The Stateless Rohingya Blog

Reports on Human Rights Practices at the Washington Foreign Press Center on March 11, 2010. Testimony Michael H. Posner Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor Statement Before the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission Washington, DC February 28, 2013 Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for holding this hearing and for the Commission’s sustained concern about Burma over the years. I am particularly grateful to the late Tom Lantos himself, who played a critical role in shaping U.S. policy. I appreciate the opportunity to outline for the Commission the administration’s views on human rights and democracy in Burma. As the members of the Commission are aware, the last 18 months have brought a number of changes to Burma—from the release of hundreds of political prisoners to the revision of several repressive laws—that many would have said were unthinkable just two years ago. Of course the many activists and advocates who have been pushing

Maungdaw, Arakan State: The concerned authority of Maungdaw south declared people can enjoy to perform their religious freely, but the Burma border security force (Nasaka) arrested a person who performed his religious duty in the religious place on February 27, according to a village administration officer who denied his named. “Abu Fayas , 55, son of Lal Mohad hailed from Warr Cha village, under Nasaka area number 7, was arrested after performed his religious duty in a Mosque after sunset time.” The Nasaka charged him for performing religious duty inside the Mosque, but he performed outside of Mosque, in the mosque compound. The Nasaka asked him to settle and they will free him to go. He refused to pay money as the commander declared that can performed religious duty inside the compound of Mosque, said an elder from village. “The Nasaka toke him to their outpost camp where the Nasaka officer, Military intelligent (Sarapa) and special branch of police (SB) were asking

February 28, 2013  Myanmar Times:  By Tim McLaughlin   Speaking at the American Center in Yangon on February 27, retired archbishop and Noble Peace Prize Laureate Desmond Tutu said that Aung San Suu Kyi’s reluctance to speak out was linked to her current political position. Tutu refused to criticise fellow Peace Prize recipient Suu Kyi over her continued silence on Myanmar’s Rohingya issue, but said he hoped that she would be given the chance in the future to explain how politics had influenced her choices. “Perhaps it would be important that one day she does get the opportunity of explaining how political considerations can make it difficult to be as clear and unambiguous,” Tutu said, adding that Suu Kyi is making the transition between what he described as a “global icon” and politician. The two met on February 26 at Suu Kyi’s home in Yangon, during Tutu’s first visit to Myanmar. He has long been a supporter of Suu Kyi and Myanmar’s process o

By Mohamed Farooq On 26 February, 2013, about 25 Nasaka personnel came to Rani Para from Nasaka area number one under the tract of Maungdaw Township. They ordered village administrator, Mohammad Gafur to call every villager and they will take a photo having race name is Bengali with his/her signature or finger print. Mohammad Gafur replied that it was not possible for him to take responsibility of bringing villager to take photo with signature having race is Bengali. The villagers were almost evaded to presenting the spot. He also asked to Nasaka “if it is mandatory, you can do me what you want.” Finally, Nasaka told him that they did not like any excuse to get further and they will come again. “It is the last word to arrange and prepare all people to do what we order as you are Bengali or we will shoot who oppose this matter.” Burmese security forces can menace openly to shoot as they have prime power to cleansing Rohingya minority by Higher Authority. Source  Mayu Pr