The Stateless Rohingya Blog

The Director General of Arakan Rohingya Union (ARU), Prof. Dr. Wakar Uddin, and the Co-founder of Free Rohingya Campaign, Nay San Oo, attended the Conference on Burma titled “China-Myanmar Relations: The Dilemma of Mutual Dependence” in early November, at the Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. The conference consisted four different Panel Sessions, and the Panel Session II focused on the minority issues titled “Myanmar/Minority Perspectives”. A significant component of this session covered the minority issues in the eastern frontier regions of Burma; however, Rohingya issue in the western frontier also captured the attention from the audience and the panel when ARU Director General Prof. Dr. Wakar Uddin raised human rights and citizenship issues faced by the Rohingya ethnic minority in Arakan State in Burma. Dr. Uddin specifically directed his questions to Tom Kramer of Transnational Institute who addressed the Rohingya issues at a great length based on his experiences in Burma....

Andaman-Nicobar Commander, Lieutenant General Naresh Marwan Photo by phuketwan.com By Chutima Sidasathian Tuesday, November 15, 2011 PHUKET: Indian and Thai Navy ships have been jointly patrolling ''international marine borders'' in the Andaman Sea, Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha was told today. The Chief of India's Andaman-Nicobar Command, Lieutenant General Naresh Marwan, paid a courtesy visit on the governor at Provincial Hall in Phuket City this morning. The men exchanged pleasantries. When Governor Tri asked a question about ''refugees'' that lead to the issue of Rohingya boatpeople being raised, an aide among the Indian delegation spoke up to say the issue was a government-to-government one, not a navy-to-navy issue. It is believed about 200 Rohingya who survived the ''push-backs'' by the military (not the Thai Navy) in 2009 are still being held in detention on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. While the conversation tod...

News by Kaladan Press Maungdawm, Arakan State:  The Rohingya community is facing recently difficulty to move from one place to another in Maungdaw, said a village trader from the locality who denied to be named.   “Today, at about 10:00 am, a group of Burma’s border security force( Nasaka) from Nari Bill Nasaka camp under the Nasaka area No.6, of Maungdaw Township went to the nearby Amina Bazar and barred the Rohingya villagers to go to market without National Identity cards. There was no advanced warning to the villagers regarding the market goers.”  “Suddenly, the Nasaka went to a road nearby Mina Bazar, and barred the villagers to go to market without ID cards. Villagers are surprised that they have never carried ID cards to go to market. Therefore, villagers returned to their homes without any marketing or selling any goods in the market, said a villager from the locality. “This is nothing, but only harassment to the Rohingya villagers,” said a local youth. ...

By May Sandy  MORE than 3000 Muslims are likely to miss out on making the Hajj unless the Saudi Arabian embassy increases the number of visas allocated to Myanmar pilgrims, a member of Yangon’s Muslim community said last week. “The embassy announced that they would grant only 5000 visas this year and this has raised concerns,” said Hajji U Sein Myint, who provides assistance to Myanmar Muslims who want to travel to Mecca for the Hajj. He said the number of prospective pilgrims had increased significantly this year because of the favourable exchange rate. Last year 4000 visas were issued but approximately 1500 Muslims still missed out, he said. “With the low rate of the dollar, there are 1500 to 2000 more applicants than last year,” he said. “Travel agents have lists of names of the people who have missed out.” Mr Abdulrahman Ibrahim Mohammed Al Zaben from the Saudi Arabian embassy in Yangon said a delegation selected by the Ministry of Religious Affairs travels to Saudi Arabia each...

By Chutima Sidasathian and Alan Morison PHUKET: At least two boatloads of Rohingya are believed to be off the coast near Phuket today, with Thai Navy patrol vessels looking to ''help on'' the would-be refugees in a game of cat and mouse. The ricketty Rohingya vessels, with more than 70 men and boys on board each, departed from Bangladesh on October 24 and October 25, sources say, probably aiming to reach Malaysia. Contacts in Thailand have today confirmed the presence of one vessel close to the Andaman coast, not far off Phang Nga or Phuket, with the second vessel reported to be further out to sea. A sighting yesterday put the second vessel off Koh Ka, near the better-known Surin Island, a popular destination for holidaymaking divers from Europe and Australia.  One boatload of would-be refugees landed on the vacation island of Phuket earlier this year, looking for food and water after a tortuous voyage south for sanctuary from the constant persecution expe...

News by Kaladan Press Maungdaw, Arakan State:  Two Burma border security force (Nasaka) personnel were killed by local Rohingya villagers of Done Pite ( Aung Deik Pyin) while trying to attempt to rape a girl at about 7:00pm on November 1, said an elder from the village.  “Three Nasaka personnel attacked a Rohingya girl – going to fetch water from a pond - to attempt to rape where another Rohingya girl informed to the villagers who beat the Nasaka personnel until they become unconscious.” “Nasaka personnel who had an automatic rifle fled from the angry villagers and hid in a place till 11:00 pm for fear of beating and he reported to their camp number 18, under Nasaka area number 8.” A group of Nasaka personnel went for searching two missing Nasaka personnel who had entered the village in the eve, found their dead bodies on the bank of the pond. Nasaka brought the dead bodies to their camp, said an aide from the Nasaka. “The three Nasaka personnel are; Sergeant Myo...

Remarks Maria Otero Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs  Refugees International Event, U.S. Institute of Peace Washington, DC October 25, 2011 Good morning. It’s a pleasure to be here with you all today. I want to thank Refugees International for hosting this important conference, and to our hosts at the U.S. Institute of Peace. It’s an honor to be on a panel with such distinguished individuals working at every level to improve nationality rights globally.