Unbelievably in this day and time, skin color has become an issue in the case of the Rohingya boat people.
While much of the world has moved beyond discrimination due to the color of one’s skin (think President Obama), pockets of prejudice still exist, including in Southeast Asia.
“You will see in the photos that their complexion is dark brown,” said Burmese Counsel Ye Myint Aung in Hong Kong, in a letter to fellow diplomats, referring to the Rohingya boat people. He went on to describe the complexion of Burmese as “fair and soft, good looking as well.”
His own complexion, he said, was typical of a Burmese gentleman and his fellow diplomats could easily contrast their diplomatic colleague with Rohingya.
“Rohingyas are as ugly as ogres,” he said.
In essence, what he said was that Rohingyas couldn’t qualify as Burmese citizens because of their appearance, and they are not recognized as an ethnic group of Burma.
Thousands of Rohingyas have fled their homes in Burma and Bangladesh to Thailand and Malaysia in recent years. In 2008 alone, reports estimated 4,880 Rohingyas were arrested for illegally entering Thailand.
It’s fairly clear now that no country in Southeast Asia is willing to accept the desperate Rohingyas who wash up on their shore or enter a country by other means.
One reason is that they don’t look like ordinary economic migrants or refugees. They take to the ocean in dilapidated boats, reminiscent of the Vietnamese boat people, who also were desperate to leave an unforgiving land and would do anything—even risk their lives—to escape. In addition, they are Muslims, another strike against them in some people’s eyes.
The boat people have become an irritant for many countries in the region, especially Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. Compounding the problem is the unwillingness of Burma and Bangladesh to recognize the Rohingya as citizens.
When various groups of Rohingya boat people were arrested in Thailand recently, they were beaten and tortured by Thai authorities, according to reports, and eventually towed back out to sea and set adrift with inadequate water and food in boats without working engines.
Earlier, Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva was quoted by reporters as saying, “They [the Rohingyas] are not refugees. Our policy is to push them out of the country because they are illegal migrants.”
More than 1,000 Rohingyas were towed out to sea and set adrift late last year by the Thai navy. Fortunately, they were rescued by Indonesian and Indian authorities. Unknown numbers, however, disappeared at sea.
Recently, the Thai premier changed his tune to acknowledge the claims of human rights groups, telling CNN in an exclusive interview, “It’s not exactly clear whose work it is.” He added, “All the [Thai] authorities say it’s not their policy, but I have reason to believe some instances of this happened, and if I can have the evidence of who exactly did this, I will certainly bring them to account.”
Clearly, the issue is now a regional issue, and the Thai government is feeling the heat of world opinion. Even a simple statement in support of the Rohingya boat people made by Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie, who is also a goodwill ambassador of the United Nations, during a visit to Thailand last week drew a curt response from Thai foreign ministry spokesman Tharit Charungvat, who pounced on her remarks, saying, “It’s not her role to comment on the matter.”
Thailand’s army commander is now scheduled to visit Burma next week to discuss the Rohingya issue with the military government.
Really, the issue would be best addressed in a regional forum with the gravity that it deserves.
The secretary-general of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), Surin Pitsuwin, said in an interview: “This is not an issue for a particular country. It is a regional issue. It is also an issue for the international community.”
When Asean leaders gather for the regional summit which is scheduled to be held at the end of this month in Thailand, Surin and other Asean leaders must responsibly address the Rohingya issue.
If they fail to do so and paper over the issue with rhetorical flourishes, they will bring further discredit to the region.
What kind of human rights were offered to those Buddhists in ancient lands like Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Indonesia and others, when the Islamic empire expanded and wiped them all out brutally? Convert or be killed.
Given this harsh history and current affairs of radical Islam, how can one be so naive about the terrorist-linked groups manipulating behind the Rohingya mask?
A future Burma should and would accept Rohingyas as decent brothers and sisters if they could escape from this trap of being exploited by the wrong ideology.
