Arakan News Updates: Atrocities against Rohingyas Continue

Arakan News Updates: Atrocities against Rohingyas Continue ,Wednesday, 19th September 2012-09-20 

Maung Daw, Arakan- While Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is celebrating and enjoying her visit in US showing no signs of care for the ongoing humanitarian disasters in her country, the atrocities, looting, arbitrary extortion of money and forced labouring continue there. On the other hand, Burmese regime is deceiving the world by declaring that they are carrying out investigations into the violence and the same regime is carrying out the atrocities against Rohingyas in cooperation with Rakhine extremists. 

“At 5:30 PM on 17th September 2012, Salimullah son of Abdul Shukkur (35 years old) from Du Shira Dan village of southern Maung Daw was found dead nearby a forest. At 11 AM of the day, he left his house in order to pick up some vegetables from the forest and was subsequently got slaughtered and killed. It happened nearby the residential place of Rakhines. Later his dead body was taken to the NaSaKa (Border Security Forces) station at Magyi Chaung in southern Maung Daw. Besides, on 18th September 2012, one more Rohingya was found dead nearby a village of Rakhines in Baggona” said Nyi Nyi Aung from Maung Daw. 

“Authority of southern Maung Daw announced that each and every Rohingya above the age of 12 in the village Baggona were involved in the violence. Hence, all Rohingyas in the village including under-aged children are portrayed as criminals irrespective to whether they have committed crimes or not. And authority is going to arrest all Rohingyas from the village as they announced. Therefore, the village is regularly raided by Police, NaSaKa etc. As result, most of Rohingyas in the village cannot stay in their homes and are on hiding. Is it according to the law or arbitrary arrests and tortures of Rohingyas. If it is according to the law, what kind of law is it?” A. Faiz, a Rohingya from Sothern Maung Daw, exclaimed. 

“At 10:00 AM on 17th September 2012, Noor Hakim, an educated Rohingya youth from Quarter 5 of Maung Daw, was arrested by the police officer Hla Myint, a Rakhine. He was arrested when he was on his way to opening his shop and subsequently charged with unknown cases. (The government ordered to resume their businesses and reopen their shops. When Rohingyas do, they are arrested.) In addition, Noor Hakim was the sole caretaker of his whole family because his father, Abdul Razak, was arrested with other Rohingya scholars in 2008 and locked up for months. When he came out of the lock-up, he was forced to leave the country by the authority. 

Similarly, at 4:00 PM on 18th September 2012, Rabiul Alam (28 years) son of U Ausi Rahman from Quarter 5, Maung Daw was arrested by the same police officer. He was arrested because he refused to give money demanded by the police officer. On top of that, at 8:30 AM on 19th September 2012, a Son of Amir Saab Kamal Uddin from Bohmuu Village of Maung Daw was arrested again by the same police officer. The police officer released him after extorting money amounting Kyat 6 Lakhs. The arrested Rohingyas are taken to the Buthidaung jail after following day of their arrests, where they are tortured to death. It is said that the police officer is the currently in charge of Maung Daw and he is doing all kind atrocities possible to Rohingyas. Besides, he has been a police officer in Maung Daw for decades without any transfer to other places. 

According to district administrator of Maung Daw, the court released an arrest warrant to arrest 190 Rohingyas more. Additionally, he threatened that the actual arrests could exceed the number mentioned. Therefore, every Rohingya in Maung Daw is living his daily life in fear. Moreover, at 8:00 PM on September 19, 2012, a group of NaTaLa and Rakhine extremists together with Military went to attack the Rohingya villagers in DuChira Dang of southern Maung Daw. When the villagers resisted, they left. Yet, the villagers are not being able to sleep in the fear of possible forthcoming attacks” reported by Riyaz, a Rohingya youth, from Maung Daw. 

Though the Burmese government is externally claiming that the situation has calmed down, they have been committing all the atrocities silently. In fact, Arakan has a silent killing field and mass graves of Nazi Extermination Camps where Rohingyas are being cleansed on daily basis.

“Don’t You Feel Rohingya Are Human Being?”

CAIRO – Burma’s opposition leader and democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi opened a two-week visit to the United States on Tuesday, September 18, with the persecution of Bengali-ethnic Muslims, known as Rohingya, overshadowing her tour.

“I am one of the internal refugees of your country living in a muddy and miserable camp of Sittwe,” a displaced Rohingya Muslim says in an open letter cited by Eurasia Review.

“The World knows the reason of being refugees in Arakan State.

