US
officials meet Aung San Suu Kyi and Myanmar junta
US officials met Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi
and the ruling military in the first visit by American diplomats
since President George W. Bush took office last month, US
diplomatic sources said Tuesday.
Visiting US deputy assistant secretary of state Ralph Boyce,
who is on a regional tour of ASEAN countries, and US chargee
d'affaires to Yangon Patricia Clapp met Aung San Suu Kyi at her
compound, where she has been held under de facto house arrest
for the past five months.
Boyce and Clapp met earlier Monday with the junta's
number-three Lieutenant-General Khin Nyunt and foreign minister
Win Aung before going to Aung San Suu Kyi's house for talks that
lasted more than two hours, a Yangon source said.
Boyce said in Bangkok following the visit that he also met
with the National League for Democracy executive committee.
The meeting is seen a positive sign in the wake of a
political thaw between the Nobel Prize-winning democracy leader
and the junta that began towards the end of last year when the
two sides began holding secret talks.
A European Union delegation said after a mission to Yangon
last month that the talks between opposition leader Aung Sang
Suu Kyi and the junta are the most significant development in
Myanmar for a decade.
"I took a side trip to Burma because process of dialogue
in Burma is of continuing high interest to Washington and the
world," Boyce said in Bangkok following his trip to Yangon.
The visit coincided with the release of a US State Department
report on global human rights that harshly criticises Myanmar's
human rights record.
In the report, the State Department reserved a 20,000-word
chunk to detail allegations of political repression, torture,
forced labour, rape and other human rights abuses in Myanmar.
A US official in Washington said the National League for
Democracy leader had twice been held incommunicado last year and
an official campaign of intimidation against the party had gone
on unchecked.
But reports of a tentative dialogue between democracy leader
and Nobel Prize Winner Aung San Suu Kyi and the junta amounted
to "hopeful signs," said acting Assistant Secretary of
State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, Michael Parmly.
The United States, which leads an informal international
coalition which has imposed sanctions and investment
restrictions on Myanmar, is a frequent critic of the generals,
who respond by accusing Washington of interfering in its
internal affairs.
AFP, Bangkok, 27 February 2001
TOP
U.S.
slams Myanmar in annual human rights report By
Sonya Hepinstall
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department slammed the
military government in Myanmar on Monday for harshly repressing
its citizens by denying them the most basic social and political
freedoms.
According to the State Department's annual report on human
rights, citizens of Myanmar, also known as Burma, cannot express
dissenting political views, people continue to disappear and
prisoners continue to be abused and tortured by security forces.
"Citizens continued to live subject at any time and
without appeal to the arbitrary and sometimes brutal dictates of
the military regime," it said.
Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of the opposition
National League for Democracy (NLD), was held incommunicado
twice in September 2000 to keep her from travelling out of the
capital Yangon, also known as Rangoon, and is still being held
under de facto house arrest.
However, moves late in 2000 to start a direct dialogue with
Suu Kyi "appeared to produce some relaxation in the
restrictions on the NLD," which won an election in 1990 but
has never been allowed to govern, the report said.
Diplomats are optimistic about the progress of the talks,
which the government had refused for six years. Since they
started in October the government has released 85 political
prisoners, including NLD vice chairman Tin Oo, and daily
diatribes against the NLD in the state-run press have stopped.
The NLD, for its part, has ended public criticism of the
government.
Both sides have agreed not to discuss the meetings.
HUMAN RIGHTS RECORD EXTREMELY POOR
The State Department report said the fundamental human rights
situation in 2000 in Myanmar remained extremely bad, however,
with credible reports of killings and rapes of unarmed villagers
by army soldiers, and individual freedoms harshly curtailed.
The government uses its intelligence network to
systematically monitor the travel and activities of its
citizens, to the extent that anyone who spends the night any
place other than his or her home must tell the police in
advance.
Parents are warned by the state-run media that authorities
could hold them responsible for political offences committed by
their children, the report said.
The government restricted freedom of religion, assembly and
association, the report said. Many prominent writers and
journalists remained in prison, and forced labour, including
forced child labour, continued to be a problem.
The International Labor Organization (ILO) last year asked
governments, trade unions and businesses to review relations
with Myanmar and take steps to ensure that Yangon could not take
advantage of those relations to continue the system of forced
labour.
Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright answered that
request before leaving her post in January by calling for
possible trade sanctions against Myanmar if the dialogue between
Suu Kyi and the government does not make progress.
The State Department report is available on its website (www.state.gov).
Reuters, Yahoo, 27 February 2001
TOP
Consultation on Burma ethnic issue held in Bangkok
Shan sources from Bangkok reported that a consultation on non-Burman issue
in relation to Thailand's border security was convened at one of the
nation's prestigious universities.
"Consultation on Minorities: Their struggle and Security along Thai-Burma
border" was held at the Prachadhipok Building, Faculty of Political
Science, Chulalongkorn University from 1330-1700.
The meeting was opened by Kraisak Choonhavan, Chairman of the Senate
Foreign Relations Committee. Thais of ethnic descendents from Burma:
Chaiya Khongchuen (Shan), Pisanh Pladsingh (Mon), Wutthi Boonlert (Karen)
and several others participated in the discussions. Two of the other well-known discussants were Ms. Priyanut
Parnpradap, former Miss Thailand and film producer, and 'Sam' Kalyanee from Images Asia.
Commenting on it, Chaiya said: "Shan and other ethnic peoples have been
forced by the Burmese military either to flee into Thailand or take up
arms against them. Problems like drugs and alien labor are just offshoots
that can be resolved only when the root cause of illegitimate rule by the
Burmese military is ended".
On Thailand's security along the western border, he said: "Shans have
never been a security problem. On the contrary, they had even enhanced
Thai security as buffers against communism during the Cold War. It was
only after its end and the introduction of 'business over politics'
policies that Thailand's troubles started. So I hope the present
administration will reconsider its position".
