Tuesday 26 February 2013

Rohingya Citizenship a Burmese Decision: Suu Kyi to Foreign Critics

 Comment -
Suu Kyi should learn History and do home work first to say something about Rohingyas's existence .Rohingya's inhabitant in Arakan was more ancient than her Bama ethnic.  Rohingya law makers were colleagues of her father General Aung San.In 1947 ,19 July General Aung San had a schedule meeting in the evening with Rohingya leaders .Unfortunately he along with some cabinet members were assassinated  in the morning meeting on the same 19 July 1947.If he was not assassinated in the morning ,Rohingya leaders Mr Abdul Gaffar,Mr Sultan Ahamed's fate would be the same. 
    Rohingyas are not begging any Rights from Thien Sein and Suu Kyi. They are fighting for regaining their lost Rights that were cunningly stolen by successive Military rgime.
      When other Noble Prize winners  are voicing out for Rohingya's legitimate Rights ,Suu Kyi shamelessly take it to other direction .She is a racist. she is siding all the times when ethnic issues such as Rohingya and Kachin arise.
     She is very dangerous to be good for the non Bamas.

Maung Kyaw Nu,
A former political prisoner of conscience,
BURMA

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NLD leader Aung San Suu Kyi in Burma’s Parliament. (Photo: The Irrawaddy)
NAYPYIDAW—Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has said that Burma “must decide for itself” whether or not to grant citizenship to the Muslim minority Rohingya, but she added that the government “should listen” to foreign experts and uphold international standards in its citizenship laws.

Suu Kyi was responding to criticism by Jose Ramos-Horta, the former president of Timor Leste, and Muhammad Yunus, founder of microfinance institution Grameen Bank in Bangladesh, who wrote in The Huffington Post on Feb. 20 that Burma should amend its laws and grant the Rohingya “full citizenship.”

The two Nobel Peace Prize laureates said Burma was failing to address the ongoing “ethnic cleansing” of the group in Arakan State, western Burma. Other international rights workers have previously also called on Burma to accept Rohingya citizenship.
A 1982 Citizenship Law, introduced by Burma’s military regime, excluded the Rohingya from the recognized 135 minorities in the country, rendering them effectively stateless.

When asked about the criticism in Naypyidaw on Friday, Suu Kyi said, “A country must decide its citizenship for itself, but in doing so it should meet international standards.”
“We should listen to and learn from what foreign scholars say,” she said of her fellow Nobel laureates. “And, finally, we have to make a decision by ourselves if what they say is appropriate in our country’s situation,” Suu Kyi told The Irrawaddy.

The government of President Thein Sein has given conflicting signals on how it seeks to resolve the issue of Rohingya citizenship. Most recently, on Feb. 20, Deputy Minister of Immigration and Population Kyaw Kyaw Win told Parliament that Burma knows “no Rohingya” ethnic group.

Since mid-2012 ethnic violence has plagued Arakan State. Scores of people, including women and children, have been killed and about 110,000 people, mostly Rohingyas, were displaced after inter-communal violence broke out between Arakanese Buddhist and Muslim Rohingya communities, according to UN estimates.

Local Arakanese authorities have been accused of being complicit in the violence against the Rohingya, who are referred to locally as “Bengali’s” from neighboring Bangladesh. Thousands of Rohingya have fled Arakan State in small boats since violence flared.
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Antonio Guterres has repeatedly expressed deep concern over the plight of those who flee on boats into the Bay of Bengal. The UN said about 13,000 Rohingya fled western Burma and Bangladesh in 2012, and an estimated 500 refugees died at sea.

In recent weeks there have been almost daily reports of Rohingya’s being picked up on boats in the open ocean.
On Tuesday, Guterres again called for governments in the Asia Pacific region to work together to end the humanitarian tragedy taking place in the Bay of Bengal.
“This is an alarmingly high number of lives lost, and begs a far more concerted effort by countries of the region both with regard to addressing the causes and to preventing lives being lost,” he said.

