, but now it issued from state government, said a school teacher.
According to sources, Burma’s central government, Arakan State authorities and Arakanese politicians have long claimed that the Muslim population in the region is rapidly growing and pushing out local Buddhist communities.
Rohingyas villagers in northern Arakan State are now passing days and nights in panic for giving pressure to join the government program of digital sign and photograph by Nasaka, the politician said.
“They have no alternative way to go anywhere from Arakan soil, so they have to live at a big cage in Arakan State, Burma.

3-Rohingya detained in Maungdaw south

Maungdaw, Arakan State: Burma border security force (Nasaka) arrested three Rohingyas and detained in the custody of Nasaka area number 7, on May 22, a villager told the Kaladanpress from Aley Than Kyaw on condition of anonymity.

“The villagers were arrested from a house by a group of Nasaka personnel yesterday, at about 11:00 pm while they were watching a small television like game monitor. If anyone watches it, no need to take permission from concerned authorities.”
According to sources, a group of Nasaka personnel went to Khonza Bill village at night without knowledge of villagers and checked the houses which one they doubt.
They (Nasaka) went to Hafizullah’s house and told to open the door but he didn’t open the door for fear of arrest. Later, Nasaka personnel forcibly entered the house and arrested them during three persons were met on the spot. After arrest, they were severely beaten on the spot.
The arrested were identified as Hafizullah (30), son of Ismail, Younus (23), son of Md. Korim of Khonza Bill villager and Kamal (20), son of Islam, hailed from Udaung village under the Maungdaw Township. Younus is Hafizullah’s friend, but Kamal went to visit his relative house from Udaung, said a relative of a victim.
However, Kamal and Younus were released after taking 100,000 Kyat by Nasaka personnel later.
But, Hafizullah has been detained in Nasaka custody since yesterday night because he was unable to fulfill Nasaka’s demand which Nasaka demanded him to pay money 700,000 Kyat, the relative more said.

32 bodies recovered at coastline in Teknaf

Teknaf, Bangladesh: Bangladesh Coast guard personnel recovered 32 bodies from the coastline at Teknaf union, under the Cox‘s Bazar district yesterday afternoon and today, Additional police Commissioner of Cox’s Bazar, said.

The dead bodies recovered at coastline in Teknaf
A trawler had capsized with 100 Rohingyas in Burma, on May 14, at night, and that the 32 dead might be among the victims of the accident, said a local named Habib from Shapuri Dip of Bangladesh.
All the 32 victims are Burmese nationals, had set off for Malaysia from Teknaf on Wednesday.
Of them, 12 are children, 6 women and others are adult males. They also found Kyat 40,000 from their clothes, the Teknaf police said.
Among the dead bodies, there was a woman clasping her baby at her chest, said Kala from Teknaf who saw the dead bodies after recovering from the sea yesterday.
The local people spotted the bodies afloat along the coastline between Baharchara and Sabrang in the afternoon. They informed the local chairman and the police, who later recovered the bodies.
Police had recovered 24 bodies with the help of the local people from the Bay of Bengal. “Some of the bodies are decomposed,” the Teknaf police sub-inspector Didarul  Ferdous said.
More bodies were still floating near the coast. The recovered dead bodies have been buried today, a local said from Teknaf.
Some local source said, the agents for Malaysia sea voyage are organizing the Rohingya people from Maungdaw and Buthidaung- facing human rights violation in their own lands and thinking their lives are in danger – fled from their land to Malaysia by sea route. Recently, Akbas from Pranpru - a ferrymen, Mohamed Siddique from Kyauk Hlaikar (Dargadil) and Jafor Alam from Taungbro Letwe (Daybona) are transporting people from Pranpru to St. Martin outside where the big boat were waiting for Rohingya people. These victims were the same people -the Malaysia agents sent them to St.Martin for boat- and capsized near the mouth of Naf River.
“The agents had connection with Burma Border Security force ( Nasaka) to get out from Pranpru to St. Martin outside where big boat were waiting for people. The agents had given to Nasaka 30,000 kyat per head when they sent people to Malaysia.”
“The dead bodies were not from the boat which capsized off near Pauktaw as it is so far to reach the Bangladesh coast and Maungdaw inside Naf River.  The Pauktaw dead bodies will go to the Bay of Bengal or near the Akyab coast,” said a fishermen who has long experiment in the sea, from Teknaf. 
Besides, eight bodies were also recovered by local people nearby Aley Than Kyaw village of Maungdaw coastline yesterday morning and the dead bodies were buried by the local villagers, said a local villager from Maungdaw south.
A youth from Maungdaw said, “Why do the Rohingya people flee for Malaysia leaving their relatives in motherland with rickety boats under the terrible weather? It is necessary to consider for the international community.”
In Burma, a boat carrying about 100 Rohingyas capsized on May 13, at the start of a mass evacuation from low-lying region in Pauktaw Township to high land when Cyclone Mahasen started approaching the coast after cyclone warning organizations issued an alert of convection in the Bay forming into a low and then a cyclonic storm after May 10.

Authorities use two laws to two communities in one place for Cyclone Mahasem

Maungdaw, Arakan State: The high officials from Maungdaw are preparing to move to the safe place only Buddhist community from Maungdaw south starting at noon on May 14, according to an official from Maungdaw admin office.

