Rohingya population on the run
(Sk Hasan Ali / Shutterstock.com)
In recent years, the sad stories about the persecution of the Rohingya, especially in Myanmar, have increasingly come out through the media. On Thailandblog you could read a number of stories about it in May 2015, so more than five years ago.
The Rohingya is an ethnic group with a worldwide population of between one and a half and three million people. Most of them live in Rakhine, a province in western Myanmar, on the border with Bangladesh and form a stateless Muslim minority there.
Fearing violence, hundreds of thousands of them fled to refugee camps in neighboring Bangladesh in August 2017. Around a million of them are now staying there. According to the UN Refugee Agency, more than half are minors and 42% are even younger than 11 years old.
Myanmar continues to deny genocide of which the country is accused and blames the Rohingya. According to the Myanmar government, they themselves are guilty of the uprisings in 2017, which forced the military to intervene. An estimated 20 residents were killed, villages were destroyed, women and children raped and the Rohingya population was driven out of the country. The violence triggered a flood of hundreds of thousands of refugees to Bangladesh. In 2020, for the first time, confessions have been recorded from two deserted soldiers who confess that they attacked Rohingya villages with their unit, on the instructions of Colonel Than Htike, killed residents and burned down villages.
Because of the ethnic cleansing that the army committed against the Rohingya, Aung San Suu Kyi was discredited. Since April 6, 2016, she has been the State Counselor of Myanmar, comparable to the position of Prime Minister, i.e. head of the government. In December 2019, she defended the actions of the junta in her country at the International Court of Justice in the Peace Palace in The Hague. According to her, only a few anti-terror operations that have gotten out of hand have been carried out by Myanmar itself.
(Sk Hasan Ali / Shutterstock.com)
Strange when you consider that this now 75-year-old lady used to be the leader of the movement for human rights and democracy in Myanmar and in 1991 received the Nobel Peace Prize and many other international awards. The military is largely independent of civilian government and cannot be held accountable by civilian courts. So you may wonder how Mrs. Suu Kyi thinks she can handle this.
There are several theories about the origin of the Rohingya:
- it concerns an indigenous population who have lived in the Burmese state of Rakhine for generations.
- they are migrants who originally lived in Bangladesh and migrated to Myanmar during the British rule (1824-1948). The Burmese government adheres to the second reading and sees them as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and therefore as unwanted aliens. As a result, most of them are now stateless. Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims have fled Buddhist Myanmar in recent years, fearing exploitation, murder and rape
WWII
During World War II, Japanese troops invaded Burma (now Myanmar), which was then under British colonial rule, and the British army was forced to withdraw from the country. Then a big fight broke out between the Burmese pro-Japanese Buddhists and the Muslim Rohingya. What faith and politics can lead to! And just to substantiate this: in March 1942, about forty thousand Rohingya Muslims were murdered by anti-British independence fighters. Yes, apparently Allah could not stomach that and immediately gave permission for an act of revenge, after which twenty thousand Buddhist Arakans were referred to heavenly Valhalla by the Rohingya one way.
The battle continues
After the end of the Second World War, the Rohingya wanted to merge the areas they inhabit with present-day Bangladesh, then known as East Pakistan. This kicked the sore leg and the uprising was mercilessly crushed by the Burmese army. We arrive in the 6s when the Burmese army launches Operation Dragon King to register the civilians in the north in order to ban 'foreigners'. The operation began on February 1978, 200.000, and more than XNUMX Rohingya Muslims fled to Bangladesh in a three-month period. Immigration and military personnel have been accused by the Rohingya of forcibly expelling through intimidation, rape and murder.
year of production 2020
We know the stories about refugees who go to sea from Bangladesh in small boats to find their happiness elsewhere in Asia. According to statistics, 100.000 of them currently live in Thailand, 200.000 in Pakistan, 24.000 in Malaysia and also 13.000 in the Netherlands
Very recently, a boat set sail for Malaysia or Thailand, but the passengers were refused in both countries because of the corona virus. In June, 94 malnourished and severely weakened Rohingya were rescued off the coast of Aceh. In conclusion, you could say that it is a war between Buddhism and Islam. As an Atheist I wonder what value a religion still has. When I read the ideas of Allah and Buddha there is a lot wrong with some of their followers.
