Possibility of Unthinkability | M.S Anwar

21st August 2012 

Have how many of you imagined that a similar kind of fate that Jews faced during World War Two (WWII) can reoccur today, in 21st century, a time of great civilization. Have how many of ever thought that an alike of Jews holocaust under Nazis during WWII can surface again? The answers of most of you to these questions will be “I (or we) can’t imagine about that happening today” and “there are no places for such genocides at a time of civilization.” In short, the answer is “No.” Until recently, like other people, I had been of mind that the similar holocaust, atrocities or any kind of extreme persecutions against some particular people cannot happen again today, an era of civilization and globalization which are so proud of. However, I, like many others, was wrong to think so. 

It is taking place again against a people called Rohingya. Rohingyas are a minority Muslim people in Burma. They live in Arakan, its western-most state, with another people called Rakhine who follow Buddhism. They have been under systematic persecutions through Burmese history under the different regimes. There were several attempts to cleanse or depopulate them before. But since last June, what the Burmese new pseudo civilian government in cooperation with Rakhine extremists has been carried out against Rohingyas is no one could have ever imagined. Hence, Unthinkability and impossibility is happening. 

The Burmese Regime and Rakhine extremists have been carrying out atrocities against Rohingyas, committing rapes against their women (including under-aged girls), looting their properties, torching their houses and arbitrary extortion of money. Due to martial law declared in Arakan since June 10, Rohingyas are locked in their houses. Rohingyas lost almost their ways and access to foods and medicine due to the martial law and boycott against them led by Rakhine Buddhist Monks. It has been already more than two months. On daily basis, many of them are dying due to starvation. Shockingly, the martial law is only applied for Rohingyas and Rakhines are set free to do any barbaric acts and all kinds of tortures against Rohingyas: stabbing, beating and looting etc. 

Their educated people and religious leaders are being arrested, mosques were locked and there have been no prayer in the mosques, while many of religious sites such as mosques were destroyed using bulldozers. The arrested Rohingyas are locked up in police custodies, prisons and in many unknown locations where they are tortured through various means and kept starved. Subsequently, many Rohingyas are dying in the lock-ups. Besides, there were martial laws imposed many times before in Burma. For example, in 1988, government declared martial law all over the country. But not a single person was prevented from doing his religious duty or prayers. But this time, the Burmese shoot and kill anyone who goes to Mosque to pray. There have been no five times prayer and Juma’at prayer for more than two months. Moreover, no Tarawih prayers in the month of holy Ramadan and no Eid prayer were allowed. 

On one hand, the government and Rakhine extremists are carrying out ethnic cleansing and on another hand, they have been lying and deceiving the world to cover up their crimes against humanity through using the state media and social media like facebook and twitter. They are taking every step to put the international community in the dark by not giving permission to International Media, Independent Observers and humanitarian workers to get access to the place. 

Recently, President Thein Sein claimed “the riot in Arakan is not religious but communal. International community and media are politicizing the matter,” while they have been instigating violence against Rohingya and propagating racial hatred among general Burmese people to turn them against Rohingyas by using Buddhism as a tool. Government and Rakhine extremists accuse Rohingyas to be threats and dangers to Buddhism. So, Rohingyas need to be cleansed. Those who find hard it to believe please read the news, articles and opinions etc in the state media and sponsored private media. Read what Burmese extremists write in social media. Don’t forget to keep someone who can translate Burmese to you because most of racial-hatred filled statements will be in Burmese language. 

Furthermore, President Thein Sein recently in an interview to VOA said “Bengalis (his term for Rohingyas) have been living there for generations. We have been considering modifying 1982 citizenship law.” Is it not contradictory to his earlier statement to UNHCR Chief Antonio Gutterres “they are recent Bengali Immigrants and the only solution to the problem is to settle them in third countries?” Is not he an oxymoron? The regime and Rakhine extremists in home and abroad are leaving no stone unturned to deceive the world. They are using members of Hindu society (who look like Rohingyas) and taking pictures and making video of their daily activities to portray that the situation in Arakan has become peaceful and come to normality. Hence, no investigations are needed, no observers and media to be sent and not even humanitarian assistances, at a time when they continuously committing crimes against humanity. On Eid day, the authority tried to force Rohingyas to do Eid prayers only at some main locations and to make videos on them to show the world that they have even allowed Rohingyas for Eid prayers. But the truth is that they banned Rohingyas from Eid prayer. 

When UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights, Mr. Tomas Ojea Quintana visited Arakan, Burmese authorities prepare some hindus and few of their puppets from Rohingya community to meet and lie to him. Besides, he was not given free access to meet people. The similar case happened with Turkish Foreign Misnister Ahmet Davutglo when he visited Arakan. The government vetted translator mistranslated and omitted words in the translation of a Rohingya’s words to him. The government pained the only remaining Masjid in the Sittwe (the capital of Arakan) town area for him. Regardless of race or religion, he has given donations even to Rakhines. But see what Rakhines has given in return to his kind help. Rakhine extremists are now saying that “killing Kulars fetches money. Killing Kulars is a source income from Muslim countries. So, we need to kill more Kulars to get more money.” This is how the Rakhines are thanking Turkish FM for his donations. (Note: Kular is a derogatory word for the people of Indian origin in Myanmar) 

Now President has set up an inquiry commission to investigate the ongoing crises in Arakan. How can one expect impartial investigations when the culprits who started this ugly racism and committed all these crimes themselves have taken charge of the investigations? I wonder who will be the ultimate sufferers as a result of this investigation when the people in the government itself are criminals. In fact, cheating is not new to the Burmese government. They are popular even among Burmese community for that. But international community should not fall into their traps. 

After all, why are they doing all the atrocities against Rohingyas? Though there are many political reasons, it is generally, for two reasons: they look different from the mainstream Mongoloid people and practice a different religion. Rohingyas are of Indo-Arayan descendents known as the earliest settlers of Arakan and practice Islam. Being strong adherents of Nazis’ ideology of racial purification, the regime brainwashed most of members in Burmese society with the ideology. If you happen to visit Burma, you will find, in many places, Nazi symbol, the cross (Swastika). Hitler tried to wipe out Jews who are racially, religiously and ideologically different from Nazi German. Burmese regime is on their effort to wipe out Rohingyas because they (Rohingyas) are racially, religiously and ideologically different from them. 

Put the Burmese regime in the Nazi German’s shoes and Rohingyas in the Jews’ place. You will feel the same situation. Unthinkable holocaust is happening again. It is up to International Community and all the concerned quarters to let this continue until Rohingyas are wiped out or to stop the crimes against humanity.