The Rise of a Eichmann’s Hell in Burma - (Part 2) | M.S Anwar
Operation against Rohingyas
Since then, frequent operations against Rohingyas have been taking place in order to wipe out Rohingyas from Burma and that subsequently results extrajudicial killings, tortures, expulsions of Rohingyas and mass exodus of refugees. To name some of operations carried out against Rohingya population since 1962 are:
1) Kyi Operation (1966)
2) Ngazinka Operation (1967-69)
3) Myat Mon Operation (1961-71)
4) Major Aung Than Operation (1973)
5) Sabe Operation (1974-78)
6) Naga Min (King Dragon) Operation (1978-79)
7) Shwe Hintha Operation (1978-80)
8) Galone Operation (1979)
9) New Citizenship Law in 1982
10) Pyi Thaya Operation (1991-92)
Among the operations above, Naga Min operation caused forced exodus of around 300,000 Rohingyas to Bangladesh, while Pyi Thaya operation led an exodus of approximately 268,000 Rohingyas to Bangladesh.[1] (AsianTribune Online Article, July 2012) The 1982 citizenship law of Burma, which was highly condemned internationally, stripped of citizenships from all Rohingyas. As a result of this, Rohingyas are still living in a stateless situation in their own ancestral land.
Whether one believes or not, similar or worse kind of atrocities against Rohingyas in Arakan state of Burma is going on today and at this moment. But this time around, atrocities against and onslaught of Rohingyas has been systematically planned by Burmese regime and Buddhist extremist ally for a long time. Unlike atrocities in the past, Rohingyas are locked in Arakan and have silently been being silently killed.
When the Campaign to Wipe Out Rohingyas Started?
Though Rohingyas have been looked as strangers and unwanted people for decades by the xenophobes in Burma, the real anti-Rohingya campaigns that led to the current genocides started in November 2011. BBC reporter Anna Jones in October 2010 described Rohingyas as one of the minorities of Burma and of the world that high possibility of extinction. After more than one year of this report, it was made a mountain of a molehill by the extremist Rakhine politicians, some bigoted Rakhine intellectuals at home and abroad and some self-interested regime’s puppets. They further instigated anti-Rohingya movements and campaigns at home and abroad.
The ultra-nationalists rulers throughout Burmese history left no stone unturned to erase the history of Rohingyas and to destroy their ancient religious and cultural monuments in their efforts to cleanse Rohingyas. Therefore, though Rohingyas have been living in Arakan state for centuries, they or their name, Rohingya had not known to the general Burmese people until recently. When the Burmese people came to know about Rohingyas, it was in a bad light. The tyrannical regime and Rakhine extremist did everything to portray Rohingyas to the Burmese people as the outsiders trying to invade the country and harming the country’s sovereignty. And their malicious efforts proved to be fruitful.
Beginning of the Current Ethnic Cleansing of Rohingyas
To one’s shocking surprise, on 28th May 2012, at a time when anti-Rohingya sentiment is running high among Rakhine population, the news of raping and killing of a Rakhine woman in Rambre allegedly by three Rohingya boys, an incident which had no eyewitnesses. Taking the situation and condition of the place where the crime took place into consideration, many analysts concluded that this incident was fabricated and masterminded by unknown powers to instigate racial riot. Even if the incident actually took place, it is a crime and all the criminals involved must be punished according to the law.
Quite disgustingly and unexpectedly, Burmese state media spread the news using derogatory words against Muslims such as Kular (Note: Kular is a derogatory term for the people of Indian descends in Myanmar and most of the Muslims in Myanmar happen to be of Indian origin) and took it as a tool to trigger anti-Rohingya or anti-Muslim hatred among general public of Burma. As a result, on 3rd June 2012, a group of 300 Rakhine hooligans crashed 10 Muslim pilgrims to death nearby an immigration office in Taung Gote Township of Arakan. The deceased people were neither Rohingyas nor had any connection with the earlier incident and were just on their way back after finishing their religious efforts from Than Dwe in Arakan. (Note: according to some political analysts, these 300 people were not Rakhines but the people brought to the place by the members of the Ruling party, USDP. Their intention was to trigger a racial riot).
