No religious freedom in Maungdaw

Maungdaw, Arakan State: The concerned authority of Maungdaw south declared people can enjoy to perform their religious freely, but the Burma border security force (Nasaka) arrested a person who performed his religious duty in the religious place on February 27, according to a village administration officer who denied his named.

“Abu Fayas , 55, son of Lal Mohad hailed from Warr Cha village, under Nasaka area number 7, was arrested after performed his religious duty in a Mosque after sunset time.”
The Nasaka charged him for performing religious duty inside the Mosque, but he performed outside of Mosque, in the mosque compound. The Nasaka asked him to settle and they will free him to go. He refused to pay money as the commander declared that can performed religious duty inside the compound of Mosque, said an elder from village.
“The Nasaka toke him to their outpost camp where the Nasaka officer, Military intelligent (Sarapa) and special branch of police (SB) were asking him huge amount of money to release. Later, the village admin officer and elders manage to release him from custody of Nasaka, paying huge amount of money.”
The commanding officer- Aung Naing Oo-  area number 7, declared to the people that people can performed their religious duty inside the compound of Mosque, but the villagers must return and help while the Nasaka will collect information through digital photograph and finger print on February 25, according to a student who attend the meeting.
“If you are not willing to help us at that time, we will do ourselves by force or other ways to get the print and photo,” said the commander.
 When asked Nasaka area number 7 commanding office about the declaration and extorted of money, but the officer declared that the office issued order for freedom of religious and they are not taking money from people.

Security force harass Rohingya on the road

Maungdaw, Arakan State: Security forces – police, Hluntin and Nasaka – harassed Rohingya community who were going to and from Maungdaw market on Shwezar bridge on February 23, according to a politician from Maungdaw.

“The security forces arrested 100 Rohingyas and kept in the outpost box near the bridge and all the Rohingyas who remain on the road returned back to their villages.”
The arrestees were sent to the police station where their bodies were searched and hadn’t found anything on them. Then, the security forces toke all the money from their pockets, said a victim form the group.
“When, asked the officers, about the charge, the officers didn’t reply anything us. The officers deal with us as inhuman being.”
“The officers collected our name and address and sent the list to the village administration officers to verify the Rohingya. After receiving verification, the officers released us. We had our ID cards and travel document, why again to verify from village admin. We are not outsider, we are living in our village since long.”
After releasing from police station, the Rohingya went to Township office and district office about the matter, but, the officers said only it is for security. The township officer and district officer are trying to drive out Rohingya from their home villages as the two officers are Rakhine community and may be it is the order of upper or their own, said the politician.
Similarly, the security force on duty on the bridge –near Nyaung Chaung- on the Maungdaw –Alay Than Kyaw highways, collected 200 kyats per person who crossed the bridge. The security force collect 500 kyats from tawlar ( three wheels taxi) and 1000 kyas from vehicle, said a driver who ply on this road.
“We complain to the concerned authority, but no action was taken to them. Even the district officer and town officer did not give any attention  on it after complaining about the toll.”  

Tea shop burned down, security harass Rohingya in Maungdaw south

Maungdaw, Arakan State: A Rakhine’s tea shop was burned down by unknown miscreants in Maungdaw south on February 26, at about 9:00 pm and concerned security force started harassment against the Rohingyas community, said a villager admin officer who denied to be named.
“The tea shop - situated inside the Udaung market under Nasaka area number 8 – owned by Myo Chit, a Rakhine community.”
Burma border security force (Nasaka) personnel arrested a Rohingya shop worker - Abdu Rahaman, 10, son of Goffar - from the market, on said night with suspicion of set on fire the tea shop and detained in the Udaung Nasaka custody, said a shop owner from market who denied to be named.
“The security force listed to arrest more Rohingya from the village, so, the Rohingya community from Udaung are not staying in the village for fear of arrest.”
“No Rohingya involved in the accident as they are not able to move at night for Nasaka and Rakhines, who ply around the village at night,” according to village administration officer.
A Hindu community – the owner of a shop which is closed to teashop – declared the fire broke out from teashop’s stove and didn’t see anyone while fire broke out as Hidu shop was open at that time.
Besides, another Rohingya namely Abdullah (18), son of Molauna Jubair – watching his crop in the field- was arrested by Udaung Nasaka out post on February 26 and released after taking thousands of kyats, said a closed relative of victim.
According to different sources, it is a kind of tactic to harass and extort money the Rohingya community by concerned authorities and Rakhines.