“The high officials ordered to the security force to arrange vehicles to transport the Buddhist community from Maungdaw south who are living near the mountainside to Maungdaw and will keep them in the monasteries and high school, but no plan for Muslim Rohingya –living near the Bay of Bengal and riverside.”
The concerned authority also arranged to transport the Buddhists – Natala villagers from Maungdaw north - to Maungdaw where the authority arranged the safe house, according to an admin officer from Maungdaw north.
The Rakhine State Parliament member Mra Aung called a meeting at district admin office to discuss how to prevent the civilians from Cyclone Mahasen but decided to save only Buddhist not the Muslim Rohingya at meeting.
The Rakhine community from Maungdaw are giving registration for getting shelter during the cyclone to the authority where they will get rations and medical assess, but concerned authority had not informed to Rohingya for shelter, said Annu, a trader from Maungdaw.
We don’t want to move to safe place during the cyclone as we are not getting any rights from authority as a human being, why we move like other people, we will die at our place, more Rohingya said when asked to move safe place.
Today, evening, Army personnel from Maungdaw south announced to Rohingya community to move safe places but no mention where they (Rohingya) will go for safety. No instruction for cyclone safety process, according to an elder from Maungdaw south. 
Isabelle Arradon, deputy Asia Pacific director of Amnesty International - a rights group-, said in a statement on May 13, "The government has been repeatedly warned to make appropriate arrangements for those displaced in Rakhine (Arakan) state."
"Now thousands of lives are at stake unless targeted action is taken immediately to assist those most at risk." 140,000 displaced people are living in makeshift shelters in Arakan, most of them-Rohingya Muslin, according to aid groups
Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said that if the government failed to evacuate those at risk, "any disaster that results will not be natural but man-made".
But some people have reportedly refused to leave because they fear having nowhere else to go. "We are very worried about the cyclone... we do not have enough food to eat," a Rohingya told Agence-France Presse news agency.
"Many people are in trouble. But we have no idea what we should do."
Some of the IDPs are reportedly afraid of the security personnel in charge of the relocations in some of the sites. Vulnerable families and individuals should be prioritized. Temporary relocation and evacuation of IDPs to safer locations must not result in forced returns nor further exacerbate vulnerabilities, according to OCHA report on May 13.
“Humanitarian agencies have reminded the authorities that keeping families together during the evacuation is essential.”
A boat carrying about 100 Rohingya Muslims capsized- struck rocks off Pauktaw township in Arakan State and sank- on May 13 ,with many feared drowned at the start of a mass evacuation from low-lying regions ahead of Cyclone Mahasen, Barbara Manzi, head of the Myanmar office at the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA),according to Reuters.
Eight bodies have been found so far, and more than 50 other people who were aboard are feared dead, said James Munn, an official of OCHA.

Vessels with 200 Rohingya Muslims evacuating camps ahead of storm sink, leaving only one survivor, say UN officials.

Thousands of people have been moved from low-lying camps to safer shelter ahead of Cyclone Mahasen 

 

 

Boats carrying about 200 Rohingya Muslims who were evacuating ahead of a storm have capsized off western Myanmar, killing all but one person, UN officials have said.

The vessels hit trouble on Monday night after leaving Pauktaw township in Rakhine state, said a spokeswoman for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

"They were travelling to another camp ahead of the cyclone," the spokeswoman added.
Kirsten Mildren, who works for the same UN agency, told Al Jazeera there was only one confirmed survivor from Monday's accident.

The victims were trying to escape Cyclone Mahasen which is expected on Thursday and Friday. The UN has warned the storm could lead to "life-threatening conditions".

Al Jazeera's Everton Fox explains the weather impact of Tropical Cyclone Mahasen

Myanmar state television said on Monday that thousands of people displaced by communal violence last year had been evacuated from makeshift camps to safer ground in the event of the storm.
The report said authorities had moved 5,158 people from low-lying camps in the Rakhine state capital, Sittwe, to safer shelter.
But human rights groups said that the government has been too slow to act, and ignored earlier warnings to provide shelter to displaced people.
"The Burmese government didn't heed the repeated warnings by governments and humanitarian aid groups to relocate displaced Muslims ahead of Burma’s rainy season," said Brad Adams, Human Rights Watch Asia director.
"If the government fails to evacuate those at risk, any disaster that results will not be natural, but man-made," he said.
'Extremely vulnerable' 
Al Jazeera's Wayne Hay, reporting from Sittwe, said: "The eye of the storm is not expected to hit Myanmar, but the people in camps - home to more than 100,000 - are extremely vulnerable to conditions we may see over the next few days."
"These include strong winds, heavy rains and a possible surge from the ocean of up to 1.5 metres. The local government has been moving people ... but people in camps aren't trusting what they are trying to get them to do. Some say they are being asked to move to more dangerous places," our correspondent said.
The state television report said displaced people were moved in 10 other townships in western Myanmar where communal violence flared last year between Muslims and Buddhists, taking hundreds of lives and leaving more than 100,000 people homeless. It did not give the number of people evacuated in those locations.
Myanmar is a predominantly Buddhist country but about 5 percent of its 60 million people are Muslims. They face a growing anti-Muslim campaign led by radical Buddhist monks.

Preparations
Cyclone Mahasen is expected to hit neighbouring Bangladesh on Thursday or Friday.
Images taken by NASA's Aqua satellite on Monday showed the storm's centre northeast of Sri Lanka with it packing winds of up to 50 knots (92km per hour). Those winds are expected to increase to 130km per hour as the storm moves north.
The space agency said it "sees a strengthening" of the storm and forecasts an upgrade to a Cyclone 1 level by Wednesday.
"The current forecast track ... takes the centre of Mahasen just north of Chittagong early on May 17 and into northern Burma," it said.

Officials in the Bangladeshi town of Cox's Bazar near the border with Myanmar said medical teams with as many as 30,000 Red Crescent volunteers were being formed.
In eastern India, authorities put 10 coastal districts on alert.
In 2008, Cyclone Nargis killed more than 130,000 people in Myanmar.
In 2007, Cyclone Sidr, packing winds of up to 240km per hour, left at least 3,500 people dead, levelled thousands of homes and forced the evacuation of 650,000 villagers in Bangladesh's southwest coast.

President Thein Sein instructs authorities for cyclone

Rangoon, Burma: Yesterday, State television broadcast cyclone warnings and President Thein Sein instructed regional authorities to be ready in case the storm hits the country, according to state television.

