Monday, 1 September 2014
KNU Chairman Threatens to Withdraw From Ethnic Alliance
By NYEIN NYEIN / THE IRRAWADDY| Monday, September 1, 2014 |
Mutu Say Poe, chairman of the KNU, which is one of the biggest rebel groups in Burma, left the congress of the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC) on Sunday morning in Chiang Mai, Thailand, citing disagreements over policy and the council's structure. He was joined by the KNU's deputy chairman and secretary, as well as a member of its central executive committee and an administrative staffer.
But two other KNU delegates stayed behind—including joint secretary Padoh Mahn Mahn as well as David Tharckabaw, who is deputy chairman of the UNFC—revealing a new schism in the already divided Karen rebel group. On Monday, while the faction led by Mutu Say Poe said in a letter to the UNFC that they were indefinitely suspending their membership in the alliance, the other faction said in a separate letter that they wanted to remain members. Both sides will meet to discuss the matter before making a final decision, the letters said.
The KNU's participation or absence from the UNFC could have ramifications as the government seeks to sign a nationwide ceasefire deal with ethnic rebel groups around the country. While some KNU leaders have been cautious about engaging in peace talks after six decades of civil war, the chairman is more pro-government and enthusiastic about the nationwide ceasefire deal.
He and the four other KNU delegates walked out of the UNFC congress after calling for changes to the ethnic alliance's structure that were widely opposed. "A majority of UNFC members do not agree with the KNU's proposed structure," Nai Hong Sar, general secretary of the UNFC, told The Irrawaddy. "So they [the KNU] said they needed to discuss with their leaders back at their headquarters."
The UNFC is currently led by a chairman and deputy chairman, with a central executive committee and a policy implementation body. Mutu Say Poe proposed a looser structure, with a new "political leadership body" leading policy and the secretariat to implement policy—changes that would likely decrease the KNU's responsibility.
Nai Hong Sar said confusion over the KNU's membership in the UNFC would not spill over to ceasefire negotiations with the government. "It will have no effect on the KNU's representation in the Nationwide Ceasefire Coordination Team (NCCT)," he said, referring to a grouping of 16 ethnic groups, including many from the UNFC, which is preparing to sign the nationwide ceasefire deal. Nai Hong Sar and a KNU secretary Pado Kwe Htoo Win are both spokesmen for the NCCT.
The UNFC is holding its first congress in three and a half years. The meetings were expected to wrap up late last week but were continuing on Monday.
With reporting by Saw Yan Naing.
http://www.irrawaddy.org/burma/knu-chairman-threatens-withdraw-ethnic-alliance.html
Sunday, 31 August 2014
Myanmar to start taking back Rohingya refugees from Bangladesh in two months
Maung Kyaw Nu
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M Shahidul Haque said they would start the process of taking back 2,415 of its nationals it verified earlier.The decision was conveyed at the secretary-level talks on Sunday.
Myanmar's Deputy Foreign Minister U Thant Kyaw led his side to the meeting, known as 'Foreign Office Consultation'.
Foreign Secretary Haque told journalists after the meeting both sides agreed on a number of measures to take the relations forward.
The meeting was held in "open, frank, and cordial" manner that he said indicated "greater understanding between the two countries".
Myanmar side was not present at the briefing.
The Rohingya refugee issue has been the main irritant in the relations.
Bangladesh gave shelter to thousands of refugees who fled the Rakhine province after sectarian clashes over the years.
The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, put the number in Bangladesh at over 200,000 with 30,000 documented refugees living in two government-run camps –the Kutupalong and Nayaparha – within two kilometres of the Myanmar border.\
Some estimates suggest more than 500,000 are living outside the camps in Bangladesh.
According to the foreign ministry, Myanmar took back more than 200,000 of their nationals between 1991 and 2005.
The process has since stalled and Myanmar even declined to recognise those living inside Bangladesh as its nationals.
The foreign secretary, however, believed that by agreeing to take back them again "Myanmar acknowledged that they are their citizens".
He said both sides wanted to strengthen the relations.
"It's (start of repatriation) a breakthrough," he said.