Tin Win Wrote:
22/02/2009
To the Rakhines,
Remember the independent kingdom of Arakan and recall those ancient days when Muslims and Buddhists stayed together side by side in harmony, so much so that all 14 Buddhist kings adopted Muslim names and the circulating coins of currency were inscribed with a Muslim message—"There is no god but Allah"; and Farsi (with Arabic script) was made the official language. These were the most marvelous days of Arakan history.
But remember the day when you became jealous of the Muslims’ prosperity in education, knowledge, war and wisdom and your evil thoughts plotted inviting Burmans to destroy or kick out the Muslims. But the evil jealousy did not bring destruction to the Muslims alone, but to yourselves, also resulting in the end of a beautiful kingdom and horrifying events to both Muslims and Buddhists alike, displacing many to neighboring countries and many—mostly Muslims—being captured as prisoners of war.
So remember jealousy, evil thought and ill treatment to others will never bring peace but unending consequences. Therefore, learn to be a peacemaker, not a hater. Take the example of the tiniest country—Singapore—where Chinese, Malays, Indians, Tamils and Europeans have been living side by side in peaceful harmony without a single problem, although each community is far different from the other in religion, culture, dress, language and widely different skin colors. In spite of all these differences, it proves to be one of the world’s most wonderful countries worth visiting and learning the lessons of how to create peace and prosperity within largely diverse communities.
Ahmedur Rahman Farooq Wrote:
20/02/2009
There is no denying the fact that the exact presentation of the horrific accounts of the miseries and atrocities which the defenseless Rohingyas have been undergoing in Arakan has all the shocking and awful power to set the world conscience on fire. However, it is also true that such presentations will put the entire Rohingya community inside Arakan into a conflagration which will leave nothing un-burnt.
The fact is that now it is nearly one century that the Rohingyas have been subjected to the worst human rights violations and systematic genocidal operations just to annihilate their existence from the soil of Arakan, but the Rohingyas are still alive in Arakan, though with half-naked bodies full of hunger and grief. In addition, more than 1.5 million Rohingyas live in different countries of the world as the flag bearers of the ethnic identity “Rohingya.”
A major section of the Burmese pro-democracy movement still sticks to its arrogant position of not recognizing the Rohingyas as the indigenous people of Arakan and subsequently denying them their legitimate right to Burmese citizenship. On Feb 9, the Burmese pro-democracy government-in-exile was formally approached by the Rohingyas to arrange a debate over the issue under the supervision of international historians, but they have no guts to arrange such a debate because they know very well that such an initiative will permanently close all the doors for anti-Rohingya camps inside the pro-democracy movement.
Apart from proceeding with their anti-Rohingya campaign, at the same time it will let many cats come out of the bag. That's why they have resorted to a hide-and-seek policy over the issue. Nevertheless, it is the reality that the Rohingyas existed in Arakan in the past, Rohingyas exist in the present and the Rohingyas will exist in the future.
K Amin Wrote:
19/02/2009
In this 21st century, there is no place for racism or a racist whether he/she is a diplomat or so-called historians or a xenophobe (Mags). They can make their own concocted history and ridiculous claims. But they can no longer fool the world community. Truth will prevail very soon. As such, the Rohingyas don’t need any discussion on the term “Rohingya” because they have been know by this name since the 7th century and there is abundance of historical reasons behind this term. So-called racist historians themselves know the truth, but the sickness they have inherited from their parents is preventing them from acknowledging it. Anyway, we are confident that the day will come where peace-loving Rakhines and Rohingyas will live together in the land of Arakan in harmony, and the racists will succumb.
Mr True Wrote:
19/02/2009
Mr Farooq,
Bengali Muslims are guests. They are migrant workers from Bangladesh and India. They are Chittagonians. They are only visitors. When visitors behave badly, the owners don't want them anymore. Good visitors are welcome, but bad visitors are kicked out.
A R ARAKANI Wrote:
18/02/2009
The racist chorus will not help restore the lost history of the Rakhines (Maghs). Arakan is like a coin which has been emblazoned by both Rakhine and Rohingya. If either tail or head is missing then the coin is valueless; likewise Arakan is incomplete without the Rohingya.