Latest map of the Mahasen (01B)
Burmese government warned on May 11, that a cyclone now forming in the Bay of Bengal could crash into the western coast of Arakan State next week.
Rohingya refugees of Sittwe (Akyab) raising fears that storm accompanied by heavy rains could swamp low-lying Rohinga camps, housing many people who fled violence last year, a man from refugee camp said who denied to be named.
The local villagers of Maungdaw Township said, “At present, they are seeing some clouds in the sky and the temperature is also very high. It is one of the signs to hit storm in northern Arakan or some parts of Arakan very soon.  The authority prepared some arrangement - two monasteries and the Maungdaw high school for cyclone shelters for people in the evening after Arakan State government directed them to do it. In Akyab, the authorities some preparations – moving some IDP camps to inside land and kept at shelters.”
 The latest information from N India Ocean, Storm Alert issued at 12 May, 2013 12:00 GMT, the Tropical Storm MAHASEN (01B) currently located near 10.2 N 87.0 E is forecast to strike land to the following likelihood(s) at the given lead time(s):
Yellow Alert Country(s) or Province(s) - India will attack  within 72 hours; Bangladesh
and Burma within 96 hours; as may be the Mahasen (01B) will pass  Barisal, Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar from Bangladesh; Akyab (Sittwe) from Burma.
Around 125,000 people – mostly Rohingya Muslims---are living in overcrowded tents and makeshift shelters in Rakhine state after two outbreaks of violence last year.
Nearly 70,000 of those displaced are in low-lying areas along the coast that are highly vulnerable to storm surges and flooding and should be moved to higher ground, said Ashok Nigam, the United Nations' resident and humanitarian coordinator.
Kelland Stevenson, country director for the international charity Save the Children, said aid agencies held an emergency meeting Saturday (on May 11) to check stocks of food and shelter and draw up emergency plans.
"The information we're getting now is that the storm is pursuing away from Rakhine state, but it can change course at any minute," Stevenson said.
Chit Kyaw, the deputy director of Myanmar's Department of Meteorology, said that if the cyclone stays on its course toward Bangladesh, its whirling arms could sweep over Buthidaung and Maungdaw township of in northernmost Rakhine (Abakan) State.
Mr. Nigam also said the UN is urging the government to move the most vulnerable displaced people in Rakhine state to higher ground in case of disaster strikes.
Another village businessman from Maungdaw said, “If the cyclone hits Arakan north, it is sure that Rohingya people will not get any help from the government side as it neglected them in previous cyclone impact. It did not provide relief goods to the Rohingya people.”
The Rohingya, whose movement has been restricted by authorities, have suffered discrimination for decades.

Rohingya villagers in panic in northern Arakan State

Maungdaw, Arakan State: Rohingyas villagers in northern Arakan State are now passing days and nights in panic for giving pressure by the Burma border security force (Nasaka) to participate in computerized signatures and photographs after writing “Bengali” in place of “Rohingya” in the column of national race, said a politician from Maungdaw
LT.Col Aung Naing Oo, the director general, Nasaka has been giving acute pressure to the Rohingya people in northern Arakan since May 9, to write down or to say “Bengali” instead of “Rohingya” in the column of National race, said a local leader preferring not to be named.
“Since May 9, the Nasaka director, himself with security force went to the neighboring villages of Nasaka Headquarters of Kawar Bill (Gyikang Pyin) of Maungdaw Township and has been giving dire pressure to the villagers to write Bengali in place of Rohingya.”
The Nasaka director has been arresting people and tortures and some of them are detained in the Nasaka camp for not complying with the order of Nasaka director. After the report of so-called Arakan conflict inquiry commission, he asked the villagers to learn Burmese and to write “Bengali” in place of “Rohingya” in the Form which has been computerized along with the photographs and signatures, an ex-teacher of Maungdaw Township said preferring not to be named.
Today, the Nasaka director went to Kawar Bill village and entered the house of Master Fayaz Ahmed (65),  and destroyed all his households’ things including cooking pots and cupboards while the house owner along with family members were fleeing from the house to avoid arrest. Villagers can’t sleep in houses at night for fear of arrest by the Nasaka and fleeing to other villages. The villagers of this village are blocked by the Nasaka personnel to go to other villages and the villagers are arrested by the Nasaka while they are met by the Nasaka on the road, a local youth from the village said.
“The Nasaka also entered Rohingyas’ home where they looted valuable goods – money, jewelry and household goods-and attempted to rape while the Nasaka found females in the house alone. Most of males are fleeing from village to avoid to participate to sign in computerized program for Rohingya to Bengali and fear of arrest.”
In similar way, the villagers of Buthidaung Township are also facing difficulties by the cause of forcing the villagers to write or to say ‘Bengali’ in place of ‘Rohingya’.
Besides, last Friday, in the morning, the Commander of the Nasaka area No.8 of Maungdaw south summoned Rohingya villigers, local elders, village admin officers and religious leaders and held a meeting in the school of Gora Khali village, said a village admin officer on condition of anonymity.
In the meeting, the Nasaka Commander said that all the villagers must be participated in the surveys which are carried out by the Nasaka and immigrations. If anyone does not participate in the survey, he will be punished according to the law.
During the meeting, an elder from the village asked a question to the Nasaka officer that “We all are ready to participate in the surveys, if the authority writes “Rohingya” instead of Bengali in the Form.
In reply, the officer told that “Here is no Rohingya, all are Bengalis. If anybody doesn’t follow the order of the government, he/she will be punished according to the law. “If you live in Burma, you must obey the law and order of Burma,” according to sources.
An elder said on condition of anonymity, “We have been living in Burma since long, long ago as Rohingyas, but, now, the Burmese government forcibly makes us “Bengalis” in our motherland.” Is it not a human rights violation!
Following reports of the incident in IDP in Akyab with Immigration and Rohingyas, the UN Population Fund issued a statement on May 3 in which it said that “[h]ousehold data collection activities being undertaken in the camps and other sites in Sittwe, Rakhine State, involving the update of family lists by teams composed of several government departments, are unrelated to the National Population and Housing Census scheduled for April 2014”, according to Myanmar Times on May 11.
“These activities are also not connected to the pilot census exercise that took place successfully from March 30 to April 10 in 20 townships around the country, including Sittwe, without any kind of incidents.”
“Actual data collection for the 2014 National Population Census will take place from March 29 to April 10, 2014 in all parts of Myanmar. Every person present within the borders of Myanmar on the night of March 29, 2014 will be included in the census.”
But spokesperson U Win Myaing has insisted that recent data collection in camps for displaced Muslims is related to next year’s census and preparation for the next coming census in 2014.