Thousands of Rohingya Muslims were forced to flee their homes after ethnic violence rocked the western state of Rakhine in July after the killing of ten Muslims in an attack by Buddhist vigilantes on their bus.

The attack came following the rape and killing of a Buddhist woman, for which three Rohingyas were sentenced to death.

Human rights groups have accused Burmese police and troops of disproportionate use of force and arrests of Rohingyas in the wake of the riots.

Human Rights Watch has accused Burmese security forces of targeting Rohingya Muslims with killing, rape and arrest following the unrest.

“I attached you some statements of Rohingya raped victims,” the displaced Muslim writes in his letter.

“I was informed 500 rape cases. I have hundreds of photo and video evidences which are against human rights. If you want I can send all those evidences to you.”

Suu Kyi, who won the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize for championing democracy in opposition to a ruthless military junta that held her under house arrest for years, arrived in the US on a two-week visit on Tuesday.

The democracy icon will be feted by the US Congress, human rights groups and Washington think tanks.

She will also visit the large emigre community from her country in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and make a series of public speeches from New York to California.

But her visit is expected to be overshadowed by the ongoing persecution of Rohingya Muslims in Burma (Myanmar).

Sui Kyi has been under fire over being silent on the persecution on the sizable Muslim minority.

When asked during her recent visit to Europe, where she was feted as heroine of democracy, whether Muslim Rohingyas are citizens of Myanmar, Suu Kyi said she did not know.

"When you talk about the Rohingya, we are not quite sure whom you are talking about," she said.

"There's some who say those people who claim to be Rohingyas are not the ones who are actually native to Burma but have just come over recently from Bangladesh."

Muslim Rights

The displaced Muslim lamented the democracy icon’s silence on the suffering of the Rohingyas.

“When you said “I don’t know Rohingya” I was so shocked,” the open letter says.

“How could a Noble Prize Winner deny a reality?” the writer asks. “Could you please let us know that based on what documents did you dare to deny Rohingya?”

“If you think that Rohingya history is not reliable, and then you could better form a commission of World historians who could easily decide authenticity of Rohingya history, you shouldn’t deny its existence.”

The letter says many Rohingya Muslims have learnt from Sui Kyi’s struggle for democracy in Burma.

“You encouraged us not to be fear but why do you have fear now,” the writer says.

“Isn’t it for losing power by getting vote in the next election? Or could you please tell us the reason for denial of reality?”

The writer says that the Burmese democracy icon wrote very beautifully about human rights.

“Don’t you feel that Rohingya are also human being like you?”

Described by the UN as one of the world's most persecuted minorities, Rohingya Muslims are facing a catalogue of discrimination in their homeland.

They have been denied citizenship rights since an amendment to the citizenship laws in 1982 and are treated as illegal immigrants in their own home.The Burmese government as well as the Buddhist majority refuse to recognize the term "Rohingya", referring to them as "Bengalis".

Rohingya Woman severely tortured by army and Natala villagers in Maungdaw , Arakan State:

On September 16, in the morning, a Rohingya woman was severely beaten up by the military along with Natala villagers because she went to the Natala village to take back her relatives’ cattle that were taken away by army and local Natala villagers from grazing field, said a villager on condition of anonymity.


The victim was identifies as Arafa (45), wife of late Shafi, hailed from Khonza Bill of Maungdaw Township. She was severely beaten up at the Natala village of Udaung village tract.
On that day, in the morning, the two cattle of Arafa’s relatives was taken away by military along with Natala villagers ( Mogh) while the cattle were grazing in a field nearby Rohingya village.
On information, she went to the Natala village to bring the seized cattle from the hands of military and Natala villagers.

When she reached to the Natala village, she was coerced to bow down the Buddhist Pagoda with her forehead by the Moghs. When she refused, she was severely tortured by them, according to a close relative of the victim.

However, she was released with the cattle after taking Kyat 30,000. Army or Nasaka with the collaboration of Natala villagers are taking away the cattle of Rohingya villagers while grazing in the field, said a local youth preferring not to be named.

According to different sources, the persecutions and religious discrimination are increased against the Rohingya community in northern Arakan State day by day.

EXPERT VIEW: Myanmar's policies to blame for systemic discrimination and should amend its citizenship law

Benjamin Zawacki says Myanmar should amend its citizenship law 

KUALA LUMPUR: A FORMER Amnesty International Thailand researcher said violence against the Rohingya in Myanmar was because of systemic discrimination, which was manifested in law, policy and practices of the Myanmar government.

