how rohingya are marginalize in burma

8/8/2019 How Rohingya Are Marginalize in Burma

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HOW ROHINGYA PEOPLE ARE MARGINALIZED INBURMA

By Mohammed Ashraf Alam

" Rohingyas" the World's most Persecuted and Vulnerable Ethnic Minorityof Burma; Due to their racial and Religous differences with the BurmanBuddhists, they were being officially declared by the Ruling MilitaryRegime as non-citizens of Burma, making them legally stateless peopleand are being treated not only as alien but also modern salves in theirAncestral Home-Land of Arakan.

Arakan (present Rakhine ) State is a state of Union of Myanmar. Situated thewestern coast, it is bordered by Chin State in the north, Magway Division, Bago

Division and Ayeyarwady Division in the east, the Bay of Bengal to the west, andthe Chittagong Division of Bangladesh to the northwest. It is located approximatelybetween latitudes 1730' north and 2130' north and east longitudes 9210' eastand 9450' east. The Arakan Yoma mountain range, which rises to 3,063 meters atVictoria Peak, separates Rakhine State from Myanmar proper. Its area is 36,762

km (14,194 Sq. miles) and itscapital is Sittwe (formerlyAkyab).

The official population in 2007was 3,744,976 and in 2010

were estimated 3.83 millions.The State is inhabited primarilyby two major groups of people,the Rakhine ethnic group andRohingyas ethnic group.According to the Govt.Divisional Administrationestimates that about 10,33,212Rohingya live in NorthernRakhine state of Myanmar. Themajority people of Arakan are

Buddhists, and second beingMuslims. The Myanmargovernment estimates that inArakan State 59.7% ( 22,35,750) of the population are Buddhistand 35.6% ( 13,33,212 ) followIslam and 4.7% ( 1,73,014 )others. The Rohingya Muslimsprimarily live in the Arakan

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region of the country where they constituted 30% of the total population of ArakanState and speak a dialect distinct from Burmese and Bengali. Myanmar (formerlyknown as Burma) has a population of 58 million, 15 percent of whom are Muslims.Most of the rest are Buddhists.

The majority ethnic Rakhine reside mainly in the lowland valleys including Lemro,Kaladan and Mayu valley as well as Ramree and Manaung (Cheduba) islands. Thesecond majority ethnic Rohingya mostly live in the Northern part of Arakan State.Other Muslims groups include Kaman Muslims (Indigenous to Myanmar) andRakhine Muslims (descendants of mixed marriages with Rakhine Buddhists). Thereare also a number of other ethnic minorities like the Chin, Mro, Chakma, Khami,Dainet, and Maramagri inhibit mainly in the hill regions of the state. The area isfairly sparsely populated, with very few large towns or cities. Sitwe [3,15,670] isby far the largest city in the area, and also the centre of trade. Other notabletowns include Maungdaw, Buthidaung, Rathedaung, Mrauk-U, Kyaukpru, Thandweand Tounggok. Otherwise, the population is primarily rural, living in the lowlandvalleys, hills, forests, or along the sea coast and coastal islands of Bay of Bengal.

Arakan is the country's richest region in terms of oil and natural gas deposits, andits people first came to Islam by means of Arab merchants. This turning towardsIslam culminated with the establishment of a Muslim dominated cultural welfarestate in 1430. This state survived for 350 years, until the Burman Buddhists put anend to it by conquering Arakan in 1784.

Immediately after the Muslims lost political power in 1784, the Burmese Buddhistsembarked on a policy of oppressing and even physically eliminating them. Thecountry was then colonized by the British towards the end of the 1824.

The anti-Muslim campaign waged by the Buddhists gained momentum in the

twentieth century, and there was a terrible massacre in Arakan in 1942 whichresulted in the deaths of 100,000 Rohingya Muslims, and left hundreds ofthousands either crippled or forced to flee their land.

The conflict in Arakan State is primarily about ethnicity and numbers. The startingpoint of todays problems can be dated to the beginning of British rule. TheBurmese government has identified 135 national races as indigenous to thenation. The Rohingya do not feature among them, even though the Kaman, alsoan Islamic group, have been recognised as one of the 36 national races ofArakan State. Disregarding historical facts, the Rohingya are treated as foreignresidents who had only settled in Burma during the British colonial period.

Recognition as an ethnic nationality of Burma would entitle the Rohingya tocitizenship, but also to political participation and, by extension, to territorialclaims. Viewed as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, their loyalty is questionedand they are deemed a threat to the territorial integrity of the Union.