Nasaka uses “Bengali” in place of “Rohingya” in surveys

Maungdaw, Arakan State: The Burma’s border security force (Nasaka) is conducting irregular surveys in Rohingya villages of Maungdaw and Buthidaung Townships coercing the Rohingya villagers to use ‘Bengali’ as their racial name in place of ‘Rohingya’ against their will, according to villagers of Maungdaw Township. 
“Some villagers were arrested or tortured for opposing their dictation while others run-away. For instance, the Nasaka Director went to Kawar bill village with security force to arrest Maulana Johar (22), son of Maulana Sayed Amin, hailed from Kawar Bill over the allegation that he had incited villagers not to participate in conducting surveys. So, he is going into hiding to avoid arrest. He is the Imam of the mosque.”
Besides, four other youths including Hussain (20), son of Idris were also arrest from the village tract by the same accusation yesterday and brought to the Nasaka camp where they were detained, a relative of Hussain said.
Similarly, the concerned authority forced Rohingya community to sign in the digital computerise system as Bengali instead Rohingya in the column of race in Nasaka area number 7 and 8. But, the Rohingya community refused to use Bengali in their race, so the most of Rohingya were runway from their home for fear of arrest, said a village admin officer.
“Most of Rohingyas are hiding in the mountainside to escape from joining the program of Nasaka and Immigration to stamp them as Bengali.”
In the same way, villagers of Buthidaung Township are also coerced to say or to use “Bengali” as their racial name in place of “Rohingya.” If the villagers do not comply with the order, they are tortured, said a schoolteacher from Buthidaung Township.
This dangerous situation is the main factor to push the Rohingya to leave their motherland, the schoolteacher added.
Since June 2012 an estimated 13,000 boat people took dangerous voyages towards Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia  and over 500 of them have drowned and missing while many ended up in jails in countries in the region.
By the historical documents, Rohingyas are the real sons of the soil and deserve to be treated as full citizens of Burma, said a historian.
But we fail to understand why Burmese authorities have all along been refusing to accept the Rohingyas, a small ethnic minority, as rightful citizens of the country. We also find it utterly disappointing as to why and how Burmese president Thein Shein could think that mass deportation of the entire Rohingya community was the only solution to the problem!, the historian more added.
The Nasaka increases conducting irregular surveys in Rohingya villages and forces Rohingya people to say “Bengali” in place of “Rohingya” and composed in computer after submitting report of Arakan conflict inquiry commission to the Presedient Thein Sein  recently, a local elder from Maungdaw said on condition of anonymity.

Drug scandal in Maungdaw

Maungdaw, Arakan State: Police personnel from Maungdaw arrested a monk and two Rohingyas from Ahludawpay monastery for drug trafficking on May 5 and police kept more drug in their hand and show little to the court with case, according to an officer from Maungdaw.

“Police Inspector officer U Than Tin, sub Inspector U Hla Thein, Constable Tun Tun and another constable raided the monastery with information of drug trafficking (Yaba) inside the monastery where the police seized 165,000 Yaba with a monk and two Rohingyas from Buthidaung.”
But, Police Inspector U Than Tin and other police personnel kept 100,000 Yaba in their hand and filed case with 65,000 Yaba and sent to the court. The drug traffickers were stated the total numbers of Yaba and who were in the drug trafficking - mostly high officer from Maungdaw, said an officer from court.
“The court ordered to arrest the police Inspector U Than Tin, Sub Inspector U Hla Thein and the two constables. U Than Tin was arrested in Akyab and U Hla Tin was arrested in Maungdaw, but the two constables were still escape from the station.”
In Maungdaw, most of the drug traffickers were police officers, other high officials, using the local people who were need of money as a drug carrier from one place to another. Sometimes, the police arrested the carrier and show to court as a drug trafficker to hind their drug business, said a drug trafficker from Maungdaw.
“Police personnel are trafficking drug openly in Maungdaw as they are the protector of Law and using poor people to carry it. Sometime save their agents and sometimes sent them to jail as a trafficker.”

Security forces shoot and wound Rohingya in Maungdaw

Maungdaw, Arakan State: Security forces –police, Hluntin and Nasaka- shot and wounded a Rohingya in Maungni village of Maungdaw yesterday night, according to a school teacher from Maungdaw.
“The security forces – police personnel- shot to a Rohingya who was going to his home from neighboring home while the township administration officer and district administration officer were at present in the spot.”
“The high officers from Maungdaw didn’t said any word to the police personnel who shot to Rohingya –whowas going to his home, not running or attacking them. Rohingya had no weapon or any harmful things in his hand.”
The high officers and security force round up the village at night for Gawni Meah – a Rohingya from village- but shot an innocent Rohingya who was going to his house  and admitted to hospital  with wounded, said a member of village administration office.
On the other hand, some official said the high officers and security forces were high alert in Maungdaw for fear of attack from Bangladesh – a long march organized by Islami Andolaon Bangladesh (IAB) on 9,10 and 11 May 2013 which said towards Myanmar protesting genocide against Muslim of Arakan - , but no program of long march on May 9, as the situation of Bangladesh is not giving them fever.
“The security forces are high alert in Maungdaw for long march and harassing Rohingya community in the name of long march group enter in Maungdaw.”
“The long march program only said they will march along the border not into Burma and not to enter Arakan, said a politician, from Cox’s Bazar.

Authority settles Natala villagers on Rohingyas’ land

Maungdaw, Arakan State: The concerned authority of Maungdaw has settled and built houses for Natala villagers on Rohingyas’ lands in Maungdaw south recently, said a schoolteacher on condition of anonymity.
“Authority has built 10-house for Natala villagers at Honsara village after being relocated some Rohingya families from their own lands.”
The victims have been identified as Nurul Haque (45), Anzul (40), Md. Salim (37), Md. Zuahar (42), Lal Meah (46), Anu Meah (60), Ziabul Hoque (33), Mohamed (65) and Rahim Ullah (50), they all hailed from Honsara village of Maungdaw township.
In June 2012, many Rohingyas’ homes were torched by the Natala villagers from Honsara and the Rohingyas are staying nearby Rohingyas’ house in same village for their safety, according to villagers.
“The lost homes owners went their locality again and wanted to build houses but the authority and Natala villagers didn’t allow to build houses in their old places.”
“There are around fifty Rohingya houses in the locality which are closed to Natala village; were not allowed to build houses in the old place by the concerned authority.”
An house owner told the Kaladanpress on condition of anonymity, “We are now homeless and not know where to stay in the rainy season. We are now living in measurable condition in the village.”
A village admin officer said that many Rohingya villagers will face so many problems in the rainy season who are homeless created by the concerned authority.

Natala villagers harass in Maungdaw south

Maungdaw, Arakan State: A group of Natala villagers from Sommana and Udaung villages have been harassing Rohingya villagers at night, said a local elder on condition of anonymity.
“The Natala villagers are going to different Rohingya villages where they (Natala villagers) try to torch houses at midnight while villagers sleep.”
According to sources from the area, a group of Natala villagers went to Khonza Bill (village) on May 7, at about 11: 30 pm and try to attack some villagers where the Rohingya villagers screamed and gathered on the spot, saw Natala villagers were holding long swords and other lethal weapons.
“The Rohingya villagers were very afraid for doing anything in the village against Rohingya by Natala villagers”.
Besides, yesterday the concerned authority prohibited the villagers not to cross the main road –Maungdaw Aley Than Kyaw highway- for security reason through the village admin officer, a village admin office member said.
Any Rohingya who crossed the main road towards the mountainside, he/she will be fired by the authority, the officer said.
A daily worker said on condition of anonymity, “I go to forest every day to collect firewood without knowledge of concerned authority. If I don’t go to forest a day, I will  face starvation with my family members.”