Two Rohingyas brutally killed in Maungdaw south

Maungdaw, Arakan State: Two Rohingyas were brutally killed by a group of Natala villager on February 26, said an elder from the village.
Mohamed Sayed (43), son of Amir Hamza and Mohamed Rashid (32) son of Lalu Meah, hailed from Nurullah Para (village tract) of Maungdaw south, were killed by Natala villager – Rakhine – armed by authority for their security.
The authority – Township administration officer, U Kyi San and District administration officer, U Aung Myint Soe – had ordered to security force to train up with arms and given arms to them for their security after June 8, conflict Rakhine and Rohingya.
Six Rohingya from Nurullah village went to forest to collect fire woods and to catch fish in mountain stream on February 26, according to a closed relative of victim.
A group of Natala –Rakhine – villagers went to the forest where Rohingya were fishing in the stream and fired on them which made two dead and four escape from the spot.
But, some said the shooting was made by army personnel who stationed near the Natala village. The escape Rohingya told it made by Rakhine Natala.
However, two dead bodies were recovered and sent to Maungdaw hospital for autopsy by security force (Nasaka). The concerned authorities (Nasaka) and others officials investigated the event, said an officer from security force.
“The bullet hit a Rohingya which blow out one eye and another hit on the head.”
The dead bodies were sent to their village after autopsy yesterday. Later they were buried in village graveyard.
Police officer Than Tin and Hla tin went to the Nurullah village and collected all the kitchen knives from Rohingya homes, but they didn’t do anything to Natala village, said the elder from the village.
Within February 2013, four children of one family were killed by Natala villagers and many Rohingya women and girls were raped by Burma’s security forces in Maundaw north, according to sources.
Sources also said that hundreds of Rohingyas had been killed and thousands of Rohingyas had already being displaced from the Arakan soil by the concerned authorities and Rakhines since June 2012.

Burma Must Give Rohingyas Citizenship: Nobel Laureates

By Raj Kumar Yadav
You yourself have overstepped by saying something (commenting on history of Arakan) which you have no knowledge of!! I have been following their history for quite some time now. Following is the brief history on Arakan, I have compiled with the help of my friends!

