NLD close to decide on registration

 
An amendment to the electoral law has passed through parliament, with key amendments that were suggested by the National League for Democracy (NLD) and that would allow the party to take part in an upcoming by-election.
The party is now waiting for a copy of the new law before its central executive committee will vote on whether the party shall re-enter the fray. Key players however remain divided. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is said to be a proponent, whilst veteran founding member, U Win Tin, has expressed ambivalence.
“I don’t think it is really good to go into parliament,” he told DVB.
The key amendments however include the removal of the crucial clause that had said that “all political prisoners must be expelled from the NLD,” explains U Win Tin. Further the clause that parties shall “preserve and defend” the 2008 constitution, which would have been impossible for the party to abide by as they have repeatedly voiced their opposition to key elements of the constitution. This was reportedly changed instead to “respect” the constitution.
“It was said that we have to defend the constitution, which we can’t accept, we couldn’t accept a military constitution, so we refused to abide by that point,” says U Win Tin.
The key elements of concern were voiced by the party in their 2009 Shwegondaing proclamation states U Win Tin, which called for the release of all political prisoners and rewriting the 2008 constitution.
He states that the government’s overtures have not been complete. “All these things are not fulfilled yet, especially this constitution.”
One such area of concern was recognition of the 1990 election. The speaker of the Pyidaungsu Hllutaw, the combined national parliaments, was said to have “recognised” that poll in an interview with a local journal on Wednesday, although the practical implications of this were unclear.
Aung San Suu Kyi meanwhile met Labour Minister Aung Kyi for the fourth time since March on Sunday. Whilst neither party was particularly forthcoming with details of the meeting, the state mouth piece, the New Light of Myanmar, published questions that Suu Kyi answered after the two met.
“NLD’s registration depends on the law. The registration is the issue we can tell only after the law is approved and enacted. When the law is approved, we will hold a meeting. According to the rules and
regulations of our party, we can make decision after the meeting,” Suu Kyi was quoted as saying by the New Light of Myanmar.
She told journalists that the party would wait until the electoral law was enacted and also once they had time to review the law in full, as bills passed in parliament are often not made available to the public.
“We can tell when we see the law. We can’t tell now because we have not yet seen the law,” the Nobel Laureate added.
However there will likely be differences of opinion within her own party. Last year’s boycott induced a wholesale split in the party, with a group of prominent members leaving to form the National Democratic Force (NDF). This again split to form the New National Democratic Party, headed by Pyithu Hluttaw MP Thein Nyunt. Party member and youth wing co-ordinator, Yatha, told DVB that he believed the party would rejoin the NLD should it re-register.

Rohingya - Rakhine -- Debate or Dialogue between thinking men?

Dr. Habib Siddiqui

From the responses we have seen thus far, it is quite obvious that the extreme racists and bigots within the Rakhine Buddhist community are running out of wits after my recent posting of the Rohingya Identity and Demography in the British Era. There I showed that the Rohingya people, far from the Rakhine unsubstantiated claims, are an indigenous group of the Arakan State of Burma who had settled there from time immemorial, and hundreds of years before the ancestors of today's Rakhines settled. Having analyzed the demographic data of the English colonial period, I also pointed out that the so-called influx to Arakan during the British era actually had more to do with the Rakhine population than any other ethnic/religious group, and that the growth within the Rohingya Muslim community was a natural one.

Unfortunately, as we have noticed time and again, the racists within the Burmese and Arakanese Rakhine communities are uncomfortable to consider any other possibility beyond their own myths which challenge such absurd chauvinism. Prejudice truly dies hard!

Consider, e.g., the case of racist Aye Chan who says he is 'tired of arguing' with us. His entire thesis is built around showing that nowhere within the British records the name Rohingya appeared, and as such, by default, Rohingya is a dead horse. He is unwilling to accept the characterization of Rohingyas under Muslim/Mohamadan/Musulman categories. Were the Rakhines categorized as Rakhines by the British? Are Aye Chan and his ilk aware of the two books written by British army officers: (i) BURMESE OUTPOST by Anthony Irwin, published by Collins in 1945, and (ii) DEFEAT INTO VICTORY by Field Marshal Viscount Slim (considered one of the best books written by a military general on World War II) published in 1956? In these two books the authors mentioned Muslims of Arakan as ‘Musulman Arakanese’ and the Buddhists as ‘Maughs’. (As can be seen even the name Rakhine did not appear in those books to describe the Maghs of Arakan.)