Rohingya lose their farmlands for Natala road

Maungdaw, Arakan State: Rohingya are losing their farmlands for building a road – joining from Natala village to main road (Aley Than Kyaw- Maungdaw highway) - on Rohingya farmlands by authority, a villager said on condition of anonymity.

“The road is going to main road - Aley Than Kyaw-Maungdaw – through Rohingya farmlands where most Rohingya community lost their farmlands around 100 acres.”
According to sources, the Natala villagers were using the road which was pass the Udaung village before sectarian violence between Rakhine and Rohingya last year, but, now the Natala demanded to concerned authority to build a road for them separately for their movement from village to main road. The authority are building  the road on Rohingya farmlands which made Rohingya landless and will become starvation for shortage of foods.
Some owners of lands have been identified as Kamal (45), son of Hussain Ahmed of Khonza Bill (village), Abdu Goffar (40), son of Azhar Meah, Eliyas (40), Fozaran, Sultan (60) and Ali Zuhar (50), son of Lalmat, four persons hailed from Udaung village of Maungdaw township.
Sultan has some arable lands, these lands had already seized by the concerned authority for road construction. So, he will face starvation for shortage of foods in future and he will not able to cultivate paddy in the next coming rainy season, said a member of village admin office.
Many Rohingya farmers like sultan, will be facing with the shortage of food in the village.

Nasaka and police chase villagers to arrest in Maungdaw

Maungdaw, Arakan State: A group of Nasaka and police have been trying to arrest Rohingya villagers of Hatipara (village) and Zedi Pyin villages of Maungdaw Township on May 6, over the allegation that terrorist group from Bangladesh entered the Maungdaw north, a school teacher from the locality said preferring not to be named. 
“On that day, at around 6:00 am, a group of Nasaka (Burma’s border security force) numbering in 10, from Nasaka area No.5 led by Major Than Htite Aung and a group of police from Bawli Bazar of Maungdaw north went to the said villages of Hati Para and Zedi Pyin villages of Lone Don village tract under Nasaka area No.5 and surrounded the villages. After that, the security forces tried to arrest villagers over the accusation that a terrorist group from Bangladesh penetrated to Maungdaw Township.”
As a result, all the male villagers fled to nearby Mountain to avoid arrest, by Nasaka or police, said a local youth.
However, two villagers namely Zahid Alam (35), son of Abdu Shukur, a shopkeeper and  Hafez Anis Ullah (30), son of  Khobir Ahmed, a grocer were arrested by the Nasaka while they were coming to their village by riding bicycles  from Bawli Bazar market after selling their goods and vegetables, at about 6:30 pm.  They also seized Kyat 165,000 from Hafez Anis Ullah. After arrest, they were brought to the Nasaka camp where they were detained in the camp as they are unable to pay the Nasaka demand money, said a close relative of the victims.
Besides, the Nasaka officer ordered to the villagers to give list of the youths who are over 18- year old. The Nasaka and the police were also searching the houses of the said villages one by one till 6: 15 pm, the relative more added.
In Maungdaw north and south, more security forces were deployed since May 5, and asked the villagers not to go to the forest and not to go to the sea for fishing.
It is learnt that some exile media and some agents of Burmese government from Bangladesh informed to Burmese government that some terrorists from Bangladesh will entered Burma as on May 5, in Dhaka, at about 3:00 am, there were clashes  between security forces and Hefazat- Islam Party, many people died and wounded, even security forces were dead.
A village elder said, “  Since last year June, after the violence, Rohingya people have been suffering  from various kinds of persecutions and discriminations such as rape, arbitrarily arrest and extortion, movement of  restriction,  marriage restriction, land confiscation and have been closing the mosques, schools and religious schools and also villagers are being kept in their villages like “Birds cages”. They have no access to do anything to support their family members and most of the villagers are starving now.”
At this moment, more security forces –Nasaka, police and army--- are being deployed in Maungdaw Township, and the discriminations will be increased definitely. They will harass the villagers with false and fabricated accusation using the power of President Thein Sein’s Pseudo-civilian Government, said a local businessman.

No water for summer paddy fields in Maungdaw

Maungdaw, Arakan State: Rohingya farmers have been facing scarcity of water for their summer paddy fields at present, said local elder on condition of anonymity.

“More than 100 acres of paddy fields have been dried up since April 15 for shortage of water from streams of mountain side - blocked by a road which was being built from Maungdaw north to south along the mountain side. The farmers supplied water to their paddy fields from streams of mountain side.”
Some owners of paddy fields have been identified as--- Motolab (35), son of Nurul Islam, Hussain (50), son of Nazu Meah, Abdul Hakim (70), son of Abdul Gofur and Mohamed Nazir (30), son of Md. Noor , hailed from Khonza Bill (village) of Aley Than Kyaw under the Maungdaw Township.
An owner said on condition of anonymity, “I have two acres of paddy fields near the mountain side; I can’t supply water in the paddy fields as the water dam has been blocked by  the constructing road since April 15, which was built by the concerned authority. So, I’m facing shortage of water for paddy fields.”
“Rohingya villagers were not allowed to cultivate paddy in the rainy season by the concerned authority in 2012 (last year) because of violence between Buddhist Rakhines and Rohingya Muslims. So, many Rohingya villagers have been suffering from the shortage of food in Arakan State.”
According to farmers, most of the Rohingya farmers grow paddy in summer to store rice for the upcoming rainy season but failed for shortage of water.
“Some Rohingya farmers of Khonza Bill and Udaung villages under the  Maungdaw south  grew  different kinds of vegetables  in the winter season  such as--- potato, chili, eggplant, cabbage, cauliflower, beans, radish, carrot, tomato, watermelon and etc, but their farms were  also destroyed by the road construction  in January 2013 by authority, said elders from Maungdaw south.
“Rohingya people will be suffering continuously from the shortage of food in future as they have no alternative way in. The International aids will not be reached in northern Arakan as the concerned authorities barred them to reach there.”

