Muslims Arrested in Arakan State Accused of Taliban Ties
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Burma

Muslims Arrested in Arakan State Accused of Taliban Ties


By KHIN OO THAR Tuesday, March 22, 2011


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Border security forces in western Burma's Arakan State have arrested nearly 100 Muslim men in Maungdaw Township and accused them of belonging to a terrorist ring linked to the Taliban, according to sources.

A source close to the border security forces, known locally as Nasaka, told The Irrawaddy that the men were arrested earlier this month after they allegedly held a meeting in the village of Kamaungseik to plot terrorist activities.

“A seal and documents seized at the time of the arrest identified them as members of the Taliban. That's why they were arrested for having connections with the militant group and are now under investigation at Nasaka's headquarters,” said the source.

“The army didn't even know about the meeting, so the tactical commander said he would take action against township and ward chairmen. Nasaka has stepped up its security while it continues to search for alleged members of the group in the area,” the source added.

According to Narinjara, an independent Arakenese news agency based in Bangladesh, a Taliban militant known as Moulivi Harun gave secret training in combat and bomb-making deep in the jungles of northern Maungdaw on the Burma-Bangladesh border last February. Harun has not yet been arrested and is believed to be hiding out in the jungles on the Bangladesh side of the border, Narinjara reported. 

“Nasaka told us about Moulivi Harun, who entered the country from Bangladesh and had given training. We are still seeking further details about him and the training,” said Khaing Mrat Kyaw, the editor of Narinjara.

Locals in the area told The Irrawaddy that their movements have been severely restricted since the arrests. They said the authorities have imposed frequent security checks on travelers and taken other measures aimed at preventing people from coming or going freely from predominantly Muslim areas. 

“A curfew has been in place in urban areas and villages in Maungdaw since last week,” said one local resident. “People can be shot if they go out after 10 pm.”

According to the Maungmadaw resident, among those arrested were Sein Win, the former village head of Kamaungseik, and his successor and brother, Zaw Win, who have both reportedly been supporting the activities of a militant network in the area.

Maungmadaw and the other townships now being subjected to increased security are home to large numbers of Rohingya, a Muslim ethnic minority not recognized by Burma's ruling regime as Burmese citizens. 

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Nyi Lay Maung Wrote:
01/04/2011
To all 'Rohingya Sympathizers'
Please to the following link and read!
Wild Islamism on rise in Bangladesh
by Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury
March 30, 2011

http://www.weeklyblitz.net/1352/wild-islamism-on-rise-in-bangladesh

Finally state minister for law, Advocate Qamrul Islam in Bangladesh made open statement expressing his government's realization that some Islamists and radical clergies are trying to turn Bangladesh into another 'Afghanistan'. He said, "Few 'fanatics' and 'religion-mongered' want to make the country 'an Afghanistan' by snatching away women rights".

shuja uddin Wrote:
26/03/2011
if rakhine inhabitants were indians in former times, then where was bengal at that time? there was only samatata and many deltaic islands in today bangladesh. besides part of chittagong extending to Feni was often part of Rakhaing or part of Tripura. only when chittagong fell to the mughals in 1666 bengali muslims came. before 1947, chittagong, feni and comilla districts of bangladesh were hindu majority areas. the muslim bengalis under the great riot killed thousands of innocent hindus and took their lands by force. since 1942, when riot spread to arakan, buthidaung and maungdaw were focefully taken by killing indigenous rakhaing population there. the bengali muslims from chittagong came and raised the riot. if the muslims of arakan want citizenship they must come out clean - by throwing away their old false claim of the rulers of arakan, etc. or else not only the arakanese other people in burma will never support them.

KML Wrote:
26/03/2011
After reading the degrading comments on the fellow countrymen, Rohingyas, or however you call, I have a feeling that Burmese citizens are centuries away from democracy and human rights. According to Kaladan Press, "Nasaka Director meets locals in Maungdaw regarding Taliban rumours " and so far Nasaka or the regime's border security force is more sympathetic to Rohingyas, at least on this accusation. If there were democracy and the following people run the country, the fate of those Muslims are unimaginable.

SPDC or USDP government seems to be the best prescription for Burma.

