UN leader says Myanmar tensions could spread

Source AFP,

UNITED NATIONS — UN leader Ban Ki-moon warned Saturday that Muslim-Buddhist unrest in Myanmar's Rakhine state could hit the country's landmark reforms and spill across borders, a UN spokesman said.

Muslim leaders have made prominent calls at the UN General Assembly for action over the deadly unrest which Ban raised in talks with Myanmar's President Thein Sein and the head of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

Thein Sein, who has embarked on fast-paced reforms in Myanmar, promised Ban he would tackle fallout from the unrest, UN spokesman Martin Nesirky said.

But Ban later told Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, secretary general of the 57-nation OIC, the Rakhine troubles must be "treated carefully because of the potential wider implications of the Rakhine issue on the overall reform process in Myanmar as well as on other countries."

Fighting between Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine erupted in June. According to an official toll, about 90 people have been killed but rights groups say the figure is probably much higher.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) accused Myanmar forces of opening fire on Rohingya Muslims, an accusation denied by the government.

Myanmar's government considers the estimated 800,000 Rohingyas to be foreigners while many ordinary Myanmar people say they are illegal immigrants from neighbouring Bangladesh.

But Bangladesh has stopped Rohingyas from crossing the border and prevented aid groups from helping more than 200,000 Rohingyas in the country, according to HRW. The New York-based rights group says this is to send the message to the Rohingyas that they should stay in Myanmar.

Ban and Thein Sein discussed the Rakhine fighting "and the immediate and long-term perspectives to promote intercommunal harmony and address the root causes of the tension there," said Nesirky.

"The president confirmed the country would address the long-term ramifications of this question," he said.

The Myanmar leader vowed before the UN General Assembly that he would seek to tackle the problems in Rakhine state.

Ban also called for "concerted efforts" to end the government's war with ethnic rebels in Kachin in the north of the country where the Thein Sein has led reform efforts over the past two years.

Thein Sein has been in New York at the same time as opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, and in a landmark speech to the General Assembly praised her efforts for "democracy."

"The secretary general commended the president's political vision and leadership and encouraged him to continue to focus on the reform process and on its consolidation."

Ban organized a ministerial meeting of the Friends of Myanmar group on Friday with representatives from the United States, European Union, China, Japan and other states.

Ban's special advisor on Myanmar, Vijay Nambiar, said ministers hoped progress made in Myanmar over the past year "will continue and result in the strengthening of democratic institutions and forging peace with all ethnic and religious groups in the country."

NDPHR (exile-HQ) & BRAFA demonstration in Milwaukee-Wisconsin, USA

by NDPHR(exile),

A demonstration was held at Veterans Park in Milwaukee City on September 22, 2012 and it was organized by the Burma Task Force-USA in coordination with its members, the National Democratic Party for Human Rights (exile-HQ), Burmese Rohingya American Friendship Association (BRAFA), and Islamic Society of Milwaukee (ISM). This demonstration was actually, organized to show strong support, solidarity and also to advocate the suffering cause of Burmese Rohingya ethnic minority in Arakan State in line with 100 cities nationwide rally in USA.

About 250 people were participated in the demonstration from above-mentioned political, human rights and social welfare parties including American individuals to send strong messages to the Burmese quasi civilian government led by President Thein Sein, and extremist Rakhine political leaders to stop immediately the atrocities, genocide and ethnic cleansing against the Burmese Rohingya ethnic minority people in Arakan-Burma.

photo- NDPHR(exile)

 Kyaw Soe Aung @ Shaukhat MSK Jilani, the General Secretary of NDPHR (exile-HQ) and Acting President of Burmese Rohingya American Friendship Association (BRAFA) addressed in the gathering and also Bro. Salah Sarsor (ISM Shura Member) gave a short speech and he encouraged to all participants to take part in the future event .

The speech of Kyaw Soe Aung is as follows. Please open the attached file to see demonstration pictures.

Speech in the Rally on 09-22-2012

Today, we, the members of the National Democratic Party for Human Rights (exile-HQ), Burmese Rohingya American Friendship Association (BRAFA), ISM members, American friends and supporters have gathered here under the banner of BURMA TASK FORCE-USA in line with the program of 100 cities nationwide rally for the downtrodden and suffering Muslims of Arakan and it is an honor of our most respectable guest, the Nobel Peace Prize winner and icon of democracy in Burma who has been awarded Congressional Gold Medal and Global Citizenship Award in USA.

The rally is being organized not for showing disrespect to DASSK. We come here to show respect and honor to DASSK who is our honorable guest in America for whom we tried our best to release her from 15 years of house arrest. We appreciate and proud of her peaceful democratic struggle, extraordinary courage and bravery in challenging Burmese military regime and her patience and endurance as well as her steadfastness in the struggle of establishing democracy in Burma during the course of 1988 student led democratic uprising and 1990 election period.

We stood firmly behind her in the past and still today we are with her non-violent struggle for the establishment of people’s representative democratic government in Burma. Burma is a diverse country with multi-ethnic community people.

In fact, we, the Rohingya people have been accepted by DASSK when she gracefully accepted our party NDPHR and our honorable national political leader U Kyaw Minn (aka) Shamsul Anwarul Hoque in the rank of Committee Representing the People’s Parliament (CRPP).

DASSK is the last hope for the Rohingyas who can solve the problems by advocating the Rohingya cause under the Charter of Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).

We are very grateful that DASSK has already spoken out about the Rohingya Muslims during her interview with RFA. However, we would like to appeal DASSK to stand for justice, to speak out and raise Rohingya issue within the reach of her capacity in the future with more strong voice in Myanmar Parliament and in the world media for the dignified survival of the Rohingyas in their native homeland-Arakan.

Now, I want to tell you a little bit of Rohingya Muslim’s identity and their rightful claims of indigenous and citizenship rights. According to reliable and authentic historical documents, Islam reached to in old Arakan in 788 A.D. while Muslims merchants and Missionary teams used to travel to China and Indochina peninsula. The king of old Arakan of Chandra dynasty rule resettled many Muslims and after that, many Muslims entered in groups and individual way that were settle down also in Arakan.

The most historical evidence was the year 1430 when Muslim army (our Forefathers) under the command of General Sindikhan and General Walikhan with a combined force of 60, 000 army restored the king of Arakan Naramikhla (Sulaiman Shah) to dethrone of Mrauk Oo dynasty. We, the Rohingyas are the decedents of that brave heroic Muslim army who are native people of present Arakan. So, we have every right to claim our ethnicity and citizenship status in Burma.

Today, the claims of Rakhine extremists, racist historians, ruling RNDP leaders and even, President Thein Sein who say the Rohingyas are Bangali, foreigners or illegal immigrants from Bangladesh who entered in Burma during the British colonial rule or Bangladesh liberation war is completely false and fabricated.

The current President Thein Sein led Burmese quasi civilian government and ruling Rakhine political party leaders have forgotten about Rohingyas’ existence and its democratic history in Burma. During the previous democratic U Nu government from 1948-1962, Rohingyas were recognized as one of the indigenous races in Burma with members in Parliament and Cabinet having a program as an indigenous people in the official Burma Broadcasting Services (BBS) and participation in official “Union Day” celebration of Burma’s racial groups in Burmese Capital city (Rangoon) every year.

In addition, according to 1947 Constitution, 1947 Burmese Residence and Registration Act, 1948 Burmese citizenship law, and 1974 Burmese Constitution, Rohingyas are Burmese citizens and no anyone can deny these historical and constitutional facts.