Unless, one is willing to accept that colonizers had their own ways of and rationalization for categorizing people, which may not totally agree with those of the colonized, there is little one can do to educate that moron. Look at the Spanish Conquistadors that came to colonize the Philippines where they came across indigenous Muslims who practiced Islam, similar to the practice of the Spanish (Moor) Muslims. To these new invaders, thus, the Filipino Muslims came to be named as Moors and later Moro Muslims. In the Dutch colonization of South Africa, the Indian community was put under the category of 'colored' people. They were not called Indian South Africans. Here in the USA, while there is no record of African-American heritage (as to where they were plucked out of), we may know a White person with his precise European heritage. Thus, governors Cuomo (father and son) of New York State of the USA are known as Italian-Americans. Within the conquered people in the USA and Canada, the natives were called Red Indians and later Native Indians, while those people never called themselves as such and were actually divided on many matters, language, religion, etc. Does such categorization by the English/French colonizers change the mere fact that Cherokees lived in the Americas before the Europeans subdued them? If today, the Cherokees would rather like to self-identify by their heritage - the Cherokee name - who can deny that right to them? Only an utterly extreme racist with no brains, and full of hatred and chauvinism, would deny that right.

And there are plenty of such examples in our world that we can cite about the Rohingya case. Will that educate a half-educated person when he refuses to grow up as a thinking man?

And still within many good hearted and well-meaning Rohingya Diaspora there is a call for having a debate with such obscene racists within the Rakhine commmunity. Here below I share my views on the question of a debate:

1. I prefer dialogue or discussion than a debate unless the latter can be held under a neutral venue and moderated/administered by an unbiased person. Still, since debate has everything to do with winning, even by ridiculing the other side's shallow (?) views, at the end it leaves behind a bad taste amongst the participants and their respective adherents, further widening the gap between the opposing parties. Hardly, debate has brought differing peoples together for a common cause. As such, if the objective is to let the other party know where each party stands, a discussion/sharing of info/dialogue is often a more prudent approach. In these days of information superhighway we can achieve this without a confrontational debate by sharing our writings/postings, and asking/answering probing or poignant questions/points for elaboration. So, e.g., when Aye Chan says "we are lying about Rohingya", we want to ask "show us where we lied" (just as Dr Bahar had done in his note to Aye Chan). Such a dialogue with an opposing side can be more fruitful than wasting people's time and money to organize a debate with a racist. If still money and time are no problems a better way to spend such would be to hold our own seminars to educate folks on the either side to learn/share without allowing racists like Aye Chan to get a free ride at our cost. As I stated before, if he is all serious about a debate with us, let him organize it (without spending our money), and we shall be glad to take him up anywhere in the globe (of course, outside Burma). He cannot have a free ride at our cost!

2.  A frame of reference is very important for any such info sharing including a debate. Without such, the exercise may become a mindless one. If, e.g., demography in the post-1826 era is the issue, let's make it clear in the beginning and that way the history of who came earlier to Arakan is not a debating issue to bite upon. As the tens of articles and books have been written, including those by Syed Ashraf Alam, AFK Jilani, BaShin, Nurul Islam - UK and Ctg., Abid Bahar and many others - if anyone is interested to learn the truth on the Rohingya issues of our time there are plenty to educate oneself with. On the other hand, if one is close-minded, no words of mouth in a debate/discussion/dialogue would do any good as it has failed to even educate one from written words. At the most they can create doubt and that too, only under non-threatening environment possible outside a debate.

3. The more important question, therefore, is - what we gain and what we lose from such an interaction with a known racist like Aye Chan? If it is a zero-sum activity, we should shun any such temptation. Do we really expect Aye Chan to all on a sudden change his mind by participating in a debate with us, something that he could have been enlightened on his own through our writings? I seriously doubt that possibility.

4. What is value-adding for our purpose? Can we find moderate elements within the Rakhaing to accept or consider our side of the history, and share our findings so that he/she can start the groundwork within his/her community for a paradigm shift away from racism and hatred toward inclusion and acceptance? If we don't have any moderate Rakhine intellectual or politician or opinion maker, we would better serve the cause of the Rohingya by reaching out to moderate Burmans who can start that process of reconciliation or paradigm shift. If that also looks rather bleak, we may have to do what other such threatened minorities in the world have done, which would include knocking on the doors of power brokers in the global scene. For that we can study the history of newly emerged countries like East Timor and South Sudan, as a starting point. How lucky we shall be there, given the fact that what was possible for those territories may not excite xian overlords of our time when it comes to Arakan, that is closer to the Chinese domain of influence? Allah knows the best! But it is the last option we shall be left with minus the two earlier options.
Our best approach, IMHO, is to reach out to democratic minded Burmese that are open-minded and are willing to giving it a try towards federalism and democracy,  which are based on universal values and laws. The inclusion of Rohingya in Burma would be a win-win formula for the divided country, while the exclusion can only make it worse - not only morally but also economically. Our time served there to promote the Rohingya cause would be more fruitful than wasting time with Aye Chan. Who is Aye Chan anyway? He is a dishonest academic, a provocateur and a charlatan trying to masquerade as an intellectual for his racist extremist section of the people. Even if he were to accept Rohingya citizenship does he have any influence to repeal the racist 1982 Citizenship Law of Burma? I don't think so. Guys like him are used as pimps and prostitutes by illiberal undemocratic regimes to further their draconian measures, and then left to their repulsive, evil, pitiful selves.