“Push-backs, denial of disembarkation, and boats adrift for weeks will not solve a regional problem that clearly needs better, more joined-up, and more compassionate approaches by everyone,” Guterres said
The commissioner referred to some of the approaches taken by regional governments such as Thailand, which, on occasion, has pushed back boats of Rohingya into the open ocean.
The UNHCR said it plans to facilitate a regional government meeting in mid-March in Indonesia on irregular movements by sea in the Asia-Pacific, in order to address the Rohingya refugee crisis.
source -The Irrawaddy news.

Burmese Military shoot two Rohingya man

26/02/2013
Telephonic information from reliable source It is known that  Myanmar army (Military) who are camped at the Rakhine village to the  east of Nurulla Village, Maungdaw township fired two (2) innocent Rohingya man mentioned below.

On 25th Feb 2013 at about 2.00 Pm (Myanmar time) that  victims went to the forest for firewood to cook rice with some villager which is 2 miles far to the east from their village. At about 3:30 pm they were shoot to death.

The next day, 26th Feb 2013 at 7:00 am all the village went to the forest and brought that dead body to the village and inform Maungdaw police camp and Magin Chaung Na Sa Ka camp, No action is going on. Up to now the funeral are not done.

The victims are

(1) Mohammed Roshid   s/o Lal Meya  (32 years old) Nurulla Village  around 4 miles south of Maungdaw. Shoot under the
      right ear and took out the left eye.
(2) Mohammed Sayed   s/o Amir Hamza (42 years old) Nurulla village. Cut both legs and hand.

Earnestly requested to take urgent step to save Rohingya communities lives.
 
Source-Hussain Ali

Rapes by Burmese security forces 'may cause more strife' in troubled region

Teenage victim describes how at least 13 women were raped overnight in Arakan state, which has been focus of ethnic riots.
Over 90,000 Rohingya refugees have been displaced due to violence between Muslim Rohingya and Rakhine Buddhists in Burma, and many are seeking help in Bangladesh. Video from June 2012. Link to video: Rohingya refugees leave Burma to seek help in Bangladesh
At least 13 women, including teenagers, have been subjected to prolonged rape by Burmese security forces in a remote village in the western state of Arakan. Human rights groups have warned that the incident threatens to trigger further violence in a region where several waves of ethno-religious rioting since June last year have killed more than 1,000 people.

The women all belong to the Muslim Rohingya minority, which has borne the brunt of fighting between Muslim and Buddhist communities. One victim, an 18-year-old girl who cannot be named for security reasons, described how a group of uniformed soldiers from Burma's border security unit, known locally as NaSaKa, entered her house in northern Maungdaw township shortly after midnight on 20 February.

"They took us separately to different places and tortured and raped us," she said, referring also to her mother and younger sister, 15. The ordeal lasted until dawn, she said. "They came in and out of the house at least 15 times. They also beat my mother with a gun and dragged her outside to the road and beat her to the ground."
According to the victim, 13 people in the village were assaulted. Chris Lewa, head of the Arakan Project, which has monitoring teams in Maungdaw township, said she had separately confirmed that at least 11 people were raped that night.

The incident comes eight months after the rape of a 26-year-old Buddhist woman by three Rohingya men triggered fierce rioting across Arakan state , and a state of emergency remains in place. Arakanese and Rohingya communities have clashed a number of times. Animosity toward the Muslim group is widespread among Arakanese, many of whom consider them to be illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.

"Sexual violence by Nasaka against Rohingya women has been documented for many years," says Matthew Smith, a researcher with Human Rights Watch, adding that prosecutions are rare for rapes committed by security forces.
Khin Ohmar, founder of the Women's League of Burma, said that such ordeals terrorise the community. "I've heard of cases where rape survivors are kicked out of their village because the village head is so scared of retribution if they complain to the Burma army."

Rohingya Muslims 
  Rohingya Muslim women and boys cross the Naf river into Bangladesh to escape sectarian violence in Arakan state, Burma, in June 2012. Photograph: Munir Uz Zaman/AFP/Getty Images 
  She said that incidents like these happen "every time the army moves into remote areas", and that punishment is normally just transferral to another area "where rape continues but with different women". She thinks that the 20 February incident probably had its roots in "ethno-centric chauvinism and hatred" of the Rohingya.