In Burma, the condition of the Muslim Rohingyas started to get worse when the military dictator General Ne Win seized the state power from the civilian democratic Government in March 1962 and installed an autocratic rule under the name of “Burmese Way to Socialism” with his idiosyncratic policies. Since then, Muslims especially, the ethnic minority Rohingyas have been subjected to campaigns of terror, genocide, mass arrest, rape, torture, extra-judicial killings, burning villages and houses, destroying Mosques and worship places, demolishing Muslims’ ancient monuments and historical shrines, restriction on marriages and travel movement and other massive human rights violations at the hands of successive Burmese Military Government and its supported Buddhist Rakhine racists.

 

The current genocide and ethnic cleansing of Muslims in Arakan in the month of Jun has made many destructions and loss and more than 100.000 thousands of Muslims in Arakan became shelter less. 150 Mosque and Islamic Institutions plus historical monuments, were destroyed and burned down by the Rakhine Buddhist people aided by the Burmese security forces. Thousands of Muslims were missing and many Muslims properties, shops and lands were forcefully confiscated by the State government. So, Thein Sein led Burmese government is fully responsible for the loss and destructions of all those.

 

The present situation in Arakan State is very much complex and Muslims are now in constant fear like hostages in Arakan. President Thein Sein led Burmese government is claiming that the situation in Arakan is under control, calm, and restore to normalcy after visiting OIC delegation, US officials from the Department of State and President Thein Sein’s appointed Enquiry of Investigation Commission as well as some Muslim country’s delegation such as Turkey, Indonesia, and Malaysia and also giving limited opportunity of access to some humanitarian organizations and journalists. It seems the world people and international communities believe that the situation of Arakan is very much improved and normalcy has been restored.

In reality, the situation is worst and the Muslims are suffering and victimized more than before. The people are still there not able to go outside and to buy day to day needed foods and other household items and the people who are in the concentration camps are getting a little bit relief foods, but, those who are living in their homes in Sittwe Downtown area are facing starvation due to foods shortage because they are not able to go outside to buy foods. The President Thein Sein government imposed an Emergency order 144 in the Muslims living townships of Arakan State. This Emergency Order 144 only applied to the Muslims. That is why, Muslims cannot move anywhere for whatever reason. Buddhist Rakhine people are free to go anywhere and also to do regular business. Burmese security forces are Rakhine Buddhists and therefore, they help, support and cooperate to their fellow Rakhine people in various ways to kill and attack the Muslims.

According to reliable news information recently, Rakhine Party leaders and majority Rakhine Buddhist people have reached an informal consensus that Rohingyas uprooted by the violence and now living in makeshift camps outside the Sittwe Town will not be allowed to return to their original places for any reason. And also there is a report received from inside Arakan that extremist Rakhine leaders and Buddhist monks are collecting and restoring lethal weapons in the Monasteries to kill the Rohingyas in their next plan of attack.

All in all, I want to say that the situation of Rohingya people in Arakan State is very bad and miserable. Muslims are helpless, defenseless; shelter less and no place to go. The Burmese government made them prisoners in their own country. So, the President Thein Sein led Burmese quasi civilian government is ultimately responsible for these tragedies on the Rohingya people. 

I, therefore, on behalf of the National Democratic Party for Human Rights (exile) and Burmese Rohingya American Friendship Association (BRAFA) call upon the Burmese government the following demands :-

1-     Restore Rohingyas citizenship rights on the basis of 1947 Burma Constitution by repealing 1982 inhuman and unjust citizenship law,

2-     International independent Commission of enquiry and monitoring teams must be allowed to access the affected areas and the crises of the genocide victims in Arakan,

3-     Re-establish all the affected and victimized people in their original places with appropriate compensation from the government for rebuilding houses, Islamic schools, Mosques, Shops and business centers etc.,

4-     Allow international relief organizations and local relief teams to provide foods and other commodities to the affected and internal refugees in concentration camps and other scattered area,

5-     Return all the shops, properties, and business stores owned by the Muslim Rohingyas forcibly taken away by the Rakhine State government to the rightful owners,

6-     Stop immediately ongoing mass arrest, silent killings, rape, torture in jail, looting properties, burning houses and demolishing Muslim worship places etc.,

And, we also request the US government administration and United Nations to implement the following demands:-

1-     Put strong pressure and signals on the Burmese government to stop immediately the atrocities, ethnic cleansing and genocide against the Muslim Rohingyas in Arakan,

2-     Deploy UN peace-keeping forces in Arakan in order to protect the Muslims from further genocide, ethnic cleansing and all other atrocities and human rights violations against the Muslim Rohingyas,

3-     Investigate thoroughly the humanitarian crisis of Arakan and take appropriate action to the Burmese security forces together with ruling Rakhine Buddhist RNDP leaders and members who committed burning, killing, looting, torturing and crimes against the Rohingyas in Arakan and brought those masterminds and culprits to the International Court of Justice (ICC) to face action,

The End,

Max Zubair Ahmad @ Maung Ni
Milwaukee – Wisconsin State, USA.
Contact Tel: (414) 306 1751, (414) 736 4273

Violence continues against Myanmar’s Rohingya Muslims

Source Press-tv, 29 Sept

A Rohingya Muslim woman is seen crying on an intercepted boat trying to flee a deadly hate campaign in Myanmar. (File photo)

Extremist Buddhists have once again laid a brutal siege to areas where the Rohingya Muslims are residing in Myanmar's Rakhine State, reports say.

The extremist Buddhists have surrounded the Muslim areas of the state capital Sittwe as well as the city of Maungdaw and have set up several checkpoints.

According to media reports, people in the besieged areas stay indoors because they are terrified of the ongoing deadly sectarian violence. Families have lost their income as most of the men have fled the area in fear of being murdered by the extremist Buddhists.

Myanmar's army and police have been deployed to the region but they have turned a blind eye to abuses of the Muslims by the Rakhine Buddhists.

This is while the army and the police forces have raided several houses and abducted dozens of Muslims including women and there are reports of sexual abuse of the female detainees.

In an incident, the police forces raided a house in the Marjalipara village in the Rakhine State on Thursday and took a woman and her daughter when they could not find the father of the family. The army forces sexually abused the abductees and finally released them after receiving money.

The silence of the human rights organizations towards abuses against the Rohingya Muslims has emboldened the extremist Buddhists and Myanmar's government forces.

The Buddhist-majority government of Myanmar refuses to recognize Rohingyas, who it claims are not natives and classifies as illegal migrants, although the Rohingya are said to be Muslim descendants of Persian, Turkish, Bengali, and Pathan origin, who migrated to Myanmar as early as the 8th century.

According to reports, thousands of Myanmar's Rohingya Muslims are living in dire conditions in refugee camps after government forces and Buddhist extremists started burning down their villages on August 10.

The UN human rights authorities blame Myanmar's security forces for the violence, who are believed to have been targeting the Muslims rather than bringing the ethnic violence to an end in the country.

TNP/JR/SS

About 75,000 Rohingyas in Myanmar camps: Refugee International

Source The Hindhu, 29 Sept

AP A refugee carries a child in Baw Du Pha refugee camp in Sittwe, Rakhine State, western Myanmar, on August 1, 2012.

Up to 75,000 Muslim Rohingyas are housed in temporary camps under poor conditions, four months after violence broke out between Buddhist and Muslim communities in western Myanmar's Rakhine state, Refugees International said Saturday.

"There are somewhere between 65,000 to 75,000 Rohingyas living in camps in Sittwe," said Sarnata Reynolds, programme manager for statelessness at the advocacy group for refugee rights.

Although the camps in the state capital, located 500 kilometres north-west of Yangon, are receiving humanitarian aid from the United Nations and Medicines Sans Frontiers, sanitary and health conditions were bleak, it said.

