The Open Prisoners In Modern Age

Soe Raza

RB Poem

March 17, 2013

The Open Prisoners In Modern Age

Every white and dark passed by tears and fears; 

Every single brunt has to bear! 

Because of a being Muslim and ethnic Rohingya; 

Killing and attacking me by Buddhists of Rakhingha. 

Even the rights of me being a Human; 

Being snatched away before my legal birth, 

This is a corner of the earth. 

Every breath I take in return of a tax and bribery; 

Why do I not call it Modern Slavery? 

I was born free and equal in dignity and rights; 

As I have two hands and legs with a human face, 

Never, I’ve been entitled for my race. 

Was there no 1952 Universal Declaration? 

As I been treated as worse as had possible; 

I couldn’t move and sigh though I able; 

Alas! It is me neither U Thein Sein nor U Rakhine! 

Whose blind-eyes dreamt of with deaf ears to shine! 

I am an Open Prisoner of this 21st; 

Who has no right to talk, hear and die with a peace at least! 

Round the clock, NaSaKa and Police with some racist Rakhines; 

Oppressing me all day and night! 

Showing a Carrot by U Thein Sein a side, 

Opening Naypyidaw was the reason to Hide; 

It is an Open Secret avoided by Daw Suu Kyi to other side; 

Saying nothing knowing everything flowing by the tide. 

How easy to carry Rohingya Genocide is! 

I am dying with deep sorrows and pains! 

In the Open Prison of U Thein Sein! 

Oh! My dear Lady, did I forget your life of House No. 54? 

I’m a friend of you within the same boundary; 

Why are you silent to my pain? 

Though my love and admiration for you remains. 

We didn’t come forever in this world to sustain. 

Let Rohingya be the citizens of Myanmar! 

To build a country of equality with transparency; 

With no code of colour and creed dependency, 

What I want is that Democracy, 

Whatever all I need is against this Bureaucracy. 

Soe Raza is a social activist for Rohingyas’ citizenship rights & student at International Islamic University Malaysia pursuing a degree in Master in Pharmaceutical Sciences (Pharmacology). 

Author’s note: The aim of this poem was to express a little dire condition of the camps inside Arakan, Myanmar where Internally Displaced Rohingyas (IDR) were forced to encamp unconditionally while Daw Suu Kyi avoided answering about them on her Europe and India trips. This poem was not copied and it is originally come from my feelings and thoughts about my community and country. The situation I described here is maybe less than 10%. ‘Every human being is born free and equal in dignity and rights; thus, every Rohingya Muslim within the boundary of Myanmar should have the same dignity and rights with fully recognized citizenship by Naypyidaw.”