Monday 7 July 2014

Victims of Ethnic Cleansing in Modern Day Concentration Camps of Burma/Myanmar

Victims of Ethnic Cleansing in Modern Day Concentration Camps

of
Burma/Myanmar

It has been over two years now Rohingyas and Kamans of Arakan state (western Burma) are totally excluded from Burma and fell into the worst of the worst part of tragic. This matter is a mix of similarities that have happen over history like; APARTHEID, SLAVERY & RACISM, EXTERMINATION.. For decades, Rohingyas have been oppressed, victimized and terrorized by the both government authorities and extremist Rakhine people. Ongoing ethnic cleansing pogroms with genocidal actions, repression and forceful eviction operations against Rohiongya minority, are recorded commonly in 1942, 1949 1967, 1978, 1991,1994/95, 2002 and the latest state sponsor pogrom over Rohingya and Kaman muslims of Arakan from June 2012..

From 8 of June 2012, total destruction across (13) different townships of Arakan state, reached at (97) mosques, about (23,000) houses from (95) villages. Death toll over 12,000 people and nearly 200,000 people displaced and number of arbitrary detention reached at least 12,00 Rohingyas and Kaman muslims mainly from Maungdaw, Buthidaung and Sittwe townships. Despite the central govt has characterized the events as 'communal violence, the government’s involvement and contributions into the crisis are very obvious.
  • 2) Allowing security forces to shoot the Rohingyas and Kamans, and not arresting a single armed Rakhine.
  • 3) Seizing lands of Rohingyas which were burnt down and disposing them into concentration camps.
  • 4) Blocking aid, foods and compelling to die from starvation and attacking aid workers.
  • 5) Denying their rights to have rights such as medicare, education, relocation, movement.
  • 6) President Thein Sein asking the United Nation to relocate Rohingya in a third country.
  • 7) Fabricating false news: the local Burmese news groups and anti-Rohingya bloggers reporting the way they like and playing a major role of bias through inciting anti-Rohingya propaganda and portraying Rohingyas as they want and providing reverse information.
  • 8) Forcing to accept foreigner identity in the mid of humanitarian crisis. Rakhine RNDP party openly declared the bounty reward for every dead Rohingya. Forcing to sign the documents that describe as illegal immigrants that have no claim to Burmese citizenship. When the Rohingya in the camp refused to sign the documents, the authority threatened the Rohingya and Kaman victims that no signing would no aid ever made it through the blockades again including aid from foreign organizations.
Minorities are continued to face vigilant attacks, extrajudicial killings, sexual abuses, arbitrary arrests and detention, inhumane tortures, use of landmines, the recruitment of child soldiers, forced labour, striking-off of citizenship and not allowing to recourse under new citizenship act.


A) Kachin state: By February 2013, internally displaced persons about 35,000 in Myitkyina (two camps in Jan Mai Kaung) and Waingmaw (Thargaya and Lavoa camps). Another about 40,000 displaced are in KIA/KIO-controlled areas. (while people fleeing into China is not counted into.)

B) Chin state: Chin refugees seeking refuge in Delhi-India from the past deacades and now living in tents left about 8,500 people.

C) Shan state: There are about 125,000 Shan displaced living along China border and some of them fled into China.

D) Karen and Mon states: More than 120,000 Karen, Kareni (Kayah) and some Mon people displaced internally. About 200,000 mainly Karen, Karenni and Mon refugees took refuge in Thai-Burma border refugee camps and most of them been there from the past three decades. By the end of year 2013, about 80,000 refugees are still living in ten refugee camps.

E) The government's massive contribution into violences in Rakhine State, later spreads to other parts of Burma with the lead of ex-prisoner monk Wirathu. 
1) Mandalay regions: Attacks in Miktila, Ywa Tan of Ramitin, Kyaukpandaung, Aylar, Chaunggyi Ywa of Thabake Kyin, Kyipauk Ywa of Sinku townships, destroyed about 3,500 houses plus several mosques and displaced about 15,000 Muslims and killing more than a hundred, including mass killing of 36 mostly teenagers in the small town of Meiktila on 20 Mar 2013.
By the end of 2013, more than 5,000 from Meiktila town alone (of whom more than 4,000 are living in five camps of Meiktila town and another about 1,000 with host families and in one camp in Yin Daw town). The rest about 9,000 people were allowed to return to their locations.

2) Pegu Regions: The attacks took placed across 8 townships of Monyo, Padigon, Gyobingauk, Okpho, Kinmma tract of Zigon (Thaygon), Minhla, Sit Kwin, Okthigon, Nattalin, and Okkan. Most of them were returned to their locations.

3) Sagaing Regions: About 320 people from Htan Gone village of Kanbalu township, had taken shelter in Muslim schools after a mob burned homes on 24 August 2013.