The daydream of some racist Rakhines, including some historians, to make Arakan a Rohingya-less land will come to an end one way or another. The outcry of Aye Chan will only reach to extortionist Rakhines and xenophobic Burmese who are considered to be barbaric people of Burma, but not of general Rakhines, Burmese people and other minorities who have fair and sound attitudes towards the Rohingya minority.
These uncivilized Rakhines need to be more educated and rational when dealing with Rohingya. Your hearts and minds are full of intolerance, animosity and abhorrence against Rohingya. It needs to be washed off. Denying Rohingya does not mean Rakhines are free from peril; in fact they are endangering themselves with extinction through either mass assimilation with Burmese or slow disappearance with Bengali Maghs or Indian Buddhists.
The fact here is that Arakan is a neighbor with Bangladesh which is densely populated. The Rohingyas are physically, culturally and dialectally similar to Chittagonians because of their faith, which does not mean they are one people. Nobody can say Irish are British because they are identical in forms of appearance, language, religion, geographical location, etc. The Rohingyas’ assimilation with mostly Chittagonians can be counterproductive to the Rakhines’ future if they fail to adopt a policy of co-existence, as they did centuries ago before the annexation by Burmese forces. This hint is good enough for future leaders of the Rakhine community.
The Rakhine community needs to be realistic and practical. The Rohingya has successfully survived 50 years of onslaught and barbarism by both local Magh and Burmese authorities in their motherland, although some 1.5 million were externally displaced. There is no form or mechanism in store for you that will entirely exterminate the Rohingya from Arakan and this planet. The Rohingya will never give up their right to exist with the name “Rohingya”—in another Rakhine word “Rwa-hong-tha”—the son of Arakan.
Aung Tin Wrote:
18/02/2009
What is wrong if the term Rohingya was created in the 1950s? The people were already there by a different name.
Ahmedur Rahman Farooq Wrote:
18/02/2009
U Aung Zayya said, "Rohingya is bringing that extremism onto us and Burma will be another Sri Lanka or an extinct land like that of Buddhas of Bamyan." So, you think that some 2 million Rohingyas may devour 55 million people in Burma and that's why the Rohingyas have no right to live in Burma and they have no right to get the citizenship of Burma? Therefore, you have been razing those defenseless, voiceless human beings into the ground. Is this the justice system that you have learned from your democratic principles or your democratic movement?
The fact is, this is the most easy and comfortable excuse for people to raise in order to legalize all the genocidal operations and the worst human rights violations against the innocent Rohingyas. Please also note that the Rohingyas are one of the most liberal Muslim people in the world and that's why they love and prefer to introduce themselves with their secular identity “Rohingya” which does not bear minimum significance to their religion.
You said: "Rohingya must accept our values and laws if they want to be part of Burma." May I humbly ask you to clearly outline how the Rohingyas can accept your values and your law to be part of Burma? Decade after decade, they are crying: "We are Burmese! We are Burmese!" Now, is it the only option to change their religion and to change their skin from top to bottom in order to become part of Burma?
Myint Swe Wrote:
18/02/2009
Please read the article below for an unbiased and authentic history of Rohingya.
By Habib Siddiqui [Al-Jazeera; January 13, 2006]
For centuries, before the current poisonous situation in which one community does not recognize another, Arakan was a place of harmony and mutual trust in which the two major religious communities (Rakhine Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims) thrived side by side as sister communities. All this happened because of the first of the Mrauk-U kings who had sought and got help from the Muslim Sultan of Bengal in 1430 CE to restore his kingdom. In the centuries that were to follow, the minority Muslims became essentially the royal guards, generals, ministers and advisers.
But things changed beginning in 1784 when the Burman king Boddow Paya annexed the country and evicted most Arakanese—Buddhists and Muslims alike. Many fled to Chittagong (now in Bangladesh) and other adjoining territories. A reign of terror was established in the next four decades in which much of the Muslim architecture and culture would systematically be wiped out to make the country appear 100 percent Buddhist. With the British occupation in 1826 and subsequent Burman control of modern Burma (since its independence), various groups have been played mercilessly against each other so that the central authority could hold on to its reign of authority.