James Wrote:
25/03/2011
Former inhabitants and rulers of Arakan were Indian tribes when Pyu and Mon are in to day call Burma. Unless Rakhines descend from Indian nor any relation close to, how could become Arakanese. While Rohingya is close to with racial, traditional and physical.

Self judging is unacceptable and time will come to let independent jury body may decide.
Rakhine people still have diabolic mind and sustaining by annihilation of others. No matter which century come, they are reprinting rakhine-yakha-bilu caste.

Who hire TLB or why or procreation to war one after another by the name of TLB. I set my home fire inorder to avoid loans, was it the same story for twin tower.

Zaw Htwee maung Wrote:
25/03/2011
Answer to sm123:
Burma became a crown colony in the British Empire since 1937. The formation of two dominions called India and Pakistan in British India was only in 1947. It had nothing to do with Burma. Despite that fact, Muslim Extremists in Burma went to Karachi and requested Mohamad Ali Jinnah to annex Maungdaw, Butheetaung and Rathetaung townships into East Pakistan. After the unsuccessful attempt to take Assam into East Pakistan and in the pre-war days with India on Kashmir, Jinnah turned down the request of those Islamists from Burma. Aung San never stole any part of any other country!! Your statement is balony !!

These Islamist wrote and write Balonies only. That's why their 'Rohingya History' became 'the 1002nd Story of the Arabian Nights' and their 'Ship Wreck story' became one of the 'Sailor Sindbad's Adventures'!

Maung Oo Wrote:
25/03/2011
No more terrorists in our country.

arjun shashanka acharya Wrote:
24/03/2011
basic citizenship rights is what we want ... heh? Does Saudi Arabia give citizenship rights to Kaafirs born in Saudi Arabia? How much Christians are persecuted in Pakistan? Even the Punjabis cannot practise their own language in Pakistan Punjab! What citizens' rights are there for non-Muslims in all the Islamic countries in the world? Yet all the Muslims shout for the rights of the lying and cheating 'rohingyanists'? Look at the letters in this column, many have already expressed their high concern for the 'talibans' - DO I need to say anything?

Oo Maung gyi Wrote:
24/03/2011
Is it Taliban is out law as per present Burma existing laws? I do not think that it was made such kind of laws in Myanmar during the ruling period of junta. So how can authority of Maungdaw arrest Muslims of the same town by assuming terrorist? Taliban itself is not terrorist, they are freedom fighters for their faith and their country. Taliban has long history. This group was created by US to fight against Soviet troops which occupied Afghanistan in 1973, later when this Taliban group obtained power, they did not listen US command, so US branded them as terrorist, in fact they are freedom fighter for their land. How can Myanmar authority in Maungdaw township has the right to arrest local citizens by branding them terrorists? These authorities has no brain, they only want to make money by arresting and branding the innocent Muslims of Arakan
so as to make dive and rule with Muslims and Buddhists peacefully coexisting since 6th century in Arakan.The brutality will give price one day.

James Wrote:
24/03/2011
Unregretable, I see some Arakanese people are eager in accusation and they could lead to extreme, therefore Arakan is ruled by non-Arakanese. here are some link to develope your sights;
Kaladan Press, "Nasaka Director meets locals in Maungdaw regarding Taliban rumours"
Another from DVB,"Refugees reject ‘insurgent, criminal’ claims"

sm123 Wrote:
24/03/2011
Butidaung and Maungdaw are their lands. General Aung San stole them from Pakistan's leader Ali Jinnah. So, there is only one way to solve this-let give them back their lands because we don't want to recognize them as citizens of MYANMAR.OR we have to go to The Hague as Milosevic.

My own belief:
-no states based on race OR religion
-only based on citizenship
-recognize all who born in Myanmar<just pay the tax to government>ie we need democratic government.
-no discrimination on race, religion, language and culture
-no public religious ceremony for all religions<except whoever want to do such things, go and celebrate in the beach on limited days and time.e.g CALIFORNIA>
-no religious noise to the public<all Myanmar people are not Muslims or Buddhists>
-NO ALCOHOLIC DRINKS ON PUBLIC AREA
-let's focus on all issues based on current situations.not on AD, BC ,pre history....
-TO IRRAWADDY,please don't edit my belief to public AS WE CANNOT FULLY ENJOY FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION.

