Source The Financial Express, 19 Sept
In this September 8, 2012 photo, .Joseph Y.Yun, right, the US deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, and Myanmar's Border Affairs Minister Lt. Gen. Thein Htay, left, visit the Mingan Rakhine refugee camp, in Sittwe, Rakhine State, western Myanmar.
Mohammad Amjad Hossain from Virginia, USA
All available information leads us to believe there has been orchestrated campaign in Myanmar to change demography to make the country Buddhist state where there is no place for other ethnic minorities, to say the least. First, the military junta has changed historic name of Burma to that of Myanmar while historically, Rakhine state of present Myanmar, which was known as Arakan. Arakan in fact was an independent kingdom until 1784.
Myanmar represents diverse groups of over 100 ethnic and religious minorities with 90 per cent population holds Buddhism. Among the ethnic minorities, Karen, Kachin, the Shans, Rohingya and the Chins are largest ethnic minorities in Myanmar. For the last 40 years military junta has launched civil war against Karen ethnic. In fact, the military has been continuing to stop autonomy campaign launched by Karen rebel groups in 1962. As a result of civil war, few hundred thousand Karen fled from Myanmar and took shelter in Thailand. Pro-democracy icon of Myanmar Aung San Suu Kyi has had first-hand briefing from Timothy Lakleen, who is negotiating on behalf of Karen with Myanmar government about peace process. Timothy is reported to have expressed concern to Aung San Suu Kyi while she was on a visit to Thailand in February this year, of forced repatriation from Thailand ahead of genuine peace process. A ceasefire agreement was signed by Myanmar government with ethnic Karen rebels in January this year. Karens are fighting for greater autonomy in Karen state. The fighting between government forces and Karen rebels turns out to be longest brutal civil war that has bedeviled Myanmar since it gained independence from the British. The Chins ethnic minority, which basically holds Christianity, has forcibly been converted into Buddhism. Kachins ethnic minority is equally being tortured by military Junta since fighting broke out between rebel Kachins and military in 1961 when General Ne Win took power through coup d'état. The Kachins, a coalition of six tribes, formed independence army to have a position in federal union and ethnic rights to be recognised as agreed upon by Democratic leader of Burma first Prime Minister U Ne. By now 75,000 Kachins have been displaced from Myanmar's northern Shan state and took shelter in Chinese territories.
The most persecuted Rohingya people of Myanmar has been facing life and death situation in their own country as a result of a campaign by Buddhist monks to drive out Rohingya people from Myanmar. The monks in Myanmar became famous for Saffron revolution against military junta of Myanmar in 2007. During Saffron revolution Buddhist monks were brutally dealt with by military junta. This campaign has begun in Myanmar when President Thein Sein has instituted an inquiry team to investigate reason for sectarian riot in June this year in Rakhine state of Myanmar while team of investigation from Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) arrived in Myanmar and signed Memorandum of Understanding with Myanmar government on September 12 to provide humanitarian aid, and participation in rehabilitation work without political and religious considerations. Recent demonstrations by Buddhist Monks, whose message was love and democracy during Saffron revolution against military junta when present President was the Prime Minister, is in line with President's call for segregation and deportation of Rohingya to a third country or the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) should take care of them. The demonstration by Buddhist monks is in contrast to their message indeed. For centuries the people living in Rakhine state represents of an admixture of Moguls, Turks and Persians and racially mixed with Bengali Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists. Persian was the court language of Rahkine state until 18th century. For generations Muslim Rohingya and Buddhists have lived together. Therefore, there is no justification to create artificially racial tension between two religious groups and deprive Rohingya Muslims of their citizenship that they logically deserve.
The arrival of fact-finding mission to Myanmar from the United States is very significant. The mission, which comprises of three deputy assistant secretaries of State Department and US Ambassador to Myanmar, has had talks with affected Rohingya families in Rahkine state of Myanmar. The mission has been empowered to seek long term security, peace and humanitarian assistance to Rohingya refugees. The mission also visited Dhaka and Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh where Rohingya refugees are camped since 1990 under the supervision of the UNHCR. A seven-member Turkish delegation, led by Turkish Ambassador to Myanmar Murat Yavuk, visited the affected villages in Sittway in Rakhine state and held discussion with officials including Chief Minister of Rakhine state on September 8. The delegation distributed rice and medicines to affected Rohingya Muslims. Prior to the visit of Turkish delegation Foreign Minister of Turkey Ahmet Davutoghu visited Myanmar in August to assess the situation arising out of communal riot in June in Rakhine state. Donors from Turkey have contributed $ 50 million to provide food and medicine to the victims in Rakhine state.
In the meantime, the government of Myanmar has stepped up its propaganda as a part of face-saving tactic by saying it was a violent conflict between two communities following a criminal act whereas government forces, including army, para-military forces along with local non-Rohingya people were involved in massacring, looting properties and burning down Rohingya homes.
There is any iota of doubt that Government has a hand in ethnic cleansing campaign to change demography of Myanmar. Here is a need for concerted efforts by the OIC and individual countries including Bangladesh, India, Thailand and China to put pressure through the United Nations on the government of Myanmar to recognise ethnic minorities and grant citizenship as well.