"We went to a school that has 1,800 living in it in one big room with two latrines and no showers," Ms. Reynolds said. "There is acute malnutrition and some cases of tuberculosis." A Refugees International team was permitted last week to visit eight camps for Rohingya refugees in Sittwe.

The refugees have been living in the camps since mid-June when communal fighting in Sittwe forced the vast majority of the Muslim Rohingya population to flee.

Out of the 12 Rohingya neighbourhoods previously in Sittwe, one remained. Its estimated 8,000 residents have been barricaded into the neighbourhood.

"This community was able to defend themselves during the violence, but now they are restricted to their neighbourhood," Ms. Reynolds said. "If they leave, they face attack or arrest." An informal system of traders is providing the community with food, she said.

Refugees International called on the Myanmar government to take steps towards bringing the Rohingya displaced by the violence back to Sittwe and in the long term to provide citizenship for the Muslim minority group.

The Rohingya, who number about 800,000 in the three northernmost Rakine townships, have been legally discriminated against in Myanmar for decades.

Their statelessness dates to the 1982 Citizen Law, which identified 135 ethnic minority groups in Myanmar. It excluded the Rohingya and stipulated that people of Indian and Chinese descent who could not prove their ancestry predated the 1824-1948 colonial period were not entitled to citizenship.

The plight of the Rohingya came to world attention with the June clashes, which left at least 89 dead and about 90,000 displaced.

About 3,000 Buddhist Rakhine were also displaced by the violence and they also continue to live in temporary camps, Ms. Reynolds said.

Condition of Sittwe and Maungdaw towns from afternoon of 28 Sept

By NDPHR(exile),

The Rakhines about 3,000 with long swords, knives, and catapults and involving hundreds of monks from the front surrounded the Aungmingala (Mole Fara) Quarter until additional 400 military forces deployed there.

(Photo sent by Thuya)

According to internal sources, Rakhines are frustrated with the government for not fulfilling their 18 demands made in Mayu Conference held in Rathedaung town on 25-26 Sept. The demands include to remove the muslim villages along the main communication streams in the Rakhine state that requires the removal of the surrounding muslim villages beside the both Sittwe Universities.
However, gathering of such large number of Rakhines was with false incitement by Rakhine leaders that one of the Rakhine boy (Aung Naing Oo) missing was killed in Rohingya village etc..

(This is the pic of  the boy and his mum who said to be lost in Rohingya village. Despite Rakhine leaders tried to hide him to keep continuous blame on Rohingya, the mother frankly appeared a few hours later of he was found in somewhere but in the Rohingya village.)

In Maungdaw, several villages- Mraung Fara near Kiladaung, Quarter 3, Quarter 4, Quarter 5, Dil Para and Hawabil were surrounded by Rakhines and began various attacks.
According to ARU(media), yesterday some Rakhines from Natala village near the Rohingya village Kiladaung tried to kill a Rohingya boy from Mraung Fara near Kiladaung. But the villagers rushed on the spot after hearing the boy's screaming. The villagers followed the Rakhine kidnapers and snatched the boy from Rakhines` hands. Later, the Rakhines entered again in the village with the help of army and harassed and tortured villagers. In fact, the Rohingyas in these villages expressed grave concern over their security and feel need of International Peacekeeping Forces for their protection.

The Psd. Thein Sein did curtail intl pressures by delivering kind speeches at the 67^th UN General Assembly in New York on Thursday 27 Sept whether they are true or not that the people inhabiting in our country, regardless of race, religion and gender, have the rights to live in peace and security. A national level independent investigation commission has been established to investigate to ensure impartiality, the composition of the Commission is made up of representatives from all strata of the society, including the widely respected personalities from the Buddhist, Muslim, Christian and Hindu faiths.

(According to Maung Min, the 18 demands made in Mayu Conference held in Rathedaung town on 25-26 Sept, are as follow);

1.To build strong fence both along the sea and land of the western border of Myanmar as there are illegal inflow of foreigners.

2.To render full support in setting up economic zone in the Rakhine state with the lead of Rakhine people in order to refill the shrunk population.

3.To enjoy proportionate share of the natural resources of Rakhine state according to the international standard.

4.To prescribed an effective law for controlling the birth rate of Bengali people.

5.To put restrictions on the immovable properties of non-citizens.

6.To form and deploy People's Militia with modern weapons in all villages of Rakhine.

7.To materialize exact practice on 1982 citizenship law.

8.To closely monitor the activities of UN and INGOs in the region.

9.To reveal the roots of  Islamist inside Burma and take action accordingly.

10.To regain the lands of those who fled due to 1942 Muslim-Buddhist riots and after-1948 Mujahid’s revolt and establish the villages for the generation of those on these lands. The resettlement should be on the equal propotion of Muslims and Buddhist.

11. To remove the Bengali villages along the main communication streams in the Rakhine state and also to remove the surrounding Muslim villages of Sittwe University for peaceful schooling of the students.

12. To promptly implement the Saing Tin Water Fall to generate hydro electric power for local people.

13. To assure security of all the government services employee along the border area.

14. To prescribe the curriculum of Madrasa from the concern authority and watch closely whether the same is in action.

15. To execute the words that the president have urged the UNHCR officer on 11-07-20012 regarding Rohingyas. The Rakhine communities whole heartedly support these words and demand to implement the same. 

16. To return the all kinds of lands, lakes, creeks confiscated by the concerned military, department and organization. 

17. To stop the auction system on creeks, streams, seas which are the main sources of family earning for the common people.

18. To quickly implement the rail road, motor road between villages and townships.

Earliest inhabitants of Arakan and Rohingya

Comment of Mohammed Sheikh Anwar on FB,

Again Bengali and Bengali again! At least use the correct spelling of the word "Bengali." And once and for all, Rohingyas are not Bengalis.
Here is the brief history of Arakan.

"The earliest inhabitants of Arakan were a pro-Australoid people called Negritos settled in the Neolithic period. They were known as Rakkhasha (cannibals). They were dark-skinned people much like Africans and Rohingyas of today. They did not look like Mongoloid Rakhines or Maghs of today who falsely claim to be of their descendants. The second earliest people of Arakan were Indo-Aryans (i.e. Indians) followed by Mro and Saks. Their settlements dated back to B.C. 3323. Most of the earliest Kingdoms in Arakan history were Indian Kingdoms namely Dhannyavadi Kingdoms and Vaishali (Vesali) Kingdom. These earliest Indians, that is to say the forefathers of Rohingyas, were the followers of Hinduism, Buddhism and Animism. With the advent of some Arabs as traders and Islamic propagators to Arakan in 788 AD, most of local Indians converted into Islam. It is very important to note that it was Islam that came to Arakan in 788 AD, not Muslims. Yet, the indigenous Indians who had converted into Islam (known as Rohingyas today) later came to mix with foreigners as their settlements continued throughout its historical periods. Usage of the term "Rohingya" in form of "Rooinga" can be found as early as 17th century.

Rakhines of today was the last significant people of single Mongoloid stock to arrive in Arakan with the Mongolian invasion in 957 AD. Later, a new civilization took place as they came to mix local Indians and formed into Indo-Mongoloid people, while many remained purely of Mongoloid origin. And they re-established Buddhism in Arakan but in the form of Theraveda this time. With the continual invasions by the feudal kings of Tibeto-Burman people of Mongoloid stock from Upper and Lower Burma, the people of Arakan were gradually formed to be of more Mongoloid origin and Indian-Originated people consequently decreased or were outnumbered. Therefore, the later Kingdoms of Arakan such as in Lemro and Mrauk-U Periods were rather Indo-Mongoloid or Mongoloid Kingdoms than Indian Kingdoms. However, Muslims (of both Indigenous Indian Origins and foreigners settled in Arakan) played many at times as phenomenon Kingmakers and other very important roles during Mongoloid Arakanese Kingdoms.