In addition, emphasis is also given to the Islamic faith professed by thispopulation. The consensus of Burmese opinion is that the Muslims can enjoyreligious freedom but they will be relentlessly barred from obtaining politicalrepresentation on the basis of their religion.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramreehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manaunghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chin_peoplehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mro&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chakma_peoplehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Awa_Khamihttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dainet&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Maramagri&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramreehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manaunghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chin_peoplehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mro&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chakma_peoplehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Awa_Khamihttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dainet&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Maramagri&action=edit&redlink=1


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Amidst rampant human rights abuses in Burma, the Rohingya have for decadesborne the brunt of one of the most inhumane policies and campaigns by theBurmese military government. The Burmese government denies them citizenship,rendering the majority of Rohingya stateless. The military government launchedseveral "ethnic cleansing" campaigns, particularly in 1978 and 1991, killing manyin the process of expelling Rohingya to Bangladesh, where many also died fromstarvation and disease.

In Burma, the Rohingya face brutal religious repression, extrajudicial killings,forced labor and expropriation of property, and are often denied employmentopportunities and access to education, trade and restrictions on movement, allexacerbated by a draconian Burma Citizenship Law 1982 that leaves theRohingya stateless. The Burmese Militarys campaign of displacement, denial ofculture and identity, restrictions on the right to marry and form a family, killings,rape, torture and denial of food are a slow-burning genocide.

Almost 14 years have passed since the UN General Assembly recognized thesuffering the Rohingya experienced at the hands of Burmas military regime under

Resolution 47/144 of1992. Yet, Rohingya and Muslims from Burma continue to besubjected to a widespread and systematic campaign of persecution anddiscrimination at home and the denial of basic protection and fundamental rightsin neighboring countries.

The following points are 'some rights of vulnerable whichmarginalized Rohingya people':-

1) Denial of citizenship

The conflict in Arakan State is primarily about ethnicity and numbers. The starting

point of todays problems can be dated to the beginning of British rule. TheBurmese government has identified 135 national races as indigenous to thenation. The Rohingya do not feature among them, even though the Kaman, alsoan Islamic group, have been recognised as one of the 36 national races ofArakan State. Disregarding historical facts, the Rohingya are treated as foreignresidents who had only settled in Burma during the British colonial period.

Recognition as an ethnic nationality of Burma would entitle the Rohingya tocitizenship, but also to political participation and, by extension, to territorialclaims. Viewed as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, their loyalty is questionedand they are deemed a threat to the territorial integrity of the Union.

In addition, emphasis is also given to the Islamic faith professed by thispopulation. The consensus of Burmese opinion is that the Muslims can enjoyreligious freedom but they will be relentlessly barred from obtaining politicalrepresentation on the basis of their religion

During 1991-92 Rohingya refugee crisis, the then Burmese Foreign Minister U OhnKyaw stated in the press as mentioned below to deny their chitizenship.

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In actual fact, although there are (135) national races living in Myanmar today,the so-called Rohingya people is not one of them. Historically, there has neverbeen a Rohingya race in Myanmar. The very name Rohingya is a creation of agroup of insurgents in the Rakhine State. Since the First Anglo-Myanmar War in1824, people of Muslim Faith from the adjacent country illegally entered MyanmarNgain-Ngan, particularly Rakhine State. Being illegal immigrants they do not hold

immigration papers like other nationals of the country.

2) Restrictions on freedom of movement

The sweeping restrictions on the movement of Rohingyas are disproportionateand discriminatory; they are imposed on all Rohingyas because they areRohingyas, and not on members of other ethnic nationalities in Rakhine State.They are broad and indiscriminate in their application

The Rohingya are subject to strict restrictions of movement. They are virtuallyconfined to their village tracts. They need to apply for a travel pass, which theyhave to pay for, even to visit a neighbouring village. Since February 2001, Sittwe

has remained off-limits for the Rohingyas of Northern Arakan. Their lack of mobilityhas devastating consequences, limiting their access to markets, employmentopportunities, health facilities and higher education. The issue of travel passes isalso used as a system to prevent those who have overstayed their validity fromreturning to their village as their names are subsequently deleted from their familylist.

Restriction on freedom of movement has effectively confined people to theirvillages. They are required to apply, state their reasons, and pay for a travel passto visit as far as neighboring villages.17 To travel further requires more money andmore lengthy application processes.

Rohingya are required to keep the essential family list. If a family member is notpresent during random population check by local SPDC authorities, they can bedeleted from the list or fined.