Thunder lightning kills two, injures nine people in Maungdaw

Maungdaw, Arakan State: Two Rohingyas were killed and nine other injured in separate thunder storm in lightning strikes at different places of Maungdaw south on May 3, said a local trader on condition of anonymity.
Among the victims, three injured persons have been identified as Malouvi Noor Hussain (30), son of Abdu Salam, Azum Ullah (50), and Kobir Ahmed (40), son of Fuzu, hailed from Khonza Bill (village) of Aley Than Kyaw and two deceased including six injured from Baringa Del (village) under the Nasaka area No. 8.
According to villagers, a storm - heavy rain and strong winds - have swept through different parts of Maungdw townships.
“Some houses were also destroyed in different parts of Maungdaw south by the heavy windy rain.”
Similarly, a cow was also killed in lightning strike while it was grazing nearby forest. The owner of cow is identified Amin Ullah, hailed from Khonza Bill (village) of Aley Than Kyaw, said another villager from Maungdaw south.

Joint statement on the official of the Rakhine(Arakan) investigation commission

We the undersigned organizations reject the 186-page official report dated 22 April 2013 of the Arakan Investigation Commission as follows:

1.    The Rakhine Investigation Commission formed on 17 August 2012 by President  Thein Sein included representatives from various religious and political parties and democracy groups except Rohingya representatives, who have been actual and potential victims of deadly violence and genocidal attacks. Haji U Nyunt Maung Shein and U Tin Maung Than, the two prominent Muslim leaders were purged from the Commission seeing that they were most insistent on the truth.
2.    It is a biased report favouring Rakhines, their hostile views and arguments towards Rohingya people. It purposely suppresses the core fact of the problem that the Rohingya people have long been subjected to institutionalized persecution, ethnic cleansing and genocidal onslaughts at the hands of the government and state sponsored non-state actors, particularly the extremist Rakhines
3.    The Inquiry Commission has lost its credibility since it has been manned with people who either directly or indirectly supported, involved or publicly put fuel on crisis. The commission member veterinary doctor Aye Maung (MP), leader of the Rakhine Nationalities Development Party (RNDP), is the main mastermind in the violence and ‘Rohingya ethnic cleansing’, who graphically described his Rohingya annihilation plan in Rathedaung Rakhine Conference held on 25-26 September 2012.  Nearly every understanding or recommendation of the Commission translates the view of the RNDP.
4.    The Commission, despite comprising of scholarly people, has largely distorted Rohingya historicity dubbing them ‘Bengalis’ and depicting them migrant community with no historical roots in Arakan, although they are a people developed in Arakan from peoples of different ethnical backgrounds over the centuries with their Muslim settlements dated back to early 8th century.
5.    The previous parliamentary government recognized the ‘Rohingya’ as one of the many ethnic groups of the Union of Burma with their language programme relayed thrice weekly from government Burma Broadcasting Service (BBS), Rangoon. In spite of that the Commission has deliberately ignored this documented fact and used  the term ‘Bengali’ supporting the fierce contention of the Rakhine promoting ‘Rohingya ethnocide’ aims at turning Arakan into a Muslim-free Rakhinized region. 
6.    The Commission report falsely elevates the position of Rakhine as ‘prime nation’ and relegates the Rohingya as ‘sub-nation’ thus promoting the government’s current plan to segregate Rohingya under its ‘neo-apartheid policy’. It describes the Rohingyas as   low-class and uncultured hardworking people, who produce more children and want to seize the arable lands of the lazy Rakhines. It is insulting that the commissioners felt irritated by the repeated telephone calls from ‘dying-alive Rohingyas’ giving accounts of their sufferings emotionally for redress.
7.    The Commission never called for the accountability of the government and its agencies, state sponsored non-state actors or Rakhine extremists for June-October 2012 deadly violence or carnage, and for their decades of Rohingya persecution, tyranny, exclusion and xenophobia that reduce them to the present state of helplessness, without basic freedoms like freedom of movement, religion, education, marriage, right to business, right to work etc.
8.    The Commission never pointed out the hostile environment and impossible situation created by the administration with the oppressive functionaries and government agencies like NaSaKa border security force, police, Lon Htin and army and Rakhine terrorists for a peaceful living of the Rohingya. As a result, half of their population of more than 1.5 million people have had left their homeland of Arakan to escape persecution. They are living in Bangladesh, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, USA, Canada and other countries.
9.    The Commission never hinted the tragedies of the Rohingya boat people arising out of the continued large-scale persecution and crimes against humanity against Rohingya community in Arakan although the problem becomes a concern of the UN, OIC, EU, ASEAN and international community.
10.    The report made no mention of the statement of President Thein Sein as well as the demand of the RNDP leader Dr. Aye Maung to deport Rohingya people to a third country, which reflects and promotes official ‘Rohingya ethnic-cleansing policy’ of the government. 
11.    The Commission ignored to call for amendment of the world most repressive Burma Citizenship Law of 1982. Its recommendations lack the spirits of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and international human rights and humanitarian laws.
12.    The report extremely distorted the number of deaths and extent of destruction of the Rohingya and Kaman Muslims whereas there are reports of several mass graves of Rohingya dead bodies; and the credible human rights group Human Rights Watch (HRW) stated that it has uncovered 4 mass graves in North Arakan. Likewise an Al-Jazeera documentary film released after the violence confirmed that crimes of genocide have been committed in Arakan against the Rohingya.
13.    The report stayed away from mentioning that the police, Lon Htin, NaSaKa and army took part in the killing of the Muslims and torching their houses. The report mentions about the imposition of section 144, but lamentably it fails to tell the tangible truth that the curfew has only been applied on the Rohingyas or Muslims while the Rakhine terrorists, including armed cadres of the Arakan Liberation Party/Army (ALP/ALA), were allowed to carry on the genocidal onslaughts and mass destruction against the Muslims. 
14.    Waves of deadly violence carried against the Rohingyas and Kamans were pre-planned by the RNDP, of course, with the backing of the administration under the pretext of rape and murder of a 28-year old Rakhine woman Ma Thida Twe. Most of the issues raised by the Commission as the causes of violence were irrelevant as well as unfounded.
15.    The Commission did partiality by endorsing the make-believe story of the government which stated  that Ma Thida Twe was raped and murdered by what they called  three Bengalis. But according to highly credible person of the Commission, there was no trace of rape found by the doctor who performed post mortem of her corpse; but the doctor was forced to sign the official post mortem report.  Moreover, there was no mention of the ‘suicide in police custody’ of the principal accused Mr. Htet Htet who happened to be a Rakhine, not Rohingya or Bengalis.
16.    It is a concocted allegation of the Commission that an excess number of 5,603 refugee families with 30,338 members had to be repatriated from Bangladesh in 1978. International community was well aware that the repatriation was done under strict scrutiny on both sides of the borders, and that the refugees had resisted the forced repatriation for lack of congenial atmosphere for their safe return to Arakan. The question naturally arises is who would be going to the hellish Arakan where the human right situation of .the Rohingyas were dire.
17.    The report said that “in 1988 Ma Ra Waddi monastery at Maungdaw was burned down by Bengalis and the abbot had escaped away; the monastery was torched by the Bengalis for three times”. It is baseless information aims at inciting public sentiment against the Rohingyas.
18.    The Commissions reported some imaginary and nonsense information like Rohingyas attacking Rakhines, destroying Buddhist monasteries and committing rape of their women. It also said that “in 1998, more than 5,000 people led by Rohingya Liberation Organization (RLO) suddenly entered Maungdaw and tried to occupy the town by destroying Buddhist monasteries, torching Rakhine quarters and killing every single Rakhine, but the police could control the situation through resistance.” In reality there was no party by the name of RLO; and also there was no information, record or report of such plot or attack among the general public and in the media. The allegation is a blatant lie and politically motivated. It is surprising that, although there have been numerous cases of killing of Rohingya, rape  of  Rohingya women and girls, destruction and torching of their houses,  looting of their properties and extortion on daily basis, committed by the extremist Rakhines, police and security forces, the biased and bigoted Commission did not mention a single such incident.  This lie proves that the Commission is contemptible and its report is a rubbish piece.
19.    There was no incident on 8th of June 2012 that the Rohingyas chanted slogan “long live Muslilms, kill all Rakhines”. This is concocted report promoting hatred against the Rohingyas.
20.    The Commission reported that 246 Rakhines and 1589 Rohingyas were arrested since violence, But it is regretted that Commission did not investigate how and why these Rohingyas had been arrested and also it did not say anything about the jail killing, the squalid condition and inhuman and degrading treatment and torture of the Rohingya inmates .
21.    The Commission’s recommendations to double the security forces and take effective measures to prevent so-called illegal immigrants from Bangladesh is just a false alarm intended to distract attention from the main issue of Rohingya genocide. For the Rohingyas, increase in armed and security forces means increased crimes against humanity against them. It is important that repressive functionaries should not be augmented if they do not maintain law and order situation to ensure security, justice and equality without discrimination.
22.    There are no Rohingya illegal immigrants in Arakan, which has long been a big hell and concentration camp for the Muslims. In fact, Rohingyas have been systematically expelled or have had to leave their homeland since 1942 Muslim massacre in Arakan. In contrast, tens of thousands of illegal Bengali Rakhine Buddhists are regularly invited and settled down on the confiscated lands of the Rohingyas. The whole northern Arakan is now dotted with Buddhist settler villages. But the Commission is silent about it.
23.    However, we welcome some forward-thinking recommendations, including recommendations to address the dire humanitarian situation in Muslim displacement camps provided that they are truly, humanely, immediately and timely implemented.
24.    Last but not least, we call for an immediate UN Inquiry Commission to conduct a prompt, full and impartial investigation of all allegations and take appropriate action against those responsible.
Signatories to this joint statement:
1.    Arakan Rohingya National Organisation (ARNO)
2.    Burmese Rohingya Organisation United Kingdom  (BROUK)
3.    Burmese Rohingya Association Japan (BRAJ)
4.    Burmese Rohingya Community in Australia (BRCA)
5.    Burmese Rohingya Association Deutschland (BRAD)
6.    Burmese Rohingya Community in Denmark (BRCD)
7.    Burmese Rohingya Community in Netherlands (BRCNL)
8.    Burmese Rohingya Association in Thailand (BRAT)
9.    Rohingya Community in Norway (RCN)
10.    Rohingya Society Malaysia (RSM)
For more information, please contact:
Tun Khin:                    + 44 788 871 4866
Nay San Lwin                + 49 179 653 5213