The consultation was organized by Institute for Asia Studies, Thai Action
Committee for Democracy in Burma, Forum-Asia and Catholic Committee for
Racial Groups. Shan Herald Agency for News,25 February 2001
TOP
Strategy
to keep China at bay India woos Myanmar
by Prakash Nanda from New Delhi
If anything, External Affairs Minister
Jaswant Singh’s just concluded three day-visit (February
13-15) to Myanmar, erstwhile Burma, has proved that in
international relations, national interests eventually prevail
over a country’s ideological orientations. Though the cultural
and spiritual ties between the two countries date back to BC 267
circa when Buddhism took strong roots in Burma and Pali was
adopted as its official script and though both India and Myanmar
were administered as one unit by the British from 1886 to 1934,
and attained independence around the same time i.e. August 1947
and January 1948 respectively, the relations between the two
countries, until recently, were far from encouraging. The
initial post-independence years were cordial, with both
countries signing a treaty of friendship in 1951. However, when
military-backed leaders occupied the centers of power in Yangon
(better known as Rangoon) in the early sixties - this began with
General Ne Win - relations stared to drift. It was not that ties
were cut off; they simply lacked any substance. The nadir in the
ties reached in 1988 following the bloody suppression of a
pro-democracy uprising by Myanmar’s military. Two years later,
when elections were held in that country, the ruling military
junta refused to give up power to the victor, Ms. Aung San Suu
Kyi, the leader of the National League for Democracy. India, a
vibrant democracy, found it difficult to deal with Myanmar, a
military dictatorship. However, over the last two years or so,
the situation seems to have changed. Although, the nature of the
political regime at Yangon remains the same, New Delhi has
deemed it fit to enhance the level of bilateral interactions so
that the ties become multifaceted and substantial. Last
November, General Maung Aye, the Deputy Chief of the military
government of Myanmar, visited India and revived the debate
about the advisability of India nurturing and expanding
relations with Myanmar. This paved the way for Jaswant Singh’s
visit to Myanmar. More important, both President K.R. Narayanan
and Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee will also be visiting
Yangoon in near future. How does one explain India’s keen
interests in Myanmar? The explanation lies in the fact that
Myanmar is one of India’s most important neighbours in terms
of geo-strategic location, security considerations, availability
of markets and complementarity of mutual economic needs. Krishna
Menon, whose views on foreign and defense policies were greatly
valued by India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, had
once said, " What hurts Burma (old name of Myanmar) hurts
us equally. We have no military alliance but Burma is closely
linked to us and naturally a great concern to us that she should
suffer". All told, in the eventuality of Myanmar coming
under the control of forces hostile to India, there will be
grave implications for India’s security. First, there is the
possibility of direct intervention in India through land by
these hostile forces. India and Myanmar share a long and porous
border of 1643 Km; the length of the international boundary is
shared by four of the seven northeastern states of India,
namely, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram. It is
in this context that the control of cross-border insurgency and
trans-border drug trafficking constitutes an important dimension
in the bilateral relations between the two countries.
Myanmar’s importance to India’s security also lies in the
control on the Bay of Bengal. In the circumstances of modern air
and naval warfare, hostile forces in Yangon could paralyse
India’s coastal communications without even a major air
attack. Moreover, Calcutta and the entire seaboard of India are
within bombing range of Myanmar. So are the Jhavia coalfields
and the Tata iron industry. The point is that it does not serve
India’s interests if Myanmar turns out to be a part of an
exclusive area of influence of other powers in the region with
which India has uneasy relations. The reference here is to
China, which has been increasing strategic links with Myanmar.
Apart from providing military equipments to the Myanmar’s
ruling junta, the Chinese have already built an all-weather road
from Kunmin in China to Mandalay in Myanmar, which they are
planning to extend to Yangon. There are also reports of the
Myanmar government providing some visiting and berthing
facilities to the Chinese navy in Coco islands; this will
provide the Chinese entry-point into the Bay of Bengal.
Therefore, India’s national interests dictate that the rulers
at Yangon maintain their independence and freedom of options in
dealing with their foreign policy and security concerns. And
that, in turn, is possible, when India provides Yangon the
alternative to the advantages it gets from China. This is now
being done with India assisting in building up the
transportation network in Myanmar and developing other
infrastructures there. Yangon has also indicated its willingness
to providing general facilities to the Indian Navy in
Myanmar’s ports and coasts. Secondly, sound Indo-Myanmar
relations mean good economics. Myanmar’s entry in July 1997
into Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), of which
India is a dialogue partner, and the sub-regional grouping
BIMSTEC (Bangladesh-India -Myanmar- Sri Lanka - Thailand
Economic Cooperation Group) in December 1997 is bound to open up
avenues for further cooperation in areas of trade and economy on
bilateral and multilateral basis. At a time when Myanmar economy
is in doldrums, thanks to the continuance of the US-led
sanctions for Yangon’s anti-democracy policies, the military
junta needs investments. India can well invest in the
exploitation of that country’s rich natural gas and other
mineral resources. The basic idea here seems to be the revival
of the pre-independence economic links in the sub-continent when
undivided India was a "common market". In the present
context, many common projects involving Myanmar, India’s
Northeast and Bangladesh can be undertaken, whose economic
benefits well may reach Thailand, Sri Lanka and Nepal. It is
against this background that some of the important features of
Jaswant Singh’s trip to Myanmar may now be highlighted. Singh
became the first leader of an official delegation from India to
cross the land border into Myanmar since independence. The 165
kilometer-long Tamu-Kalemyo-Kalewa (TKK) road that Singh jointly
inaugurated with Myanmar’s Minister of Construction Maj.
General Saw Tun was also the first completed major project in
the field of infrastructural cooperation between India and
Myanmar. The road, built by the Border Roads Organisation of
India at a cost of approximately Rs. 100 crore as part of
India’s assistance to Myanmar, connects Moreh in Manipur to
central Myanmar and hold enormous significance as a vital
section of the designated Asian Highway running from Singapore
to Istanbul passing through Myanmar and India. In this way, the
road forms a gateway to South-East Asia and holds tremendous
values for the success of India’s "Look-East"
policy. Besides the Moreh-Tamu linkage, Singh, through his talks
with Myanmar leaders, including Foreign Minister U win Aung and
the chief of the ruling military junta General Than Shwe,
facilitated the opening up of three new trade points at
Champai-Rih, Pangsau Pass and Paletwa on the Kaladan River to
enhance economic cooperation between the two countries. While
Champai-Rih and Paletwa crossings are in the Mizoram -Nagaland
sector, Pangsau pass links Arunachal Pradesh with Myanmar. The
strengthening of border roads can now have spin-off benefits on
the security front, too. Both the countries can send troops to
smash cross-border insurgents who have acquired sanctuaries in
Myanmar. In this sense it was reassuring that during the Foreign
Minister’s visit, the two sides underscored their common
approach towards terrorism and insurgency and trans-border drug
trafficking through a twin-pronged strategy of tackling
insurgents on the shared border and working towards the overall
economic development. Myanmar rulers assured Singh that they
would not allow their territory to be used for activities
directed against India. It may be noted in this context that
last year, the Myanmar Army destroyed five camps of the Khaplang
faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-K)
and suffered casualties in these operations. Another notable
aspect of Singh’s visit was that it provided a big impetus to
the multi-faceted economic cooperation and exchanges in the
fields of science and technology between India and Myanmar.
India is now prepared to help Myanmar develop its
infrastructures such as roads, hydroelectric projects. Myanmar
also wants India to develop its railways, ports, navigation
projects and gas-line ventures. It is noteworthy that southern
Myanmar (in the Arakan region) has abundant gas reserves that
can be piped to either India or South East Asia. Singh’s
inauguration during his visit of Myanmar’s first Centre of
Remote Sensing and Data Processing at Yangon built with Indian
aid should be seen in this light. In the final analysis, can we
now say in the light of the above that "democracy" has
no meaning in India’s relations with Myanmar? When asked this
question, a Foreign Office spokesman said, "While we follow
the ideals of democracy, we do not interfere with the internal
affairs of other countries". In other words, while India
remains committed to democracy and related values, India will
not unilaterally assume responsibility of creating democracies
in other countries. This has to be the choice and responsibility
of the people of the country concerned.
The Independent Bangladesh 23 February 2001
TOP
AFP:
Myanmar "persists" in use of forced labour: unions
Bangkok, AFP
Myanmar "persists" in using forced labour, the
International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) said in
a report to the International Labour Organisation (ILO).
"The junta has not taken any measures aimed at really
putting an end to forced labour," the confederation said
Tuesday in a statement received here.