He said a joint working group with members from both sides and international organisations would work on the repatriation process.
Bangladesh sought specific timeline from Myanmar on taking back its nationals in the meeting.
The foreign secretary, however, would not make any "hypothetical comment" on whether Myanmar would take back all of its nationals.
He said they had given the number of Myanmar nationals living in Bangladesh during the meeting.
Both sides also decided to form a joint commission to discuss bilateral issues at the foreign ministers level.
Secretary Haque said the Myanmar foreign minister would visit Bangladesh in January for the meeting.
He said Bangladesh also floated the idea and gave them the draft proposal of "a broader framework" between the two countries to discuss all issues.
There would be eight components under the 'Framework Arrangement on Trust and Cooperation for Development', he said.
These are strengthening the trust; security and cooperation dialogue; trade and connectivity; energy, environment and natural disaster; agriculture and rural development; education, health and culture; sub-regional cooperation; and cooperation in the Bay-of-Bengal.
"It'll be a common platform to discuss the issues," he said.
He said it would be similar to those that already Bangladesh had with India and America.
The meeting also agreed to release prisoners of both sides.
Official figures show 190 Bangladeshis are languishing in Myanmar jails, while the number is 110 of Myammar nationals in Bangladesh prisons.
The import of gas from the Shwe gas field in the Rakhine state has also been discussed.
A consortium of China, India, Myanmar, and South Korea's Daewoo has developed the field and about 800 km of pipeline laid to take the gas to Kunming, in China.
Bangladesh has already got a positive response from China for the gas supply while officials said they would try to convince the others.
The foreign secretary said Myanmar also made it clear that they would have no problem in giving gas to Bangladesh provided there was surplus and other partners agreed.
He said the four-hour meeting also felt the home secretaries of the two countries must meet to discuss border issues.
"We all agreed to strengthen the relations," he said.
Despite decades-old irritants in relations, both Bangladesh and Myanmar work actively at the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) grouping.
The talks on the proposed economic corridor under the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar (BCIM) formation were underway.
A new idea of forming a Bay community with Bangladesh, India and Myanmar, particularly after the resolution of the maritime boundary dispute, is also gaining ground.
Bangladesh is planning road connectivity between Chittagong and Kunming, capital of China's Yunnan province, through Myanmar.
The foreign secretary said they had discussed the revival of a committee for this road link.
"We'll also look into the possibility of one more route (of road connectivity)," he said.
They also decided to ratify the treaty signed in 1999 for border demarcation along the river Naf.
The Secretary said they felt it "extremely important" to have people-to-people contacts.
Myanmar is interested in offering tourism packages with Bangladesh and Kunming.
They renewed the cultural exchange agreement that expired in 2012 for the next five years.
The foreign secretary said Myanmar would send a team shortly to learn from Bangladesh's agriculture, fishery and livestock sectors.
"Overall, I would say it's a breakthrough in bilateral relations," he said.
Maung Kyaw Nu, President ,BRAT • a minute ago
Burma should have to accept all the Rohingya refugees aproximately six hundred thousands not only 2415 . The Rohingyas are really a big burden for poor Bangladesh. Bangladesh leadership must stronger as like as Prisident Ziaur Rhaman. In 1978 ,Zia warned U Ne Win on telephone that if Rohingya were not taken back he would talked to Gaddafi to arm them and send back into Burma . Within one week ,General Ne Win sent his Deputy Foreign Minister Myint Maung to Dhaka to arrange taken back all two hundred thousands Refugees . In 1979 all were taken back except a few who fled into villages and merged with the local people.
Myanmar census shows population 9 million fewer than estimated
Myanmar's first census in three decades shows the country has a population of 51 million people, authorities said Saturday, around nine million fewer than an earlier estimate.
The former junta-ruled nation's last survey was conducted in 1983 and in more recent estimates the government had put the population at around 60 million.
The census, which triggered international concern after authorities refused to allow minority Muslims to register their ethnicity as Rohingya, was conducted in March and April.
"The provisional result of the population in Myanmar is 51,419,420. The female population is 1.7 million more than the male population," immigration minister Khin Yi said at a press conference Saturday.