The Rohingya people have now become the worst victims of our modern time. They are essentially reduced to the forgotten people of our time (see this author’s article: “The Rohingya: the forgotten people of our time”). Not only is their citizenship denied by the SPDC ruling junta in Myanmar, even their place in history, at least from the time of Mrauk-U dynasty, is now denied by many racially biased pseudo-historians with agendas of their own. The subject on Rohingya has become a taboo or a poison pill!
Pamela Gutman is an unbiased historian who has studied the ancient history of Arakan. In this book, she took a close look at recent archaeological research conducted in Mrauk-U. The fortified city of Mrauk-U was Arakan's capital for four centuries, and the impressive remnants of old Arakanese temples and pagodas still stand as a living reminder of the past. Unfortunately, as already hinted above, most of the Muslim sites, including the famous Sandikhan mosque now stand in ruins. A serious effort is needed at the behest of the UN to restore such sites for a better appreciation of this Mrauk-U (now lost) kingdom, where it embodied the notions of pluralism and religious tolerance among the various groups.
Gutman’s book is a major contribution to our knowledge of Arakan. I recommend it to anyone with an interest in Southeast Asian history and architecture.
Mr.True Wrote:
18/02/2009
Bengali migrant workers create a false history of Arakan and then they use the situation of Burma very well and then they lie to the world, including the UN. Unfortunately, some Burmese people, including The Irrawaddy, Mizzima and the NCGUB support them in order that they will get money from NGOs.
Burmese democracy will never come if they continue like this. Some democracy partners are worse than the SPDC, because the SPDC doesn't say that Bengali migrant workers are an ethnic group of Burma; but these people who are working for democracy give Burmese soil to the Bengalis to get money from NGOs.
Be careful, Shwedagon pagoda will disappear very soon.
Pokpong Lawansiri Wrote:
18/02/2009
The problem among the views being exchanged is that whether the Rohingyas are born in Burma or not is not the issue. The issue is if there is a massive violation happening to one community whether it be where that is, and whether a race or an ethnic groups belong there. Do they not deserve protection and assurance that similar treatment will not be repeated upon them?
As a Thai advocate working for a Burmese cause, I found that what has been done to the Rohingyas rather sad. If I have to say it bluntly—rather disgusting.
The first article of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is "all human beings are born equal," and that they shall be treated with dignity.
I have been observing the comments here and there in The Irrawaddy for weeks, but have not yet made any comments. This is my first.
The question that should be asked is that if the Rohingyas are not from Burma or are not from Asean or are not from Asia, what is the big deal? Are we fighting for the same cause? Aren't we fighting so that human rights will be protected for everyone? So just embrace the Rohingyas as your family. What if you are one of them receiving such discrimination and prejudice, not only from the government but also from Burmese civil society?
AUNG MYO Wrote:
17/02/2009
Friends, be calm. First, the remark of a Burmese diplomat in Hong Kong is nothing reflecting the issue. It might have been just a true piece of his diplomatic skill. It is not the thing to be discussed when it comes to the issue of Rohingyas.
To The Irrawaddy magazine, you should forget politics when it comes to a national issue. To my sadness, I have noticed that views of some exiled politicians or exiled media do not reflect the national issue. If you do anything just to show that you are against Yangon, you are all disloyal and time-bound short-sighted expats who turn a blind eye to the potential explosive problem in your motherland.
Don’t forget that Myanmar [Burma] is our motherland to protect.
U Aung Zayya Wrote:
17/02/2009
It is not the skin color or language that the people of Burma are concerned about regarding the Rohingya. We will all accept the humanistic side of them. Do you think that Sri Lanka is fighting with Tamil Tigers because they have different skin colors? Not at all. It is an Islamic Fascism that Sri Lankans are fighting against and similarly, Rohingya is bringing that extremism onto us and Burma will be another Sri Lanka or an extinct land like that of Buddhas of Bamyan. The regime would make your life miserable but Islamic terrorism would make your life and culture extinct.
