Time for debate or Reconciliation?

Dr.Abid Bahar News By Kaladan press

Time and again, in the past we asked Aye Chan, Aye Kyaw and Ashin Nayaka, the xenophob trio to have an open debate about why they had to call Rohingyas as "foreigners" or as "Influx Viruses." They remained silent for years. They knew their arguments were fundamentally flawed. Their arguments were based on racism. Their such works and activities were documented and they were found to be the promoters of ethnic violence in Arakan.

Based on the merit of their works, instead of bringing them for debate they should be brought to justice through the International Criminal Court. Their place shouldn't be a conference room in a civilized country but they should be placed in the the confinement of a jail. They helped promote ethnic unrest in Arakan. Aye Kyaw was instrumental in the adaptation of the 1982 Citizenship Law. If we have to have debate, it should be with Arakanese humanist leaders.

Racist people already made up their mind of what they had to say. They are close-minded people; debate is not going to open their mind. These three people caused a great deal of harm to the Rohingyas. Even when Rohingyas are now internationally recognized as Burmese people and documented in history books but the trio still call them as the "so-called Rohingyas.

" For the Rohingyas there is a difference between 1978 and 2011. Overtime they have emerged from a backward Burmese community with almost no modern leadership into now a well-organized people with the old and young generation of leaders working together; history books were being written, false claims by xenophobs were debated by the Rohingya scholars as well as by Western scholars in books and articles.

In addition, Rohingyas are now being recognized as true citizens of Burma by Western governments and by international organizations. Despite that there should always be scope for debate but not the xenophos. When Aye Chan didn't respond to my several calls for a debate, I responded to his works in detail in my long article " Aye Chan's Enclave with influx viruses revisited" This is also a chapter in my book "Burma's missing Dots.

" It is not the time for debate on some very old issues to open up the historic wounds again but it is time for reconciliation with the democratic minded Rakhines and Burmese leaders and the common Burmese people and to work with international bodies that are helping the Rohingyas globally. The former president Nurul Islam was doing that and the new president and his team of more energetic people should also continue the Rohingya tradition of reconciliation for peace.

Amnesty International's T. Kumar to Speak at the Islamic Society of North America's Convention

Amnesty International's T. Kumar to Speak at the Islamic Society of North America's Convention Advocacy Director T. Kumar to Speak on Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar (Burma) Contact: Carolyn Lang, clang@aiusa.org, 202-675-8759 /EINPresswire.com/ (Washington, D.C.) -- Amnesty International Advocacy Director T. Kumar will address the Islamic Society of North America's 49th Annual Convention "One Nation Under God: Striving for the Common Good," in regards to the minority community of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar (Burma) on Saturday, September 1, at 11:30 am at the Washington DC Convention Center.

American Buddhists Promote 969 Movement With Website

Irrawaddy News: July 9, 2013 A group of American Buddhists has launched an English-language website promoting the 969 movement, in response to negative media surrounding the ultra-nationalist Buddhist campaign in Burma. The website aims to dispel “myths” about the movement, with a letter from nationalist monk Wirathu to a Time magazine reporter whose article about 969 was banned in Burma. “We’re not officially endorsed by Ven Wirathu at this time but will send a delegation to his monastery soon,” a spokesperson for the site said via email, adding that the group would create a nonprofit to coordinate “969 activities worldwide in response to religious oppression.”

Rohingya Activist Nominated for Human Rights Award

PHR congratulates Zaw Min Htut, a Burmese Rohingya activist, on his nomination for the 2011 US State Department Human Rights Defenders Award . Zaw Min Htut has been working for Rohingyas’ rights through the Burmese Rohingya Association of Japan since he fled Burma in 1998. Prior to that he was a student activist in Burma, and was detained for his participation in protests in 1996. In Japan, Zaw Min Htut has organized protests at the Burmese embassy and has written books on the history of Rohingya.

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