"Even worse, the army and the administration tries hard
to hide the extent and nature of forced labour imposed on the
population and attempts to use propaganda, disinformation and
lies to counter measures planned by the ILO," said the
Brussells-based confederation which claims 221 unions in 148
countries.
The ILO's governing body last November called on its members
-- which includes unions and employers besides countries -- to
review their ties with Myanmar over the issue, a move which
threatened to increase the sanctions load that has already
helped cripple the economy.
The issue of international sanctions against Myanmar is on
the agenda for the next session of advisors to the UN agency on
March 8 in Geneva.
The unions warned against "any slackening of pressure on
Myanmar".
The Japanese head of the ILO regional office here, Yasuyuki
Nodera, said recently that Myanmar is expected to make progress
in eliminating forced labour this year.
"Expect progress in Myanmar," he said, adding that
one of his top priorities would be to send ILO experts to
Myanmar to help stamp out forced labor by changing laws and
bringing the perpetrators to justice.
AFP, Bangkok, 21 February 2001
TOP
Jane's
Defence Weekly: Myanmar installs new naval radar
Bruce Hawke
Asian intelligence sources report that the Myanmar Navy has
installed a new radar station on St Luke's Island (also called
Zadetkale Island) at the southern tip of Taninthayi division
(formerly known as Tenasserim) situated opposite Thailand's
Ranong province. Work on the station, carried out by Chinese
engineers, began in March 2000 and was completed early this
year. The radar equipment was procured from a
Singapore-registered trading company, but its origin is unknown.
There are three islands near the new radar base whose
sovereignty are under dispute. Contradicting territorial claims
have produced regular clashes in the region between Myanmar and
Thai naval vessels, including at least two incidents late last
year during which shots were fired. The coastal region is also a
haven for smugglers and has rich fishing grounds. Yangon has
been complaining for several years that Thai fishing boats
operating out of Ranong are illegally trawling in its
territorial waters. In a related development, the same source
told Jane's Defence Weekly that the Myanmar Navy has stepped up
its operations since last October with the intention of seizing
Thai fishing boats operating illegally. The confiscated
trawlers, so far numbering about 20, have been given to a
government-owned fishing company.
JDW Special Correspondent, Bangkok, 21 February 2001
TOP
Ethnic
rebels take Myanmar base near border
BANGKOK, (AFP) -
Ethnic rebels overran a Myanmar military base Wednesday after
a brief battle near the Thai border, where fighting strayed into
Thailand 10 days ago and touched off a border crisis, Thai
sources said.
Thai television reports Wednesday night showed ethnic rebels
hiding in tall grass and firing automatic weapons through a veil
of smoke as they descended on a Myanmar military base near the
Thai border.
During a half-hour skirmish, Shan State Army (SSA) rebels
stormed the base located some 300 meters (990 feet) from the
Thai border, Thai sources said.
The base was situated inside Myanmar, opposite the Mae Fah
Luang district in the northern Thai province of Chiang Rai.
The attacking troops torched the base, and one Myanmar
soldier was killed while another was taken prisoner, according
to a Thai border source.
Thai television showed the Myanmar prisoner with his hands
bound and a sack over his head before showing an image of the
bloodied uniform belonging to the killed soldier.
Scores of Thai troops have been sent to the border region in
recent weeks to guard against incursions by Myanmar troops,
whose fighting against ethnic rebels strayed into Thailand
earlier this month.
The crisis began February 11 when artillery and gunfire
rained down on the Thai border town of Mae Sai as the Thai and
Myanmar armies traded fire in a conflict started by warring
ethnic rebels.
With large troop build-ups on either side, there have been
fears that new fighting could break out at any time.
The area has been in a state of tense stand-off since last
Tuesday when the crossing was closed amid fears of fresh
fighting.
The Thai army has said it may draft its top brass to
negotiate with Myanmar over the border tensions, after initial
talks failed to resolve the problem.
The United States has issued an advisory warning its citizens
to exercise caution in the border region with Myanmar.
Myanmar denies being responsible for the artillery attack on
Mae Sai, and accuses the rebel Shan State Army of shelling the
town, as well as its twin settlement on the Myanmar side,
Tachilek.
The official media in Yangon has lashed out at the Thai
army's role in the affair, accusing it of being in league with
drug traffickers along the rugged border region.
Yahoo news Singapore, Agence France-Presse 21 February 2001
TOP
Myanmar
seeks successor after hardline general dies
By Aung Hla Tun
YANGON (Reuters) - Myanmar's military government was on
Tuesday considering who would take over as its fourth most
senior leader after hardline Lieutenant-General Tin Oo was
killed in a helicopter crash.
Diplomats in Yangon said Monday's death of 67-year-old Tin Oo
would weaken a hawkish faction led by General Maung Aye,
vice-chairman of the ruling State Peace and Development Council
(SPDC).
Diplomats say there is a split in Myanmar between allies of
Maung Aye, who are against any weakening in the military's iron
grip on power, and a faction led by SPDC Secretary One
Lieutenant-General Khin Nyunt, which favours making modest
reforms in the hope of improving Myanmar's economy.
Maung Aye and Khin Nyunt are the second and third most senior
members of the SPDC. Maung Aye is also army commander while Khin
Nyunt is military intelligence chief.
Analysts say they are jostling for position to take over the
reins of power given the ailing health of SPDC Chairman Than
Shwe.
Tin Oo was considered an ally of Maung Aye. They said the
choice of a successor could indicate whether hardliners or
reformists had the upper hand in the government. It was not
known when a replacement would be announced.
Last month Khin Nyunt denied the military was split. He said
there were no disagreements over a decision to initiate secret
talks with the pro-democracy opposition led by Nobel laureate
Aung San Suu Kyi.
Rumours had circulated that more hawkish generals were
unhappy about the secret talks. But Khin Nyunt told the Myanmar
Times in an interview that rumours of a split within the ranks
in the military had been spread by foreign media and some
diplomats.
LITTLE HOPE OF MORE SURVIVORS
Officials said on Tuesday there was little hope of finding
survivors among 14 people still missing after the helicopter
crashed in bad weather into the Salwin River in Kayin state,
southeast of the capital Yangon.
State media said that of 29 passengers and crew aboard the
helicopter, 13 had been rescued and two people, including Tin Oo,
were confirmed dead.
Officials said two cabinet ministers -- Brigadier-General Lun
Maung, minister at the prime minister's office, and Colonel
Thein Nyunt, minister for the development of border areas --
were also believed to have been killed in the crash.
Tin Oo survived two apparent attempts on his life in the
1990s.
In April 1997, his eldest daughter was killed by a parcel
bomb which the authorities said was mailed to his house from
Japan. Tin Oo was at home at the time, but was not injured by
the blast.
The government blamed the attack on Myanmar dissidents based
in Japan, but opposition groups denied responsibility and said
it was linked to a power struggle among Myanmar's ruling
generals.
In December 1996 two bombs exploded at a Buddhist shrine on
the outskirts of Yangon after a visit by Tin Oo.
The blasts killed five people and wounded 17. The government
blamed ethnic Karen guerrillas, who denied responsibility.