The full results, including breakdowns by religion and ethnicity, will be released in May next year.
Around 1.2 million people were missed out of the census in parts of western Rakhine state and conflict-torn Kachin and Karen states, according to Khine Khine Soe, an immigration ministry director.
She said the 60 million population estimate was based on the 1983 census and an earlier population growth rate, adding that a declining birth rate may help explain the lower count from the census.
Animosity between Buddhists and Muslims in Rakhine erupted into bloodshed in 2012, leaving dozens dead in clashes and around 140,000 people displaced -- mostly Rohingya.
"We left these areas so as not to harm stability... Even 30 years ago, not all regions and villages were included in the census because of conflicts," Khin Yi said.
Myanmar views the Rohingya as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, despite many being able to trace their family back for generations in Myanmar.
Critics had warned the United Nations and donors in the run-up to the census that the tally had the potential to spark unrest, pointing out controversy over questions of ethnicity and religion in the survey.
An eruption of violence just days before the census began forced humanitarian workers to flee Rakhine, leaving tens of thousands of displaced people without adequate healthcare, food and water.
The riots also left one 11-year-old girl dead. She was killed by a stray bullet after police fired warning shots to disperse angry crowds in Sittwe.
Local Buddhist nationalists accuse the international aid community of favouring Muslims.
The census was largely carried out by an army of teachers and its 41 questions were designed to give policymakers a full picture of the country as it emerges from decades of direct military rule, which ended in 2011.
http://www.mmtimes.com/index.php/national-news/11497-myanmar-census-shows-population-9-million-fewer-Myanmar census shows population 9 million fewer than estimated
than-estimated.html
Ethnic strife blurs Myanmar’s first census in 30 years
Passengers disembark from a ferry onto a jetty in Yangon on Saturday. Myanmar's first census in three decades shows the country has a population of 51 million people, around 9 million fewer than an earlier estimate. | AFP-JIJI
Asia Pacific / Politics
Ethnic strife blurs Myanmar’s first census in 30 years
The provisional findings of the census, taken between March and April with support from the U.N. Population Fund (UNFPA), was released by Minister of Immigration and Population U Khin Yi.
The census was mired in controversy from the outset, as the government and UNFPA were criticized for basing the counting on 135 officially recognised ethnic groups, a classification that critics say is outdated and inaccurate.
Ethnic groups said their political representation and claims to ethnicity would be compromised if they were undercounted.
The estimated population included some 1.2 million people who were not counted in three areas affected by ethnic conflicts: northern Rakhine, and Kachin and Kayin states.
The government said that the estimate of 1.09 million uncounted people in northern Rakhine state was based on pre-census mapping of households by immigration officers.
Much of the controversy surrounded the counting of the Rohingya, Muslims who live in western Rakhine state and who are often described by the United Nations as one of the most persecuted minorities in the world.
The government had promised international sponsors that ethnic groups could choose their classification. But a day before the census kicked off, presidential spokesman Ye Htut indicated that use of the term Rohingya would be prohibited, so those who wanted to identify themselves as Rohingya were excluded from the count.
The government describes the Rohingya as Bengalis, a term that implies they are illegal immigrants from neighboring Bangladesh. However, most have lived in Myanmar for centuries.
Preliminary findings from the census also found a gender gap, with 26.6 million females and 24.8 million males, and it also showed the population pressures building up in the country’s cities.
“For the first time in decades, the country will have data it needs to put roads, schools, health facilities and other essential infrastructure where people need them most,” Janet Jackson, the UNFPA representative in Myanmar, said in a news release.
More detailed data will be released in May 2015.
Credit:The Japanese Time
Please visit here :
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/08/30/asia-pacific/politics-diplomacy-asia-pacific/ethnic-strife-blurs-myanmars-first-census-30-years/#.VAMBTaM38kZ
Friday, 29 August 2014
NEW LESSONS ON KHMER ROUGE HISTORY
Thursday, 28 August 2014; News by David Nathan
With the distance of time – it is 35 years since the Khmer Rouge fled Phnom Penh – the teaching of Cambodia’s traumatic Khmer Rouge period is increasingly mainstream in the Kingdom’s high schools.