5. What we truly need from our leadership is a strategy to repeal that Citizenship Law that is hemmed with short-term tactical moves that would InshaAllah allow the Rohingya people of Burma to live as a free people that is equal with other citizens of Burma. Inclusion not rejection. May Allah help us all in that endeavor!

Nasaka collects money from sacrificial cattle

Maungdaw, Arakan State: Burma’s border security force (Nasaka), has been collecting money from sacrificial cattle since November 1, while villagers are  bringing cattle  to markets to sell and moving from place to place in Maungdaw Township, said an elder from the village who denied to be named. 

“A group of Nasaka from Nari Bill out post camp, under the Nasaka area No. 6 of Maungdaw Township goes to a bridge from which villagers have to cross it to go other places or villages or markets. From this point, the Nasaka collects Kyat 8,000 per cattle while villagers passing with cattle.”

“They also rob the villagers who cross the bridge without finding any fault. But, Nasaka wants money from Rohingya community with any forms.”

The Eid-ul-Azha (a great festival for Muslim people) is to be celebrated on November 7, so the villagers     (Rohingya) are busy to buy cattle or selling cattle. So they want to bring cattle from one place to another after crossing the said bridge. Taking this advantage, the said Nasaka personnel are collecting money from the cattle traders or owners or buyers illegally. They (traders, sellers, and buyers) had already paid money to the concerned authorities as a tax, or others, said a cow trader on condition of anonymity. 

According to villagers, the price of the cattle is skyrocketed this year compare to last year due to scarcity of sacrificial animals.

The Maungdaw administration office ordered to Rohingya community to set up a market for their sacrificial animals between Myothugyi village and three miles station which is far from Maungdaw town and so town dwellers are facing difficulty to buy animals for sacrificial festival from that place. Last year, the market was set up near Myoma Kayandan village which is only one mile far from Maungdaw, said an elder from Maungdaw.

Two Nasaka personnel killed in Maungdaw south

Maungdaw, Arakan State: Two Burma border security force (Nasaka) personnel were killed by local Rohingya villagers of Done Pite ( Aung Deik Pyin) while trying to attempt to rape a girl at about 7:00pm on November 1, said an elder from the village.

“Three Nasaka personnel attacked a Rohingya girl – going to fetch water from a pond - to attempt to rape where another Rohingya girl informed to the villagers who beat the Nasaka personnel until they become unconscious.”

“Nasaka personnel who had an automatic rifle fled from the angry villagers and hid in a place till 11:00 pm for fear of beating and he reported to their camp number 18, under Nasaka area number 8.”

A group of Nasaka personnel went for searching two missing Nasaka personnel who had entered the village in the eve, found their dead bodies on the bank of the pond. Nasaka brought the dead bodies to their camp, said an aide from the Nasaka.

“The three Nasaka personnel are; Sergeant Myo Nay Htun, Private Sein Win and San Aye who had automatic rifle only. The three Nasaka personnel drank too much before entering the village and can’t able to control themselves.”

“We had given the statement that the village administration office didn’t able to mention anyone as the whole villagers involved in the event where the villagers had no intension to kill the Nasaka personnel, only to give punishment for attempting to rape,” said a village administration office member.

“In Rohingya tradition, all Rohingya females from village are fetching water from the pond/lake/River in the evening as a daily work in the rural areas. The three drunken Nasaka personnel who were entered the village to see village administration officer, met the females who were going to fetch water and changed their mind to attack the female with bad intention.”

“The villagers are fleeing from their village for fear of arrest by the concerned authority and go into hiding somewhere in Maungdaw south and the whole village is going to in panic. No one was arrested till now but the interrogation is going on.”

6P Amnesty and legalisation processes to run simultaneously

A file picture of Hishammuddin.