Despite being the sons of Indigenous Negritos and Indo-Aryans, today Rohingyas are being labeled as Bengalis and recent illegal immigrants from neighboring Bangladesh. It is perhaps because they look similar to Bengalis in appearance. In fact, Rohingyas, Bengalis, Indians of today's India and Pakistanis etc are generally referred as South-Asians or Indians. They are of single roots. Yet, Rohingyas are linguistically and culturally different from Bengalis."

If the DNAs of Rohingyas to be checked up, it will be similar with the DNAs of South Asians in general which includes Bengali as well. Similarly, Bamas as well as Rakhines also need to get their DNAs checked up. Their DNAs will be similar with Mongolians and Chinese. If Rohingyas have to leave Arakan because they have Indian DNAs in their blood, they will also need to leave Burma and go to China and Mongolia because they have the DNAs of Mongolian and Chinese in their blood. And make Burma a land with no people.

Anyone who is interested to discuss more on Arakan history is warmly welcome but on one condition: he or she needs to be polite.

Ethnic Cleansing Nightmare: Buddhist Bloodstains on Burma's Barren Soul

Source Salem News, 20 Sept

Political Perspective by Tim King Salem-News.com

Warning: Extremely Graphic Photos - CAUTION!

Two Rohingya brothers brutally slaughtered by Rakhine terrorists and security forces and killed in Ah Nauk Pyin village.

(SACRAMENTO, CA) - Just what is it that forces human beings to behave like the most savage beasts? Here are a couple of insights I am gleaning from my work.

First, when committing war crimes, be sure to do a really thorough job of destroying the person or people you attack. Make their final appearance 'unacceptable' to the photo editors and then your murders of civilian innocents will never be seen by anyone!

For example, I have photos from the Sri Lanka government Genocide against Tamils in 2009 where part of a fetus is sticking out of the slain mother's belly. It is just too grotesque to use, so the public never sees it because even hardened human rights and war reporters like myself are too squeamish to do so.

War Crime lesson 2... when your vaunted political heroes show us they are not who you thought they were, give them a big award for doing nothing, such as Barack Obama who stated he would close Guantanamo Bay and instead failed to keep his word and was given a Nobel Peace Prize, or...

"Four years after being awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, Myanmar democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi was finally able to accept the honor in person today." - (Aung San Suu Kyi Picks Up Congressional Gold Medal - 18 Sept 2012 ABC News)

Yeah, this is the one that bugs me. The little birds fly around Suu Kyi's head singing in unison like in a Disney cartoon; in Beyond Rangoon they portray her as having the ability to stand down a whole regiment of soldiers without a word. I spent so many years just smiling if I pictured her face because I thought, 'someday Burma will be free and she will be at the top politically where she deserves to be'. I believed that day would come and that it would always inspire people.

Setting fire to Rohingya villages- an act that was carried out by Rakhine & Security forces

Rohingyas victims in Myanmar

I believe she gave millions faith, only now I realize it is more like false hope. She has already had the opportunity to be a real human rights activist come and go.

The Muslims in her formerly locked down country are being slaughtered in ever increasing numbers by this woman's Rakhine Buddhist brethren and it is one pathetic fucking mess that deserves nothing less that an onslaught of government control.

That won't happen because Buddhists who become killers operate under and as part of a Buddhist state terrorism government, and are among the most dangerous people on earth.

It is exactly what happened in Sri Lanka; time and time again the Sinhala Buddhists led attacks against Tamil Hindus and Christians, and the common denominator is that statue of a fat guy that they all get very intense over.

But it means nothing because these two cultures, it is statistically fair to say, are largely comprised of bloodthirsty people willing to not just kill, but torture and rape and chop human beings into pieces.

The remains of the people they oppose are often found after torturers stuck rods through their bodies and cut off their genitalia; gashing them so that the intestines fall out in
this tragic nightmare of ethnic cleansing.

Rakhines holding weapons during declaring of Act Of Law 144 inside the Sittwe town (2)

Aung San Suu Kyi may have made some comment I don't know about deploring the murders of thousands of Rohingya Muslims since the last time I wrote about this unfolding and unaddressed tragedy- about four weeks ago, but like I said, I don't know of anything like that happening.

But I know from hearing it over and over again on NPR that she won that Congressional Gold Medal.

It sounds like something that you would earn at a sporting event doesn't it?

Who cares, it is pomp and circumstance and the lady gets a bunch of gratitude for having to live under house arrest while other Burmese are just ruthlessly cut down. She wasn't even in jail.

I sound angry because of what I just read before writing this story.

My friend and contact Aung Aung in Sittwe sent photos of what the Rakhine Buddhists are doing each and every single day to the Rohingya Muslims; they are remorseless killers and they are roaming the streets on motorbikes with machetes exactly like when the Hutu began slaughtering Tutsi after the 1994 Genocide began.

Rakhines holding weapons during declaring of Act Of Law 144 inside the Sittwe town- I think the far left sword has blood on tip (1)

Bulldozer Team arrives from Yangon to clear all the buildings of Rohingya in Sittwe downtown. (6)

The code phrase uttered over and over by a pro-Genocide Rwanda radio station, "cut down the tall trees," was a call for the Hutu to start killing the Tutsi.

But the United States isn't saying shit and they do not care. Let me say this again, Hillary Clinton does not care about the terrible genocidal slaughter taking place on her watch and we will NEVER let her forget it and again, the parallels with Sri Lanka's Tamil Genocide are endless.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her entourage of business interests are in my opinion, as I stated before, staring and drooling over Burma like a gang of football players getting ready to nail a 16-year old virgin.

It is a nightmare scenario and the country is one of the few places so expansive in the world that has for all practical purposes, not been exploited by modern business.

Clinton and the U.S. administration are well aware of Burma's past human rights record which is dismal; one of the very worst on the earth, and they failed to address this most important issue when making their business deals and signing contracts, in spite of cries from Human Rights Watch and members of our own team like our Human Rights Ambassador William Nicholas Gomes and myriad other voices.

Bulldozers Team clearing out the Arabic University near Aung Mingalar Rohingya village (1)

Rakhine Terrorists & Security forces marching together towards Rohingya village (Than Taw Li) in Sittwe

Very obviously: Rakhine terrorists are dismantling Mosque in Zailya Para Rohingya village in Sittwe.

The Americans really have lost their soul and while they made deals to earn a bunch of money off Burma's inexperienced back, the Muslims in this Asian nation are being slaughtered like the Jews, Roma and Poles of the 1930's; the Cambodian victims of the Khmer Rouge in the 70's' the Rwandans in the 90's' and Sri Lankans in this new century.

So here is what was reported to my contact from the town of Maungdaw, regarding violent attacks on 16.9.2012 and 18.9 2012:

• 16.9.2012: Salimullah, son of Hanfujja, 38-years old, from Dushiradan (Kadeerbil) went fishing for survival, on the way to home Rakhine from Maungdaw and Bangladesh chopped Salimullah into pieces. When people knew it, they reported the crime to the Kayindan Police Station but police did not investigate the case even when the officers saw the victim was cropped into pieces as an inhuman way.
• 18.9.2012: Dudu Miah and 5 other Rohingyas accompanied 2 ladies travelling from Yaung Chaung, Southern Maungdaw to Khayang Chaung in a Jeep, on their way to Khayang Chaung. Police stopped them and beat them severely; the two ladies were raped by the polices from the police station.
• 18.9.2012: In Minpya township of Arakan State, Chief Police officer, U Saw Pyu, Sergean Kyaw Win and other 3 police raided the house of Zafar, son of Amir Ali while he was not present at home, they took all properties and raped the ladies who were at home.

