The Stateless Rohingya Blog

By KPN October 23, 2013 Maungdaw, Arakan State:  Police and Hluntin (riot police) have been giving extra restriction to the Rohingya community or using a new tactic on movement in Maungdaw Township since October 23, Abul (not real name) said from the locality on condition of anonymity.  “Earlier, Rohingya villagers in Maungdaw Township were able to go from one place to another within the Township by holding National ID Cards along with recommendation letters of village Chairmen or local Administration officers.” Suddenly, on October 23, the local police officer of Myint Hlut of Maungdaw south ordered to the local villagers that Rohingya people will need finger prints to go from one place to another within the Township along with ID cards. They have to give finger prints at the local police station; otherwise, they will be arrested and punished according to the law, Abul more added.   As a result, local Rohingya villagers have been facing many difficulties to go fro

ARAKAN ROHINGYA NATIONAL ORGANISATION ARAKAN, BURMA PRESS RELEASE Declaration of the 5th Congress of the Arakan Rohingya National Organisation The 5th Congress of the Arakan Rohingya National Organization (ARNO) was held on 3rd October 2013 in the border area of Arakan State, Union of Burma/Myanmar, with party leaders, community representatives, academics and religious leaders of the Rohingya people. A new Central Executive Committee (CEC) of ARNO has been formed with Mr. Nurul Islam and Mr. Habibur Rahman respectively as Chairman and Vice-Chairman.   The Congress issued the following declaration: 1.We reiterate that ARNO is a peaceful political movement, a leading representative organization of the Rohingya people, to achieve the Rohingya people's legitimate 'right to self-determination' under the Union of Burma/Myanmar. 2.The unity of the Rohingya people worldwide is indispensable; and the unity between Rohingya and all peoples of the Union of

UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, Tomas Ojea Quintana  © UN Photo/Evan Schneider  By   IRIN News October 24, 2013 BUENOS AIRES  - Myanmar’s government has signed individual ceasefire agreements with 14 main non-state armed groups since 2011, and is pressing ahead with plans for a national ceasefire agreement, originally scheduled for the end of October, but now delayed. The most recent round of negotiations with northern Myanmar's Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) brought further  hope of nationwide reconciliation .  But the government faces ongoing tension in western Rakhine State between ethnic Rakhines (primarily Buddhist) and Rohingyas (mostly Muslims), continued fighting in  Kachin State  which in the past year has left more than 83,000 people displaced in 42 camps, and allegations of human rights abuses against the country’s ethnic minorities.  Following his most recent mission to Myanmar in August 2013, IRIN met Tomás

By KPN  October 24, 2013 Maungdaw, Arakan State :  Burmese government has sentenced 72 Rohingya people to jail on last week, October 17 for their involvement in violence in June 2012, in Maungdaw Township, Mogul (not real name), a close relative of the victims said.   “They were arrested after the violence of June 2012, in Maungdaw Township. After the arrest, they were severely tortured and kept in Buthidaung jail without inadequate food and other facilities. They are not allowed to hire lawyers to give them protection.”   The verdicts follow earlier concerns that the villagers were bearing the outcome of the clampdown on suspects involved in the unrest which shivered the Maungdaw Township. Many Rohingyas and some Rakhines were killed in the bloodshed and injured many. The injured Rohingya villagers were not allowed for treatment in government hospitals excluding Rakhine community, Mogul more added. The detained Rohingya people were sentenced on charges including--- mur