But until the arrival of a definitive textbook in 2007, students often missed out on learning about this crucial period of Cambodia’s history.
“Khmer Rouge history was removed from the curriculum [in the early 1990s] for the sake of peace,” explained Youk Chhang, the executive director of the Documentation Center of Cambodia (DC-Cam), an organization that documents stories of Khmer Rouge survivors and perpetrators.
According to Mr. Chhang, during the Paris Peace Talks in the 1990s – in which the Khmer Rouge were one of four political parties at the table – “the UN forced Cambodia to pull out anything about the Khmer Rouge from textbooks because it wanted the Khmer Rouge to join the talks for democracy.”
With Khmer Rouge history off the school curriculum, children were left to learn about this chaotic period piecemeal, from family members and neighbors. But, this education was often heavily subjective, depending on whether the individual was a victim or a member of the Khmer Rouge. Moreover, many who survived the four-year period had such painful memories that they did not want to speak to the next generation about.
“This deprived an education to an entire population born after the Khmer Rouge,” Mr Chhang said.
In 2002, DC-Cam started to advocate adding Khmer Rouge history to the school curriculum. A seven-man committee of high-ranking government officials was established to decide on its inclusion. The motion was supported with a vote of four to three.
To date, half a million copies of the textbook have been printed and distributed to 1,700 schools nationwide. It outlines a basic history of the Khmer Rouge, covering such topics as: the formation and rise to power of the Khmer Rouge; life under the regime, and the reasons that led to its leave. It also includes witness testimony and illustrative photographs, as well as small profiles on leading members.
There are efforts to digitize the textbook so that it can be read on iPads and other digital devices, which should broaden its appeal among Cambodian youth. The book is available in Khmer and in English.
In 2012, DC-Cam conducted its first evaluation of how Khmer Rouge history was taught in schools. They found that many teachers and students were motivated and passionate about the subject. But the subject also provoked resentment and confusion.
“It is a very political and sensitive issue,” said Mr. Chhang. “Many teachers were survivors or perpetrators themselves. And the children’s parents also experienced life under the Khmer Rouge.”
DC-Cam noted that a number of teachers neglected to use the textbook. Instead, they taught their own versions of Khmer Rouge history. Others went beyond the curriculum. In a handful of cases, teachers sold the textbooks to students.
This evaluation also raised concerns that students’ understanding of history was affected by contemporary politics. Mr. Khamboly, the lead author, commented during the 2013 national election that the election “put Khmer Rouge history in a troubled spot, through the resurgent politicization of the history, genocide denial and racist incitement.”
The Cambodia People’s Party (CPP) and opposition groups, including the Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP), use the legacy of the Khmer Rouge for political tit-for-tats. The CPP is keen to stress that they were the ones who overthrew the Khmer Rouge and brought peace to Cambodia. The opposition frequently charges that the CPP is a puppet of Vietnam, and, at times, indulges in a “historical revisionism.”
The teaching of Khmer Rouge history is now compulsory in Cambodia. Questions on the subject appear on all high school final exams. It is estimated that less than a million high school students have access to the textbook, meaning some students share copies. Yet, this is seen as an improvement on the conditions prior to 2007, when an entire generation of students was denied an education on a key turning point in their nation’s 20th century history. i
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/4044/new-lessons-on-khmer-rouge-history/
Source: Nation
Thursday, 28 August 2014
Forcibly collected population data in Maungdaw Township
Maungdaw, Arakan sate: Police and army accompanied by immigration forcibly collected so-called population data in Maungdaw Township including south and north, said Hakim from the locality. "On August 25, at Raja Bill village of Aley Than Kyaw village tract of Maungdaw south, the police and army along with immigration— forced the villagers to take part in so-called data collection."
The police officer of Aley Than Kyaw camp sent warrant letters to 38 villagers of Raja Bill village on August 24, for not coming to the camp for giving list in so-called population data collection. So, a group of police went to the village on August 25 to arrest them, showing the warrant letters, said a local elder preferring not to be named.
