The Stateless Rohingya Blog

Maungdaw, Arakan State: The Commanding officer of Nasaka area number 7, Maungdaw south, has used new tactics to extort money from Rohingya villagers under his commanding area recently, according to a trader on condition of anonymity. “The Nasaka Commanding officer ordered the villagers and village admin officers – have to build toilets and poultry farms inside the Nasaka commander camp.” But, some admin officers are taking advantage of Commander ordered and taking more money from villagers -1500 kyat per rich family and1000 per poor family – and it is very difficult to pay the money by very poor and widow. The collecting are more than to build build toilets and poultry farms inside the Nasaka commander camp.” “Syed Alam, the admin officer of Khonza Bill village is the officer who collected money from everyone who are not able to pay and harassing the villagers for money,” according to villagers. “After conflict, Rohingya community are not able to earn money from their cultur

A village burns after sectarian violence in Myanmar. (Getty Images) World News Australia - SBS May 29, 2013 Rohingya is the name given to Sunni Muslims originating from the Arakan (now Rakhine) region of Myanmar. The name Rohingya dates back to around the 7th century, and was originally a term used to refer to people with dark skin. Rohingya is the name given to Sunni Muslims originating from the Arakan (now Rakhine) region of Myanmar (formerly called Burma). The name Rohingya dates back to around the 7th century, and was originally a term used to refer to people with dark skin. The UNHCR describes Rohingya as “virtually friendless” among Myanmar’s other ethnic and religious communities. Dr Jonathan Bogais from the University of Sydney believes sectarian conflict between Muslim and non-Muslim people in Myanmar dates back to the early days of the British East India Company operating in Bangladesh. Local workers were sent south to develop plantations

A Muslim man sits in a shelter in Rubber Garden refugee camp Times photographer Kaung Htet, thetimes.co.uk The National ‎- May 29, 2013 Two years is a very long time in politics. In 2011, when the military junta in Myanmar opened the door to political and economic reform, there was a flurry of diplomatic activity from around the world. The release from house arrest of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi drew praise, and the transformation of General Thein Sein from military hardman to civilian president brought promises of economical normalisation. By and large, western and regional governments have kept up their end of the bargain. Sanctions have been lifted and world leaders, including US president Barack Obama, have visited a nation that was once a pariah. Just this month Thein Sein made a friendly return visit to Washington. But as the West has lined up to welcome Myanmar in from the cold, it is in Myanmar where politicians are failing to deliver. A troublin