For those who haven't considered or studied these highly charged issues, rape is traditionally a psychological tool of horror and war used to terrorize populations in ways that no civilized society can even comprehend.

I noted many Afghans who looked Russian, had Slavic features, and then I quickly learned that they were the result of ten years of Soviet soldiers raping women and 'leaving their seed' which is a different type of warfare but nothing new at all of course and totally illegal under international law.

So in conclusion, it is obvious that I am not holding back on the photos because these are recent examples of the debauchery that is coming to define Burma''s Rakhine Buddhists and Aung San Suu Kyi is sure working out for the benefit of the Americans.

Rohingya man from Ward -4 was slaughtered by Rakhine Terrorists very brutally in Pauk Taw Township.

I am extremely troubled and disturbed and hear from many people in regard to this daily 'purge' of otherwise happy, functioning people who have lived in Burma for hundreds and hundreds of years.

One of the favorite claims of the Rakhine Buddhist community is that these indigenous Muslims are 'illegal immigrants from Bangladesh' and this is not only untrue, but Bangladesh absolutely refuses to accept the residents of Burma who manage to take to the water in boats and escape.

One of the saddest pictures I have ever seen is of a Royhingya man pleading to a Bangladeshi soldier not to send he and his family back to a terrible fate.

And the Americans and their little media dogs from ABC and CBS and CNN and NY Times give these suffering people little to no airtime, they all should have their broadcast and print licenses pulled for failing to represent their duties with regard to humanity.

They are about profit, Clinton and her gang are about profit, even Suu Kyi is now about profit, and those who follow a Prophet are being laid to waste in the streets where they were born and raised.

I had a conversation with a friend today who is a U.S. Army Reserve officer; we spent some time in Afghanistan's 'Pesh Valley' where all kinds of terrible things keep happening to Americans fighting there, it is right on the Pakistan border. After this duty he was sent straight to Iraq for the 'surge' and he said they lost a person every 24-hours. One day a kid who was 15-years old rode up to a convoy and blew himself up.

My friend was on the scene, he recalls this kid lying all over the ground torn up and the only thing he thought while looking at the mangled child was, "Wow he has nice hair". He says to this day it is the only thing he can call up about that kid, that day.

When people are moved to commit violence and they follow the call of a government's military or in some cases a religious leadership, they loose touch with the real world.

My friend has just a touch of PTSD and he knows how weird it all is, and seems, but there are coping mechanisms that kick in and aid a person charged with doing this type of work.

Imagine when there are no moral barriers or boundaries, and all women and girls are targets and prizes to rape and abuse and likely kill; consider that for a moment. What the hell allowed Buddhist people to fall so low to the ground?

Two Rohingya brothers brutally slaughtered by Rakhine terrorists and security forces and got dead in Ah Nauk Pyin village, Rathedaung

Rohingya man from Ward -4 was slaughtered by Rakhine Terrorists very brutally in Pauk Taw Township.

Where is Aung San Suu Kyi? Where is the Dali Lama?

Why is the Buddhist community being silent?

These are questions that hopefully we will some day have the answers to.

For now, I hate for the legacy of these murder victims to show such gruesome scenes, but they must be seen and these religious maniacs have to be stopped.

What it all comes down to is that people being crowned as Human Rights champions are often more limited in scope than any of these organizations let on.

For example, I would be shocked if Israel ever gave a medal to a Jewish citizen for saving the life of a Muslim; or if a Christian group gave a Muslim or a Hindu a high level reward; I'm sure that has happened but not very damned often.

Life and humanity are not about taking care of only one kind and ignoring the rest; all of humanity is exactly deserving of the same things according to international law.

So now you know, please do something to help raise awareness, join The Rohingya Awarenss Project on Facebook, thank you!

Below are Government Colonized Proof documents of Rohingya Muslims. As referenced above, the Buddhists of this place like to claim that Muslims are all people who moved across from Bangladesh are are 'illegal aliens'.

These documents clearly demonstrate that is not the case.

---

Tim King: Salem-News.com Editor and Writer

Tim King has more than twenty years of experience on the west coast as a television news producer, photojournalist, reporter and assignment editor. Tim is Salem-News.com's Executive News Editor. His background includes covering the war in Afghanistan in 2006 and 2007, and reporting from the Iraq war in 2008. Tim is a former U.S. Marine who follows stories of Marines and Marine Veterans; he's covered British Royal Marines and in Iraq, Tim embedded with the same unit he served with in the 1980's.

Tim holds awards for reporting, photography, writing and editing from traditional mainstream news agencies like The Associated Press and Electronic Media Association; he also holds awards from the National Coalition of Motorcyclists, the Oregon Confederation of Motorcycle Clubs; and was presented with a 'Good Neighbor Award' for his reporting, by the The Red Cross.

Tim's years as a Human Rights reporter have taken on many dimensions; he has rallied for a long list of cultures and populations and continues to every day, with a strong and direct concentration on the 2009 Genocide of Tamil Hindus and Christians in Sri Lanka. As a result of his long list of reports exposing war crimes against Tamil people, Tim was invited to be the keynote speaker at the FeTNA (Federation of Tamil Sangams of North America) Conference in Baltimore, in July 2012. This is the largest annual gathering of North American Tamils; Tim addressed more than 3000 people and was presented with a traditional Sri Lanka 'blessed garland' and a shawl as per the tradition and custom of Tamil Nadu

In a personal capacity, Tim has written 2,026 articles as of March 2012 for Salem-News.com since the new format designed by Matt Lintz was launched in December, 2005. Serving readers with news from all over the globe, Tim's life is literally encircled by the endless news flow published by Salem-News.com, where more than 100 writers contribute stories from 23+ countries and regions.

Tim specializes in writing about political and military developments worldwide; and maintains that the label 'terrorist' is ill placed in many cases; specifically with the LTTE Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka, where it was used as an excuse to slaughter people by the tens of thousands; and in Gaza, where a trapped population lives at the mercy of Israel's destructive military war crime grinder. At the center of all of this, Tim pays extremely close attention to the safety and welfare of journalists worldwide. You can write to Tim at this address: tim@salem-news.com. Visit Tim's Facebook page (facebook.com/TimKing.Reporter)

"Ongoing situation of Sittwe town in the present of international pressure and aid workers"

compiled by NDPHR(exile)

From today afternoon, Aungmingala (Mole Fara) village has been surrounded by about 2,000 Rakhines involving monks from the front and chanting to leave all 'kalars'. Military and police forces are already there and just watching the activities.
Yesterday evening, a Rohingya boy from the same village accompanied with a military going to the market, was took over by Rakhine gang and the military too was threatened. When police followed the scene, the boy was found throwing near the drain.

The observers say the attacks would be developed by night. This is only village exist in the town and as a result of non-stop disturbances by Rakhine, most of the villagers had been sneaked out from this village. So, the lives of a few remaining villagers mixed of Kaman and Rohingyas are in the worst.