3) Control of the economy through a monopoly system

Business monopolies are granted in exchange for licences obtained against highbribes. All economic sectors are controlled through a monopoly system based onlicences, which totally forbids any free-enterprise initiative. Anyone engaging in aneconomic activity must either sell his product to the licence holder below market

price or pay him a tax. As soon as a new income-generating endeavour appears,a new monopoly is installed. The authorities grant or revoke licences annually andalways guarantee the monopoly to the highest bid.

4) Construction of model villages

The establishment of model villages to resettle Buddhists (Rakhine and Burman)onto Muslim land has been going on since the 1950s. Such demographicengineering is designed to alter the ethnic composition of the region. There are

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already 26 such model villages of about 100 houses each in Northern Arakan.Rohingyas are compelled to build houses for the new settlers. In addition to landconfiscation and forced labour, these programmes contribute to the exacerbationof inter-communal tension.

5) Extortion and arbitrary taxation

Taxes and bribes such as paddy taxes, 20 sales and trade licenses, fees for theobservance of cultural and religious festivals and ceremonies, fees for theparticipation in sporting activities, extortion for corporate and militaryinfrastructure, are particularly prevalent and more diligently extracted in ArakanState, in particular in border areas controlled by the NaSaKa border authorities.21Those not able or willing to pay bribes face arrest and imprisonment.22 Arbitraryarrest is often employed to extract bribes from Rohingya and Muslims.

Additional extortions unique to the experience of Rohingya and Muslims relate tofees for travel and forming a family.

6) Access to employment

Requirements to pay and apply for travel permits seriously limits ability to trade orseek employment outside a persons village.24 Not holding citizenship excludesRohingya from public service positions. Arbitrary extortion, taxes, and seizures ofland and property stifle entrepreneurship and overwhelm small businesses. Forcedlabor takes people away from their regular employment, destroying business, andruining crops when harvests are impacted.

7) Forced labor

When the ILO reported in March 2003 that forced labor in large infrastructureprojects had decreased in Burma, they noted that it continued with no change inNorthern Arakan State. Most work involves the maintenance, security, building andsupply of military camps and infrastructure projects linked to state-enterpriseprojects and their international partners. Because it is possible to pay a bribe toauthorities for exemption, those most affected are those most at need of earning aregular income. The army continues to be guilty of imposing forced labour onRohingya villagers and children.

8) Confiscation of land and property

Land is confiscated by NaSaKa and much of formerly arable land has reverted to jungle. There are also settlement programs moving non-Rohingya onto landsconfiscated from Rohingya into model villages for retired SPDC officers and theirfamilies (built with the forced labor of Rohingya). Forced laborers and theircommunities are often required to supply projects with materials. The growingpresence of NaSaKa since its formation in 1992 has increased the level ofconfiscations whether for military camps or for unique projects such as theleasing back to the original owners. In 2002 they began to implement land use

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policies by expelling families living residentially on areas previously allocatedas agricultural.

9) Food Security

Burmas historical importance as a producer of rice is well known. While thisimportance has faded, the country still manages to produce a net surplus of rice.Despite this, those living in Northern Arakan state are hungry, with 60%experiencing malnutrition because the regime confiscates, forcibly sells orprevents from being traded, rice and other essential commodities.

Villagers are obliged to provide food to supply to military troops with food supplies.Additionally, forced labor takes villagers away from taking care of their crops, andharvest periods are compromised.

NGOs have been attempting to tackle the food security situation of the poorerstrata of this population by implementing income-generation projects and otherdevelopment activities. However, food security continues to deteriorate steadily.

Over the last year, increased pressures through arbitrary taxation, tighter controlof the local economy as the licence system extends to new commodities andactivities, as well as restricted access to forest resources, have led to a crisis,which can only be stopped if direct food assistance is immediately delivered to themost vulnerable segment of the population, estimated at one third of the totalpopulation of Northern Arakan State.

Despite these shortcomings, the presence of international NGOs and UN agencieshas been crucial in providing some degree of protection to the Rohingya, andsomewhat alleviates their conditions. UNHCRs presence is vital since it is the onlyinternational agency with a protection mandate. Without the programmes of UN

agencies and international NGOs, it is likely that a new exodus of refugees couldno longer be contained.

10) Limitations on access to education

The official literacy rate in Burma is given by the SPDC at nearly 90%. While this isunlikely to be accurate, the fact that literacy rates in Rohingya refugee camps inBangladesh has been measured at 12% indicates that Rohingya experienceparticular barriers to accessing basic education.

Most Rohingya children do not speak the Burmese language in which public

education is taught.35 Most village tracts have one primary school (initial 4 years),but in remote areas monsoonal rains prevent children from attending even thisbasic level. Rohingya, not holding citizenship, cannot be employed as teachers.There are considerable gaps in the number and quality of teachers available.Additionally, extreme poverty means that many children need to work to supporttheir families.