4) Yangon regions: Scattered attacks in Hlaing Tharyar, South Dagon, Tharkaytha townships. Arson attacks in Pebedan Madarasa killed 8 teachers and 28 students on 21 Mar 2013.

5) Magwe regions: A mosque, houses and belongings of 10 Muslims were demolished in Kanma Township on 13th April 2012.

6) Shan State: The attacks took place in Lashio destroyed the Myoma Mosque and estimated 5 Muslims have died and 30 houses were burnt down on the following day of Meiktila riot on 20 Mar 2013.

7) Kachin state: Attacks in Saitaung of Phakant township destroyed a few muslims’ houses and shops in the evening of about 2nd May 2013 .

8) Chin state: A village of 17 families live in Paletwa township were also attacked by Rakhine gangs came from Rakhine state as a result of it's situated along the Kaladen River connected to Arakan. After about a year of confinement, the situation has been normalized by community leaders and authorities..

F) Arakan/Rakhine state: displaced Rohingya and Kaman
There are total about 200,000 Rohingya, Kaman and Rakhine muslims people involving about 75,000 children displaced (of whom about 175,000) have been forced into protracted camps and the rest about a million are also in appalling conditions under confinement and facing constant abuses since June 2012. Displaced people about (110,000) are in 13 to 15 camps of Sittwe (Akyab) city and the rest about (65,000) those from other 8 regions in 26 camps are in aid-workers unreachable areas.

Some camps have temporary houses and most of the camps have makeshift tents only. The camps are 'Ghetto Type' and the condition is completely horror that aid can be delivered through government authorities if they agreed to and Rakhine gangs didn't block the access.

In Burma today there are Human Rights Organization, Red Cross Society, Healthcare clinic but all are puppet bodies of terror government and not delivering services for Rohingya and Kaman people. While Rakhine children are freely attending the government schools, the Rohingya youths those teaching Rohingya kids, distributing rations, translating language, providing medical assistance in the camps, are instantly targeted by local authorities. So, many Rohingya youths have continued to flee into neighbouring countries. Government authorities pretend unable to interfere in local matters and also instantly blocking aid delivery and medical treatment for displaced Rohingya and Kaman victims..

The authorities in Northern Arakan (NRS) and Rakhine people in Southern Arakan (SRS), oppress and attack Rohingyas and Kamans. Systematic dehumanization of Rohingya and Kaman people have been under practised for over two years since the beginning of violences from June 2012.
1) Akyab/Sittwe township: Displaced Rohingyans and Kamans about 9o,000 people were from (19) villages and others those displaced people came by boats from Pauktaw and Kyaukpyu townships, made up total about (110,000) people are living now in 13 to 15 camps. But only 7 refugee camps have temporary houses and the rest camps have makeshift tents while many thousands joined with relative houses. People in the camp have to struggle in raining season and day night they wet.
2) Pauktaw township: All Rohingya and Kaman people from about 5,000 houses across the town in (18) villages were dispalced and forced into the following 4 camps numbering now about (40,000) people.
i) Sintatmaw camp: displaced villagers from Haine Fara (Kaine Byin), Saysudaine and some Kaman people of Myebon and Kyaukpyu pushed back from Sittwe beach, were also placed into this camp.
ii) Kyine Ni Pyin camp: displaced villagers from Shweli Frang, Haime Fara, Kyine Ni Pyin, Ponnaagri, Twaine Fara.
iii) Anaraine camp: displaced villagers from Nayar Fara (Rwa Thit) & Furan Fara (Rwa Haung), Anaraine, Seiku Rwa, and Hunree Fara.
iv) Kudushi (Lamba Diya): Foer fara (Zawgyi), Kudushi Fara (Kudish village), Lamba Diya and Karargri, Dom Fara and Naine Chaung.

3) Kyauktaw township: About (7,800) displaced Rohingya people from about 1,200 houses across 9 villages are forced into the follwing 10 camps:
1) about 1,000 people in Shwe Hlaing (Maelifaung),
ii) about 600 people in Gupichaung (Guvitaung),
iii) about 500 people in Apoukwa (Aa-fok),
iv) about 1,500 people in Aine (Haine fara) and came from other villages,
v) about 900 people in Ambari (mango filed),
vi) About 1,200 people in Sangardaung,
vii) about 500 people in Ni-dann Fara are residents of Mar-nae-gyar fara (Zay Haung @ Central Market area),
viii) about 450 people in Khon-dol (Khaungdok-Alay gyuan),
ix) about 1,150 people in Nai-raung (Radanapon).