Tha Dun Pru Wrote:
24/03/2011
The fact that there has never been a "Rohingya" ethnic group in Burma is quite evident. There is no such name as "Rohingya" in the Census of India, 1921 (Burma) compiled by G. G. Grantham, I.C.S., Superintendent of Census Operations Burma, or in the Burma Gazetteer, Akyab District (1924) compiled by R. B. Smart.

The name ‘Rohingya’ evolved as ‘Rohingyarist Movement’ came out under the umbrella of Islamization of non-Islamic countries. First they sent a delegation to Karachi to annex Maungdaw, Buthitaung and Rathetaung townships into East Pakistan. Later they called themselves as Mujahids and fought against Burmese Government but failed. Then 'Rohingyarist Movement started together with human traffiking, to bring illegal immigrants from the former East Pakistan and Bangladesh nowadays. It is really funny that "an ethnic national group" of Burma cannot speak Burmese but ask for Bengali interpreter. It shows where they really come from!!

Nyi Lay maung Wrote:
24/03/2011
'Rohingya' problem is not a question of minority of foreign extraction living among the native majority but the issue of ethnicity arisen from their demand for a separate enclave for themselves based on Islamic faith. Every historian knows that there was and there is no ethnic group called Rohingya in Burma as well as in Arakan. This is an invented name for the Chittagonian Bengali Muslims in the early 50’s.

None of Burmese, Arakanese, Portuguese, Dutch, Indian as well as British sources and none of the British Colonial Officers' contributions about Burma and India mentioned either the term "Rohingya”. They mentioned only about 'Zerabadi' the Indo-Burmese Hybrids (Kala Kapya in Burmese) or "Burmese Muslims", the Muslims in Shwebo and Yamethin Districts in Burma Proper, "Myay Du Muslims", "Kaman Muslims" and Bengali Muslim Settlers of Arakan, Choolias and Shkaihs or the Hindu Low Caste converted into Islam.

Enayet Ullah Wrote:
24/03/2011
Taliban linked news is a creation. It is by some intolerable Mugh (so-called Rakhine).Previously Rakhines, advantageously pressed Rohingya by the beconing of regime without considering that, Rohingya are a people. Now situation is changed, Burmese regime tried to organize to Rakhine to help to regime in recent election. The Rakhine leaders had thought they do not need it citizen of Burma and owner of Arakan with forgetting the existence of the second community Rohingya. In this regard, regime learned from the history and came to think and they asked to Rohingya to help them. Rohingya people, without will helped them otherwise they will loose the rights of votes and candidacy that, they took part in every level and every election since it was started in the hand of diarchy British role-2010. But many Rohingya do not like the last7November 2010 election. Rakhine became arrogant because of Rohingya make got an understanding with the regime.It is nothing Rohingya are just waiting.

Khin Mg Than Wrote:
24/03/2011
Thanks Irrawaddy for this piece of information. As we are fighting against the military dictatorship in Burma, this sort of news is very alarming. I understand the frustration of Rohingyas to resort in violence. But now for their act, the villages of Arakan will have to pay the price: more persecution. Over the years, the evidences that links Rohingyas to Talibans and other extremist organization are accumulating. Renowned writers such as Bertil Lintner uncovered some and other Bangladesh and Indian press are finding more. This is so worrisome that we need to keep an eye on.

http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=88849
http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=111640
http://www.scribd.com/doc/17696284/Rohingya-Terrorists-Arrested-in-Thailand
http://www.narinjara.com/details.asp?id=2766

ludu Wrote:
23/03/2011
Interesting news. Desperate people finally links with the group.

George Than Setkyar Heine Wrote:
23/03/2011
Hey as far as I am concerned Arakan belonged to the Arakans long before King Anaw-ra-hta founded the First Burmese Empire in 1044.
I know Rohingyas as Muslims from across Bangladesh making home in Arakan.

Arakans will take care of the problem in due course of time. The Arakans know best in this matter.

I knew Rohingyas have connections with and are funded by the TALIBAN long ago. Finally, the CAT is OUT.

Let's see what Than Shwe is going to do about it. He has another in the form of UWSA on his hands as well.

I know Than Shwe cannot deal with either, UWSA or Rohingya, on his own. He needs ALL THE PEOPLE of Burma to do the job lest he forgets.