However, the police arrested five villagers and brought to their camp where they were threatened and forced them to give promise that they will participate in population data collection and also they have to organize other villagers. After that they were released, the elder added.
The police also said, "If the villagers do not take part in the population data collection, they will be jailed six months per each."
As a result, 11 families were participated in population data collection, but other family members fled away from the village to avoid harassment of the police. The police ordered to the rest villagers to come to the police camp within August 30, to take part in so-called population data collection, said a businessman from the locality.
Police forcibly collected population data from the following families:- Sayedur Rahman (70); Mohamed Hassan(55), son of Fazal; Moulvi Mohamed Rashid (40), son of Mogul; Habi Ullah( 40), son of Mahadu; Abdul Alim ( 45), son of Kala Meah; Abdu Salam ( 70), son of Fozu; Ms Zubaira Begum (35), Daughter of Kala Meah; two brothers Ismail (35) and Salamat Ullah (50), son of Fazal Ahmed and Habi Rahman (60), son of Abu Jalil, according to a village leader.
Besides, today ( on August 28), a group of police, army and immigration went to Naya Para ( Wra Thait) village of Powet Chaung village tract of Maungdaw north, and arrest 10 villagers including males and females as refusing to participate in population data collection, said Jasim ( not real name) from the village.
The arrested villagers are identified as— Ms Taslima (17), daughter of Jalal Ahmed; Ms Sanowara (20), daughter of Baila; Ms Monowara (18), daughter of Dila; Ms Yasmin (20), daughter of Serazul Islam; Ms Parmin (18), daughter of Mohamed Shoffi; Ms Yasmin (17), daughter of Mohamed Khasim; Saiful (45); Shomshu Alam (25); Ayub (30), son of Abul Khasim; and Moulvi Mohamed Sayed (70), he more added.
The village Administration officer Kamal Hussain, police agents—Mohamed Shoffi, Mohamed Ali and Islam gave full cooperation to the police to get population data collection. All the arrestees were handcuffed by police and some young girls were beaten up severely for closing doors of their homes, said a local youth preferring not to be named.
The village has 70 families and the police are able to collect census most of the families. They wrote "Bengali" in placed of "Rohingya"in the Form.
The Burmese government will announce that they are successful in collecting census in northern Arakan and the villagers willingly participated in the so-called population data collection, said a politician from Maungdaw who denied to be named.
Wednesday, 27 August 2014
UNHCR IS ADVISED TO DO MORE HOMEWORK AND GROUND WORK BEFORE REPORT !
Maung Kyawnu I really irritate of UNHCR report and ground works in regards of particularly Rohingya boat people and refugge in general . They should have to do more homework before producing the report .We are very concerned of poor report of UN .
http://www.unhcr.org/
Don't think the word 'Rohingya' was mentioned until the end of the 4th page of this informative report that is totally watered-down in its bureaucratic vocabulary.
Still, a must read for what is to come in the next few months.
Greg Constantine
You Will Have to Kill Us, Editor Tells Navy
The BRAT members are distrubed of the case against international prize winner journalists of Phuketwan. We do hope that NCPO will do the best infavor of both journalists though they are completelly innocent . Due to the disturbance to Phuketwan ,the traffickers are freely running their works . We receive heartbreaking news around the clock from Rohingya victims from trafficker's concentration camps .We wish the best for Phuketwan and its journalists.
Maung Kyaw Nu
You Will Have to Kill Us, Editor Tells Navy
Will the Rohingya, driven from their homes, spend the rest of their lives segregated in ghettoes?
There is little sign of reconciliation or effort to bring the two communities together again: More than two years after they were driven out, Muslims who used to live and work in Sittwe are still barred from entering the city, and thousands of Rohingya may spend the rest of their lives in prison-like displacement camps, with no hope of going home and a perilous voyage by sea as the only way out.
Further deteriorating the situation, Rakhine leaders have proposed a plan that would make the segregation permanent - on paper - and force all undocumented Rohingya to live in detention camps.
Others say it underscores the irreconcilable differences that may separate them forever.
In the meantime, their lives are precarious.