1) The earliest inhabitants of Arakan were a proto-Australoid people called Negritos settled in the Neolithic period. They were known as Rakkhasha (cannibals). They were dark-skinned people much like Africans and Rohingyas of today. They did not look like Mongoloid Rakhines or Maghs of today who falsely claim to be of their descendants. The second earliest people of Arakan were Indo-Aryans (i.e. Indians) followed by Mro and Theks. Their settlements dated back to B.C. 3323. Most of the earliest Kingdoms in Arakan history were Indian Kingdoms namely Dhannyavadi Kingdoms and Vaishali (Vesali) Kingdom. These earliest Indians, that is to say the forefathers of Rohingyas, were the followers of Hinduism, Buddhism and Animism. With the advent of some Arabs as traders and Islamic propagators to Arakan in 788 AD, most of local Indians converted into Islam. It is very important to note that it was Islam that came to Arakan in 788 AD, not Muslims. Yet, the indigenous Indians who had converted into Islam (known as Rohingyas today) later came to mix with foreigners as their settlements continued throughout its historical periods.
2) Rakhines of today was the last significant people of single Mongoloid stock to arrive in Arakan with the Mongolian invasion in 957 AD. Later, a new civilization took place as they came to mix local Indians and formed into Indo-Mongoloid people, while many remained purely of Mongoloid origin. And they re-established Buddhism in Arakan but in the form of Theraveda this time. With the continual invasions by the feudal kings of Tibeto-Burman people of Mongoloid stock from Upper and Lower Burma, the people of Arakan were gradually formed to be of more Mongoloid origin and Indian-Originated people consequently decreased or were outnumbered. Therefore, the later Kingdoms of Arakan such as in Lemro and Mrauk-U Periods were rather Indo-Mongoloid or Mongoloid Kingdoms than Indian Kingdoms. However, Muslims (of both Indigenous Indian Origins and foreigners settled in Arakan) played many at times as phenomenon Kingmakers and other very important roles during Mongoloid Arakanese Kingdoms. (For these earliest history of Arakan, please read D.G.E Hall’s History of South-East Asia, G.E. Harvey’s History of Burma, Noel F Singer’s Vaishali and Indianization of Arakan and Pamela Guteman’s Research Papers on Arakan and Zaa Lok Kay Pho Lay by San Kyaw Tuan (Maha Wizza), P. 81)
3) Muslims played the phenomenal role of kingmakers in Arakan. Its heyday began with the spread of Islamic civilization. “Islam spread and deeply rooted in Arakan since 8th century from where it further spread into interior Burma. (Sasana Ronwas Htunzepho” a book published by SLORC in 1997)
4) In fact, “Arakan was virtually ruled by Muslims from 1430 to 1531” [Ba Shin, “Coming of Islam to Burma 1700 AD”, A research paper presented at Azad Bhavan, New Delhi in 1961, p.4.] to the extent that it was turned into a sultanate. Arakan was depicted as an Islamic State in the map of The Times Complete History of the World, showing cultural division of Southeast Asia (distribution of major religions) in 1500.(Edited by Richard Overy, eighth edition 2010, page 148.). These are enough evidences that the Muslims or Rohingyas are indigenous to Arakan.
5) The use of the term “Rohingya” in the form “Rooinga” existed in the past and found in 17th century. A dialect was spoken by Muslims in Arakan of Western Burma who had long been settled in Arakan and who called themselves “Rooinga” or “Natives” of Arakan. (Francis Buchanana, Buchanan, 1799) The document can be reached at http://www.soas.ac.uk/sbbr/editions/file64276.pdf.
6) Read The Classical Journal for September and December, 1811, Vol. IV, P. 348. Printed in London by A.J. Valpy, Took’s Court, Concert Lane. The word “Rooinga” was used for the Muslims in Arakan of the time.
7) Read Linguaram Totius Orbis “INDEX” Alphabeticus quarum “GRAMMARTICAE, LEXICA” Collectiones Vocabulerum, Patria Significatur, Historia Adumbratur by Joanne Severion Vatero, Theol. Doct. et Profess. et Bibliothecarlo Reg. Ord. S. Wladimiri Equite, Berlin, 1815. The word “Rooinga” was used many times for the Muslims in Arakan of the time.
8) In 1820, British ethnologist Walter Hamilton referred to the “Rooinga” as “the Mahommedans [sic] who have been long settled in the country.” (Copied from http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/investigation/310399/fear-loathing-and-lies-in-rakhine-state). It is also a proof that Rohingya people existed in Arakan before 1824.
9) The first President of Burma, Sao Shwe Thaike, said, “Muslims of Arakan certainly belong to one of the indigenous races of Burma. If they do not belong to the indigenous races, we also cannot be taken as indigenous races. (“The Rohingyas: Bengali Muslims or Arakan Muslim”, Euro Burma Office (EBO) Briefing Paper No.2, 2009. In Dr. San Oo Aung. http://sanooaung.wordpress.com 22 January 2008)
10) Rakhines or Rowangya People by Maung Than Lwin, Mrawaddy Magazine, July 1960. Rohingyas’ history was briefly mentioned.
11) Check the records of Burma Broadcasting Service (BBS). The Rohingya language was relayed trice a week from the indigenous language programme of the official Burma Broadcasting Service, Rangoon, from 15 May 1961 to 30 October 1965 that is, nearly four years further beyond the seizure of power by Gen. Ne Win.
12) In official Myanmar Encyclopaedia Vol.9, 1964, pages 89/90 the historic narration was given in detail concerning Rohingya while affirming that 75% of the population in Mayu Frontier is Rohingya.
13) Read the textbook “Geography for Std. 9th and 10th, printed in 1978, printed press 361 Pyay Rd. Sarbay Viman, on page 86 map Mayu area was clearly marked as “Rohingya’s dwelling place”. It was printed in Ne Win’s era.
I think it is enough for the people with common sense to decide who are ethnic and who are not!