The Stateless Rohingya Blog

 By Hla Hla Htay British Foreign Secretary William Hague holds talks with Myanmar Foreign Minister Wunna Maung Lwin in  the capital Naypyitaw January 5, 2012. (REUTERS/Martin Petty) NAYPYIDAW, Myanmar: British Foreign Secretary William Hague Thursday called on Myanmar to release all its political prisoners and make more progress on democratic reforms as he began an historic visit. Hague will meet with both President Thein Sein and democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi in his two-day trip -- the first by a British foreign minister in more than half a century to the nation long ruled by the military.

By Kaladanpress Maungdaw, Arakan State: A village administration office staff forced villagers to pay 200 kyat for a photocopy of family list, according to a village administration office member from Maungdaw. “One photocopy cost only 30 kyats in Maungdaw, but collecting 200 kyats for one. Shwezarr is only one mile far awayfrom main Town”

By Kaladanpress Maungdaw, Arakan State: Since January 2, the Immigration of Maungdaw has been collecting family lists and group photos from villagers of Nasaka area No.6 and 5 of Maungdaw Township, said a local trader elder who did not wish to be identified.  Every year, at the beginning of January, the Burma’s border security force (Nasaka) and Immigration separately collect family lists and group photos of Rohingya villagers in north Arakan. 

By Kaladanpress Maungdaw, Arakan State: Burma’s border security force (Nasaka) arrested a fire victim from Maungdaw Township on December 29, and was released today after taking Kyat 500,000, said a close relative of the victim preferring not to be named. “The victim was identified as Abu Sayed (25), son of Jamal, hailed from Naribill west village of Nasaka area No. 6 of Maungdaw Township.”

By    MIZZIMA NEWS Aung San Suu Kyi has yet to officially announce what parliamentary constituency she will contest, but voters now know they will be casting their ballots in the by-election on April 1. Some sources have said Suu Kyi will file in Kawhmu, a rural township south of Rangoon, but that cannot be officially confirmed. The official election date announcement came on Saturday through the state-media. The National League for Democracy (NLD), led by Suu Kyi, is still waiting for the approval of its application to re-register as a political party. After its approval, she is expected to announce.

Panchali Saikia Research Officer The Rohingya refugee crisis is not a new phenomenon, and it has now grabbed the attention of the international media for all the wrong reasons. The Rohingyas, in large numbers, are now trying to escape to Malaysia via the sea route through Thailand, but are being denied entry by Thai authorities and forcibly pushed back. Earlier this year around 91 persons believed to be Rohingyas were rescued near Andaman Island by the Indian Navy and around 129 by the Indonesian Navy in Aceh. The Rohingyas have been sheltered by Bangladesh for nearly three decades. What is the reason for their escape to Malaysia? Why is Thailand forcibly pushing them back to sea? Thailand has provided shelter to hundreds and thousands of other displaced people from Myanmar, why is then expelling the Rohingyas?

Diplomats and advocacy groups reaching out to the international community through the media. State College, Pennsylvania, USA.  Ambassador Prof. Dr. Akbar Ahmed calls on U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton “Madam Secretary, Please Don’t Forget the Rohingya”. The resounding calls are coming from dignitaries, diplomats, legislators, government officials, human right advocates, and many other dignified individuals in Washington, New York, and many other cities in the world, in various forms. Despite the inaccessibility of the Northern Arakan State by the international media or monitors, the bits and pieces of reports coming out of Northern Arakan is so alarming that the international community could not remain silent. Regardless of the mission and station of the international organizations, they have one unified voice on Rohingya – human right violations in historic proportions.