Bangladesh, Myanmar: Rohingya Repression in International Spotlight · Global Voices
Rezwan

This post is part of our special coverage Myanmar's Rohingya.
Six weeks after clashes between Rohingya and Rakhaine broke out in Western Myanmar, which resulted in another influx of refugees towards the Bangladesh border, Amnesty International is reporting that targeted attacks and other violations by security forces against minority Rohingyas and other Muslims have increased. More than 100 people have been killed since the violence began and more than 50,000 people are estimated to have been displaced. BBC published eyewitness accounts of the terror Rohingyas had to face. Meanwhile there are reports from the Burmese sites that Rohingya lynch mobs also escalated the attacks.
On 10th of June, 2012, the Myanmar government had declared a state of emergency in Rakhine State which still remains in effect in some areas. Amnesty International also reports:
Myanmar’s Border Security Force (nasaka), army, and police have conducted massive sweeps in areas that are heavily populated by Rohingyas. Hundreds of mostly men and boys have been detained, with nearly all held incommunicado, and some subjected to ill-treatment.
Restless Beings, which has a project in Myanmar, reports:
In the last two weeks, Burma has had restrained and limited pressure from the international community. With the Burmese economic opportunities being highlighted even more so and America in decisions of lifting the sanctions on Burma, 40 days and counting, the cry of the Rohingyas is still yet to be heard worldwide.
Our sources tell us how thousands of Rohingyas are being arrested in the Maungdaw township and being taken to the Buthidaung Jail where they suffer continuous tortures – 40 prisoners were taken out from the cells to be beaten severly morning and evening time.
This video shows raw footage of the repression against the Rohingyas [Warning: graphic images]:
Mohamed Mufiz, a son of a victim from Rakhine state reports:
Our Rohingyas community in Rakhine state is in the mouth of death ghost (Rakhine chauvinistic and organized hooligans) and we earnestly request international community to save us in time from the unsafe plan of both government of Myanmar and Rakhine people’ master plan to annihilate us from our ancestral land.
A coalition of 58 civil society groups – led by Refugees International, the Arakan Project, and the Equal Rights Trust – condemn the atrocities against the Rohingya community.
However, Reports say that some monks’ organisations have issued pamphlets telling people not to associate with the Rohingya community, and have blocked humanitarian assistance from reaching them.
Angry Asian Buddhist writes:
I believe in the rights of Rohingya Muslims in Burma just as I believe in the rights of Jumma Buddhists in Bangladesh. I condemn the violence against both groups, and I condemn the history of persecution and oppression which cannot simply be washed away overnight. I furthermore condemn the simplification of political and socio-economic conflicts into religious terms of “Buddhist” versus “Muslim.”
Meanwhile protests around the world are happening against Rohingya repression.
Rohingya Muslims in Thailand assemble in front of UN to call for help. Image by Anuchid Lermsum. Copyright Demotix (3/7/2012)
In an interview Dr Habib Siddiqui explained what was actually happening in Myanmar:
The heart of the problem goes back to 1982 Citizenship Law which says that Rohingyas are not citizens in Burma. They are outsiders. They have to prove their citizenship. And this law is absurd given the fact that the forefathers of Rohingyas had entered into Arakan thousands of years ago. As historians would tell you the Rakhine or the Buddhist people did not enter Arakan until possibly as late as the tenth century. Earlier dynasties were said to be Indians that ruled over people similar to Bengal.
A Rohingya child at the protest. Image by Anuchid Lermsum. Copyright Demotix (3/7/2012).
Zaw Lwin Oo shows that contrary to popular belief that the Muslims in Arakan are recent settlers, they have been living here for centuries. The blogger lists the name of Muslim Kings from the fifteenth century.
Nizam Ahmed at E-Bangladesh reports:
The number of these registered refugees in two camps at Kutupalang and Nayapara under Cox’s Bazar district swelled to more than 30,000 early this year as Myanmar did not take them back despite of repeated pledges and promises.
The Bangladesh foreign Minister Dr. Dipu Moni has requested the Myanmar Government for an immediate start of the repatriation of Myanmar refugees and undocumented Myanmar nationals from Bangladesh.
Here are some Twitter reactions:
@pirate_larry: RT @akrockefeller: Thein Sein: Burmese Gov’t Will Not Recognize 800,000 #Rohingya Citizens http://t.co/liz3vwFe #Myanmar #Burma
@aroushimee: RT @HAQnewsorg: “Extremist Buddhists in Rakhine state have raped at least one thousand Rohingya Muslim girls. Some three thousands corpses have been dumped.
@RestlessNadia: Can't imagine what the Rohingya of Arakan are breaking their fast with- no food/aid. Consequences of a racist state and years of oppression.
This post is part of our special coverage Myanmar's Rohingya.