Further schooling is more difficult to access outside of bigger towns. Rohingya aresimply excluded from studying at university. Sittwe has the only university in thestate, and a travel ban has been enforced on all Rohingya since February 2001.

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Distance education at university level is theoretically possible but students facemany challenges in obtaining permission to pass their exams.

Further schooling is more difficult to access outside of bigger towns. Rohingya aresimply excluded from studying at university. Sittwe has the only university in thestate, and a travel ban has been enforced on all Rohingya since February 2001.Distance education at university level is theoretically possible but students facemany challenges in obtaining permission to pass their exams.

11) Persecution of political and community leaders

Leaders in exile are deeply divided on the solutions to the current situation.Rohingya and other non-Rakhine organizations are excluded from membership ofthe umbrella organization the Arakan National Council.

The actions and policy of the SPDC in Arakan State have successfully divided twooppressed communities against each other. Tensions between ethnic Rakhine andRohingya run high.39 Religious riots occur sporadically between Buddhist and

Muslim, Rohingya and Rakhine groups, with reports often blaming authorities forstirring up community unrest.

One of the issues dividing communities in Burma is the Rohingya claim to status asa distinct ethnic group ethnic in Burma implying a claim to indigenous status, asopposed to having distinct cultural, racial or language characteristics. OtherMuslims in Burma, probably around 6 million in number, also experiencediscrimination and persecution, especially those living in Arakan State. SomeRohingya avoid identifying themselves as such, aware of the political and personalramifications of the label.

Rohingya were permitted to vote and stand as candidates in the 1990 elections.The Rohingya supported party, the National Democratic Party for Human Rights(NDPHR), won four seats. The Rohingya candidate in Sittwe was arrested and putin jail during the elections. The party was deregistered in March 1992.

12) Religious and cultural freedoms

Muslims, including Rohingya, living in Northern Arakan State are forced to payfees to conduct Eid-ul-Adha and Eid-ul-Fitr. Traditions such as praying in openprayer grounds are restricted. Friday sermons are restricted. Times of pilgrimagecoincide with further tightening of restrictions and the extraction of maximum

bribes. SPDC military campaigns have included the destruction of mosques andmadrassa.

13) The right to marry and have a family

A series of measures has been imposed to control birth and to limit expansion ofthe Rohingya population. Unlike other peoples of Burma, the Rohingya must applyfor permission to get married, which is only granted in exchange for high bribes

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and can take up to several years to obtain. Polygamy has been prohibited, andwidows must wait at least 3 years to remarry. To register their childrens birth,parents are charged fees that have significantly increased over the last year. Inseveral areas, womens dignity is greatly offended, as they have to declare theirpregnancy to the NaSaKa and sometimes show their belly. Moreover, building anew house, extending existing dwellings and even maintenance and repair alsorequire authorisation, resulting in overcrowded and precarious living conditions.

All households require a family list and any changes births, deaths, marriages,address, even cattle acquisition and sales must be reported and a fee paid. Abirth or death can vary in its cost for between 1,000 to 8,000 kyat, must bedeclared within a week, and also vary in the local authoritys arbitraryrequirements sometimes substituting a scarce item such as fuel to be paid in theplace of the usual fee, or for the report of a birth to be delivered in person by therecovering mother.

Rohingya living in Northern Arakan State are required to ask for permission tomarry. Women are required to be at least 18 and the men 24. 56 Since 2003, the

demanding of large amounts in bribes between 50,000 and 300,000 kyat forpermission to marry has become universal. Marriages can be delayed for up tothree years, and require several visits to NaSaKa camps. There is a huge backlogof couples waiting permission, and sometimes young couples travel to Bangladeshto try to get married at great risk of not being able to return to Burma.

The regulations were further tightened in December 2005 requiring: 3 guardiansignatories; the bridegroom and guardians to be cleanly shaven; a certificate ofclean health; a recommendation letter from a religious organization and from thevillage chairman; the couple to commit to having no more than three children, onewife, and not to get divorced; the submission of the family list; and a declaration of

the dowry. The fee was fixed at 3000 kyat but reports continue of the fee varyingfrom place to place.

In conclusion, the military govt. until stop the human rights violations such as landconfiscations, discriminatory restrictions on employment, education, access toforest resources and arable land, together with tighter controls of local economies,and arbitrary taxes, has created problems of poverty and food insecurity and willbecome a marginalize people in Burma.

End *************

Updated. December 2010.

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how rohingya are marginalize in burma

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