[BRIEF NOTE] It’s really, really tough to be a Rohingya in Burma

[rfmcdonald]

While we’re on the topic of horrible interethnic and state-minority relations on the littoral of the Bay of Bengal, let’s turn to a rather depressing and horrifying note I’ve seen posted at Normblog on the Rohingya. Residing in the north of the west-coast Burmese state of Rakhine (formerly Arakan) near the Bangladeshi border, the Rohingya are a Muslim people who speak a language similar to Bengali who have been resident in the territory of modern Burma for centuries. In independent Burma, the Rohingya have shared the lot of other unhappy ethnic minorities under military rule of General Ne Win--indeed, as members of a conspicuous religious minority, they’ve arguably fared worse than others.

When General Ne Win swept to power on a wave of nationalism in 1962, the status of Muslims changed for the worse. Muslims were expelled from the army and were rapidly marginalized. Burma has a Buddhist majority. Muslims are stereotyped in the society as "cattle killers" (referring to the cattle sacrifice festival of Eid Al Adha in Islam). The generic racist slur of "kala" (black) used against perceived "foreigners" has especially negative connotations when referring to Burmese Muslims. The more pious Muslim communities who segregate themselves from the Buddhist majority face greater difficulties than those who integrate more at the cost of observance to Islamic personal laws.

Muslims in Burma are affected by the actions of Islamic extremism in other countries. Violence in Indonesia perpetrated by Islamists is used as a pretext to commit violence against Muslim minorities in Burma. The anti-Buddhist actions of the Taliban in Afghanistan (the destruction of the Buddhas of Bamiyan) was also used as a pretext to commit violence against Muslims in Burma by Buddhist mobs. Human Rights Watch reports that there was mounting tension between the Buddhist and Muslim communities in Taungoo for weeks before it erupted into violence in the middle of May 2001. Buddhist monks demanded that the Hantha Mosque in Taungoo be destroyed in "retaliation" for the destruction of the Buddhas of Bamiyan. Mobs of Buddhists, led by monks, vandalized Muslim-owned businesses and property and attacked and killed Muslims in Muslim communities. This was followed by retaliation by Muslims against Buddhists.

The dictatorial government, which operates a pervasive internal security apparatus, generally infiltrates or monitors the meetings and activities of virtually all organizations, including religious organizations. Religious freedom for Muslims is reduced. Monitoring and control of Islam undermines the free exchange of thoughts and ideas associated with religious activities. Accusations of "terrorism" are made against Muslim organizations such as the All Burma Muslim Union.

In 1993, a wave of more than a quarter-million Rohingya sought refugee in Bangladesh in response to a wave of state terror that included the destruction of Rohingya villages, forced conscription and labour, and systematic rape campaigns. The Rohingya have recently entered the international media in response to the Thai military’s shipping of hundreds of Rohingya refugees to the high seas. Indonesia has criticized the Thai action, and may become a destination for the limited resettlement of Rohingya refugees. All this prompted Hong Kong-based academic Ian Holliday to write an article in the South China Morning Post criticizing the terrible treatment of the Rohingya and calling for international action on their behalf.

And the Burmese consul-general’s response?

Dear Colleagues,

I would like to inform you that you might have read some news about "Rohingya Scandal" in recent papers. Some journalists expressed that as if Rohingya are Myanmarese (We do not have Myanmarese. We have only Myanmar People) and tried to seek a better place to stay or to look for a better jobs etc. And an academician Ian Holliday wrote an article by expressing that "Rohingya crisis a part of Myanmar's ethnic strife" and he mixed his article with other internal affairs which can be confused for innocent readers, because of his lack of knowledge of back ground history.

In reality, Rohingya are neither "Myanmar People" nor Myanmar's ethnic group. You will see in the photos that their complexion is "dark brown". The complexion of Myanmar people is fair and soft, good looking as well. (My complexion is a typical genuine one of a Myanmar gentleman and you will accept that how handsome your colleague Mr. Ye is.) It is quite different from what you have seen and read in the papers. (They are as ugly as ogres.)

Therefore I would like to enclose two pieces of paper from the New Light of Myanmar Daily Newspaper, concerned with the recent Rohingya Scandal among various media, for your information. Thank you.

Kong hey fat choi!

Yours Sincerely,

Ye Myint Aung

Consul-General
The Consulate General of The Union of Myanmar
Hong Kong & Macau SAR

!