4) Kyaukpyu township: Displaced Kaman and Rohingya people in this town was primarily about 23,000 people from about 4,800 houses which were completely burn down. Most of them fled by boats, some reached Akyab/Sittwe, transferred to Pauktaw camp and got neighbouring countries.
The rest Kamans gathered themselves by boats and lived more than a year on board but they were forced into makeshift tents near Fishing warf (Paikseik) situated in front of Kyauktan military camp. Later, displaced Kaman and Rohingya people from Paikseik, Tamar chaung, Ambarla Fara, estimated total about 3,000 people..
Some of them are previous victims of Cyclone Giri of 22 October 2010..

5) Myebon (Peninsula) township: Kaman and Rohingya about 7,000 people (from about 750 houses) who were pushed into the jungle of the mountain during the attacks in their villages of Alay Baine Quarter in central area and Taungbaw Rwa (mountain village). Now left about 4,000 people in this area and call as Taungpaw camp (Mountain camp).. It is a squalid camp of muddy mess with raw sewage running through and the tents are ramshackle.
Their crops and fields have been taken over by Rakhine people. Rakhine Buddhists control the jetty and refuse to allow aid agencies regular access to the Rohingya camp.

6) Rambre (Peninsula) township: a few Kaman people living in the town and those from 22 houses burn down in Tan Rwa village were gone to unknown and since the beginning, the biggest Kaman people' village call Kyauknimaw (fishing village) estimated houses about 1,000 are still surrounded by security forces and constantly facing confrontation by Rakhine people.

7) Tandwe township: Half of entire Kamans and Rakhine muslims displaced people, were fled to other towns. The rest joined with relative houses, some gathered around the mountain beside (Twechin Rwa) and a few live on their burnt down lands, are still confined by local authority and Rakhine people..

8) Mrauk Oo & Minbya townships: More than 12,000 Kaman and Rohingya people displaced from about 2,100 houses burnt down in across 10 villages across the both regions.In Mrauk Oo, about 500 houses from Yainetay village (Zula Fara), about 2,00 houses from Parein village, were burnt down. Now, about 2,750 people living in the Yainetay village camp and another about 1,900 people living in the Parein village camp.In Minbya, about 150 out of 465 houses from Aung Dine villages, 86 houses from Sudaine Rwa (Santhodan/Creek Taung), 250 out of 319 houses from Kan Pali, 120 houses from Thar Dar, 229 houses from Tharak Rwa(Tharak Aok), some of 300 houses from Paiketay Rwa (Fishingvillage). Now, gathering as 1998 people in Aung Daine camp, 535 people in Sudaine camp, 1341 people in Kan Pali camp, 1669 people in Tharak camp, 56 people in Paiketay camp.

9) Ponnagyuan township:  A very drought village situated near the bay of Sittwe call Siddikul (Taedak Kadi) still living in the same location after built-up tempo houses.

10) Rathedaung township: About 600 houses from 7 out of 22 Rohingya villages were burnt down and total about 3,000 Rohingyas displaced.
i) About 5,00 displaced Rohingyas from about a hundred houses of Farang Chaung village and another about 230 displaced Rohingyas from 55 houses of Kondan (Kuttichaung) village, were transferred into Dongsey Fara camp.
ii) About 7,00 displaced Rohingyas from more than 200 houses of Saw Farang Fara, were transferred into Razabil camp.
iii) 1,200 displaced villagers from 120 houses of Kararo Kondan (Sara-paran) were piled over a year at Sarak Pran and finally moved them into Chilkhali Camp.
iv) More than a thousand displaced Rohingya villagers from Tabretaw (Zufarang Fara), Anauk Pran (Anakpran), Nyaung Pin Gyi (Muzadiyara), are still living in the tents around their villages.

11) Maungdaw township: About 1,200 people displaced from 250 houses burnt down across 16 villages are: 20 houses from Ward-3, 70 houses from Ward-4, 4 houses from Ward-5, 25 houses from Hafilya, 4 houses from Sawmawnya (Taung Paing Nya), 60 houses from Hunri Fara (Bomu Rwa), 7 houses Noa Fara, 6 houses from Myothugyi (Haineda Fara), 1 house from Nurula (Bagonna), a few houses from San Oo Rwa and Kadibil, 7 houses from 4 Miles area, 15 houses from Donpyin @ Sarkumba, one house from Longdon, 6 houses from Myoma Kayein Dan, and the rest were from Duchiradan village.
However, no shelter not aid has been provided to the displaced Rohingyas so most of them fled and the rest joined with their relative houses..
12) Buthidaung township: Two families of 13 displaced people moved to their relative houses after their houses were burnt down in Ward No.(1) on 23 Jan 2013..