Yahoo news Singapore,Reuters Limited 20 February 2001
TOP
Summary
of today's protest before the Burmese Embassy in KL, Malaysia
Today we had gathered outside the Burmese
embassy, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to pass a memorandum and to
express our feelings on the recent riot in Arakan. There were
more than a hundred peoples gathered including Rohingyas, other
Burmese nationals and some Malaysians both muslims and non-muslims.
We could not allow many people to gather as it was severely
restricted by police. We had managed to disperse the gathering
within half an hour as the police was continuously requesting to
disperse. A memorandum was presented to the Burmese Embassy
today at about 10:30 local time.
Sayed Hussein
Secretary General Rohingya Students Development Movement(RSDM)
Email report received via email from Malaysia
Press & Publication Department, ARNO 20 February 2001
TOP
Myanmar
Copter Crash Kills Leaders
YANGON, Myanmar (AP) - A Myanmar army helicopter crashed
Monday, killing the No. 4 general in the country's ruling
military council and two Cabinet ministers, government officials
said.
The helicopter carrying Lt. Gen. Tin Oo and about a dozen
other officials crashed in southeastern Myanmar because of
engine trouble, the two government officials said on condition
of anonymity.
They refused to name the Cabinet ministers who were killed
along with Tin Oo, known by the title of Secretary 2 in the
ruling State Peace and Development Council. The government
officials said there were some survivors, but no other details
were immediately available.
There was no immediate confirmation of the crash from the
government.
Tin Oo was the chief of staff of the army and the
fourth-ranking general in the regime that came to power in a
bloodless coup in 1988.
The two government officials who spoke with The Associated
Press said the crash occurred near the town of Moulmein, 100
miles southeast of Yangon, the capital.
Myanmar's government usually refuses to answer questions by
reporters who call it on the telephone, and a military spokesman
in Yangon did not immediately respond to a fax sent to his
office Monday with written questions about the reported crash.
Myanmar has been ruled by the military since 1962, and the
current junta, which calls itself the State Peace and
Development Council, came to power in 1988, after a crackdown on
a pro-democracy movement. The regime keeps a tight grip on the
media in Myanmar, and the public usually knows very little about
the government and its activities.
The junta has faced intense Western criticism for stifling
the opposition, which is led by Aung San Kyi. She won the 1991
Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts to bring democracy to this
Southeast Asian country also known as Burma.
AP, This article is being gathered
from
Yahoo News, 19 Feb 2001
TOP
ROHINGYA
STUDENT DEVELOPMENT MOVEMENT (R.S.D.M) CALLING FOR DEMONSTRATION
Dear Rohingyas and peace loving human being, You
may well know that there was a riot between Rohingyas Muslim and
Rakhines Buddhist in Akyab (Sittwe), the capital of Arakan,
Burma. The riot was took place on 4th February 2001 and
continued following few days and spreads into many other places.
In the riot many Rohingyas have been killed and injured, many
Rohingya women and girls have been raped and many houses belong
to Rohingyas were set on fire by junta backed extremists
Rakhines. Actually the riot was created by Burmese government.
The unity between Rohingyas and Rakhines is headache for junta.
Creation of hatred among its citizens is the main activity of
the junta for their political interest. They can do every thing
they think which will help them to remain in power. There were
series of riots along the history of Burma, created by
government to divert the attention of the people. One time
Arakan was ruled by Muslim Kings for few centuries, which ended
in 1874 after invasion of Burmese king Bodaw paya. Since then
they were trying to create disunity between the Rohingyas and
Rakhines. Unfortunately they were not able to rule Arakan very
long time as it was fallen under British administration in first
English-Burmese war. There were no major conflicts between two
communities during British administration. The mainly interest
of British was economy and did not try to create conflicts.
Compare to present Burmese administration, people of Arakan had
very fair situation at that time. The conflict was created by
Burmese Thakin party when British left the Arakan in 1942. About
half of the population of Rohingyas was killed by extremist
Rakhines who were backed up by Thakin party. The junta is still
playing this tactic to unrest the people of Arakan and labeled
the Rohingyas as a Bangali Khala. The junta has no such right to
call us as the Bangli Khala. May be this is for their lacking of
historical knowledge or just calling intentionally. Actually
Arakan is only belonging to Arakanese people, not the Burmese.
We are the owner of the land and they are invader. Instead of
apologies for their offensive, they are trying to eradicate the
Rohingyas from the land of Arakan. Now half of the alive
Rohingyas are out of the country because of the continual
discriminations and persecutions of junta. Those who are still
in Arakan are being denied for their citizenship and receiving
severe restrictions in their daily life. Although the most
recent riot is over, the Rohingyas are being removed from their
houses and driving to very far places where they have never
reached before. The phones lines only belong to Rohingyas are
still cut off and curfew is still in order only for Rohingyas.
For that reason we have prepared for a demonstration out side
the Burmese embassy, Kuala Lumpur as scheduled below. A
memorandum will be passed up to the Burmese authority through
embassy that will be signed by various organizations. There will
be a big crowd to express their views on the involvement of
junta in riot and to request world community to pay serious
attention on Rohingyas issue. I would like to request those who
are outside Malaysia, please pay serious attention on Rohingyas
issue and Burmese politics. At least keep trying to highlight
the cause of Rohingyas in any possible way. Request your host
government to give pressure to junta to respect the minority's
rights and to solve the political crisis by transferring power
to National League for Democracy unconditionally. Rohingyas are
anti terrorism. We would love to stay within a big country
instead of independent state. But our problem must be solved
without any hesitation and universal declaration of human rights
must be respected. We want to solve our problem by discussion in
round table but same time we have to prepare for confrontation
if it cannot be solved peacefully.
Schedule for demonstration
Date: 20th February 2001 (Tuesday)
Time: 9:30 am
Place: Outside the Burmese embassy
10 Jalan Mengkuang Off Jalan Ru Ampang 55000
Kuala Lumpur
Please be arrived not later than 9:30 am. For
further information, please contact Sayed Hussein at 017-
3898851.
Sincerely, Sayed Hussein
Secretary General Rohingya Students Development Movement
Press & Publication Department, ARNO 15
February 2001
TOP
Racial
harmony in Arakan - N.U.P.A.
The Natonal United Party of Arakan (N.U.P.A) has
received with shock, the news of recent riot in Arakan capital
Sittwe (Akyab), on 6th February 2001, resulting in plundering of
several villages, leaving many killed and injured by a group of
people secrectly sent by the military regime of SPDC to stage a
communal violence between the Buddhist Rakhine and Muslim
Rohingyas. Although, either side has been putting the blame on
the other, we understand with grief that the Rohingya Muslims
have heavy lost of lives, property and missing of many. It is
really unfortunate that the ruling junta , could have, to some
extents, gone ahead in triggering social hatred which spreaded
to other Townships of Rakhine State (Arakan). The colonized
Arakan, has been under the grip of the Military rule for decades
and all the ethnic races have been equally persecuted. We,
having realized that all the ethnic races irrespective of cast
and creed , have been the victim of "divide and rule",
taken every efforts to bury the differences and forge a much
stronger unity among us which have paved the way to formation of
Arakan Independence Alliance (A.I.A), where the role of Arakan
Rohingya National Organisation (A.R.N.O) is an integral part. At
this critical juncture, we urge upon the people of Arakan,
particularly, the Rohingyas to ignore the misgivings of the
Junta and to maintain maximum tolerance to avoid further out
break of violence between the two races. To free Arakan, from
the clutches of the Burman, we need to understand clearly
identify the common enemy of Arakanese peoples.