Check out the link (Hilarious from the Evangelische Omroep!) to get an impression of all the suffering: metterdaad.eo.nl/rohingya
Sad story of the Rohingyas.
But of the 1.763 wars in human history, only 123 have a religious cause.
Most deaths can be attributed to Atheists:
Mao Zedong 58 million victims
Stalin 30 million victims
Pol Pot 1,4 million victims.
These were Atheists who wanted to banish religion. As a believer you ask yourself what value Atheism still has, it actually seems more logical to me.
And even if there is a direct link between religion and war, it is always man himself who apparently does not understand or misinterprets his own religion who kills his own brothers and sisters. But the religion, God or Allah are then blamed. And not only of that, but of all the adversities that man has to deal with. As a result, people apparently prefer atheism to belief in the love and justice of our Creator. A pity and unjustified, because after all, man has eternal life as body, mind and soul. Thank God!
Edinho, are you comparing the political muddleheads you list to Atheists? I would like to take a closer look at the way of thinking of this group. Just shameful that you dare to make such a comment. Not believing in gods doesn't mean you're an idiot.
I'm not calling anyone idiots. People who don't believe in God have more deaths and wars on their conscience. I don't think the reasons are worth focusing on. If religion is the reason for killing 10 people, that doesn't make it any worse than killing millions of people for power and money reasons.
It may now be known that religion has been misused for many wars?
This means that religion is excluded. It is only abused for money and power. Power is what the 3 persons mentioned above were also after. As a believer, why should I now ask myself what the value of Atheism is? Power and money have nothing to do with religion and Atheism.
It is very sad what these Rohingya people have to go through. The Burmese government/military is really bad for them. many had lived there for generations before the government took away their passports in 1982. I visited Cox bazar in Bangladesh, where 1 million Rohingyas live in a refugee camp, from which they basically cannot leave. If anyone wants to read my report of this visit with stories from Rohingyas themselves, they can email me at [email protected] Here in Thailand Rohingya refugees don't have it easy either. They remain stateless, no passport, work permit is impossible. No allowance to buy food. Some are in detention camps in Thailand. Others try to survive by illegally selling roti or something similar. School for children is difficult. Their native Myanmar will not take them back. I pay for the education for 1 Rohingya girl in Thailand. At least 1 child with a chance for a better future. I would like to do more, but then more help is needed. If you also want to do something, you can also email me.
Joseph, the origin of the grouping is unclear as you write but many, within the British Empire, came from the Nagaland region (NE India, Assam, Manipur) to Rakhine. Bangladesh has only existed for 50 years (since 1971) and the liberation war against Pakistan has caused the entire region to flee.
Neither Hindus nor Buddhists seem to want the Rohingya as neighbours; what is happening in Myanmar is well known, but in India and especially in NE India (Assam in particular) the same movement is going on, but on a legal basis according to a population survey into ethnic background. Muslims become stateless, other religions get the chance to register as Indian…
Rohingya are not first refused in Thailand and Malaysia because of corona; the exodus has been going on for a few years now and the navies of both countries have also previously sent rickety boats back to sea. In the Satun region of Thailand, a few years ago camps of Rohingya refugees were discovered in the forests, exploited and stripped bare by local mafia bosses and even graves were seen…..
As for the persecution, China is the main culprit against Muslims. The treatments of Uyghurs deserve no ribbon!
This message is incorrect. Is a representation of the UN and Saudi Arabia and other left politically correct sources. The truth is very different. The Rohingya terrorists have terrorized the Buddhist population in Rakhine for decades. The journalists then looked the other way. When the Rohingya were finally rightfully expelled from the country, Muslim propaganda sprang into action. Saudi Arabia rules the UN. But SA and Turkey supplied weapons and money to the Rohingya Muslim terrorists. Because it was also about oil. Aung San Suu Kyi did what had to be done. Unfortunately, we don't have leaders like that. It is a pity that innocent children were victims. If all the information on this site is so one-sided and incorrect, I will not believe Thailandblog anymore. Shame.
