The Stateless Rohingya Blog

B y KIC Following their decision last week to register and take part in up-coming bye-elections, Burma's pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party will lodge their application papers today, Friday, 25th November. Last week’s decision to register was made in accordance with party members voting during last week's specially called meeting. The party's spoke person, central executive committee member, U Win Tin, spoke to Karen News. “The NLD party is not yet a legal party. Previously, the government restrictions meant we refused to register [to contest the national elections in 2010]. But now they [government] have made changes to the law, we decided to register and take part in the forthcoming bye-elections.” U Win Tin asked people to support the NLD's decision and to get behind pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi political campaign. Aung San Suu Kyi requested NLD party members to support and respect the party's voting decis...

By Kaladan Press Mrauk-U, Arakan State:  Three religious students were jailed on November 4, 2011 for traveling to their home town from Kyauktaw where they studying at a religious school (Madrasa), according to Muslim Liberation Organization of Burma (MLOB) statement.  “Md. Haleb (32), son of Ibrahim and Alam Gir (18), son of Md. Nasir, both hailed from the Kongbaung village of Mrauk Oo while Noor Shofi (18), son of Abdu Salam, hailed from Setkya village of Minbya Township.” “The three students went to Kyauktaw town in 2010 for religious study. However, being closed their Madrasa, they were returning to their homes by steamer during June 2011. But, they were arrested by the immigration officer of Mrauk-U with allegation of so-called illegal traveling. Later, they have been sent to the police station of Mrauk-U.”  “The three students were produced on court, and had been sentenced to two and half years’ imprisonment per each by the court on November 4”, a relative of one o...

By Kaladan Press Maungdaw, Arakan State:  Rohingyas from two villages are not able to stay in their home for fear of arrest in northern Arakan State since November 1 and 17 in Burmese border security force (Nasaka) area 8 and 9, said a Rohingya youth from Buthidaung. Hasson –an active social worker from Thaung Bazar – had been severally stabbed by a dacoit - Mohamed Nur who stay in Aziznagor village under Chittagong Hill tract -  on November 17, according to a village elder from Thaung Bazar. “Mohamed Nur frequently enters to northern Arakan and robbed the Rohingya villages from Buthidaung and Maungdaw. He returned to Bangladesh after robbing the villages and stay with his associated partner from Aziznagor.” “The villagers of Thaung Bazar lost an active worker who always managed the security of the village, but the Nasaka are harassing to villagers for entering the robber into the village. The authority is not giving advice to protect the village, but thinking how to extort...

By kaladan Press Teknaf, Bangladesh:  The refugees of Lada unofficial camp have been facing shortage of water since the first week of April 2011, said a refugee leader from the camp who prefers not to be named. Refugee waiting for water at water supply station in the camp The Lada Refugee Camp is managed by Muslim Aid UK, including healthcare programs and Solidarity UK is working for the sanitation program in the camp, according to a NGO official from camp.

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. ...