Burma’s Niggers and Their Plight

M.S. Anwar
RB Article
October 21, 2012

What immediately comes to your mind when you hear the word “Nigger?” What do you think what will happen to you if use the term in USA today? It was a term most famous for its usage in a derogatory context to refer to the black people in USA and used to ethnically disgrace the people of Sub-Saharan African descents although the term had originally been used in neutral context. But in UK and other Anglophone world, nigger was a term used to denote the dark-skinned Africans and Asians especially from India and nearby countries colonized into the British Empire in particular and other dark-skinned people in general. With the embracement of democracy in the west and as the aftermaths of success of blacks’ struggles for equality in the region, hardly can one find racial discriminations or any words which incite racism in the world today.

Yet, in a certain country known as Burma or Myanmar today, which has been isolated from the rest of the world for most of its history after independence, there exist severe racism, chauvinism and ultra-nationalism. In fact, its government is known for inciting racism for political gains. Though other ethnic minorities in Burma are discriminated by the dominative majority ultra-nationalist Bamas, a certain ethnic minority called Rohingyas who have been living in Arakan (the western-state of Bruma) from the time immemorial is the worst discriminated and most hated one on account of their skin-colors (many Rohingyas are skinned), appearances, ethnic origin and religion. Unfortunately, Rohingyas happen to be only people of Indian origin in a country with overwhelmingly mongoloid people. Racists in Burmese society use a pejorative term “Kular” to refer Rohingyas or any people of Indian origin, which is strikingly same with the usage of “Nigger” by whites to refer the blacks in America in the past.

Like Nigger, “Kular” was a neutral term used to refer Indian in the past. In fact, the term “Kular” has a very good literal meaning. According to U Hoke Sein’s Pali-Myanmar-English Dictionary, Dr. Than Tun and U Khin Maung Saw, “Kular” means Noble Race, while “Kular Putta” means Son of Noble Race or of Good Family. It is said that the term was for the first time used to refer Siddhartha Gautama Buddha because he was also an Indian. As of today, racists in Burma use the term Kular to disgrace the people of Indian origin or even Muslims who are not of Indian descend (e.g. Malays and Indonesians). For them, being Muslims is enough to be called as Kulars. They don’t seem to know the meaning of the term or intentionally ignore it due to high degree of delusion, xenophobia and institutional hatred or ignorance in the society.

Although these Burma’s Niggers, Rohingyas, have been discriminated and persecuted through historical periods under different dictatorial regimes in Burma, they are currently in a worse situation than Jews were in Nazi Extermination Camps during WW2. They are worse discriminated than black people were in America. As a matter of fact, there are mass killings and state-sponsored ethnic cleansing of them being carried out in cooperation with Rakhine extremists. Burmese regime in collaboration with the extremist leaders of Rakhine community instigated the violence against Rohingyas alleging three Rohingyas of raping a Rakhine woman called Ma Thida Tway. For many logical and intellectual Burmese, there was no such a rape incidence at all. They rightly point out the following gaping holes:

(1) There was no single eyewitness who had seen the rape taking place.

(2) The main alleged rapist of the three called Htet Htet was not a Rohingya but a Rakhine who used to practice Islam. He had not had any connection with the alleged raped victim.

(3) According to the medical reports which government didn't disclose the general public, Ma Thida Twe was not raped but robbed and killed.

(4) Authority carried out a closed-door court proceeding after Htet Htet had denied committing such a rape.

(5) Burma's prisons are known for killings, not for suicides. How could a person who had been beaten so much so that his legs and other parts of body below waist became paralyzed commit suicide? One must be able to stand on somewhere in order to get himself hanged, which Htet Htet could not. If he didn't hang himself, then how did he commit suicide? Burmese authority didn't disclose any information upon their court proceedings and how he had committed suicide to the public. Besides, there are many more gaping holes in the conspiracy.

Since the systematic ethnic cleansing of Rohigyas was instigated on 8th June 2012, the atrocities against them have been being carried out in large scale. Rohingyas’ homes were burnt down and thousands of them were displaced on their own land. Many thousands of them were killed though Burmese officials grossly understated the number of their deaths. Their properties are looted on daily basis and their women and under-aged girls were or are either raped or gang-raped by Military and others. Their mosques and religious have been locked down. Their educated people and other innocent people have been detained for nothing. Their access to foods and medicines are blocked.

So often, there have been country-wide anti-Rohingya and anti-Kular protests led by the skinned-head fascists in saffron and Burmese chauvinists. All these protests are indirectly incited and supported by the Burmese regime to justify their behaviors and implement their plans. Burmese murderous regime and Rakhine extremists have lied, deceived and tried all the tricks to cover up their crimes against humanity. The world seems to have fallen into their traps. And Rohingyas are living in the hell on the earth and hardly anyone seems to put efforts into improving their dying situation.

These niggers have cried a lot to international community and the western-countries, the so-called human right champions, to for help. Their outcries are not heard and their plight is not seen by many but a few countries and organizations. All have been after Burma’s natural resources and to take advantage of its strategic geo-political location. Rohingyas will be exterminated if the mass killings continue for a year. Before it is too late, educated Rohingyas should wake up and know that no one is going to help them in today’s hypocritical world. They need to help themselves. Malcom X, an American nigger revolutionary leader and a leader I admire most, said “Nobody can give you freedom. Nobody can give you equality or justice or anything. If you're a man, you take it.”

(Note: Some of my writings here are inspired by Dr. Maung Zarni, a human right activist and research fellow at LSE.)

M.S. Anwar is an activist and student studying Bachelor of Arts in Business Studies at Westminster International College, Malaysia.