And Daw Suu has 50 million plus people of Burma behind her, not to mention the international community trust me.

Islamic fundamentalists have only ONE OBJECTIVE - GLOBAL ISLAMIZATION - and Rohingyas are tied with TALIBAN no doubt.
Rohingyas will turn ARAKAN into a TALIBAN stronghold like Wa territory under UWSA embedded by communists in Beijing.

mong pru Wrote:
23/03/2011
Arakan was called Roshang by a mediaval bengali poet, Alaol. many socalled rohingya historians say the name rohingya came from al-rokon. if arabic al is the, rokon is clearly Rakhaing. Alaol in his book again and again said though the people including the king are Buddhists, there were bengalis, pathans, shan, mon, etc. in the arakan army. this is one proof that what the socalled rohingyas are demanding is totally false, fabricated and with ulterior motive of Islamizing Arakan, with support from islamic extremist elements elsewhere.

Tin Win Wrote:
23/03/2011
Surely the allegation is only a covering to justify the act of ethnic cleansing of Rohingya Muslim people of Arakan, Burma.

The word Rohingya consists of two parts, "Rohing (Ruhang)" which is old kingdom name of Arakan and "Ya" which means the inhabitant of the land. So Rohingya means inhabitant of old Rohang kingdom. They have been in Arakan time immemorial and not the recent migrants as claimed by the military junta.

Maung Maung Wrote:
23/03/2011
Bangladesh has population explosion which they cannot control anymore. India has 15 Million illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. These so-called 'Rohingyas 'claim that they are from Burma, however, they cannot speak and understand Burmese and ask for Bengali interpreter! Their stories contradict each other, Why? The answer is clear. These illegal immigrants were and are lead by the Islamists and want to take one part of Burma at least if not the whole of Burma as a Muslim State. The so-called 'Rohingya' problems evolved, whenever there was a political turmoil in Burma or after natural catastrophes like Cyclones hit Bangladesh, as in the saying "make hay while the sun shines".

They had and have connections with terrorist organisations like Taliban and Libyan Terrorists. Gadhafi sent a special envoy to Burma in 1978 to investigate. The whole world had seen how Talibans destroyed the two thousand years old Buddha Statues in Afghanistan.

aung aung Wrote:
23/03/2011
In Burma, there was and there is no ethnic minority group called 'Rohingya'. They are Chittagonian Bengali Muslims Islamists who wanted and still want to take one part of Rakhine Pray as their land. Their history is a baseless myth! In the Chittagonian Bengali Dialect, Rakhine Pray is called 'Rohan' and 'Gya' means 'Pyi Thar'. In that way they want to claim themselves as 'Rakhine Pray Thar'. How can we Arakanese tolerate that?

In Burma, Panjabis are called Panjabi, Tamils are called Tamil, Pathans are called Pathan, Suratis are called Surati. Nobody protest for their own name and they are proud of their etymology. Amazingly, only Chittagong Bengalis did not and do not want to be called Chittagonian or Bengalis!! Why?

KML Wrote:
23/03/2011
Here is the clarification from the authorities:
http://www.kaladanpress.org/v3/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3104:nasaka-director-meets-locals-in-maungdaw-regarding-taliban-rumors&catid=132:march-2011&Itemid=2

shwe Moe Wrote:
23/03/2011
Muslims Arrested in Arakan State Accused of Taliban Ties must be eradicated. Islam is an intolerant religion and the followers of Islam have made this into a science.

Myanmar will always be Myanmar a Buddhist country and we will not sit idle watching Islam or any other religion hijack our way of life which by the way existed around 3500 B.C. and Islam is a spring chicken,(613 A.D.) but acts as if it existed before the diluvium period. Having said this-please keep the five pillars of faith to your selves; we have our own which is very pure and simple.

Ko Kyaw Wrote:
23/03/2011
It is another excuse to kill innocent helpless Rohingya people and to hide their real face of killers. This is an attempt to hide the news of killing Rohingya in 1993 which was revealed recently by one of junta's commanders.

I am really worried for the Rohingya people who have been under harsh situation for ages. Now they will impose a lot of restrictions on them. And surely hundreds of people will be killed.

The world is not fool to believe their lie. Don't forget that you are under watched. You are time will definitely come very soon. Be careful!!!

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