Tay Zaw,
On behalf of Central Executive Committee,
National United Party of Arakan (NUPA),
Sittwe, Rakhine State (Arakan).
Press & Publication Department, ARNO 15
February 2001
TOP
Anti-Rohingya Propaganda--SPDC Blue Print?
After a spate of communal violence that rocked a number of townships in Arakan
(Rakhine state), Burma, the ruling SPDC military regime have kept all
lele-communication links with Sittwe town disconnected. The junta has also cut bus and boats link from the town, making the local residents stay virtually confined to their homes. Added to it is the night -time curfew imposed since the communal riot against Rohingya Muslims broke out in the First week of February.
Beginning from the 11th February, hundreds of Rohingya residents have forcefully been dispatched to Buthidaung and Maung Daw Township close to the border of
Bagladesh.
On the first day alone, more than nine hundred Muslims were loaded on three government own motor vassals -namely DawaWady 1,2,3 and dispatched to
Buthidaung. Peoples in the southern district of Cox's Bazaar widely told that a fresh exodus of Rohingya Muslim in the area might not be very far.
Meanwhile, Narinnjaraa after interview with the couple of traders in the border area reached to the conclusion that, the riot was premeditated. According to Maung
wai, 36 of Mrauk Oo(not real name), the SPDC agents started a slandering campaign against Muslim Rohingyas by October last year when the junta held alleged talks with Aung San Su
Kyi. Across Arakan, rumour was ripe of a possible attack by" Muslim terrorists". Troops were mobilized to boost up military out posts only the border area on Naf River. Restriction on the movement of on the Roingya Muslims was freshly imposed. Muslim and bBuddhist religious leaders of frontier areas were summoned to Rangoon and were given warning about a "secret plan" of sabotage by "extremist elements". The junta high-ups instructed the leaders to support the junta and keep away from any subversive activities.
Shortly after the incident, a team of cox's bazaar police in a pre-dawn raid on January 22, 2001, arrested two leades of the Rohingya movement from Chittagong and sealed-off an office of ARNO, Arakan Rohingya National Organization. Immediately the Bangladesh press picked up the purported and motivated reports of "alleged Rohingya linked with Fundamentalists, terrorists, gunrunning, drug trafficking, etc" cooked up by the police. Without any verification, a section of press which was controlled by the major political parties by the country," quoting the police department and the intelligent agencies " as a source, runs the story word for word.
Meanwhile there was no evidence found in support of the claims of gun running or separatist's movement to dismember Bangladesh or of "trafficking".
But a great harm has already been done against the Rohingya Movement. Merely after the weeks of the motivated attack, ant Muslim riot instigated by the Brmese junta broke out in some part of Arakan. The riot started when a sequel to a teashop squabble, some law enforcing agents
disguised as Buddhist monks set fire first to the Muslim houses. Clearly the despicable act was done by the junta in fear of the solidarity and integrity of the Arakanese in the face of the demend of decolonosation of bUema and independence of arakan by the member of Arakanese Organizations in exile.
If the rioot at sittwe(Akyab) be on SPDC design, then the anti Rohingya action in Bangladesh fits neatly into the jigsaw.
Has a section of the police at Cox'bazaar been handsomely bribed by the Burman top brass to work for them?
On the home front, Home minister Mr. Nassim of Bangladesh fondly speculates that the present tough going with the fundamentalists (arrest of hundreds leaders supporters of Islamic political parties) would please the western allies of his government sine the western powers were abscessed with Ladenists and other extremists Islamic factions.
If only a connation could be established between the Islamiic activists at home and the Ldenists the ruling party would ingratiate itself with the western power for the blessings for the next electoral war. The war of slander against the Rohinyas movement may, there fore, be apart of the war where Rohingyas have been made scapegoat for the political football.
Rakhine anf Rohingya people have lived peacefully for centuries together, the both NUPA and ARNO believe in the principle of peaceful co-existence, both the parties serve as a free voice of the Arakanese peoples and advocate that, Arakan be decolorize from Burma and that has nothing to do with Bangladesh.
Peoples are beginning to understand that the spoon-fed information in the press of Bangladesh on Rohingya, is nothing but politically motivated crap.
N.K Shuja
Advisor to president
ARNO
Press & Publication Department, ARNO 15
February 2001
TOP
Eviction of Rohingyas from Akyab, forcing
them to Bangladesh border Following the racial violence provoked between Buddhist
and Muslims in Akyab (Arakan), more than three thousand five hundred
Rohingyas were evicted from Akyab (sittwe) and forcibly sent to the
Buthidaung and Maung Daw Township of northern Arakan bordering town with
Bangladesh.
On 12th February, the ruling regime State Peace and Development Council,
SPDC, junta ordered the police and army in Akyab to gather the Muslim
Rohingya men, women and children and forced them to board to the
government own motor vassals, Danyawadi No.1, 2,3 alleging them as
Bengalis, trouble makers and rioters in the recent racial violence in
Akyab.
According to an eyewitness account and some newspapers reported in
Banglasdesh daily Dainik Dinkal dated 5-7-8, it is now strongly suspected
the SPDC regime's involvement in the crisis. It is widely believed in
Arakan that, before creating the riot, the SPDC through their paid agents
in the border business community, bribed some law enforcing agencies,
especially a few corrupts police officials at Cox's Bazzar district,
Bangladesh, and carried-out a defamatory campaign in a section of the
press against the local Rohingya community. As soon as the Rohingyas were
cornered and faced embarrassment, the SPDC regime jumped the opportunity
to create communal riot in Arakan. In no time the junta resorted to
manoeuvre attacks on the Muslim community.
Racial riots have been reported in six village/quarters of Akyab and
Rathidaung township and a mosque on the Lamro river has been razed to
the ground.
Since February 5, at least 2 Rohingya Muslim collage student and hundreds
of young people were missing, with reports of loss of lives and destruction of property.
Meanwhile, The Arakan Independence Alliance (A.I.A) which was formed
political alliance by Arakan Rohingya National Organization (ARNO) and
National United Party of Arakan (NUPA) have appealed to both of the
communities in Arakan to exercise maximum restraint and not to be used as
a tools of the SPDC design.
The Arakanese peoples at large wish the international community to
denounce the wicked act of the Burmese junta and force it to stop
persecution the Muslim Rohingyas of Arakan. Leaders of the ARNO and NUPA
expressed this in a telephone interview with Radio free Asia.
In the meantime, Muslim Rohingya are not allowed to enter Akyab since a
week. The town is still kept under curfew and the telecommunication
service in only those Rohingyas area has been snapped since then.
Press & Publication Department, ARNO 13
February 2001
TOP
Statement on the visit of Indian Foreign
Minister to Burma-AIA It is learnt that the foreign minister of India, Mr. Jaswant Singh is
scheduled to visit Burma on Friday 12th February 2001.
Such a visit of the foreign minister of the world largest democracy
to Burma- the country run by the world's most hated human rights violators, the racist military regime, is not only disgraceful but
also a great shock to the peace loving people of the world including the
people of Burma as a whole.