..http://www.trust.org/item/20140827082155-p627d/Tuesday, 26 August 2014
UN ADVISOR NAMBIAR CONCLUGES TRIP TO BURMA
UN Secretary-General's Special Advisor to Burma Vijay Nambiar (foreground), is pictured at ceasefire talks in Rangoon on 18 August 2014. His assistant, Miss Marian, and KIO Deputy Chief of Staff Gen Gun Maw sit behind him. (PHOTO: DVB) - 26 August 2014
The UN Secretary-General's Special Advisor on Burma Vijay Nambiar on Monday concluded his eighth official visit to the country in the past year, after a week in which he met a host of senior officials in Naypyidaw, discussed the resumption of international aid with community leaders in Arakan State and attended a round of ceasefire talks in Rangoon as an observer.
According to a UN statement, Nambiar attended tripartite talks between the a government delegation, ethnic representatives and political party leaders on 18 August in Rangoon, where he "conveyed a key message to all stakeholders to take a leap of faith and to set aside all narrow agendas in the common interest of peace and a unified Myanmar [Burma]."
On Friday in Naypyidaw, the UN special advisor was received by President Thein Sein and held discussions with senior officials, including: Foreign Minister Wunna Maung Lwin; President's Office ministers Soe Thein and Aung Min; Minister for Immigration and Population Affairs Khin Yi; and the new chief minister of Arakan State, Maung Maung Ohn.
Nambiar did not, on this occasion, meet with Burmese opposition leader Aung Sang Suu Kyi, whom he spoke with on an earlier visit in July.
Visiting restive Arakan State, where communal mob violence has forced 140,000 people from their homes and into shelters over the past two years, Nambiar discussed with local authorities the need for the urgent resumption of humanitarian aid, saying such a move "would help address prevailing tensions and pave the way for sustainable solutions".
But the UN envoy was met in part with resistance among members of the Arakanese community who took exception to his views on human rights and citizenship with regard to Rohingya Muslims.
Khine Kaung Zan, a representative of the Wonlet Foundation, said, "We told the UN envoy that the Bengalis [Rohingyas] should follow and respect the Constitution and laws of our country. And, we told him, we know from experience that some external influences are supporting the Bengalis."
He added that the Arakanese Buddhist representatives urged the UN special advisor to ensure that aid is provided equally to both communities in Arakan State by international agencies.
Three Vietnamese Activists Jailed on ‘Politically-Motivated’ Charges
Three Vietnamese Activists Jailed on 'Politically-Motivated' Charges
Three activists in Vietnam were sentenced on Tuesday to up to three years in jail on what human rights activists call phony and politically motivated charges of causing public disorder after a one-day trial in a southern province.
The activists were accused by the authoritarian government of causing public disorder by creating a "serious obstruction to traffic" while they were on their way to visit a former political prisoner in February.
The People's Court of Dong Thap province ordered prominent blogger Bui Thi Minh Hang to be imprisoned for three years, while fellow blogger Nguyen Thi Thuy Quynh received a two-year sentence, and Nguyen Van Minh, a Hao Hao Buddhist sect follower, got a two-and-a-half-year term.
Police had held more than 50 supporters of the defendants in a bid to prevent them from attending the one-day trial held amid tight security, a blogger told RFA's Vietnamese Service.
None of the relatives of the three activists were allowed in the courtroom during the proceedings.
U.S.-based Human Rights Watch condemned the sentences, saying the Vietnamese government made up the charges to punish the three for their activism.
"The sentencing of these three activists to prison terms on such bogus charges is outrageous and underscores the ease with which the government and the [Communist] party have their way with the country's politically controlled courts," Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director of Human Rights Watch, told RFA.
"Bui Thi Minh Hang and her colleagues have been railroaded into prison for simply exercising their right to associate and assemble with other persons, and for daring to use their voices to show solidarity for others facing persecution at the hands of the Vietnamese government," he said.
The verdicts did not come as a surprise to the trio's lawyers and family members.
"In any country that has no rule of law, a person could be found guilty for whatever reason [the government wanted]," Ha Huy Son, one of four lawyers representing the activists, told RFA's Vietnamese Service.
