The Stateless Rohingya Blog

Women   in Thea Chaung camp, Rakhine State, Myanmar, prepare a meal. Photo: UNOCHA/ Nicole Lawrence UN  News   Centrer:   26 April 2013  The United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) has made available $5 million in additional funding to provide life-saving assistance to some 69,000 people displaced by the violence in Myanmar’s Rakhine state. This is the third allocation of funds from CERF for urgent humanitarian operations in Rakhine state following inter-communal violence that erupted there in June and October 2012, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). The violence led to large-scale internal displacement and a marked increase in people fleeing by boat from the region, OCHA Myanmar said in a news release. “The violence caused not only displacement, but also a loss of life, livelihoods and property.” Currently, the UN estimates there are more than 140,000 people displaced throughout the state. “Than

M.r Abul  Kalam and Ms Anna Uggla Mohamed Farooq Mayupress: April 27, 2013 The Department for Asia and Pacific called on the European Rohingya Council with contemporary critical issue of internally displaced Rohingya persons inside Arakan on 25th April 2013. The Development and Welfare Secretary of the European Rohingya Council (ERC), Mr. Abul Kalam had met Ms. Anna Uggla, in-charge for Burma in the Department for Asia and Pacific at Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs.  Mr. Abul Kalam addressed in details of present situation of Rohingya in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps as well as about those staying overseas. He also handed over a memorandum of ERC having their theme, tasks and objectives towards getting Rohingya Right to the Chancellor and Chairman of DHAMMA SOCIETY SWEDEN, Mr. Jan Wihlborg Mr. Jan Wihlnorg stated the entire tragedy of Rohingya situation at the meeting and what will be the fate of refugees of IDP camps in the rainy season. More th

Killings in Burma lead to protest CAMPAIGNERS gathered at a peaceful protest in Oxford against the killings in Burma. The vigil at Oxford’s Carfax Tower on Thursday afternoon paid tribute to Muslims killed by Buddhists. The event was organised by the Oxford Islamic Information Centre, in Cowley Road. The director of the centre, Dr Hojjat Ramzy, said: “We want to know why there is this violence. “We believe Buddhists are very peaceful people, so it is very, very sad for these killings to be happening. “They have been living for thousands of years in peace and it looks like a few extremist Buddhists are killing these innocent people, which is totally against their beliefs as Buddhists.” He claimed about 70 to 100 people attended the vigil. Last month, at least 40 deaths were reported after violence between Muslims and Buddhists in the central Burmese town of Meiktila.

The Nation/Asia News Network April 27, 2013 These past few weeks have been somewhat hectic for the government of Myanmar. First, there was the prestigious peace award given to President Thein Sein by the International Crises Group, recognizing his work toward a peace that can be achieved. Then came the lifting of all sanctions by the European Union, except for its arms embargo. Afterward the government released 100 prisoners, 56 of whom were said to be political internees. More than 800 political prisoners have been freed in amnesties between May 2011 and last November. But later the mood among the country's political leaders wasn't so festive, nor among Western countries. A 153-page report from the New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) entitled “All You Can Do is Pray: Crimes against Humanity in the Ethnic Cleansing of Rohingya Muslims in Burma's Arakan State” quickly re-established a sense of reality about Myanmar. HRW accuses the Myanmar gover

Dr. Ezzedin Al-Komi, Chairman of the Human Rights Committee of Egypt’s   Ikhwanweb: April 26, 2013 A 153-page Human Rights Watch report accuses Myanmar’s government of ethnic cleansing of Rohingya Muslims, crimes against humanity that continue unabated to-date and prevention of relief aid from reaching surviving Muslims. In a statement issued Friday, Dr. Ezzedin Al-Komi, Chairman of the Human Rights Committee of Egypt’s Shura Council, asked Human Rights Watch (HRW) to submit its documented information as evidence to the International Criminal Court Prosecutor with regard to the daily massacres, mass graves and systematic ethnic cleansing, which continues under the nose of the international community against Muslims of Burma.   "What is happening to Rohingya Muslims are crimes against humanity, gross injustice and brutal genocide. The Security Council must use its powers, activate Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations to protect the Muslim minority

Local  NaSaKa officers   Maungdaw, Arakan State: Ten Rohingya villagers have been detained in the Nasaka’s custody of Aley Than Kyaw since April 21, said a local trader on condition of anonymity. “Burma’s border security force (Nasaka) arrested them from their village at night on that day after being conducted operation.” The arrestees have been identified as— Ayat Ullah (20), son of Rahim Ullah, Nasir Rahaman (17), son of Kafayed Ullah, Majibur Rahaman (25), son of Asadullah, Zahid Hussain (17), son of Dilu, Md. Yonus (30), son of Deni Islam, Khirul Amin (20), son of Antaz, Abdul Amin (15), son of Abdul Mazid, Rahamat Ullah (20), Moni Ullah, Zamal (15), son of Saley and Fazal.   They all hailed from Dil Para village of Aley Than Kyaw village tract of Nasaka area No.7 under the Maungdaw Township. “Most of them are young villagers,” said a schoolteacher from the locality. According to villagers, a group of Nasaka personnel accompanied by some Natala villagers entere