Rohingya in Increasingly Hostile Political Climate in Arakan
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| Dr. Aye Maung interacts with media before taken into police custody. Photo: Nyo Ban/ Irrawaddy |
M.S. Anwar
RB Opinion
January 20, 2018
Something unimaginable
happened on Thursday (Jan 18) in Arakan state of Myanmar (Burma). Dr. Aye
Maung, Chairman of Rakhine ultranationalist party ANP (Arakan National Party,
was arrested by the Burmese authorities. According to a statement released by
Myanmar's Ministry of Information on Wednesday night, U Aye Maung was booked
with 3 charges: Section 17 (1) of the Illegal Associations Act, Section 505 (b)
of the Penal Code causing Public Disorder and Section 122 of the Penal Code
committing 'High Treason' against the State.
Without any
reservation (of words), Dr. Aye Maung is one fascist politician who had
cooperated with Burmese military regime by playing a direct role in genocidal
violence unfolded against Rohingya in June 2012 onward and continued to be
complicit in it up until his arrest on Thursday. So, what has led the Burmese
military regime to arrest their once partner-in-genocide?
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It's no secret
that the Burmese regime treats common people/political figures including their
own proxies as expendables. When they are no more in use or perceived as
threats, they are disposed like disposable items. Thus, Aye Maung could be no
exception for the regime.
The Burmese
military have seen using Dr. Aye Maung as a political proxy more benefitting than
the threats posed by his long-time associations with Rakhine rebel groups such
as Arakan Army (AA) and Arakan Liberation Party (ALP). But no more! He's now perceived
as a significant threat by the Burmese Army Generals to their power and the sovereignty
of the nation and hence, leading to his arrest.
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The humanitarian
and political situations in Arakan state have significantly deteriorated since
the state-sponsored violence against Rohingya in June, 2012. Especially October
2016 onward, under pretext of a Clearance Operation in response to a few
sporadic attacks on Police posts conducted by Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (known
as ARSA, a home-grown but ill-trained Rohingya rebel group mostly armed with
sticks and swords), the Burmese military have unfolded a systematic genocidal
violence against the Rohingya with active collaborations of Rakhine Buddhist extremists
largely followers of Dr. Aye Maung.
Since then, we
have witnessed the Burmese military, Security Forces and the Rakhine Extremists
killing more than 10,000 Rohingya civilians; burning down entire swathes of
Rohingya villages in Maungdaw District and Rathedaung Township; and expelling
more than half a million of their population into neighboring Bangladesh,
triggering one of the biggest humanitarian disasters in human history.
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On January 16,
during the 233rd commemoration ceremony of the Fall of Arakan Kingdom to the
Invading Burmese Army, Dr. Aye Maung; U Wai Hun Aung, a Rakhine author and social
commentator; and a few others were reported to have said that Burmese treated
Rakhies as their Slaves and today's political climate in Arakan state was the
perfect time for the Rakhine people to march towards secession of Rakhine state
from Myanmar and create a separate independent Rakhine nation. They urged the
Rakhine Buddhists in attendance to do civil disobedience to the Burmese
government and revolt the Burmese military through joining Arm Struggles, apparently
referring Arakan Army (AA).
Late Tuesday
evening, following Aye Maung's speech in Rathedaung, around 4,000 Rakhine
people in Mrauk-U (the State’s Ancient Capital) staged a protest which had been
banned by the Government beforehand. The protesters reportedly attacked the
police station and robbed Police's guns chanting the slogans of independence.
The police responded recklessly by firing into the crowds killing at least 7
protesters and injuring a dozen.
That created a
perfect pretext for the Burmese regime to arrest Dr. Aye Maung, their one-time
ally-turned-foe, and get rid of the threat from their way. And if he’s proven
guilty, which is mostly like to happen as the Judiciary in Myanmar has always
been subservient to the State’s Military; Aye Maung could face
lifetime-imprisonment and even possible death penalty. [Note: punishments and
penalties could be decreased through appeals and under the President’s amnesty.]
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Nevertheless, my questions
are "where do Rohingya, a people subjected to Genocide, stand amidst this
increasingly hostile political climate in Arakan state? Do they have anything
to gain or lose? Can they gain anything out of it and get a breathing space for
themselves?"
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Dr. Aye Maung
clearly saw a political opportunity in the current fragile political
environment in Arakan state which, if properly taken advantage of, is huge
enough to create an Independent State. Thus, he dared urge the public to take
up arms and resort to rebellion against the Burmese government knowing that it
could risk him his career, his life or to a prolonged prison term.
So, does any
Rohingya especially from among those leading the community see any
opportunities to stop the ongoing violence and secure at least basic rights for
the Rohingya out of the widening political gap between Rakhine and Burmese? Or will
they still look on with their hands folded; and let Burmese military and others
take advantage of the situation as usual? Will any of the Rohingya leaders dare
take some risks like Dr. Aye Maung just taken?
Very soon, the
Burmese military may need the Rohingya community to counterbalance the Rakhine
separatist leaders and elements in Arakan state. Therefore, they could start
approaching Rohingya leading figures at home and abroad to appease their fellow
community members on various topics such as Rohingya refugee repatriations and other
political rights etc with refreshed strategies. In their renewed strategies for
Arakan state, the Burmese military could even try to conduct dialogues with
ARSA, who knows? But as usual, their actions will be divisive and insincere to
the core.
So, will the
Rohingya leading figures and activists subject themselves to the Burmese divisive
and exploitative politics yet again or be visionary and thoughtful enough to
milk something out of the current political climate for their people?
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To the Rohingya
leading figures and prominent activists at home and abroad,
Do not subject
yourselves to the divisive politics of the Burmese military for some narrow
personal interests; or let others decide your future for you. Establish
some careful strategies to achieve something out of the current political
climate in Myanmar. Remember you have got another historic opportunity to your
advantage. Do not let it go in vain.
Be thoughtful,
smart, cautious, cooperative and proactive!
[About some
terms in this article: Burma = Myanmar, Burmese
= majority Buddhist people in Myanmar, Arakan = a Geographical Term, the name
of the Western State in Myanmar now called Rakhine State, Rakhine = Minority Buddhist
People in Arakan State (who also call themselves Arakan in English to imply to
the World that the whole Arakan State belongs to them), Rohingya = Minority
Muslim People in Arakan State]
M.S. Anwar is an activist-journalist
and political commentator on Arakan affairs. Opinions expressed here are his. He
can be reached at: editor@rohingyablogger.com