Tran Bui Trung, the son of Bui Thi Minh Hang, told RFA that he and his family were "very disappointed" by the verdict.
Other arrests
Prior to the trial, local police were deployed around the courthouse to prevent supporters of the three accused and other activists from attending the trial, the human rights website Vietnam Right Now reported.
Activists in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City had been confined to their homes, while some of those who made it to the province were arrested or locked in their hotels.
On the eve of the trial, local police raided the hotel where Bui Thi Minh Hang's daughter and son-in-law were staying and confiscated their national identification cards in an attempt to prevent them from attending the trial, the report said.
The U.S. government expressed alarm over the jailing.
"The use of public disorder laws by Vietnamese authorities to imprison government critics for peacefully expressing their political views is alarming," the U.S. embassy in Hanoi said in a statement Tuesday, calling for the unconditional release of all political prisoners.
Approximately 150 to 200 activists and bloggers are serving prison time in Vietnam simply for exercising their basic rights, activist groups say.
Although Vietnam is a member of the Geneva-based U.N. Human Rights Council, it has been criticized by international human rights groups for harassing and jailing bloggers and government critics as well as repressing religion freedom.
Reported by An Nguyen for RFA's Vietnamese Service. Translated by Khanh Nguyen. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.
The possible causes of Islamophobia in Burm
Dr Paul Fuller: Buddhist Studies
On 21 August the Venerable Sitagu Sayadaw (Bhante Ashin Nyanissara) addressed the vising US commission on International Religious Freedom at the Sitagu International Buddhist Academy in Sagaing, Burma. Venerable Sitagu Sayadaw is one of the most prominent and revered Buddhist monks in Burma. After giving a personal reflection of the history of the various world religions, and commenting on how they have existed peacefully throughout history the Venerable Sitagu Sayadaw then gives his views on Islam. I have copied the entire speech here without my own comments. Many would regard this as hate speech. It must be stressed that these are the words of a very prominent Buddhist monk.
For those wishing to understand the reasons for religious conflict in Southeast Asia this speech could provide some strong clues.
There are six major Religions in the world today. Since Human beings came on Earth, people worshipped the Sun, the Moon and various deities. They also sought refuge in them on the basis of fear. It was called a primitive religion. Most of scholars stated that horror initiated the religions of those days. The Buddha also clearly said that the idea and concept of religions originated from fear. Therefore every religion has full responsibility for the removal of fear which is sticking on the mind of people. But, on the contrary, it is regrettable that a fearful religion and its followers emerged in the world. After the primitive religions there appeared Hinduism. And afterwards, Jainism also came out on the Land where Hinduism was being flourished. Forty years after the emergence of Jainism, there appeared Buddhism also. Buddhism appeared on the birth place of Hinduism and Jainism and peacefully coexisted with them for ages. There was no traceable history of bloodshed and conflict among them. Also there was no violence and quarrel even on the statement issued by the Hindus saying that the Buddha was an incarnation of God Vishnu. We had only oral and written arguments. Six hundred years after the Buddha, Jesus Christ appeared in the World. In the ten commandments of Christianity we find many similarities with Buddhism in the field of Morality and Noble practice. Christian missions tried to flourish their faith when they came to the East Asian countries such as India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Korea and Japan. The people of those countries were non-Christians. But, even after the arrival of Christianity also there was peaceful coexistence between Christians and non-Christians. No history of conflict can be traced to any side. Because all the Hindus, Janis and Christians are walking together on the common platform of their respective teachings, that is Morality, Loving-kindness and compassion. The religion, founded based on Loving-kindness and compassion, has no conflict and it does only social welfare services like Health, Education and other social infrastructures.
In Myanmar, many Christians converted to Buddhism in the past as well as at the present. They did it not because they were forced by the Buddhists. Similarly, many of Buddhists also converted to Christian faith. No single Christian threatened them to do so. They did it of their own free will. Every religion has and should have freedom of worship and freedom of belief. Look at the Crusade that prolonged about forty years. It was recorded in the history of the world.