Throughout the last 12 years of military rule, the SPDC fascist has shown
no sign of improvement. Last year, finding no sign of correction on the
part of the SPDC, the I.L.O. with the democratic west condemned and imposed sanction upon the
country.
Instead of showing any sign of rectification, the SPDC junta last week
fanned racial communal violence to divide the two brotherly Arakanese
peoples, the Buddhist Rakhine the Muslim Rohingya in Rakhine state
(Arakan). In the incident, hundreds of Arakanese were killed and lost
their properties, more are still missing. The tension across the Arakan
is still prevailing.
While the junta, as a gesture of goodwill released some of the Burmese
NLD leaders from prison, thousands of Arakanese including others were
still kept under confinement.
Arakan, through ages, has been apart of Indian sub-continent. The
successive Arakanese revolution has maintained friendly relation with the Indian people. Whatever our problems in Arakan were,
it was helped and solved by Bengal and the Indian Kings, particularly, during the
Mogul Era.
Hence, during the visit of Indian foreign minister to Burma , the
question of Arakan affairs will hopefully be discussed and will pressurize the
Burmese regime. The Arakan under the colonial York of Brumes fascist is
suffering the worse human rights violation like ethnic cleansing,
genocide and in the threat of total extinction.
Being one of the great democratic powers in Asia, the Indian government
should reassess its policy towards the Burmese junta
considering the ethnic nationalities of Burma and their democratic rights.
We. The A.I.A appeal to the democratic government of India to respect
the dignity and honor of the people of Arakan and to immediately: -
1.Stop all economic political relationship with the SPDC.
2.To pressurize the military regime for a total halt of its evil design of genocidal scheme
in Arakan.
3.To put pressure upon the SPDC regime to immediately restore democracy
in Burma.
4.To help decolorize the Arakan from the colonial rule of Burmese
racist regime. N. Shuja.
For and on behalf of the Arakan Independence Alliance (A.I.A)
Press & Publication Department, ARNO 11
February 2001
TOP
Reuters:
Myanmar Muslim rebels say hundreds dead in clashes
DHAKA, Feb 8 (Reuters) - A Muslim rebel group from Myanmar
said on Thursday some 450 people were killed and more than 1,500
wounded in ethnic violence in western Myanmar.
Myanmar government troops were called in to restore order
following clashes between Muslims, known in the region as
Rohingyas, and Buddhists, known as Rakhaines, the Arakan
Rohingya National Organisation (ARNO) said in a statement. ``At
least 450 Rohingyas were killed and more than 1,500 were
seriously injured when the Rakhaines posing as monks attacked
six villages near Akyab town on February 4,'' said the release,
faxed to Reuters in Dhaka on Thursday.
There was no independent confirmation of the rebel group's
report. A Myanmar government spokesman said on Tuesday a curfew
had been imposed in the western town of Sittwe because of
disturbances between Muslims and Buddhists after ``a quarrel.''
The spokesman said the situation had returned to normal. The
ARNO said the killing and arson in Muslim villages continued
until Tuesday when Myanmar army soldiers dispersed the attackers
and restored control.
Thousands of families were homeless after their homes were
set ablaze and hundreds of Muslim people, including women and
children were missing, the group said. The ARNO is seeking
autonomy for Muslims in Arakan state, also known as Rakhine
state, which borders Bangladesh. The majority of people in
Myanmar are Buddhist. Bangladeshi officials said on Thursday
they could not confirm the report of violence but if it were
true, they feared an influx of Muslim refugees into their
country. They said there had been no fresh movement of refugees
into Bangladesh in recent days. Bangladesh has been home to
nearly 21,000 Rohingya refugees from Myanmar for a decade.
They are the remnants of more than 250,000 Rohingyas who fled
into Bangladesh in 1991-92 to escape alleged Myanmar military
persecution, including killings and rape. Myanmar's military
government denies persecuting its Muslim minority. Most of the
refugees have returned to Myanmar under the supervision of the
U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees but some 21,000 are still
huddled in two refuge camps near Cox's Bazar in southeastern
Bangladesh.
The ARNO said the violence was the result of a government
campaign to get rid of Muslims in Myanmar, also know as Burma.
``The Burmese government is systematically trying to exterminate
the Muslims by large scale persecution and gross human rights
violations,'' the news release said.
The Burmanet News, 8 February 2001
TOP
450
dead in Myanmar ethnic feud
A Muslim rebel group from Myanmar said Thursday some
450 people were killed and more than 1,500 wounded in ethnic
violence in western Myanmar.
Myanmar government troops were called in to
restore order following clashes between Muslims, known as
Rohingyas, and Buddhist, known as Rakhines, the Arakan Rohingya
National Organization (ARNO) said in a statement.
"At least 450 Rohingyas were killed and
more than 1,500 were seriously injured when the Rakhines posing
as monks attacked six villages near Akyab town on February
4", said the release, fazed to Reuters in Dhaka Thursday.
There wan no independent confirmation of the
rebel group's report. A Myanmar government spokesman said
Tuesday a curfew had been imposed in the western town of Sittwe because
of disturbances between Muslims and Buddhists after
"a quarrel". The spokesman said the situation had
returned to normal.
The ARNO said the killing and arson in Muslim
villages continued until Tuesday
Dhaka (Rtr), Saudi Gazette, 9 February 2001
TOP
Racial
tension in Arakan State capital Sittwe (Akyab) killed more then 150
Muslim Rohingyas and is continuing.
Teknaf
Racial tension in Arakan State capital Sittwe (Akyab) has continued to prevail
till today following last Sunday's killing of Muslim Rohingya residents
of the town.
According to information reaching here over phone from Yangon, the riot
further spread to other townships of Arakan State and 12 Muslim houses in
the town of Rathedaung, 40 mile in the north east of Akyab, have been
Burned down on 8th Feb night by Rakhine mobs believed to be under the
instigation of communalist forces linked with the regime.
(According to a press release of Arakan Independence seeker
under the banner of Arakan Independence Alliance (A.I.A) of which combined Rakhine National Groups of National United Party of Arakan
(N.U.P.A) and combined Rohingya groups Arakan Rohingya National
Organisation (A.R.N.O).
It stated that On 4-5 and 6 February 2001, in Akyab district of Arakan (the western part of Burma), an estimate of 150 to 180
Rohingya Muslim killed, more than 500 seriously injured, 200 missing
including women, children and thousands left homeless in a planned way
secret killings and setting fire the Rohingya Muslims area of
MolviPara, Nazir para, Amla para , Rohingya para, Sakki Bazaar para and Kawshy Para
near the township of Akyab by a group of Burmese Army in the guise of
Buddhist Monks. They firstly come to Moley Para, the Muslim majority area
and started up in fighting with the local Rohingya residents. Soon after
starting provoked quarrel they started to set fire the area at lane No.904 and 763 of Nazir pare onwards in a planned way. Before the
incident taken place, all telecommunication facilities from that Muslims
area have been cut off. As many as 400 houses including 4 boarding were
raze down, the report added.)