The writer is, a retired diplomat from Bangladesh amjad.21@gmail.com
In this September 8, 2012 photo, .Joseph Y.Yun, right, the US deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, and Myanmar's Border Affairs Minister Lt. Gen. Thein Htay, left, visit the Mingan Rakhine refugee camp, in Sittwe, Rakhine State, western Myanmar.
All available information leads us to believe there has been orchestrated campaign in Myanmar to change demography to make the country Buddhist state where there is no place for other ethnic minorities, to say the least. First, the military junta has changed historic name of Burma to that of Myanmar while historically, Rakhine state of present Myanmar, which was known as Arakan. Arakan in fact was an independent kingdom until 1784.
Myanmar represents diverse groups of over 100 ethnic and religious minorities with 90 per cent population holds Buddhism. Among the ethnic minorities, Karen, Kachin, the Shans, Rohingya and the Chins are largest ethnic minorities in Myanmar. For the last 40 years military junta has launched civil war against Karen ethnic. In fact, the military has been continuing to stop autonomy campaign launched by Karen rebel groups in 1962. As a result of civil war, few hundred thousand Karen fled from Myanmar and took shelter in Thailand. Pro-democracy icon of Myanmar Aung San Suu Kyi has had first-hand briefing from Timothy Lakleen, who is negotiating on behalf of Karen with Myanmar government about peace process. Timothy is reported to have expressed concern to Aung San Suu Kyi while she was on a visit to Thailand in February this year, of forced repatriation from Thailand ahead of genuine peace process. A ceasefire agreement was signed by Myanmar government with ethnic Karen rebels in January this year. Karens are fighting for greater autonomy in Karen state. The fighting between government forces and Karen rebels turns out to be longest brutal civil war that has bedeviled Myanmar since it gained independence from the British. The Chins ethnic minority, which basically holds Christianity, has forcibly been converted into Buddhism. Kachins ethnic minority is equally being tortured by military Junta since fighting broke out between rebel Kachins and military in 1961 when General Ne Win took power through coup d'état. The Kachins, a coalition of six tribes, formed independence army to have a position in federal union and ethnic rights to be recognised as agreed upon by Democratic leader of Burma first Prime Minister U Ne. By now 75,000 Kachins have been displaced from Myanmar's northern Shan state and took shelter in Chinese territories.
The most persecuted Rohingya people of Myanmar has been facing life and death situation in their own country as a result of a campaign by Buddhist monks to drive out Rohingya people from Myanmar. The monks in Myanmar became famous for Saffron revolution against military junta of Myanmar in 2007. During Saffron revolution Buddhist monks were brutally dealt with by military junta. This campaign has begun in Myanmar when President Thein Sein has instituted an inquiry team to investigate reason for sectarian riot in June this year in Rakhine state of Myanmar while team of investigation from Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) arrived in Myanmar and signed Memorandum of Understanding with Myanmar government on September 12 to provide humanitarian aid, and participation in rehabilitation work without political and religious considerations. Recent demonstrations by Buddhist Monks, whose message was love and democracy during Saffron revolution against military junta when present President was the Prime Minister, is in line with President's call for segregation and deportation of Rohingya to a third country or the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) should take care of them. The demonstration by Buddhist monks is in contrast to their message indeed. For centuries the people living in Rakhine state represents of an admixture of Moguls, Turks and Persians and racially mixed with Bengali Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists. Persian was the court language of Rahkine state until 18th century. For generations Muslim Rohingya and Buddhists have lived together. Therefore, there is no justification to create artificially racial tension between two religious groups and deprive Rohingya Muslims of their citizenship that they logically deserve.
The arrival of fact-finding mission to Myanmar from the United States is very significant. The mission, which comprises of three deputy assistant secretaries of State Department and US Ambassador to Myanmar, has had talks with affected Rohingya families in Rahkine state of Myanmar. The mission has been empowered to seek long term security, peace and humanitarian assistance to Rohingya refugees. The mission also visited Dhaka and Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh where Rohingya refugees are camped since 1990 under the supervision of the UNHCR. A seven-member Turkish delegation, led by Turkish Ambassador to Myanmar Murat Yavuk, visited the affected villages in Sittway in Rakhine state and held discussion with officials including Chief Minister of Rakhine state on September 8. The delegation distributed rice and medicines to affected Rohingya Muslims. Prior to the visit of Turkish delegation Foreign Minister of Turkey Ahmet Davutoghu visited Myanmar in August to assess the situation arising out of communal riot in June in Rakhine state. Donors from Turkey have contributed $ 50 million to provide food and medicine to the victims in Rakhine state.
In the meantime, the government of Myanmar has stepped up its propaganda as a part of face-saving tactic by saying it was a violent conflict between two communities following a criminal act whereas government forces, including army, para-military forces along with local non-Rohingya people were involved in massacring, looting properties and burning down Rohingya homes.
There is any iota of doubt that Government has a hand in ethnic cleansing campaign to change demography of Myanmar. Here is a need for concerted efforts by the OIC and individual countries including Bangladesh, India, Thailand and China to put pressure through the United Nations on the government of Myanmar to recognise ethnic minorities and grant citizenship as well.
The writer is, a retired diplomat from Bangladesh amjad.21@gmail.com
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