We have to note that the beginning of conflict is aggressiveness and extremism either in the field of religion or that of politics. Today, in Iraq, the Islamic extremists are forcing ancient Zoroastrians to change their faith into Islam. They even threatened them to kill if their demand is not met. In Africa, a Muslim woman was given the death sentence just because she has converted to Christianity. Therefore, we, the East Asian Buddhist countries are living in constant daily fear of falling under the sword of the Islamic extremists. As we are lacking power and influence, we cannot compete against with the rapid growth of Islamic world.
There was a recorded history that in the thirteenth century A.D, a Muslim army marched from Turkey through India and destroyed Pala Buddhist dynasty and converted it into Islamic state. Pala Buddhist dynasty was none other than present Bangladesh. In the south of Philippine, the Islamic extremists revolted against the government for twenty years. Today, they established a Muslim state there. The Islamic extremists are holding weapons in the south of Thailand to make it a separate Muslim state.
Every religion, according to me, should perform its activities only for the good and welfare of the people. But, today, Islamic extremists are trying to establish Islamic states by waging war against non-Muslims. It is regrettable that they are performing the holy war (Jihad) on the name of God.
Myanmar regained its independence from British in 1948. They colonized Myanmar for nearly hundred years. Many Africans were imported as slaves when the United States of America was established. In the same way, the English rulers illegally imported labourers from India and Bangladesh to Myanmar for the hard labour during their rule.
There is also another bad consequence caused by English colonial rule. During hundred years of British rule, Burmese nationals were not formed as an army. But it was ridiculous that the English rulers administered Myanmar forming different groups of indigenous minorities as an army. When the British rulers went back to England, the minority groups revolted against the Burmese government. We cannot solve those problems until today. These are the natural sufferings faced by the colonial countries.
There is one more important thing that during the British colonial rule, many illegal immigrants from Bangladesh entered into the Rakhine state. In 1948-49, by the name of Mujtahid, those illegal immigrants revolted against Burmese army. Their intention was to establish separate Muslim state. Burmese army had to confront the Islamic Mujahidins. Today, they neither claim themselves as Bangalis nor claim Mujahidins. But, claiming themselves as Rohingars, they are trying to demand a separate home land. They also burned their houses by themselves as if it was done by Burmese Buddhists.
We cannot compete with the Islamic world which is the second most powerful and wealthy. Islamic countries occupy the second largest portion even in the United Nations.The entire speech is available here.
The mass media of today is also overwhelmed by the power of money. Most of mass communications such as radios and televisions are controlled by the Islamic world which has sound economy. As we are unable to fight against such a powerful media, the world is not ready either to believe or accept whatever we said. But, we were deafened by the loud explosion of the whole world when the Islamic world says something bad about Myanmar. It was the power of Islamic Medias that made the image and reputation of Myanmar bad. Therefore, we, as the Buddha taught, have determined to objectively care and protect our country and our nationality avoiding two extremes: favour and fear.
Honorable gentlemen – in conclusion, I would like to say that Myanmar is facing various problems and difficulties. Because it was under the colonial rule for nearly hundred years and even after the independence, it was fighting civil and communal war for nearly sixty years. Many organizations from abroad came to Myanmar with the intention of solving such problems. But, instead of solving it, we found that they sometimes made the situation worse and worse. Therefore I would like to request you to find a better solution for such problems. The next one, what I would like to say is that the Myanmar government is now trying to establish internal peace and stability with the intention of ceasing civil war and communal violence. At this crucial Juncture, some religious extremists are frustrating with provocative statements and actions. I would like to request you to give your hands in the process of solving problems and conflicts. A methodical approach is essential for the peace process. It is also necessary not to make things from bad to worse and more complicated. As devout Buddhists, we also promise that we are going to solve these problems without violence and we will do it firmly standing on the teaching of the Buddha, that is tolerance, forgiveness, serving society, sacrifice for others and rationality.
And in Burmese here.
The preliminary remarks by the United States Commission on Religious Freedom, following their 5 day visit to Burma is available to read.
Thanks to Dr. Maung Zarni who shared much of this material online