Following the incident, the Secretary -III Gen. Win Myint has
been visiting the area from Yangon on 8 February and ordered the troops
to remain on full alert. He also advised the people of other townships in
Akyab to return to their Respective townships by fast available transport. Hundreds of injured Muslims have still been lying in the
hospital wards and floor mostly unattended due to sudden overcrowded
position and lack of sufficient facilities in the only State hospital.
The injured mostly have cut marks and other brutal wounds have been in
critical condition, as they could not afford life saving medicine and
surgery.
It is further reported that the hoodlums picked up some 70-80 children
running helter-skelter and there is no trace of these children and most
people believe that they might have been killed after taking away to
remote place. Many more are reported missing since the incident. The
injured children lying in the pool of blood were seen thrown into the
blazing fire by the mob and no exact figure of casualties could be collected due to news blackout as the army has of late cordoned off the
area. More than 380 houses have been razed to the ground during Sunday's
arson and the occupants have been passing their days in open sky in the
severe cold without anything left with them. The Burmese junta is reported to have asked the Muslims to maintain restraint while the
Rakhines have been told to show their muscle against the Muslims. In
absence of co-operation in supply of relief goods to the victims, the
Muslims of Rangoon and other cities have been trying to collect fund and
relief materials including life saving drugs for the Muslims of
Akyab.
It is feared that there might be new influx of Rohingya Muslims from
Arakan State to neighboring Bangladesh if the tension further escalates.
Another information coming in through Burma Bangladesh border has it that
the Burmese military junta has become serious following the unity of the
two ethnic communities Rakines and Rohingyas at organization level and
has since been serious to foil it by taking various steps. Hence, the
amassing of 20,000 troops along Burma Bangladesh border, police crackdown
on Burmese opposition elements in Bangladesh at the time when border
tension between the two countries has been at its height and the latest
racial riot in Akyab are nothing but a series of systematic conspiratorial plan of the Burmese regime, observed by many watchers.
The Government of our Bangladesh should eye cautiously so that recurrence
of refugee influx couldn't be happened once again on our head.
Ko Ko Lay, General Secretary, Institute of Arakan Studies,
Chittagong,
9th February 2001
TOP
National
United Party of Arakan: on the Racial Clashes in Sittwe, Arakan
We are deeply concerned over the racial clashes that took
place as a sequel to an untoward incident in a teashop in Sittwe
on the fourth February 2001. According to the report, the
Buddhists and the Muslims in the area got locked up in racial
riots and the ruling SPDC junta imposed curfew to diffuse the
tension. As a result to the incident, there was losses of lives,
destruction of property and a deep sense of animosity prevailed
upon the two brotherly peoples, the Buddhists and the Muslims.
NUPA being a secular organization believes in the peaceful
coexistence of all the nationals living in Arakan, as Arakan has
always been a secular free nation under the Arakanese kings
before the Burmans came to the land as foreign aggressors.The
row that took place in a teashop was insignificant. But the
outcome of the episode was beyond what the average citizen can
ever imagine of. We want to make it known that, the average
Arakanese people are peace-loving but the SPDC junta which is
overtly Burman-dominated has like its predecessors, the SLORC
and BSPP, got down to stir up communal agitation so that the two
brotherly communities could be divided. The SPDC who has the
full authority in Burma can squarely be put to blame for the sad
event in Sittwe. While the NUPA has been engaged in the
restoration of amity among all the people of Arakan,
transcending the barriers of religion, race, caste or creed, the
SPDC junta has deliberately created discord and tension by
constructing a dam on the Naaf, and in this particular incident,
flared up racial tension and animosity, in order to sidetrack
the deteriorating law and order situation, economy and the
worsening political crisis in Burma, as it has done in previous
occasions, as in the racial riots that were stirred up by the
military junta in Mandalay, Taungyi and Prome (Pyi).
The SPDC without controlling the situation before it could
end up in racial tension, should have stopped the flare-up. For
this the SPDC is to be squarely blamed for stirring up the
riot.As peace-loving Arakanese, the Buddhists, the Muslims and
the Christions and all other minorities must be aware of the
evil design of the Burman junta, and repel any attempt to
disorganize and break up the racial harmony prevailing in
Arakan. The above event though controllable went beyond control
and ended up in the loss of valuable human lives and property,
which is insensible. So long as we, the Arakanese, live under
the colonial yoke of the xenophobic Burmans, we can never solve
the racial problems among the Arakanese brotherly peoples.
We want to make it clear that, the refugee problem that
causes a lot of trouble to the neighbouring countries like
Thailand, India and Bangladesh are the direct result of the
Burman racist rule.To all the sensible people at home and
abroad, we want to urge that, there is no racial problem in
Arakan, rather the SPDC junta creates such sad unwanted events
to fish in the troubled waters.Until and unless the independence
of Arakan is achieved there can never be good governance and
peace and prosperity of the citizens enjoying the fruits of
democracy, human rights, and secularism.
To the international community at large, our appeal is to
give moral and material support to the national liberation
movement of Arakan so that the long-cherished independence of
Arakan could be realized and rule of law could be established..
Central Committee National United
Party of Arakan 7 February 2001
TOP
Press
Release of AIA on the arrest of Mr. Salim Ullah
Our attention has been drawn to the news items appeared in the foreign press, particularly in various newspapers in Bangladesh on 23-24 January 2001, on the arrest of Mr. Salim
Ullah, commander in chief of the Rohingya National Army (R.N.A).
We express our serious concern on the repeated unfounded misleading propaganda
against the freedom movement of the Arakanes Rohingya Muslims alleging them as extremists and collaborators of so-called Taliban,Harkat
etc;. Nothing could be more of a blatant lie than this. It is but a design of the vested interest to tarnish the image of the freedom
movement of the colonised people of Arakan, and to foil the liberation
struggle of Arakan.
The Arakan Independence Alliance (A.I.A), of which N.U.P.A and A.R.N.O are
members is the only legitimate representative organisation and spokesperson of the whole people of Arakan, irrespective of religion or
race, struggling for the restoration of the lost independence of Arakan.
We have the utmost respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity of
Bangladesh.
The alliance strongly aspires all-out support of the international
communities, particularly the neighboring countries with which we have had
long historical and traditional relationship. It may be mentioned that
being a O.I.C (Organisation of Islamic Conference) member state, Bangladesh has moral obligations to render political and moral support
to the cause of the people of Arakan.
Our policy has always been not to interfere with the internal affairs of
the Bangladesh, or any of it's political parties. The liberation war of
Bangladesh has always been an inspiration to us.
On the other hand, our enemy the SPDC regime of Burma in order to divert
the attention of the people of Burma from the ongoing worsening internal
situation of the country, has recently fanned trouble along the border with Bangladesh
erecting a dam on the Naf River.
Does the arrest of Mr. Salim Ullah by the Ukiah branch of Bangladesh
police have any implication to the issue, too?
We fervently appeal to the friendly people and Government of Bangladesh to
support the freedom of struggle of the people of Arakan, to consider the
case of Mr. Salim Ullah with sympathetic consideration and arrange his
quick release, so that our friendly relation perpetuates and take care
not to let such and unhappy and awkward situation repeat again.