Maungdaw town
27 Sept (Kaladan Press): Today, 3 Rohingyas- Mohamed Shafi-21 s/o Habi Rahaman, Azizullah-23 s/o Abul Kalam and Habib Ullah-25 s/o Abu Taher from Soung Hodar Bill village of Kyandaung village-  were arrested and detained by the Burma's border security force (Nasaka) over the allegation that they went to Bangladesh.
According to a local villager, a group of Nasaka personnel from the Nasaka camp of Aley Than Kyaw accompanied by a collaborator Biala went to their homes at night and arrested them with the fabricated case while they were sleeping. After arrest, they were severely beaten up on the spot and brought to their camp by the Nasaka personnel where they were detained in the camp and demanded Kyat 500,000 per each to be released.
Besides, on 25 September, 6 Rohingyas were arrested by the Nasaka personnel of Nasaka-out post camp of the Nasaka area No.(5) of Maungdaw north. Of them, two arrestees are identified as Mv Rashid s/o Sayed Hussain and Salim Ullah s/o Nukmal from Hoktuma village under the Ngkura village tract. They have been detained in the camp, so far.  Nasaka personnel demanded huge money for their release.
(Kaldan Press): A Rohingya youth, Mohamed Alam-35 s/o Shofi Rahaman from Tharat Oo village, was killed by the Burma border security force (Nasaka) of Kawar Bill Nasaka Headquarters yesterday night and and the dead body was not handed over to his parents. He was arrested by the Nasaka of  Kular bill Nasaka  personnel of Nasaka area No.(6) on September 15, from his house over the allegation that he was involved in the recent riot between Rakhine and Rohingya community. After arrest, he was brought to Kyigan Pyin (Kawar Bill) Nasaka headquarters, where he was severely tortured and detained.
(Kaladan Press): Today, the armies decided to construct three army camps at Maungdaw south of Aley Than Kyaw, Horsora and Kyauk Pandu (Shita Purika) villages. The armies accompanied by Sayedullah (Nasaka agent from Aley Than Kyaw ) are collecting Kyat 10,000 and two-big bamboo per house. The villagers have to provide forced labor in future to build the army camps. Rohingya villagers are forced to pay money, materials to those constructions.
There is an agreement between Burma and Bangladesh not to build any army camp within 16 miles from zero-line boundary. The Burmese army's attempt to build army camps within the restricted border area is acceptable to Bangladesh or not.

OIC urged to help with Rohingya crisis

Source Gulf Times,

Foreign Minister Dr Dipu Moni has urged the member-states of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) to contribute to addressing of the root causes of the Rohingya problem.

She urged the OIC to help in the rehabilitation of the internally displaced Rohingya popupation and reconciliation between Muslim and non-Muslim communities in the North Rakhine State of Myanmar.

She was speaking at the first meeting of the OIC Contact Group on Rohingya Muslim Minority held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on Wednesday on the sideline of the 67th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, a foreign ministry official in Dhaka said yesterday.
She said that Bangladesh has been extremely sensitive and supportive to Myanmar's Muslims from North Rakhine State.

In strict compliance with the principle of non-refoulement, Bangladesh has been hosting hundreds of thousand of Rohingya refugees on Bangladesh soil, in co-operation with UNHCR, the official quoted the foreign minister as saying.

The foreign minister said, it is important to address the issues of citizenship rights of the Rohingyas, and their continued trafficking and emigration. While citizenship rights is at the core of the problem, a large number of them have left the North Rakhine State for secured livelihood opportunities in Bangladesh, Asean countries and Gulf countries.

She emphasized that these two issues merit comprehensive solutions for the sake of peace and stability of the Rakhine State.

She also held a bilateral meeting with the Pakistan Foreign Minister, Hina Rabbani Khar, on Wednesday at the United Nations Headquarters.
The two ministers reviewed bilateral relations and exchanged views on issues of common interests at the UN and other multilateral fora.

An appeal for peace in Rakhine State

Mizzima news, 27 Sept

(Commentary) – One thing that kept the military regimes in place in Burma for more than 60 years is the ability of the Burmese military to divide and rule. They have used divide and rule tactics between Burmans and ethnics, between Burmans and Burmans and between ethnics and ethnics. They have also used divide and rule tactics between Rohingya and Rakhine.

Tun Khin of the Burmese Rohingya Organization UK. photo: screenshot

My older relatives tell me of a time when there wasn't the same level of mistrust or even hatred between Rohingya and Rakhine. There was no voice of opposition heard from any quarters, including Rakhine, over the recognition of Rohingyas as an ethnic group during U Nu's era.

My relatives remember government radio broadcasting in the Rohingya language during U Nu's time as prime minister. I remember as a child playing with Rakhine friends and visiting each other's homes to eat.

The reasons for the current level of mistrust and violence between the communities are many, but by far the greatest reason, and at the root of why the situation has become so bad, are lies and propaganda that began to be spread about the Rohingya when Ne Win became dictator.

Ne Win rewrote history, invented Burmese propaganda and lies, and introduced discriminatory policies against the Rohingya. Some of these policies where enshrined in law, such as the 1982 Citizenship Law, while others were in practice, increasing harassment by security forces and discrimination.

Decades of lies and propaganda, underpinned by the 1982 Citizenship Law, which stripped us of citizenship and the rights that come with it, have institutionalized the hatred and discrimination. Of course there were always some tensions, as there often is when two communities of different ethnicities and religions live side by side. But Ne Wins lies and propaganda encouraged those differences, and encouraged hatred, rather than building community cohesion and understanding.

It breaks my heart to see the situation in Rakhine State today. There is so much suffering. In the recent violence and then the attacks by government forces, mainly Rohingya have suffered, but I know that some Rakhine people have suffered as well.

Aid being promised by Muslim countries and the international community could be used not just to assist in the current humanitarian crisis, but also for long-term projects to fight poverty and promote development in Rakhine State.

International donors should not just be talking to the government about aid and development. Instead they should talk to local community leaders, and let us work jointly together to promote development that not only helps both communities, but also in the process promotes communal understanding and brings us closer together. Let both sides experience first-hand the benefits of us working together, how it will benefit both communities. Because fighting poverty together, as well as politically struggling for democracy and human rights, united and working together, we are all stronger.

Rohingyas with a long history in Arakan are an integral part of Burma's society. All Rohingya people want is to live peacefully in Burma, with our human rights respected.

Burma is our homeland. It is impossible to force all Rohingya people out of the country. The only solution is for us to work together to find a way to live peacefully together.

That means Rakhine trying to understand the situation from a Rohingya perspective, and Rohingya also trying to understand the concerns of Rakhine. They are living together with their Rakhine compatriots in the same place, drinking the same water and breathing the same air.

There is no point in being antagonistic to each other. It hurts all of us, our children and their children to come. Unless both Rohingya and Rakhine cultivate the political will to change this situation, we both suffer.

Divided we all suffer. The only winner is President Thein Sein and the military and ex-military, which have oppressed us all for so long. Let us revive our traditional relationship for the sake of our children. Let us work together on democratic principles with mutual respect, love and affection.

That is my appeal to all Rakhine.

---

Tun Khin is president of the Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK. His grandfather was a parliamentary secretary during the democratic period in Burma.

Relief aid ship finally sets sail

26 Sept, Source Malaymail

Sinar Bima carrying 500 tonnes of relief items for victims of Myanmar conflict

by Azril Annuar

Location: 

KLANG

HIGH SEAS: The Sinar Bima, with the Jalur Gemilang on its bow, leaving Port Klang for Myanmar after it was flagged off by Muhyiddin yesterday - Pic: ASHRAF SHAMSUL AZLAN

KELAB Putera 1Malaysia's humanitarian aid trip to Rakhine, Myanmar, was finally flagged off when the cargo vessel Sinar Bima left Port Klang's North Port yesterday.

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin flagged off the vessel at 10.50am. It carried 500 tonnes of food, medical supplies, medication and other relief items in 40 containers.

Muhyiddin said that as an Asean member, Malaysia has a commitment to assist its neighbours involved in any conflict.

