The Stateless Rohingya Blog

Maungdaw, Arakan State: A Rakhine villager was caught by Rohingya villagers in Maungdaw Town on 9th March, at around 4:00 am while he was trying to set fire in  Rohingya houses, said a businessman from the locality on condition of anonymity. “The Rakhine man was caught along with a sword, two bottles of petrol and two matchboxes  by villagers in Shikdar Para (Myoma Kayan Dan) village. He is from the neighboring Rakhine village.” After catching him red handed, the villagers handed him over to the village Administrator. On being informed, police rushed to the spot and received the culprit, according to an aide of police. But, police said that he is a mad man from Maruk-U Township, why did the villagers caught him? He is innocent. According to villagers, he is from neighboring Rakhine village and is not a mad man.  He is a courageous man who was dare enough to set fire on  Rohingya village alone,at night. “In Reality, Rakhine villagers do not d...

Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal.  Jeddah: Arab News,  10 March 2013  Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal yesterday indicated that Saudi Arabia may give citizenship to refugees who have been living in the Kingdom for several years as part of government’s efforts to correct their residency situation. Addressing a forum for developing disorganized residential districts in the Makkah region, Prince Khaled said the project would focus mainly on people living in these districts, especially foreign refugees like the Burmese. “We have agreed with the Labor Ministry to create jobs for them. We also told big companies implementing projects in the region to make use of these residents… and one day they become good citizens,” the governor said. “This is the vision of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah and this is the king’s program to correct the situation of these people and this is a commitment from this state and they have a right on ...

Maungdaw, Arakan State| More than 60 villagers including village administrators were summoned by the commander of Nasaka area No. 7, yesterday, at about 3:00 pm, said one of the local village Administrator from Aley Than Kyaw. “Villagers were called to the village of Khonza Bill under the Aley Than Kyaw village tract and ordered them not to go out of the houses from 10:00 pm to 6:00 am.” In the meeting, the Nasaka commander discussed many different issues with village leaders and administrators regarding the present situation of Arakan State, said an aide of Nasaka. The Nasaka commander told the participants that every villager must have to inform to the concerned authorities, if any relative pays a visit. The officer also told that if there any event happens in a village such as burning houses, it will not be informed to any department. “If anyone doesn’t comply with the order, he/she will be punished according to the law,” the commander added. A participant, ...

New Straits Times: March 10, 2013 GEORGE TOWN: One hundred and twenty-six Rohingya refugees were found famished by local fishermen, as their cargo boat was on the verge of sinking at 2.5 nautical miles from Muka Head, Teluk Bahang here yesterday. The refugees, comprising 51 men, 35 women and 40 children, had spent 25 days sailing from Myanmar to Malaysia. Following a report lodged by the fishermen about 2pm, the Rohingyas were rescued by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA). MMEA (Northern Region) enforcement chief First Admiral Tan Kok Kwee said, at the time of rescue, the refugees, aged between two months and 50, were found cramped in their boat. "The Rohingyas looked tired and famished because food supply had run out, three days earlier, and they had to make do with just sea water. "The MMEA found a leak in the boat and mobilised a maritime ship, KM Nyireh, to rescue the refugees and tow their boat. Investig...

Bangla Times: March 10, 2013 Police in India's northeastern state of Mizoram have seized a huge consignment of weapons from two hideouts of the now-defunct Shanti Bahini that used to be the military wing of the once-rebellious Parbattya Chattogram Jansanghati Samity (PCJSS) and ALP. The police have arrested three tribal men, who are suspected to belong to the ‘Shanti Bahini’ group that remained behind in India after the rest of the rebel outfit went back to Bangladesh following the 1997 accord between the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government and the PCJSS. Those detained were identified as Rabi Chakma, Sabuj Chakma and Moni Tripura. The three detainees along with the huge cache of arms were remanded in police custody for 72 hours by a local court on Friday. The seizure and the arrests were made during a joint operation by, the state police CID (Crime) and troops from the 26 battalion of the Assam Rifles. Thirty-one AK...

Financial Express 10 March 2013 Nizam Ahmed A senior official of the United States (US) is expected to visit Bangladesh, Myanmar and Japan for a week from Tuesday next to discuss issues relating to conflicts in Myanmar and exodus of refugees from the country, officials said on Saturday. US State Department Senior Advisor for Myanmar Mr W. Patrick Murphy will undertake the tour at such a time when fleeing Rohingya refugees from Myanmar have become a matter of concern for neighbouring countries. The intrusion of Rohingyas in the south and the southeast Asian countries including Bangladesh have increased following spells of communal riots between Rohingya Muslims and local Buddhists in Rakhine state, in western Myanmar since June last year. Bangladesh, which has been hosting about 400,000 unregistered refugees from Myanmar, sent back several hundred Rohingyas who wanted to take refuge in the country fleeing the recent communal riots in Myanmar. However, befo...

Myanmar President Thein Sein (left) meets with Italian President Giorgeo Napolitano in Rome on March 7, the same day an Amnesty International report called on the UN to be aware of continuing rights abuses in Myanmar. (PHOTO: Myanmar President's Office) Mizzima News  March 8, 2013    Amnesty International has appealed to the UN Human Rights Council to continue closely monitoring the human rights situation in Myanmar in light of President Thein Sein's visit to Europe. In a statement released on March 7, the human rights NGO called for “the mandate of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar to be renewed” and for “the Myanmar Government to guarantee sustained international human rights monitoring to promote and protect human rights alongside national human rights mechanisms.” The release coincided with the Myanmar president's welcome in Italy where he met with his Italian counterpart Giorgeo Napolitano, who co...