Following the attacks, villagers fled into nearby forests and across the border into Bangladesh, said Lewa. The victim told the Guardian that she and the other women had received treatment at a local clinic. The extent of their injuries is unclear, although one 19-year-old woman is believed to be in a critical condition.
The protracted violence in Arakan state has left deep scars for communities on both sides. The UN estimates the number of people displaced since June to be around 120,000, the majority Rohingya.

There are fears however that the violence, which initially pitted Rohingya against Arakanese, is increasingly being demarcated along religious lines. Rioting broke out in Rangoon this week after a row over what local Buddhists claimed was the illegal construction of a mosque. The Norway-based Democratic Voice of Burma news organisation also reported last week that the government had placed a ban on all Muslims leaving the Arakanese town of Thandwe, although no official statement has been made.
Buddhist and Muslim communities in Arakan state have now been segregated. In the state capital of Sittwe, all but one Muslim district was razed and emptied last year; the last remaining quarter, Aung Mingalar, whose population swelled from 5,000 to 8,000 residents after fighting broke out, is now guarded by soldiers.

Following a visit to several camps for the displaced this month, UN envoy Tomas Quintana spoke of his concern about aid distribution and freedom of movement. Despite government assurances that displaced Rohingya could eventually return to their homes, Quintana said that stakeholders in Arakan state believed "the current settlements will become permanent".

The medical charity Médecins sans Frontières (MSF) has warned that its staff have received threats from local Arakanese when attempting to get aid to the Rohingya. "It's just awful intimidation and threats of violence from a small but vocal group, through phone calls and on social media," said Peter Paul de Groote, Head of Mission for MSF in Burma.
"Formal permission for access is not the main problem. A big obstacle for MSF is not having enough staff – doctors and other essential personnel are scared to work in Rakhine [Arakan] state." He added that with monsoon season approaching, "we can expect a real humanitarian problem".
source-Guardian ,UK.

Sunday 10 February 2013

FOUR ROHINGYA MINOR CHILDREN WERE SALUTHERED FROM ONE FMILY

 10 February 2012.

Maungdaw, Arakan State: Four Rohingya minor children from one family of Rohingya community were slaughtered and one Rakhine was killed and three wounded by unknown miscreants in Maungdaw north yesterday night, said a village admin office member who denied to be named. 
“On that night, a group of unknown miscreants went to Deen Mohamed’s house of Khazir Bill (Sapaikong) village,under Nasaka area No.5 of Maungdaw north while he was not present in the house. He has been working with GE military at Burma- Bangladesh border.

After entering the house, the miscreants slaughtered all four minor children – Nuruzawma, Rozena Begum,Yasmin Ara and Mozena, aged 10, 8, 6 and 4 (three females and one male) in the house. The miscreants also abducted the mother –Roza- of the children and she is yet to be found.”

The house is out of the main village, at around one Furlong away from the main village Khazir bill, so the villagers did not hear any screaming from the house last night, the relatives more added.

Being informed, in the early morning, a group of Nasaka personnel from Nasaka area No.5 went to the spot, and arrested villagers arbitrarily from the road, and from fishing project while on the way to village, said another villager on condition of anonymity.  
After seeing the dead bodies, the Nasaka did not say anything to the villagers. However, at 3: 00 pm, the police sent the dead bodies to Maungdaw general hospital for autopsy, the villager added.

Besides, last night, at around 1:00 pm, Rohingya villagers heard firing sound from Nga Khura (Rakhine -Myothet) village. So, from nearby Rohingya villagers tried to go to the spot, to see the matter, but Nasaka stopped them from going, said a local business man from the locality.

But, in the morning, the Rohingya villagers came to know that one Rakhine villager was dead and another three Rakhine villagers including U Ba Chit, were wounded, among them two are serious, the businessman added.

At present, in the evening, the Nasaka (Burma border security force) are surrounding the Loung Don village (Rohingya village) to arrest villagers as the Nasaka and local Rakhine villagers believed that the unknown miscreants are neighboring villagers. At around 6:00 pm, 107 villagers (including 26 women and 32 children) were arrested and were brought to the Nasaka camp, according to a local elder.