"This humanitarian trip will assist everyone regardless of whether they are Muslims or Buddhists. It's a honourable mission and it's not an easy task," he said.

"The club has taken up the challenge to provide assistance and support to those who need it there.

"Their initiative will send a global message that Malaysia is always keen to help its neighbours. However, I do believe this is just a temporary relief exercise and it will not be permanent.

"I trust the Myanmar government is doing its very best to find an amicable solution to the problems there."

He urged the Malaysian aid team to be alert at all times as the area is not stable.

Club president Datuk Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim, who is leading the team, said they have the Myanmar government's support and will be protected by a military convoy.

Asked whether they are prepared for possible violence, akin to the ill-fated Somali mission which saw the death of Bernama TV cameraman Noramfaizul Mohd Nor in September last year, Abdul Azeez said they have had "training".

"We are have undergone training and we also have bullet proof vests. However, our embassy at Yangoon said the vests are not needed. Only the military carry firearms," he said.

Abdul Azeez and the team will depart from LCCT and land in Yangoon International Airport. From Yangoon, the team will travel by land for about 900km till it reaches Sittwi City in Rakhine state.

The advanced team is expected to leave on Friday and the main team will be leaving on Monday.

The vessel will be heading for Yangoon Harbour and from there, a tugboat will lead it to Sittwi Harbour.

About two months ago, a murderous wave between the Buddhist Rakhine majority and the Muslim Rohingya minority erupted in the Rakhine state of Myanmar.

The violence started after it was reported on May 28 that a 26-year-old Buddhist woman had been raped and killed by Muslim men. Three Muslim men were detained the following day.

The incident lit the fuse for communal violence in the area. On June 3, about 300 Buddhists attacked a bus in Taungup, killing 10 Muslim men, reportedly in front of policemen and soldiers who did not intervene.

List of Rohingya arrested from Maungdaw town after the departure of investigation commission

E-mailed via Mohd Junaid on 26 Sept,

..

UAE briefed on Rohingyas

Source Khaleej times, 26 Sept

UAE Foreign Minister Shaikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan has held meetings with Singaporean Foreign Minister K. Shanmugam, Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Muliana Natalegawa Panamanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Roberto Henriquez and Myanmarese Foreign Minister Wunna Muang Lwin on the sidelines of the 67th United Nations General Assembly session in New York.

The meetings discussed relations of cooperation and ways of enhancing them in various fields in addition to exchanging views on a number of political and security issues of common interest, particularly relating to the Middle East, including the Syrian crisis.

Shaikh Abdullah at a meeting with Myanmarese Foreign Minister Wunna Muang Lwinon on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session in New York. —Wam

The Myanmar FM briefed Shaikh Abdullah on the latest security situation in his country especially on the violence against Muslims in Rohingya stressing that his government is addressing the problem on various dimensions.

Indonesia's Marty Muliana Natalegawa, during his meeting with Shaikh Abdullah, sought the UAE investments' programmes in his country, stressing the importance of developing economic and trade relations between the two countries.

Thida Htwe's case, Tomas Ojea Quintana and Dr Maung Zarni

Letter of A.F.K Jilani,

Dear All,

What we knew is from the beginning to  the end the case was fabricated and a big plot against the innocent Rohingyas. The both Thein Sein and Rakhines were behind the plot to justify the violence and show the world community, Rohingyas are trouble shooters in Arakan.

But a matter of regret is that one of our Muslim brother, head of a Organization's letter to Aung San Suu Kyi mentioned that, we Muslims are regretted  for the incident where one of our Muslims young man was involved. We must not admit what is really not true or take blood in own hands, murdered by another murderer. I was deeply sorry to read that letter. Is not a historic blunder?

Dr Maung Zarni, is one of the main speakers on the Plight of Rohingya:solution? At Kl's Perdana Global Peace Foundation, headed by Dr Tun Mahathir, former Prime Minister of Malaysia. A noted exile from Mandalay, Maung Zarni is the only Burmese academic with Buddhist background who has unequivocally denounced Burma's  popular racism in connection with cleansing of the Muslim Rohingyas. In his wonderful speech had referred Thida Htwe's case. No rape was committed according to the medical report. The main accused Thek Thek is not a Rohingya. He is a Rakhine. He was killed at the police custody. His mother or wife was killed later. Very much sensitive issue it is indeed. Truth can not be hidden. His point is really a glow at dawn .  Thida Htwe's Case Reality must be proved. May it be wise enough to suggest Tomas Ojea Quintana or any UN inquiry commission or UN Official to visit Kyauknimaw to investigate the case of Thida Htwe. If we could prove the allegation of the govt is wrong, half the battle would be won by us. If do not prove the case would go on as it now. The culprits of Thida Htwe's murder with rape were not Muslim Rohingyas according to the natives of her village. Her villager Ibrahim [the husband of Reju's sister-in-law],  narrated that her mother attempted to disclose the name of actual perpetrator, but the authority never allowed her. He wanted her hands which was rejected by her. So-called perpetrator that that's father was a Rakhine adopted by the Muslims. As Dr.Shwe Lu Maung is not a Rohingya but a Muslim by faith, Maung Kyaw Win was also not a Rohingya but a pure Rakhine. Saying that Thidathwe was raped and murdered by Rohingya is wrong. So you all are requested to inform Thida's case to Quintana and other concerned authorities.                      U Thein Sein's forces do not allow to buy Rohingyas rice and other commodities for fasting and survival. The govt of UThein Sein's intention is to kill Muslim Rohingyas by keeping them starve and to drive out of the country with the cooperation of local Buddhists, the Rakhines. The Rakhine, historically known as 'Maghs' are very pleased by getting their long desired chance to massacre the Muslim Rohingyas of Arakan. Specially, the Maghs who came from Bangladesh are more cruel than the butchers. They brunt down the houses while the Muslim young and old are sleeping. They looted the Muslim's belongings and tortured the Muslim mercilessly, while the forces of U Thein Sein were enjoying by looking on the agonies and suffering of the Muslims as if their sworn enemies are victimized by the U Thein Sein Forces and the blood-thirsty Buddhist Rakhines. U Thein Sein is fiddling while the Muslims are burning. The Buddhists get the license to kill the  Muslims from U Thein Sein who never stop them in demolishing the mosques during the last water festivals of mid April 2012. Last Friday U Thein Sein forces locked scores of mosques and arrested Imams and Moazims and devotees. The govt, the opposition [ though it leader is the winner of Nobel Peace Award], all the Buddhist people of Burma are united [ Birds of a feather flock together], to eliminate or to finish to drive out the Rohingya Muslims from Burma, though the Muslims' blood was saturated for Burmese independence, since Byatta (1044)  to Sayagy  U Razzak(1947).

An Open Letter from Ashin Gambhira, Part I

Source The Best Friend Intl e.V, 24 Sept

Today we commemorate the five-year anniversary of the Saffron Revolution. We all remember the pictures of tens of thousands of Buddhist monks marching peacefully through the streets of Rangoon, chanting the Metta Sutta, calling for dialogue and national reconciliation. 

 

We also recall the violent crackdown by Burmese military forces. Monks and laypeople alike were shot down on the streets, monasteries raided and destroyed. Monks were taken away to prison cells and labor camps. Many had to flee the country and are living in exile until now. Others simply vanished.

The following is an open letter by U Gambhira (aka Ko Nyi Nyi Lwin), one of the leaders of the Saffron Revolution. He was sentenced to 68 years’ imprisonment for his involvement in organizing the peacefull protests. He was forcibly disrobed, put in solitary confinement and tortured. Since his release on January 13, 2012, he has been under constant watch by plainclothes police, following his every move. It became impossible for him to stay in a monastery, which forced him to disrobe. And he is still suffering from the aftermath of the torture he was subjected to.