Subsequently, on Friday 8th June 2012, Rohingyas in Maung Daw planned to demonstrate for the inhumane massacres of 10 Muslim pilgrims after the congregational prayer. But the authority was ratherin hurry and arrogant to disperse their prayers let alone allowing them to demonstrate. When Rohingyas failed to disperse, the authority started shooting at Rohingyas and one Rohingya died on the spot. His dead body was not returned and taken away by the authority. While the dispersed Rohingyas were running hither and thither, they got attacked from Rakhine extremists, Police, Security Forces and NaSaKa (Border Security Affairs). Honestly speaking, the fighting between Rakhines and Rohingyas was mutual for a few hours after violence had begun.
Ongoing Situation in the Nazi Extermination Camp Called Arakan
The fighting was followed by subsequent torching of the houses of both Rohingyas and Rakhines. According to many Rakhines and Rohingyas, they don’t know the people who actually started torching their houses and said they were strangers to the region. Many of them accuse the government to have plotted and conspired to create violence. But from the evening of 8th June 2012 onward and till today, Rohingyas have been one-sidedly being attacked by the authority in cooperation with Rakhine extremists.
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. Almost all of Rohingyas; houses, properties and villages were either burned down or destroyed in Sittwe, Rathedaung and Kyauktaw and other parts of Arakan. Thousands of Roingyas are made to live in the temporary tents full of mud and in sub-human condition.
Besides, according to martial law declared in Arakan since June 10, Rohingyas have been locked in their houses infinitely not knowing when the law will be withdrawn. Rohingyas have almost lost their ways and access to foods and medicine due to the martial and boycott against them led by Rakhine Buddhist Monks. It has been already more than three months now. Many of them every day are dying due to starvation and different diseases. Shockingly, the martial law is only applied for Rohingyas and Rakhines are set free and can do any barbaric acts and all kinds of tortures against Rohingyas: stabbing, beating and looting etc. Unfortunately, humanitarian workers and their assistances are limited to only few regions.
Their educated people and religious leaders are being arrested, mosques were locked down and there have been no prayer in the mosques, while many of religious sites such as mosques were destroyed using bulldozers. There have been no five times prayer and Juma’at prayer for more than three months. The arrested Rohingyas including under-aged children are locked up in police custodies, prisons and in many unknown locations where they are tortured through various means sometimes using Rakhine hooligans from outside and kept starved. Subsequently, many Rohingyas are dying in the lock-ups.
On the one hand, the government and Rakhine extremists are committing genocides and carrying out ethnic cleansing and on the other hand, they have been lying and deceiving the world about the situation and trying 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 restricting International Media, Independent Observers and humanitarian workers to the region.
Pro-Nazi Rallies in Mandalay, Burma
The radical Monks like Wirathu, abbot of the Damma-Thahaaya School of Mandalay New Masuyein Monastery are happily spreading anti-Muslim propaganda throughout Burma. Not to forget that Wirathu is the one who has led the killing of Muslim families and burning Muslim houses in Kyauk Se Township in central Burma.
They are holding rallies against Rohingyas which is much like Nazi rally. Very recently, radical Monks protested against Rohingyas in Mandalay, the cultural centre of Burma. They condemned human rights organizations, NGOs etc and backed the President Thein Sein’s proposal to put all Rohingyas in the camps and subsequently send them to third countries as if Rohingyas have not been living there from the time of immemorial. They demanded that Nationalism must be given priority over humanism and human rights.
These Monks were the same Monks who fought against evil Burmese dictators and for Justice in 2007. But this time, they are demonstrating for expulsion of a whole race of more than 1 Million. What one can realize here is that these Monks want Justice but for their own kind of people or race. One point to be noted here is that there are ideological similarities and commonness between Fascists German and Radical Monks in Burma. Fascist Germans were ultra-nationalists who worked for their own people. So are these Monks! To these radical Monks and extremist Buddhists, Rohingyas are inferior human beings.
[1] (AsianTribune Online Article, July 2012, followed by URL:
http://www.asiantribune.com/news/2012/07/15/letter-america-rohingya-refugees, titled as Letter from America: Rohingya Refugees, published by Asian Tribune) [30th July 2012]
Mohammed Sheikh Anwar is an activist studying Bachelor of Arts in Business Studies at Westminster International College, Malaysia