“A rumor is spread out that there was a quarrel between local Rakhines and   outsider Rakhines, who were hired from Akyab (Sittwe) during the June 2012 violence. The local hired Rakhine goons at the rate of Kyat 10,000 per month. But, the local Rakhines paid only Kyat 3,000 per month. For this reason, there was a quarrel between them. The dead body was identified as a Karate man (black belt) from Sittwe (Akyab), said a Nasaka aide from the area.

Another rumor come out again,” the conflict was occurred between two groups of drug traffickers – U Ba Chit group of Longdu and Akyab drug trafficking group- for 59 million kyat and around 100,000 Yaba tablets. If the concerned authority investigates U Ba Chit, the conflict will be come out real event.

But, Rohingya villagers believe that, “It is a creative event” by the concerned authority to harass neighboring Rohingya villagers with a bad intention, especially Loung Don villagers,” said a local trader who denied to be named.

“How do the Rohingya villagers are dare to kill Rakhine villagers within the Act of 144? Rohingya villagers have no swords, no guns. How did they commit to shot dead one Rakhine and wounded three?  It is totally impossible. At the time of event, the Nasaka was alert and stopped the Villagers to go the spot,” said a Rohingya leader.

But, no one is arrested regarding the event of four minor children, said a youth.
Rohingya villagers fear that in future the authorities’ concerned, local Rakhine villagers accompanied by Natala villagers will create problems to harass the Rohingya villagers. They don’t want peace between to community, said a religious lead

Friday 8 February 2013

Captive Boatpeople in Thailand Plead in Secret Petitions for Access to UNHCR, Families

The UNHCR should have to follow as per mandate of UN regarding refugees. We don't like to hear so called Bali process and OIC engagement from UNHCR officials.

It's my sincere advice to UNHCR Regional officers to follow and respect the UN code of law regarding Rohingays detained in Thailand. There should be same procedure for every refugees. The UNHCR has no right to deal with Rohingya Refugees in different way.Some NGOs and ASEAN PACIFIC governments always divert Rohingya Refugees case in to other direction. Please stop playing Rohingya boat people's fate. Please deal them as human and weigh as per international standard of Human Rights.

Every concerned groups must accept that Rohingyas are not Economic Refugees . They left their centuries old mother land due to genocide of 2012-13.
How some says these persecuted Rohingyas are economic Refugees ?
We would also like to know how many heart breaking letters do UNHCR receive from boat people ?Please send all these to Phuketwan to be published.

We are urging not to play hidden game with these unfortunate Rohingyas ?
Some NGOs always hunt big funds of Rohingyas and make the thing in to wrong direction.Rohingya become a hot cake for some ill motive people.
The Rohingyas always encourage selfless assistance. Thanks a lot to Thai who are honestly helping to the detainees.

Posted by Maung Kyaw Nu,President,Burmese Rohingya Association in Thailand,(BRAT) on February 3



Part of the petition on a t-shirt address to UNHCR and the Thai Government

Captive Boatpeople in Thailand Plead in Secret Petitions for Access to UNHCR, Families

Sunday, February 3, 2013
PHUKET: Rohingya boatpeople being held in detention in Thailand yesterday smuggled out two petitions pleading to have the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees involved in their case.

The group of 93 boatpeople is among about 300 men, women and children being held in crowded conditions at the Phang Nga Immigration Office, north of Phuket.

One of the petitions is written in ballpoint pen in English on a piece of white t-shirt, addressed ''To the Honourable UNHCR and Thailand Government.''

''We want to meet UNHCR,'' it says. ''We demand UNHCR.''

The petition explains that 42 of the 93 boatpeople, who headed for Thailand from the Bangladesh port of Cox's Bazaar, already have refugees cards.

The second petition, seeking a reunion with family members, is addressed ''To the Honourable Muslim Committee, Our prayer for to meet our family.''

It is believed efforts will be made to pass on the petitions to the UNHCR in Thailand and to senior members of Thailand's Muslim community.

Both petitions have been seen and photographed by Phuketwan. Images of the petitions accompany this article.

A Human Rights delegation of officials from Bangkok was allowed brief access to see conditions in the Phang Nga Immigration centre and to interview five of the captive Rohingya yesterday.

Although the petitions appear to have come from a group of boatpeople who departed from Cox's Bazaar, it is believed most of the recent arrivals in Thailand have come from Sittwe, a township in troubled Rakhine state, also known as Arakan.