Freddy Van Cauwenberge, indeed, it is a pity that innocent children became victims. Genocide is the charge of The Gambia for a reason. NOTHING justifies genocide.
By the 'terrorists' you mention you surely mean the ARSA, Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army? A small army in Rakhine of a few hundred Muslim men? Or do you confuse that army with the much larger and stronger, Buddhist military organization Arakan Army (Kachin), which army, men and women, does not target civilians but the Myanmar army?
In my opinion, you defend the genocide on meager historical grounds; don't expect any applause from me for that.
And that's just how it is, Erik. Freddy doesn't write the truth.
Extreme hatred against Muslims has existed in Myanmar for a long time, even before the Rohingya events.
https://www.latimes.com/world/asia/la-fg-myanmar-rohingya-hate-20171225-story.html
Buddhist monk Wirathu preaches hatred against all Muslims.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/apr/18/buddhist-monk-spreads-hatred-burma
A few short facts from the life of this monk:
1968 Wirathu was born in Kyaukse, near Mandalay
1984 Joins the Monkhood
2001 Starts promoting his nationalist “969” campaign, which includes boycotting Muslim businesses
2003 Jailed for 25 years for inciting religious hatred after distributing anti-Muslim leaflets, leading to 10 Muslims being killed in Kyaukse
2010 Free under a general amnesty
Tino, in 2016 in Thailand, the monk Apichart Punnajanto called on a mosque to be set on fire for every monk killed in the south by the insurgents. The 'turn the other cheek' is clearly not a habit taught to monks. Fortunately, the Sangha whistled the man back.
This monk was referring to the ideas of the Wirathu you mentioned who, as far as I know, is now wanted in Myanmar but is undoubtedly being hidden by 'friends'. Incidentally, they are also very good at that in Thailand if I remember the monk who collected expensive Mercedes cars….
And surely this did not happen?
Well, if terrorists attack 30 police stations with deaths as a result, a counteraction can be expected, it's strange that this is again being kept silent about this
Aug 24, 2017 – Muslim militants in Myanmar staged a coordinated attack on 30 police posts and an army base in Rakhine state on Friday, and at least 59 of the …
KhunKarel, 2017? So during the genocide?
That's action and reaction, Khun Karel. I would advise you to read and learn something about the complicated country of Myanmar, the 'Union of Myanmar' as it is called. Freddy van Cauwenberge is talking about attacks in the past, not about current combat operations.
You pick out one action to prove yourself right; that really doesn't work. In a war you have more than one fighting party, you should know that. And wars are always nasty, no matter what armies fight from whatever ideology.
Agree Erik, fine to name hatred, crimes and inhumane actions of group A but then also B, C etc. And finger pointing who started.. it's mostly actions and reactions, escalation. Pointing out who is at the start or who is more / most guilty.. you will not succeed if you take a step back and observe from a distance. Instead of 'but hunnie' (us vs them) reaction, it makes more sense to ask why things are escalating, how to approach, how justice can be done and eventually forgiveness. Hate certainly doesn't solve anything. I wonder how people whose hearts are full of hatred and thus condone violence or even carry it out themselves can still look at themselves in the mirror. Regardless of whether or not they believe. Rape, murder, burning things down and so on is just not right. You don't have to (can you?) take sides in that.
It can't be that difficult to say: I strongly disapprove of those Burmese slaughtering Rohinya, and Rohinya slaughtering Burmese I detest just as much. Stop the violence, start talking, come together. At least try that.
Let me say first of all that what happened is of course unjustifiable. There must have been hatred and probably mutual hatred. One factor must have been the rapid population growth among the Muslim population, which of course causes problems in an already overpopulated country (“42% even younger than 11 years.”). Furthermore, the Muslim clergy may have played a questionable role, such as forced adherence to religion in mixed marriages and characterization of dissenters as infidels or worse. But there must have been a lot more going on.