In his presentation at the Perdana Global Peace Foundation international conference on "Plight of the Rohingya: Solutions?" on Monday, Benjamin Zawacki said the system made such direct violence against the Rohingya far more possible and likely than it would otherwise be.

"In the eyes of the Myanmar authorities, at least as evidenced by the lack of accountability for civilians and officials alike, discrimination also makes the violence and violations somehow justifiable. That is the problem."

The international consultant, a law graduate from Pennsylvania, the United States, said the Rohingya's sufferings began with the 1978 "Dragon King" operation, where the Myanmar army committed widespread killings and rape of Rohingya civilians and mass destruction of mosques and other religious persecution, resulting in the exodus of about 200,000 Rohingya to Bangladesh.

"A similar campaign of forced labour, summary executions, torture and rape in 1992 led to a similar number of Rohingya again fleeing across the border.

"In February 2001, communal violence between the Muslim and Buddhist populations in Sittwe resulted in an unknown number of people killed and Muslim property destroyed.

"Late 2009 featured the pushing back by Thai authorities onto the high seas."

He said that if Myanmar had never put its system of discrimination against the Rohingya into place, these events would not have occurred.

"Eliminating it (systemic discrimination) now is urgently required for a sustainable future peace in Rakhine state and is a human rights imperative."

Zawacki said the core of Myanmar's systemic discrimination against the Rohingya was its 1982 Citizenship Law, which denies the right of nationality to the Rohingya population.

"The law creates three classes of citizens -- full, associate, and naturalised -- none of which has been conferred on the Rohingya.

"Full citizenship is reserved for those whose ancestors settled in Myanmar before 1823 or are among Myanmar's more than 130 recognised national ethnic groups, of which the Rohingya are not one."

Zawacki said the Rohingya, lacking citizenship were, therefore, rendered stateless and subjected to policies and practices which constituted violations of their human rights and fundamental freedoms.

"These include restrictions on movement, forced labour, land confiscation, forced eviction, and destruction of houses, extortion and arbitrary taxation, and restrictions on marriage, employment and education.

A solution to the Rohingya problem, said Zawacki would be for the Myanmar government to amend the Citizenship Law or repeal it, so that the Rohingya could be made citizens.

Three miles Nasaka checked post harrass Rohingyas in Maungdaw

Maungdaw, Arakan State: The Burma border security force( Nasaka) personnel from three miles  checked post have been harassing  Rohingyas’ vehciles driver and Rohingya travelers , according to an elder from Maungdaw.

 “ The Nasaka from checked post  have been asking the drivers to bring their  ID ( White card) to go to the Buthidaung with passangers ( Rohingyas). The drivers have  to bring back the ID card from their home. It need them to return back to Maungdaw and go again with ID to go with vehciles  to Buthidaung.”

 “It is only need the Rohingya drivers , not for Rakhine drivers .”

 The system which the three miles checked post is using  not to travel with Rohingyas owned vehciles. Today, the three miles checked allowed only eight Rohingya vehciles to go Biuthidaung, saida driver from Maungdaw.

 “Most of Rohingyas are using Rohingyas’ owned vehciles  and the Rakhines vehciles are not getting passengers  for their vehciles to go Buthidaung. So, the Rakhine  vehciles owners used this kind of harassment to Rohingya community with the help of Nasaka.”

 The Rohingya who want to visit Buthidaung Jail need to process form 4  from Immangaration department. To get the form 4, all the Rohingyas have to pay 1000 kyats per head, said a Rohingya from Maungdaw who wants to see his brother in Buthidaung Jail.

 “The three mile checked post also asked to Rohingyas to bring the White ID cards together with form 4 , which made people very diffcult to return to their home  in different villages. It mean, Rohingyas lost time and money to travel to Buthidaung,”

