Soul-Shattering Plight of Rohingyas and the Negligence of their Outcries

M.S. Anwar 

RB News 

January 8, 2013 

Today, Rohingyas and Kamans in Arakan have become preys in the Burmese regime’s dirty and cruel political tactics and trapped among other self-interested extremist groups. They have been massacred and being killed in the secret cells, their houses have been burnt down and their properties vandalized, their women have been raped and their religious buildings locked down and so on and so forth. In short, a systematic pogrom and all kinds of possible atrocities have been being carried out against these highly neglected and helpless people. They have cried out for help not only to the Burmese but also to the international communities. Buddhist Burmese did not come forward to help the people being killed as they are supposed-to-be being Buddhists. They got trapped in the regime’s Divide and Rule Policy. A few international organizations and countries who have come forward to help all the victims regardless of race and religion met with stern oppositions from the fanatic and racist section of the Burmese society. 

As a result, miserably, the painful and soul-shattering plight of these widely neglected and vulnerable people continue till these days. To start with, on 7th January 2013, an 83-year-old Rohingya man was arrested by the Military led by the second commander (Du Htetyin Muu), Colonel (Bohmuu) Ye Win Aung, of the battalion based at the village of Kha Ye Myaing near to the village of Nurallah in southern Maung Daw. The old man named Abdu Jalil S/o Ali Meah from Nuralla was coming to Baggona to buy Medicines for ill health. He is so old and weak that he can’t walk without the help of a stick. He was arrested with the typical arbitrary accusation of his involvement in torching Rakhines’ houses. If Kyat 2 Million is not given to the military within 24 hour from the time of his arrest, he will be handed over to the Police. Imagine an 83-year-old man who can’t move without a stick has involved in torching houses!! I can imagine military have no shame of doing so as they are uneducated, ill-natured and have slave mentality. But how will you feel if it is done to your own father or grand-father?? 

On one more occasion, on December 25, 2012, Bohmuu Ye Win Aung extorted Kyat 7 Lakhs from called Islam, by threatening him to hand over to Police, from the village of Htet Oo Annauk of Baggona village tract. On December 21, 2012, he did the same to Noor Mohammed from Kilai Daung (Du Chi Ya Dan) by extorting a humongous Kyat 4.5 Millions. On November 25, 2012, he arrested Mohammed Alam S/o Abdu Shukkor, a young Rohingya, with the same accusations mentioned. He said, upon giving Kyat 2 Million to him, would release the young Rohingya. Quite disgustingly, he backed out of what he said. He not only extorted the money but also handed over to the Police. According to Rohingyas in the region, Bohmuu Ye Win Aung has gone rampant, wild and arbitrary. Today, Kidnapping and Abducting of Rohingyas, Threatening and torturing them and Extorting of Money from anyone he thinks he can has become his only business there. He is exactly behaving like SOMALI PIRATES. 

On 30th December 2012, Military and Rakhine extremists from the village of Tharay Kunbaung San Phya were driving away 130 Oxen+Cows owned by Rohingyas from the village of Fudu Fara of Gaw Du Sara Village Tract. The Rohingya villagers shouted and four of them got arrested by Military and handed over to the Police. Having the information, Nay Myay Mu (Head of the NaSaKa Region 7) ordered to give the animals back to the villagers. The animals were returned but the destiny of the four Rohingyas handed over to the Police is not known yet. Later on 1st January 2013, the same military group including a one-star ranking Major together with the Rakhine extremists broke into two Rohingya houses in the village post 12 midnight. In a house, three military together with two Rakhine extremists gang-raped a 16-year-old under-aged Rohingya girl named AISHA D/o Hussein Ahmed. She was almost to death due to injuries resulted from gang-raping and man-handling. But (to her good luck or bad luck I don’t know) she survived after the medical treatment. 

In another house, other military did the same to a 30-year-old woman called Firoza D/o Mohammed. She is a mother of five and widow, whose husband, Mohammed Ayub, was killed by Rakhine extremists a month back while he was looking after his animals in the forest. Why? As these evil military in human form said, they were their men who shouted while they were taking away the animals from the village. Imagine the innocent girl and the woman were your sisters! What will your reactions be towards the grave injustice done against them??? 

While Rohingyas in Maung Daw and Buthidaung are being killed inside their houses, Rohingyas and Kamans in Sittwe, Pauktaw, Myebun, MinBya, Kyauktaw are being killed in the open fields. Rohingyas and Kamans as well as their children, babies and infants have been facing starvation, famine and different kinds of spreadable diseases. They are dying in numbers day by day. Nay!!! It is not an ordinary famine. It is a systematic man-made human catastrophe and famine- the only differing fact from the 1983-1985 famine of Ethiopia. While IDP Camps of Rohingyas and Kamans in Sittwe are receiving some foreign aids, the other regions mentioned here are completely neglected and hidden from international scenes. Imagine what is happening with them. Just feel it with your eyes closed! 

“We request those Burmese who perceive us illegal invaders from Bangladesh to demand U Thein Sein to hold a meeting with Bangladesh government. And to ask Bangladesh government to take us back if we belong there. Why should we go to a third country if we belong to Bangladesh? Why is not U Thein Sein asking Sheikh Hasina such a thing instead of UNHCR Chief Antonio Gutterres? We are also humans. We can’t be killed inhumanely the way it is happening now. Buddhism, either, doesn’t even allow inflicting pains even on the smallest living creatures let alone killing human beings! 

In fact, we have been living here for centuries and for generations. Many know this. Those who don’t know just read the Burmese Encyclopedia Volume 9 Part A and check the records of Burmese Broadcasting Service (BSS). No need to go to long history back! We have more than enough records and evidences of our existence in Arakan from the time immemorial. We are paying the costly price for being too naive and simple through the history. It is the time for the genuine Burmese Buddhists to show their true Buddhism by helping to save the lives of, we, human beings. It is time for international community to come forward to effectively help us in time and before we are exterminated. Or else, please don’t make a history out of us a later point of time as such and such people existed once upon time and were exterminated” cried out a 60-year-old Rohingya man from Maung Daw. 

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