The United States has eased another set of sanctions against Myanmar despite the ongoing persecution of the Rohingya Muslim community.

The Obama administration made the announcement on Thursday, calling for an ease of restrictions on many of Myanmar’s military rulers, their business partners and immediate families.

Last year, Washington lifted a set of sanctions against Myanmar that limited trade between the two countries, including removing Myanmar’s President Thein Sein from the list of banned officials.

“Since 2011, the civilian-led Government of Burma has taken important steps toward significant social, political, and economic reform that demonstrate substantial progress on areas of concern,” the US Department of State said.

Myanmar’s government has been repeatedly criticized for failing to protect the Rohingyas.

Recently, hundreds of Buddhist extremists armed with bricks stormed shops and homes of Muslims in the western village of Okkan.

In March, more than 40 people were killed and a number of mosques and homes of Muslims were burned in central Myanmar, indicating a rise in the persecution of Muslims.

The Muslim minority of Rohingyas in Myanmar accounts for about five percent of the country’s population of nearly 60 million. The persecuted minority has faced torture, neglect, and repression since the country achieved independence in 1948.

The UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Myanmar, Tomas Ojea Quintana, said on March 28 that he had received reports that Myanmar’s soldiers and police sometimes stood by “while atrocities have been committed before their very eyes” by well-organized Buddhist mobs in the central city of Meiktila.

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have called on Myanmar’s government to address the plight of the Rohingya Muslim population and to protect the community against extremists.

In April, the European Union also lifted most of its sanctions against Myanmar, a move criticized by Human Rights Watch.