Army commits robbery in Buthidaung Township

Buthidaung, Arakan State:  Army personnel from Battalion No.532  committed robbery to the villagers  of Pyin Hla village under  the Prapyin  Thein Tan village tract of Buthidaung Township, Arakan State, on the night of September 15 , according to a local elder who denied to be named.
On that day, at about mid night, a group of army numbering in twelve went to the said village and committed robbery to the villagers. After arrival at the village, the army forcibly entered the houses of rich villagers and arbitrary tortured the family members to show them –gold, ornaments, money and key without giving any allegation. They looted all the money, gold, ornaments from the villagers.
Besides, they also arrested eight villagers and brought to their camp because of not getting any money and gold ornaments from their houses.
The arrested villagers are identified as– two sons of Sham Shu namely -Fayazul Islam   ( 22), Kamal Hussain (18 ),  Amir Faizal (21), son of  Nuru,  Osman (25),son of Ayas, Gaffar Ullah (20), son of Noor Mohamed, two sons of Nurul Islam namely Sayed Islam (14), and Mohamed Shoyeb (22), and  Abdu Rahim (25), son of Basa Meah.  Later, they were released after taking Kyat 200,000 t0 300,000 per each, said a local business man.
The army also disrespected the Holy Quran in the village.  Villagers are shocked seeing the behavior of army, said an elder from the village
They (armies) are from the Military Operation Command (MOC) No. 15 of Buthidaung Township.
Another village elder said, “How the villagers will survive, if the army personnel commit robbery against the Rohingya villagers.” ##
Maungdaw Township:
Nur Hakim (30), son of Abdu Rajak, hailed from Ward No.4 of Maungdaw Town was arrested by police officer U Hla Thein of Maungdaw town police station today, in the morning from his village. His house had already been burned down by Rakhine mob in riots period. The police officer asked him to pay Kyat 300,000 three days before, but he refused to pay the money.  As a result, he was arrested by police today and detained in the police station, said a close relative of the victim.
Besides, Mohamed Khan(18), son of Mohamed Ali, hailed from Ward No.2  of Maungdaw  town was arrested by police officer U Hla Myint, yesterday at about 12:00 noon. Police officer asked Kyat 20,000 for his release, but he was unable to pay the money. So, he was still in detained in police custody, said one of his relatives preferring not to be named.

Recognise Rohingya as citizens, Dr M tells Myanmar

FINDING RESOLUTION: Conference seeks solutions rather than to apportion blame, says Global Peace Foundation president

Perdana Global Peace Foundation president Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad giving a keynote address at the International Conference ‘Plight of the Rohingya: Solution?’ international conference in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. Pic by Mustaffa Kamal

KUALA LUMPUR: THE violence and conflict surrounding the Rohingya community can only be resolved when the Myanmar government recognises the group as citizens, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said. 

The former prime minister said yesterday the country's inability to accept the Rohingya as an indigenous group had led to years of discrimination, oppression and sectarian clashes, most recently seen in this year's ongoing riots between the predominantly Muslim ethnic minority and ethnic Rakhine Buddhists.

"When one group is denied their rights, there will be clashes, there will be oppression.

"It is very unfortunate that people should be killed and houses burnt, simply because the Myanmar government refuses to recognise its own citizens," he said in his keynote address at the "Plight of the Rohingya: Solution?" international conference held at the Islamic Arts Museum yesterday.

Organised by the Perdana Global Peace Foundation (PGPF), of which Dr Mahathir is president, the conference was held to discuss and formulate solutions to the conflict and problems surrounding the Rohingya community, which include persecution, statelessness, violence and mass displacement.

Dr Mahathir said the conference was held not to place blame or judgment on any party, but to find solutions to the conflict.

He said such clashes over ethnic differences and citizenship were similar to Malaysia's experience at the end of the British colonial era, when there was little clarity over the status of Indian and Chinese immigrants, in the country then known as Tanah Melayu.

"We had the same problems as Myanmar upon independence. Initially, many of the Chinese and Indian immigrants who had been brought over by the British returned to their homeland, especially after the 1929 recession.

"However, there were many others who had chosen to stay here, to live here, to regard Malaysia as their home.

"So, when we were struggling for independence, the indigenous people, the Malays, decided that they should accept the Chinese and Indians as citizens of a larger, united state."

He said the Malays had accepted others despite the fact that most of the new citizens had settled in the country for only three generations or less.

In contrast, he said, Myanmar has refused to recognise Rohingya despite the fact that they had settled in the Arakan region since the 8th century.

"If other countries can accept foreigners as citizens, we cannot see why Myanmar should have a policy that excludes a group that has been in the country for more than a thousand years."

He said Myanmar's laws had in turn created problems for other countries, such as Thailand, Bangladesh and Malaysia, where many Rohingya had been forced to take refuge.

"Myanmar has shown its willingness to be part of a world community, as seen through its membership and involvement in Asean. It has shown that it is ready to transform itself from an authoritarian state to a democracy, where the people have to right to choose their own leaders.

"So it would be a shame and a gross injustice if large segments of its population are denied this right."