Deputy Secretary of State Mr. William J. Burns meets with Ethnic Parliamentarians in Myanmar
Date: October 18, 20127 ,US Deputy Secretary of State Mr. William J. Burns accompanying with Mr. Daniel Baer, Deputy Assistant Secretary (Bureau of 6Democracy, Human Rights and Labour) and Mr. Derek J. Mitchell, US Ambassador to Burma, meets with seven Ethnic Parliamentarians representing Kachin, Karen, Kayah, Mon, Shan, Rakhine and Rohingya, at Aureum Palace Hotel in Naypyitaw, Burma on October 18, 2012. The Deputy Secretary of State showed special interest on Kachin State and Rakhine State Conflicts. Daw Dwe Bu (MP from Ingyin Yan, Kachin State) highlighted that Ethnic MPs should be allowed to involve in the Burmese Govt Initiated Peace Process. Otherwise unsuccessful.
U Shwe Maung @ U Abdul Razak (MP from Buthidaung, Rakhine State) mentioned that Rakhine State Conflict is a mixture of ethnic and religious and highlighted five points. They are (1) Lack of rule of law in northern Rakhine State as one terrorist group is above the law(2) Accusation of Rohingyas as illegal immigrants is absolutely not true but they are indegenius as living for centuries (3) Issuance of Citizenship Cards is crucial for peaceful coexistence and social harmony, (4) Freedom of movement and trading, access to higher and professional education, access to markets for food are very important and (5) According to report and databse (name, fathername, sex , NRC no and address) of local people, death toll of Rohingyas in Sittwe District is 573 ( 482 in Sittwe Township and 91 in Minbya, Kyauktaw, Mrauk Oo, Pauk Taw and Rathedaung Townships) and ith will be more if of Maungdaw District is added.
U Shwe Maung also gave a certified true copy of ( FOREIGN-1826-DEPT Secret Consultation:9 June NO.: 10 ), which is a report prepared in 1826 in Arakan by the British Government. This report proofs that Rohingya are living in Arakan before 1823 and therefore indeginious in accord with 1982 Citizenship Law. The original document is at the National Archive of India. Finally U Shwe Maung gave two messages for President U Thein Sein. They are (1) Please grant presidential amnesty for 550 Rohingyas from Maungdaw District who are in Buthidaung jail for peaceful coexistence and stability, (2) Please help for 400 Sittwe University Muslim Students who could not attend due to lack of security & rule of law and for those students who qualified for Professional Universities outside the Rakhine State.
Dr. Aye Maung (MP from Sittwe, Rakhine State) discussed about Land Confiscation by Army and objected U Shwe Maung's statements on death-toll and usage of "Rohingya" , "Indeginious" and "Living for centuries". He also told that there are no Rohingya and because of this usage the Conflict took place and they regard this people as immigrants. In conclusion, Mr. William J. Burns explained that they will help and cooperate not only with Government but also with Pyithu Hluttaw Speaker and parliamentarians to find solutions.
News from Diplomatic Source of Burma
My heartfelt congratulation to MP U Shwe Maung @ Abdul Razzak for his brave words and hard evidence of Rohingyas to the US officials.
U Shwe Maung should be the best representative/leaders/MP. We should hv more and more like him. Didn't other islamic leaders know about these? They all do know well about it, just that they thought they will be get into trouble.