Also there is no record of Rohingya until the late 20th century. And Rohingya organizations have recorded connections with al-Qaeda
Sadly, non-Muslim people are true minorities and voiceless, not Rohingyas who are propagating that with the Arabs' support. They are well-connected with a politico-religious group of over one billion people and Burma is doomed if the world is dumb enough to forget the culture of terrorism.
The bottom line is that the Rohingya must accept our values and laws if they want to be part of Burma.
Aye Chan Wrote:
17/02/2009
It is obvious that the term “Rohingya” was created in the 1950s by the educated Chittagonian descendants from Mayu Frontier area (present day Buthidaung and Maungdaw Districts) and that it cannot be found in any historical source materials in any language till then. The creators of that term might be of the second or third generations of the Bengali immigrants from the Chittagong District in modern Bangladesh.
Dailoo Wrote:
16/02/2009
First of all, I’d like to thank The Irrawaddy for expressing true news. If you go to Rakhine State and investigate with righteousness, you will see how these Muslim people are treated. They are treated less than slaves and even worse than animals, which is against our Burmese values and teaching. We know almost all of us (the Burmese people) are suffering under this brutal, uneducated and selfish regime. We desperately need good leaders and we all need to behave like Bogyoke Aung San or even better than him.
Max Wrote:
16/02/2009
Thank you for your site.
Azmi, Germany Wrote:
15/02/2009
We hope the Asean, SAARC, other international organs and the NGOs take serious participation in bringing about a right solution for the helpless, homeless, defenseless and stateless Rohingyas in the future.
If they are not able to do so, then the Rohingyas’ existence will be in danger as an ethnic group inside and outside country too, because, the military regime has refused to accept the existence of Rohingyas in Burma by their racist policy. It is an ethnic cleansing.
We humbly request to the world community to provide them international protection from disappearing from this world in the future.
Aung M. O. Wrote:
15/02/2009
Look at Than Shwe (a dark bulldog) and the four other mafia (Mg Aye, Shwe Mann, Thein Sein, Ye Myint Aung) - They are as ugly as ogres as well.
SH Wrote:
15/02/2009
Nyi Lay, You are my younger brother if you are really form Arakan. So I will advise you my younger brother, please do not try to change the history of Arakan. The truth is that the Rohingyas are the owners of Arakan and Rakhines are the guests. As Rakhines have also been living in Arakan for centuries, Rohingyas treat Rakhines as brothers and sisters, as equal partners. But you people are not thankful to our generosity. Instead you are trying to remove us from Arakan with the help of the illegal Burmese regime. It is not fair, brother.
mandalay Wrote:
14/02/2009
I hope that the Burmese Consul didn't forget Snt-Gen Than Shwe, who's even more dark and ugly inside than out, when he made such an uneducated and ignorant comment and has the support of others in the Burmese diplomatic community. This is an unintelligent, ignorant, primitive, narcistic, impulsive psychopathic shaming - not only for the Burmese diplomatic community, but also for the majority of the Burmese population.
At least I don't want to be cast as the stupid heartless and shameless psychopath as this man. He should be confined to a sanitorium.
Nyi Lay Maung Wrote:
13/02/2009
The racial remarks of the counsul must be in any case condemned; however, I'd like to suggest The Irrawaddy study Arakanese history as well as the reports of the British colonial officers thoroughly, as to whether the ethnic group called "Rohingyas" really existed or not.
The way many from the Burmese opposition reported about the Rohingyas was one-sided and just ignored the real sons and daughters of Rakkha Mandala or Rakhaing Pree.
Whether the Arakans were and are Buddhists or not, the Holy Image Maha Muni, now in Mandalay is the proof. The statue was robbed by the Burmese King Bodaw U Waing in 1784 after the conquest of Mrauk-U City (now Mro Haung).
Please beware thet these Rohingyas fabricated their own-made histories and claimed that the Rohingyas established the Kingdom of Mrauk-U and all the kings were Muslims. They were chased out by Bodaw U Waing.
Many from the Burmese opposition are following the saying "The enemy of my foe is my friend," and supporting the Rohingyas, just neglecting the destiny of the Arakanese. Because of these acts of the opposition, I am afraid a similar destiny as the Palestinians will befall the Arakans.
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