Conclusion
The current Rohingya genocide in Burma is a case in which different forces in society and politics have converged to create, basically, a living hell for this particular group.1
Majority of Buddhist people believe Burma only belongs to them and democracy should only be available to them. Many western governments have tried to tame them but failed ever. We don’t believe anyone else can tame them. Consequently, the governments from western countries have commenced conducting business with Burma and securing their businesses and investment only. The military generals remember their crimes in the past and to protect from retaliation from its own people, they use Muslim as scapegoat by shifting focus on Muslims through Buddhist Monks by preaching hatred towards Muslim. The Burmese government is behind every conflict against Muslims recently by using their underground gangs, where organizations are morally supported by majority Burmese Buddhists.2

Burmese rulers have continuously committing crimes against humanity. It has been over two years now the government keeps the Arakan crisis alive. About a million of people are under systematic confinement and nearly 200,000 displaced people are ending up in the modern day concentration camps and enduring with confinement, constant abuses, dying at least 7 to 20 people mostly children and elderly people for lack of medicare and food supply. They are also forbidden from livelihood.
Surprising, we see that UN and its member countries use no power in Burma affairs even though there is ongoing humanitarian crisis across the country. Not ensuring aid delivery, medical treatment, and to ease the crisis. So, the 'normalization of the situation' is in bleak.

Unless direct and effective International Intervention, the government would not normalize the situation in Arakan and other parts of Burma.

Infiltration and Total Boats Sank in International Waters from June 20123:
From the beginning of violence from 2012 June, total about 95,000 of Rohingyas and Kamans have been crossed into neighboring countries. As a result of existing tyrannical persecutions in home country from the past five decades, nearly a million of Rohingya people fled into neighbouring countries and they became Burma's first refugees. Having similar problems in transit countries and remain unwanted anywhere, some of them risked their lives through secondary migration to safe territories. Today Rohingya refugees are uprooted in Bangladesh, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia, India, KSA, and some transferree Rohingyan refugees in Nauru and PGN pacific island nations. A few, less than 1% were luckily resettled through UNHCR from 2001 to USA, British, Canada, Norway, Denmark, Germany, Sweden and Australia.

In Thailand: The number of Rohingya boat people languishing in the custody of the Thai authorities, reached at the peak of 2,000 people by end of 2013, plus existing hidden number of about 40,000 Rohingyas including many in various slave labours .

In Malaysia: Area based leaders estimate about 45,000 Rohingyas and Kaman living since earlier of 1990 where about 3,000 are recent arrivals through the borders but recorded only five boat arrivals including Singapore turn away boat4 from December 2012.

In Bangladesh: In the past two years, at least 40,000 Rohingyas and Kaman displaced refugees crossed into Bangladesh and therefore the border guards pushed them back in many occasion and resulting more than one thousand drown to death in about total 15 boats. Existing number about 400,000 Rohingya refugees including those living in UNHCR runs squalid refugee camps of Kutupalong and Nayapara in southern district of Cox’s Bazar about 40,000 people, have been there from the past three decades. Rohingyans those living outside the camps are never counted as refugees. The UNHCR has resettled about a thousand Rohingyas from the registered camps from year 2006. The enormous problems in Bangladesh are direct impacts on vulnerable Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh and the government accuses intl communities for keeping the Rohingya matter alive.

In Indonesia: There are about a thousand in detention custodies and the rest other more than 2,000 Rohingyas and Burmese muslims are somehow living in various locations. And Resettlement of the Rohingya refugees to Australia began from the end of 2011.

In KSA: Rohingya refugees arrived during 1942, 1978, 1992 numbered about 500,000 and the majority living in Mecca’s slum quarters of (Naqqasha and Kudai) and Jeddah. The government has subsequently announce to issued tempo-visa but never been materialized.

In India: The Rohingya refugees living in India are never appeared publicly but a group of 1,500 Rohingya displaced in Hyderabad city came to highlight5.

In Cambodia: According to JRS, there are 17 recognized Rohingya refugees and four still seeking status by June 2013 while others have moved on.6

In Srilanka: The Srilankan Navy rescued 70 Rohingya people are languished in detention. The first batch of 37 Rohingya people have remained in the Mirihana Detention Centre since 2nd February 2013 . A further batch of 33 was also added there.7


Compiled by Habib
Edited by MSK Jilani (USA) & Sadek (Malaysia)

Published by:


1Genocidal Buddhists?: An Interview with Burmese Dissident Maung Zarni
2Russell from AusMa (Minority Support Group) based in Melboune, Australia
3http://www.ndphr.net/p/boatpeople.html

4 Malaysia takes in 40 Rohingya shipwreck survivors


5 Rohingya exiles struggle to survive in India


6ROHINGYA REFUGEES IN CAMBODIA JUNE 2013 BRIEF

7. 70 Rohingyas languish in detention here with nowhere to go


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