Census resumes in Maungdaw south

Maungdaw,Arakan:Today, in the morning, a hostile operational team consisting of immigration, military,  Nasaka, police and village administrators went to Aley Than Kyaw village tract of Maungdaw south to perform  an operation ( listing family members) forcing the Rohingya to register as “Bengali” for the census, said a villager elder on condition of anonymity.
“All the villagers rejected to participate in the operation. But, the authority forcibly composed some of the family members into computer and also taking signatures, where they wrote “Bengali” in place of “Rohingya.”  After taking list of some family members, they returned to their destination.”
All these have been done under the direction of Rakhine Nationalities Development Party (RNDP) which dominates the Arakan Sate government and pursues a policy of Rohingya extermination with the blessing of the central government. An atmosphere of terror has been created while the whole Rohingya community is being affected by the humanitarian disaster, said a politician.
The so-called census operation was first conducted immediately after June and October 2012 deadly violence against Rohingys in Arakan at irregular intervals but was stopped when the Rohingyas rejected to be registered as “Bengali”.
But since 10 April, the authorities resumed it selectively in Maungdaw and Buthidaung Township torturing and forcing the Rohingyas into agreeing to register as “Bengali,” said a village businessman.
The Rohingya people “have the collective right to live in freedom, peace and security as distinct people” and additionally they have the right to life.  To force the Rohingya people into accepting ‘Bengali’ against their will is an ethnocide or an international crime, the politician more added.

Nasaka robs bicycle from student in Maungdaw

Maungdaw, Arakan State: Burma’s border security force (Nasaka) robbed a bicycle from a middle school student on April 28, at about 600:00 pm, while he was going to his village from Powet Chaung village by riding on a bicycle, a relative from the locality said,“The bicycle was robbed by the Nasaka personnel of Powet Chaung out-post camp under the Nasaka area No. 5 of Maungdaw Township accompanied by Natala villagers when he reached nearby the camp by a bicycle. There is a Natala (new settlers) village near the camp, so the Natala villagers become collaborators of Nasaka.”
The victim is identified as--- Mujibur Rahaman (14), son of Abu Sidique, hailed from Maung Nama village of Maungdaw north. He is a class VIII- student.
He is a minor student; he went to his home on foot with great disappointment without his bicycle. The Nasaka officer asked him to pay Kyat 5,000 to release the bicycle before he left to his home said a village elder quoting the victim.
The next day, on April 29, the minor student along with his father went to the Nasaka camp and paid Kyat 5,000 to get his bicycle.It is clear that, it is a deliberate action against the Rohingya community even not excluding the minor boy, said a business man.
“The security force is above the law, as what they want to do; they do it without any obstacle. Who gives the power? Surely, President Thein Sein gives the power. But president pretends to be a pseudo-reformer, “said a local youth who declined to be named.

Breaking News:2nd may 2013

President resigns from USDP
Myanmar President U Thein Sein has resigned as chairman of the ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) and his party post was replaced by its vice-chairman U Shwe Mann, according to the party's Union Daily Thursday.
US maintains targeted sanction
The US government should maintain targeted sanctions, and potentially re-impose lifted sanctions against Burmas government until it meets international bench marks for religious freedom, the US on International Religious Freedoms commission said yesterday.
 Rohingya Muslims, who are denied Burmese citizenship, experience widespread discrimination, strict controls over their religious activities and ceremonies and societal violence that is often incited by Buddhist monks and carried out with impunity by mobs and local militias, including police, according to the commission.
Over 1,000 Rohingya have been killed, their villages and religious structures destroyed, and women raped during attacks, it said. The government’s official death toll, which includes both Buddhist and Rohingya victims, is 192. Some non-governmental groups familiar with the situation on the ground in Arakan State have previously also suggested that the real figure is several times higher.

House set on fire at Maungdaw south
 Today, at about 9:00 pm, a house of late Kala Meah of Kilai Daung village, under the Nasaka area No.7 of Maungdaw south was burned down by Natala villagers        ( new Rakhine settlers) with the help of Burma’s border security force( Nasaka).

Maulana arrested by Nasaka in Maungdaw

Maungdaw, Arakan State:  A Maulana (religious leader) was arrested by Nasaka    (Burma’s border security force) on April 15, while he was crossing the Ywet Nyo Daung bridge of Maungdaw north, over the allegation that he was a smuggler, said a close friend of the victim.

“The victim was identified as---Maulana Salay Ahmed (32). Son of Noor Ahmed hailed from Wet Pyin village under the Powet Chaung village tract of Nasaka area No.5 of Maungdaw Township.”

On that day, in the evening, he went to Kyet Yoe Pyin market after crossing the said village which is situated nearby Nasaka camp No.12. At that time, the Nasaka personnel from the camp halted him from going to market and accused him that he was a smuggler. So he was detained in the camp, said a local businessman.

Though the arrestee frequently asked the Nasaka personnel that he is not a smuggler and he is a religious teacher of an Arabic school.  But Nasaka did not take any attention to the arrestee.

“It is deliberate action against the Rohingya religious teacher. They know very well that he is not a smuggler, but they want money and to insult religious leader,” said a local youth.

However, on 16 April, he was released after paying Kyat 400,000 to the Nasaka officer, a close relative of the victim said preferring not to be named.

“This is not small money. After selling his mother’s ornament, his relatives managed this money,” said the relative.

The Nasaka personnel of Ywet Nyo Daung Nasaka camp give harassment to the Rohingya travelers from neighboring villagers while crossing the said bridge. They sometimes loot the goods from the passengers, a village elder said.

President Thein Sein’s quasi-civilian government is changing some matters in central Burma, but not change anything in the ethnic areas, especially in Rohingya and Kachin areas, said a politician from Maungdaw.

Diarrhea spreads at Leda refugee camp

Teknaf, Bangladesh: Diarrhea, fever, cough and stomach’s pain have recently spread among the refugee children in Burmese refugee camp, said a local doctor.
“Many unregistered Rohingya refugee children and elders of Leda (Tal) have been suffering from various diseases since the end of April 2013.”
According to refugees, the effected children and elders are being given basic treatment through the Muslim Aids.
Refugees also said that a patient, who becomes serious, is not being referred to government hospital of Cox’s Bazar. Doctors said,” They have not enough budgets to refer for better treatment.”

“Mostly, refugee children (1 to 7 years) are suffering from these diseases.”
Ayoub, a refugee committee member from Leda camp said,” The refugee children and elders are being affected by diarrhea because of scarcity of pure drinking water, they are drinking salt water. The fresh water has been dried up in the dam since March 2013 in summer season which was built nearby mountain side by Muslim Aids.
Many refugee women and girls go to local village to fetch drinking water but they have no lives security as they are disturbed by the local youths. The Rohingya refugees also have been facing problems from unhygienic conditions at Leda camp, the wastewater drain was jammed, the committee member more said.
Besides, refugees also said that they have been facing many difficulties with their sheds as--- most of the sheds had been become old and dilapidated. But, Muslim Aids has not yet taken any step to rebuild or repair ruined sheds.