U Gambhira (aka Ko Nyi Nyi Lwin) has always said he doesn’t want to leave his country. But with his bad health situation and lack of proper medical treatment in Burma, he has recently applied for a passport in hopes of going to Thailand for medical treatment. His application has not been approved for many months now.
This open letter is an appeal to the Burmese government and the international community to help U Gambhira to get the medical treatment he needs, as well as a condemnation of the strife between Burmese Buddhists and Muslims, and a background on the lead-up to the 2007 Saffron Revolution.

Ashin Gambhira’s Letter – Part I
“Alex, I have been trying to write to you regarding my health conditions/concerns. Due to the aching in my head and eyes, it has been very difficult for me to write – even one paragraph. Anyway, I will try to write about the difficulties I faced in the past and the problems I am facing now in order to let everyone know.

“It has taken some time to reply to your mail because I have been writing to the Sangha (Monks) about the 5th anniversary of Saffron Revolution and the wrongful protests in Mandalay [on September 3rd, 2012, thousands of protesters, including hundreds of monks, marched in support of the president’s proposal to deport the Rohingya Muslim minority group].

The early beginnings
“To eradicate the dictatorship in Burma/Myanmar, I started organizing Buddhist monks and nuns from different Buddhist schools who have the same ambitions and convictions as me in 2003/2004. The organizing process wasn’t very effective with my education, which I have had to pay attention to on the other hand. In addition, I didn’t have any support or help for this particular organizing purpose. We had to keep up our work with the donations from our respective individual donors. We had to work really hard without any funds or offices dedicated to the purpose. Despite all the austerities, we managed to organize around five hundred Sangha members at the end of 2005.”

Military intelligence spreading anti-Muslim propaganda
“During this organizing process, we came across a group of military intelligence officers discreetly distributing books such as “Desert Flower” and several other books written in Burmese language that are against the teachings of Gautama Buddha and meant to create conflicts between Buddhists and Muslims.

“The military intelligence had managed to put these books in the hands of young Buddhist novices or monks. Several false statements in those books have actually convinced some Sangha members, and it is very sad to see them believe in something that is false. Those kinds of books could introduce religious extremism, segregation, racism and violence into society. Our Sangha team has tried to eradicate those kinds of propaganda initiated by the military intelligence during our journey of organizing the Sanghas.

“In fact, I actually read those kind of books, and was almost convinced myself when I was a novice at around the age of 18 and 19. After I was ordained as a monk at around 21, I started to see the truth and got rid of these false extremist beliefs. I was able to do that because of the knowledge from Buddhist teachings, my politician father’s ideas, and my own political experiences.

“Since I was young, I have always been reading real-life books and Buddhist teachings and texts at the same time. After reading the books of Mahatma Gandhi and a Burmese writer, Saya Paragu, I started to deeply understand the meanings of Ahimsa, Thisar, and Agayaha. Amongst the many teachings of Buddha and Mahavira, Gandhi found a way to better deal with his political difficulties by using religious perspectives such as those of Ahimsa and Thisa. I myself have found ways to defend the oppressed people of Burma under the military dictatorship using Buddhist teachings.”

Mae Sot, Thailand
“In June 2006, I went to the Thai-Burma Border with my eldest brother, Aung Kyaw Kyaw, to meet Burma’s democracy activists. During my time in Mae Sot, Thailand, I took classes in political theories and had discussions with other activists. I went back to Burma in August to speed up the organizing process. The process became smooth with the help and donations from the people I met in Mae Sot. They had helped us with the knowledge and funding. Now it is very sad to hear that they are having difficulties paying their office rent.”

Meeting with other organzizers of the Saffron Revolution
“One day in July 2006, I heard details about an underground monks’ association organized by Venerable U Thawpaka (Ashin Sopaka) and U Thiriya (King Zero) from my personal friend, U Tin Kwe (U Lin) while I was attending a conference organized by the Young Monks Association. I tried to find out more about the association organized by those monks before I went back to Rangoon. Finally, I decided to meet Venerable U Thiriya (King Zero) face to face.
“I do not remember the exact date, but I met him at a monastery in Bahan township while he was visiting Rangoon. We talked and reached agreements on the strategies for the revolution. I also met with Venerable U Pyinyar Thiri (Ashin Pannasiri), and both of us had to work tirelessly during the Saffron Revolution. It was U Pyinyar Thiri who answered all the questions and interviews from CNN, BBC, Al Jazeera and AFP in English.

At the end of 2006, I got in touch with the monk associations from Mandalay, and we worked together on the new strategies for the underground movement.
“During the year 2007, I also helped Venerable U Kutariya found a new Young Monks Association which consists of 12 townships in his area.

“I am afraid I cannot write all the details because of my health. That’s why I am trying to keep it brief.
“On the first of May in 2007, my colleagues including Ko Thurein Aung were arrested because of their involvement in the labor conference held at the American Center. I also had to be very careful at that time.
“I am not going to write about the 2007 Saffron Revolution since you already know what happened during that time. I will write more about it when my health gets better.

Khanni Prison
“I didn’t get to sleep and eat much as I tried to work towards our goal with conviction, hope, belief and ambition. My heath condition worsened after I got arrested. I was questioned by military intelligence for months without a good night’s sleep. I was put in a narrow 12’x8’ prison cell. I didn’t receive proper medical treatment either. The worst of all was, I was put away in a prison too far from my family. The food they give in the prison can’t even keep a healthy person well. Moreover, I was tortured more physically and psychologically than other prisoners.

“During my time in Khanni Prison, I was put in a 12’x8’ prison cell with a cold and solid concrete floor. Sometimes prison officials came to my cell, covered my head with a black bag and hit me. If I remember it right, they did that to me six or seven times. For months, I was put on a solid concrete floor with my hands cuffed to my back and my feet locked in a chain. Scars even developed from the cuffs and chains, and those scars will be with me until the day I die.”

Kalay Prison
“At around 4 o’clock on the morning of 12th May 2010, five soldiers with guns took me out of the prison after they covered my head with a black bag in which a tiny hole was made for me to breathe. I arrived at Kalay Prison at around 7 pm on the 13th of May 2010. Before I was put in a small cell the night I arrived, I was freed from handcuffs which had been inside my skin for months now. The harder I tried to move my hands, the tighter the handcuffs became. That’s the nature of handcuffs. I was put in the dark cell number 10, which was in a separate part of Kalay Prison. In my dark cell, I tried several times to move my handcuffs-free rotten hands to my chest, but it didn’t work because I couldn’t feel my hands at the time.
“On the morning of May 14, some prison official came to my cell and took the chains off of my feet. I had to exercise for months to be able to move my hands and feet like a normal person.

“The cell I was put in was situated at the end of a long building which was separated from the main building. There were thirty-seven political prisoners in Kalay Prison. The prison officials separated me from them with metal bars and strings. My days in prison went by feeling lonely.

“In Kalay Prison, I also had to fight a malaria infection from Khanni Prison for seven months. During my sickness, I could hear a knocking sound in my ears. It didn’t go away until three months after my release.
“It would take months to write about the serious situation and circumstances I had to face. Alex, I will write to you as I get better. Since this is an open letter, everybody will be able to read it. I will write more about the protests of the monks in Mandalay. I know exactly who led the protests, and why they did it…

The original letter was written in Burmese by U Gambhira (aka Ko Nyi Nyi Lwin) on September 9th as an open letter to Ms. Alexandra Rösch.