(Maung Kyaw Nu)
(NURUL ISLAM)
VICE PRESIDENT
PRESIDENT
NATIONAL UNITED PARTY OF ARAKAN (N.U.P.A)
ARAKAN ROHINGYA NATIONAL ORGANISATION (ARNO), ARAKAN
Press & Publication Department, ARNO 24 January
2001
TOP
More then 18
Rohingyas killed in a planned attack
On 4-5 February 2001, in Akyab district of Arakan (the western part of
Burma), an estimate of 18 to 20 Rohingya Muslim died ,more than 540 seriously injured ,18 missing including
women, children and thousands left
homeless in a planned way secret killings and setting fire the Rohingya
Muslims area of MolviPara, Nazir para, Amla para and Rohingya para near the
township of Akyab. According to our sources that a group of Burmese Army in
the guise of Buddhist Monks have firstly come to Moley Para,the Muslim
majority areas, and started up in fighting with the local Rohingya residents. Soon after starting quarrel they have started setting fire the
area at lane No.904 and 763, Nazir pare and Amla pare onwards in a planned
way. At one stage, before the incident taken place, all tele-communication
facilities have been cut off from the said areas. As many as 280 houses
including Dullar Boarding, Gunng Boarding, Mr.Abas's House, Mr. Hla Myint's
House, Mr.Mynar's House are among the houses were burned down. Finally the
Military came to the area and surrounded with tight control. Still the
panic-stricken Rohingyas are yet to be rescued by the law enforcing agencies of Burmese regime.
It is not a secret to the world of the Burmese government's brutality
toward the Rohingya Muslims that resulted hundreds of thousands of refugee
influx in Bangladesh. The international community, particularly the Government of Bangladesh should caution the intention of the present
Burmese's SPDC junta once again.
Such malicious act is continuously witnessed in Arakan where the Burmese
government is systematically trying to exterminate the Muslims and subjecting large scale persecution, ethnic cleansing and gross
human rights violation.
We appeal to the world body, United Nation Organization U.N.O and human
rights organizations to study the matter immediately and stop the genocidal
design of Burmese government to the helpless peoples of Arakan.
Press & Publication Department, ARNO 6 Feb 2001
TOP
International
Herald Tribune: Get Burma's Minorities Talking
Josef Silverstein
NEW BRUNSWICK, New Jersey As representatives of the
military government in Burma continue secret talks with the
opposition leader, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, both sides should be aware
that the central problem today, as it was when Burma gained
independence from Britain in 1948, is national unity. It does not
exist because there is a lack of equality and trust between majority
Burmese and other ethnic groups, and between the military and the
people. Restoration of democratic rule and respect for human rights
and civil liberties are, of course, important. But if the talks are
to be the first step in solving long-standing problems, then the
interests of the ethnic minorities must get high priority. They
represent a third of the national population, but most do not feel
part of the nation. After so many years of war, misunderstanding and
division, the basic issues of unity, trust and peaceful resolution
of problems must be discussed openly, honestly and in depth so that
a new social basis can be found and built upon. The military rulers
defend their seizure of power in 1962 and again in 1988 as necessary
to preserve national unity, territorial integrity and sovereignty.
They claim that any mistrust is a legacy of colonial rule. They say
that the cease fires they negotiated with ethnic minorities were
first steps toward equality, sharing of power and trust. Such
principles, they claim, will be in the new constitution. In 1989,
when the Burma Communist Party imploded and the minority
representatives who served as its cadres broke away and formed
ethnic groupings, the government offered them cease-fire agreements
to end their wars against the state. It allowed those who accepted
to keep their weapons, administer their areas and run their
economies with a minimum of interference. However, the government
did not allow them to discuss their political future. That was to be
put off until a new constitution was in place. In 1993, the junta
created a national convention at which invited Burmese and minority
representatives were supposed to develop the principles for a new
constitution. The move failed because it was tightly controlled and
the participants were denied free speech and interaction. After a
walkout by Shan minority delegates, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi withdrew
the delegates of her National League for Democracy. Most of the
ethnic minorities contend that the conditions that drove many to
fight the central government or resist in other ways have their
roots in inequalities inscribed in the 1947 constitution and in the
absence of full autonomy, resource-sharing and participation in
decisions affecting their future. They also deeply resent the
emergence of Burmese culture as the national culture, instead of a
multiculture reflecting the diversity of the population. For half a
century the minorities have been victims of rules made in Rangoon,
the central government's violence and unwillingness by those in
power to discuss the grievances of ethnic minorities and work
together to find real solutions. While the Karens continue their war
against the government, their leaders have been on record since 1984
as saying that they no longer seek independence. They refuse to
accept a cease-fire because its terms say nothing about the future.
A significant portion of the Christian Karens also have religious
differences with the Burmese, who are Buddhist. As dialogue between
representatives of the military and the people progresses, Daw Aung
San Suu Kyi is the logical person to speak for the people. She is
committed to a free, democratic and peaceful Burma based on equality
for all, the rule of law and human rights. She respects the cultural
diversity of the nation and the rights of the people to retain their
identities, languages and traditions. She trusts the people, as most
trust her. She should have minority leaders at her side to
participate in the discussions and speak to the issues which
directly effect their people. That would be the best symbol possible
of equality, unity and trust as efforts are made again to build a
united Burma. The writer, professor emeritus of politics at Rutgers
University, contributed this comment to the International Herald
Tribune.
International
Herald Tribune,Feb. 5, 2001
TOP
Friends
of Rohingya: "Malicious Misinformation about Arakan
Resistance"
Recently, members of a Burma resistance group, ARNO, have been
taken into custody in Bangladesh, simply for their expression of
political views against the rulers of the neighbor country, Burma
(Myanmar). This was accompanied with a very vicious campaign of lies
and slander through the Bangladesh press. In reality, ARNO is a
coalition of Rohingya Muslims and also Rakhaine Buddhist groups
aimed at bringing democracy to Burma and its province Arakan which
they share as a homeland in happier times. They are most certainly
not fundamentalists or extremists, but are believers in tolerance
and equal rights for all regardless of ethnicity, faith or gender.
They are a small group simply struggling to survive, with no real
source of support in finance or arms, and have sought to expose the
terrible narcotics trade linked to the Burmese generals.
The ARNO's main actions are as a voice of advocacy for the
oppressed in Arakan who suffer tortures, slave labors and murders at
the hands of Burma's army, on a routine daily basis. This
mistreatment of Arakan people is verified by the UN, ILO and Amnesty
reports.
The Burma military dictatorship's genocidal policies has led to
thousands and thousands of refugees flowing away from Arakan.The
ARNO group was simply trying to stay nearby Arakan, to monitor and
publicise the situation and encourage some small level of local
resistance. It must surely be emphasized that this has had nothing
whatsoever to do with Bangladesh, or with any political parties or
conflicts within Bangladesh. The last thing ARNO wanted was to be
involved in any of that. So it is to be regretted if this small
Burmese democracy group is being made a "political
football" and lied about in Bangladesh, which after all enjoys
its own democracy, free press, etc. unlike Burma. Also, any contacts
with foreigners by resistance members have been made in efforts to
ask them to use their countries' diplomatic skills to pressure the
Burmese government to observe human rights. It is to be desired that
all of Burma's neighbors spend their time encouraging Burma towards
democracy, and not harassing those who promote Burma's freedom.
Friends of Rohingya USA
Posted on the Maykha mailing list, Feb. 3,
2001
TOP
|