PUTRAJAYA (Nov 1, 2011): The government has decided that the amnesty and legalisation processes under the ‘6P Programme’ for illegal immigrant workers be carried out simultaneously.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said today this was so that illegal immigrants wishing to return to their country of origin, can leave the country as soon as possible.
The ‘6P programme’ which was launched on July 11 comprises six processes – ‘Pendaftaran’ (registration) , ‘Pemutihan’ (legalisation), ‘Pengampunan’ (amnesty), ‘Pemantauan’ (supervision), ‘Penguatkuasaan’ (enforcement) and ‘Pengusiran’ (deportation).
Hishammuddin said the amnesty process involves two categories of illegal immigrants – those who had participated in the registration process which ended on Aug 31 and wished to leave this country immediately, and those who had surrendered voluntarily.
“Under this process, illegal immigrants can deal directly with the Immigration Department to obtain an Exit Inspection Memo to leave the country without any action being taken against them,” he said in a statement.
As of Oct 31, a total of 25,561 illegal immigrants had been granted amnesty and had left the country under the 6P amnesty.
The majority of them were from Indonesia (15,901 immigrants), India (2,501), Nepal (1,048), Myanmar (1,040) and Vietnam (930).
“The illegal immigrants who were granted amnesty had been screened and found to be free of any criminal record and were therefore allowed to return home with all the costs fully borne by the immigrants themselves,” he said.
“So far, the government has not had to provide any allocations to finance their repatriation, including cost of food and temporary lodging,” Hishammuddin said.
Meanwhile, he said as of Sunday, 27,514 illegal immigrants had been legalised to work for 2,208 employers throughout the country under the 6P Programme.
Through the 6P Programme, the government had succeeded in saving about RM3.3 billion in terms of gross expenditure to register 1,303,126 illegal immigrants which ended on Aug 31.
At the same time, he said, the government also managed to increase collection from the fees charged for levy, pass and visa imposed on the foreign workers who were given amnesty.
The 6P programme was aimed at gathering biometric data on the large number of illegal immigrants in the country to enhance management and law enforcement of foreign workers on a large scale.
A total of 2,320,034 immigrants comprising 1,016,908 legal workers and 1,303,126 illegal workers were biometrically registered during the registration stage which ended on Aug 31.
Indonesians made up the highest number of foreign workers here with 640,609 illegal workers and 405,312 legal workers; followed by Bangladeshis, numbering 267,803 illegal workers and 132,897 legal; and Nepalese 221,617 legitimate workers and 33,437 illegals.

M'sia-Aussie deal failure cause of boat deaths, says Bowen

A mugshot of Bowen. AUSTRALIA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

MELBOURNE (Nov 2, 2011): Australia’s Immigration Minister Chris Bowen said the drowning deaths of 27 asylum-seekers yesterday could be linked to the collapse of the Malaysia refugee swap deal.
He said the Malaysia deal was designed to do "exactly" that, "creating safer pathways, increasing the humanitarian intake", The Age newspaper quoted the minister as saying.
Bowen told ABC Radio today he had argued consistently that if the Malaysia deal was blocked, there would be more deaths at sea.
"I've never been more disappointed to be proven right. This is a terrible tragedy but it's a fact that when you've more boats coming to Australia, you'll see more deaths.
"We didn't adopt the Malaysia arrangement because it was politically easy or it was convenient, quite the opposite.
"We adopted it because we knew that this was the sort of arrangement that was necessary, to prevent more deaths at sea, and that's exactly what we've seen," he said.
However, he stopped short of openly blaming the opposition which has refused to pass legislation to overcome the court ban on the Malaysia swap deal in Parliament.
Bowen also said the arrival of another boat carrying 92 asylum seekers off Christmas Island yesterday, the sixth since the policy shift to onshore processing, showed there had been an "uptake of boat arrivals" since the Malaysia deal collapsed, which the government had also predicted.
Opposition immigration spokesman Scott Morrison said the government could have its legislation clear Parliament if it accepted opposition amendments.
But, he refused to blame government policy for the drowning deaths. "It's unhelpful to engage in that sort of rhetoric," he told ABC Radio, adding that criminal people smugglers were to blame.

Income tax officer collects double tax from old vehicles’ owners in Maungdaw

Maungdaw, Arakan State: The income tax officer is going to collect double tax from old vehicles’ owners in Maungdaw since October 31, said a vehicles’ owner.

“The new civilianized government had announced to hand over the old vehicles to the authority and will issue a permit to import a new vehicle but in Maungdaw and Buthidaung most of the owners of old vehicle are Rohingya community and not able to hand over the old vehicles in Akyab for restriction of movement.”

“The old vehicles’ owners from northern Arakan were sold their old vehicles to Rakhine community from Akyab who are working on this business.”

The Maungdaw income tax office issued a letter to all the old vehicles’ owners to meet the officer on October 31, where the Assistant income tax officer Sein Shin asked the owners to pay sell tax who sold their vehicles, said an officer from income tax office of Maungdaw.

“The sale tax was paid by Rakhine who bought the vehicles from Rohingya and paid tax in Akyab before they handed over the vehicles to authority to get a permit to import a new vehicle.”

“Usually the sale tax is paid by buyer not from seller.”

Now the Maungdaw income tax officer is asking again sale tax from Rohingya old vehicles’ owners which made the Rohingya community uneasy in their business, said an old businessman from Maungdaw.

“The old vehicles are very old which was used in the World War II and the Rohingya are keeping this kind of vehicles for transport in northern Arakan.”