The Stateless Rohingya Blog

The Nation March 16, 2013 The UN's refugee agency on Friday called on the government to investigate reports that Thai navy men shot at Rohingya boat people fleeing sectarian conflict in Myanmar. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has asked the Thai government to verify recent reports that a Rohingya boat was towed out from Thai waters and that shots were fired during the interception. "The UNHCR has met the survivors of a boat incident reported in Phang Nga, southern Thailand, cross-checked their accounts with other sources and established that the incident is the same one reported by boat people who arrived in Aceh, Indonesia, on February 26," said the agency's spokesperson Fatoumata Lejeune-Kaba.  She said that UNHCR staff in Indonesia spoke to some of the 121 arrivals in this group, which includes women and children. "UNHCR is gravely concerned that people fleeing unrest could have been turned away and exposed to ...

BRCA President Mr. Anwar’s interview with SBS World Radio News over the concern of President Thein Sein visit to Australia The Federal Government is being urged to raise human rights issues during a visit next week by Burma’s President Thein Sein. Radio Link _media_audio_world-news_130312_257882 The calls follow a United Nations report expressing concern over how Burma is making the transition from military rule to democracy. Santilla Chingaipe has the details. Recently, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Burma released a report highlighting developments in Burma after decades of military rule. Tomas Ojea Quintana says despite progress, Burma still needs to tackle serious human rights challenges. Mr Quintana says only then can democratic transition and national reconciliation succeed. “It requires ensuring that new legislation such as the proposed Printing and Publishing Law does not claw back advances in freedom of expression. It includ...

World Bulletin: March 15, 2013 Muhammed Yunus, president of the Rohingya Solidarity Organization, said that the Myanmar administration did not allow Rohingya Muslims to receive higher education. The Turkish Religious Affairs Foundation (TDV) started a project for the Rohingya Muslim students in order to cover their university expenses. A hundred students are to be supported at two universities, with which agreements have been concluded. TDV Deputy Director General Mustafa Tutkun told AA that the Rohingya Muslims faced serious problems about receiving education and that they could not make their voice heard when they did not have access to higher education. "As long as the Rohingya Muslims stay uneducated they cannot contribute to their cases on solving their problems," said Tutkun. Tutkun said that they met with officials from the International Islamic University Chittagong in Bangladesh and made an agreement on covering the educational expenses and scholarship...

U Htay Lwin Oo Bangkok, Thailand: Dr. Aye Chan, a history Professor, Kanda University of International Studies, Japan had repeated again and again  “ Rohingya mean Rakhine” and “Rohingya language is Rakhine language”  at International seminar on Rakhine history (Arakan), held at Mahidol University, Bangkok on March 9, according to U Ye Lwin, former history lecturer who attend the seminar. “Dr. Aye Chan, repeated again and again while U Htay Lwin Oo - racially Rakhine but scholar- questioned with references book - “A Comparative Vocabulary of Some of the Languages Spoken in the Burma Empire in 1799 ″ by Francis Buchanan – which mentioned Rohingya is the native of Arakan and their language with comparing others languages. U Haty Lwin Oo pointed out the pronunciations – Sun, Mon and earth – which is similar to recent Rohingya languages. He also appointed out with report that Rohingya means Mohammedans (Islam religious). After seeing the references book, Dr. Aye Ch...

File photo shows Muslim Rohingyas sitting inside their collective tent on the outskirts of Sittwe, capital of Myanmar's western Rakhine state. PressTV: March 14, 2013 The Islamic Human Rights Commission has expressed deep concern over increasing propaganda against the Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar, warning that a third wave of massacre against the Muslims is feared. “We are extremely concerned about the increase in propaganda against the minority Rohingya in Burma. It suggests that there is a high possibility of a third massacre against the Muslim minority,” the Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC) said in a statement on its official website on Wednesday. IHRC chief, Massoud Shadjareh warned that a “hidden genocide” was under way in Burma, adding, “We must speak out before even more of the Rohingya are murdered,” he said. The statement criticized the international community for remaining silent in the face of murder and displacement...

Bangla Times:  March 13th, 2013 By Mohamed Farooq The UN recorded that Rohingya is one of the most persecuted ethnic minorities in the world and discriminated against them for decades.  The Riot between Rakhine and Rohingya in 2012 was completely preplanned by Burmese Senior Official Authorities and racist Rakhine terrorists to cleansing ethnic Rohingya minority. On 28 th  May 2012, a Rakhine woman Ma Thida Htwe was raped and killed by military personnel and kept the dead body near a Rohingya village of Kyawk Ni Maw, Rambree. When the Rakhine villagers found the dead body near the Rohingya village, they threatened Rohingya that “We will burn down the whole village and kill all Rohingya” The authorities detained 3 Rohingya youths and pushed to death sentences. Moreover the racist Rakhine  planned to kill Rohingya and distributed Pamphlets mentioning  to cleanse Rohingya from Rakhine state written that “ Kill Kala  (abusing word for use for Rohingya...

USDP Lower House MP for Buthidaung Township Shwe Maung (Photo: Patrick Boehler / The Irrawaddy) Irrawaddy News: March 13, 2013    RANGOON — A member of Parliament for Burma’s ruling Union and Solidarity Party (USDP) has warned that simmering tensions between Buddhists and Muslims in Arakan State could lead to another outbreak of communal violence. “If the government doesn’t take any action, I fear for further violence in the very near future,” Shwe Maung, the USDP Lower House lawmaker for Buthidaung Township, said. “I’m not saying this emotionally. After proper analysis I am telling you that we need to control it, not let it happen.” At the same time, however, the Muslim lawmaker warned that “ ethnic hatred will become more and more” if the media focuses too much attention on crimes committed in the strife-torn state. “We can see a lack of the rule of law. Action taken by the local government is very unfair.” Shwe Maung joined the USDP a month ahead of the Nov...