The arrival of women and children on boats that in recent years only carried men and boys has confirmed fears that levels of desperation among Burma's oppressed Rohingya Muslim minority have grown amid ethnic cleansing and the torching of homes.

Although largely unreported, the Rohingya in Rakhine are said to stll be confined to camps or villages, suffering hunger and deprived of health care and the ability to earn a living.

New arrivals in Thailand have spoken of their desire to reach ''a third country'' and not to be returned to Burma.

The two petitions that appeared on Phuket last night are believed to have been smuggled out of the Phang Nga Immigration centre without the knowledge of most of the visiting delegation.

Originally, the boat from Cox's Bazaar contained 96 people but three of the menfolk - the organisers of the voyage - absconded while the group was being held in an open camp in the Phang Nga port of Kuraburi.

The men were quickly recaptured by local police. Officers reportedly rejected offers of large bribes to allow the men to stay free in Thailand.

It is believed the men were given a stern lecture about the potential for their actions to endanger the well-being of the whole group.

Some of the women and children among the large group being held at Phang Nga were believed to be moving to other holding centres last night or today.

The Phang Nga Immigration centre is thought to have a realistic capacity of less than 100 detainees.

Some of the captives are also likely to be moved to the northern provinces of Thailand - a prospect that is likely to further fragment Rohingya community groups and to split families.

Thai authorities have said they will hold the boatpeople and other Rohingya freed from transit traffickers' camps along the Thai-Malaysia border for up to six months while their futures are decided.

The Foreign Ministry has promised in-principle access to the UNHCR, the United Nations body that oversees all refugee issues, but details have yet to be agreed.

The Two Petitions Smuggled Out by Captive Rohingya


To the Honourable UNHCR and Thailand Government

Sub: Prayer for Refugees
Sir or Madam

We are Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. We want to meet UNHCR. We demand UNHCR. We are two group. One Group is registered refugees. Another group is unregistered refugees.

Registered refugees have card. Unregistered refugees have no card. We are 93 persons. Refugee 42 persons are registered refugee 51 persons are unregistered refugee.

Venue: We hope that to accept our petition. It is more kindness for us: New Cottage Road 4700 Cox's Bazaar.


To the Honourable Muslim Committee
Our prayer for to meet our family

Sir and madam

With due respect and humble submission we most respectfully to start that we are sorrowfully men under your Thailand Government.

Sir We hope that to your mouth saying to left in prison. also we live here 15th days ago, in the prison. Here is most group. They group between 3 group gone to another place but we are not move to another place. Now we are staying in the prison. Also we wanted to meet our family. If you would kindly to meet family. It is very grateful to us. After we are not to know where to live our family.

Venue: We hope that to accept our petition. You would be kind enough to as as soon as you possibility.

Yours sincerely (unintelligible) Rotigue No. 215.

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The UNHCR should have to follow as per mandate of UN regarding refugees. We don't like to hear so called Bali process and OIC engagement from UNHCR officials.
It's my sincere advice to UNHCR Regional officers to follow and respect the UN code of law regarding Rohingays detained in Thailand. There should be same procedure for every refugees. The UNHCR has no right to deal with Rohingya Refugees in different way.Some NGOs and ASEAN PACIFIC governments always divert Rohingya Refugees case in to other direction. Please stop playing Rohingya boat people's fate. Please deal them as human and weigh as per international standard of Human Rights.
Every concerned groups must accept that Rohingyas are not Economic Refugees . They left their centuries old mother land due to genocide of 2012-13.
How some says these persecuted Rohingyas are economic Refugees ?
We would also like to know how many heart breaking letters do UNHCR receive from boat people ?Please send all these to Phuketwan to be published.
We are urging not to play hidden game with these unfortunate Rohingyas ?
Some NGOs always hunt big funds of Rohingyas and make the thing in to wrong direction.Rohingya become a hot cake for some ill motive people.
The Rohingyas always encourage selfless assistance. Thanks a lot to Thai who are honestly helping to the detainees.
Posted by Maung Kyaw Nu,President,Burmese Rohingya Association in Thailand,(BRAT) on February 3,