Fortunately, there seems to be virtually no hatred between Buddhists and Muslims in Thailand and discrimination also seems to be not too bad (although Buddhism is more or less the state religion). Here in Ubon is a mosque and on the local market a Muslim couple sells (beef) meat. No problems. But what is it like in the south of Thailand? How do people treat each other there?
The conclusion of commenter Edinho that most deaths can be attributed to atheists is a blatant untruth. Through the centuries, until far before our era, gruesome murders took place under the flag of all kinds of so-called religions. To this day it may be clear that religions have been and still are only an instrument of power, control over the population as the goal. We tolerate the behavior and ideas of, for example, Erdogan in Turkey and condemn China, while both are essentially doing the same thing. In fact, judging by the exercise of (political) power in the world, the
calling themselves religious political rulers in their behavior atheists. You can see where it leads in Thailand, where the practice of Buddhism has degenerated into ceremony-horny club milkers and a group of followers begging for favors that have nothing to do with the teachings of Buddha.
I therefore leave undiscussed what happens under the flag of Islam. Deeply sad that the Rohingya
cannot appeal to what the different religions stand for, which illustrates what I have written before.
It is true that people have been murdered in the name of religion over the centuries. I don't deny that either. The number of victims and wars are all nothing compared to the total number of victims of only 3 people who did not believe in a God.
Incorrectly, Freddie sees left and right here. For me it is about humane behavior, about humanity. You really can't classify Saudi Arabia under the left. The vast majority of Burmese refugees in Thailand are Christians. These are also suppressed by the Burmese military. They too have no rights if a soldier rapes their wife. And if they defend themselves, they should be chased out of the country. Isn't that how it is Freddie and followers? Or does it only apply to Muslims? The Rohingyas I have spoken to in Bangladesh are very peaceful and grateful to Bangladesh. They only see Bangladesh as a problem and want to send them back to Myanmar. A million people live there in UN tents. No electricity, water and electricity in their tent cabins. Not allowed from Bangladesh. Children up to the age of 14 receive something from school, but it is forbidden to teach them the language. learn Bangladesh. They are also not allowed to leave the camp. They are also not allowed to work. Do they have to live like this for decades? Don't we create people who want to fight to get their piece of land back? Freddie and friends, what's the solution?
Wanting to put labels on everything left / right is rather absurd and simplistic. The UN and SA pick up the stamp on the left.. I almost choked on my coffee!
As far as the camps are concerned, that is certainly not going to improve. Keeping people in primitive conditions for years does not exactly breed understanding, cooperation and togetherness between (groups of) people. Nor does it help to open a can of military and police who check everyone who is different on a daily basis. That drives people apart instead of against each other. For example, I recently read in a book about mountain peoples in the north of Thailand who feel excluded (ID checks, statelessness, etc.) and in the south .. well .. read this:
https://thisrupt.co/current-affairs/living-under-military-rule/
religions hate each other again and again, often resulting in genocide, I suspect that it is no different here, especially that the Rohingya in Myanmar wanted to establish a Muslim state with the help of foreign powers, but people do not talk about that.
So there is no reason to justify everything and also not what Myanmar's reaction was.
We are 2020 we think we have evolved and that is often the case, but then that specter of religious wars reappears, murder and oppression are trumps.
The whole world is watching and doing nothing unless the powers that support the Muslims mostly through arms and armed resistance! And Myanmar keeps responding!
How to solve this ? This can only be done through consultation , but certainly not through the use of force , and that applies to both parties .
I repeat it over and over , living a religion should be possible , but only in private and in the temple , never in public so that provocations are not possible , a rule that should apply all over the world
But as long as religion wants to convince others and even impose it, nothing will come of it, religion is power and power they always want to expand!
The religious rulers should be deeply ashamed to drag their religion through the mud in this way , they are the real cause and their duty is to shun violence and live peacefully alongside others
Last year alone, more than 10.000 people died because of this fine religion of the Rohingya: https://www.thereligionofpeace.com/attacks/attacks.aspx?Yr=2019
So I do understand that some countries prefer not to have people who adhere to this perilous religion within their borders. Should I perhaps also point out the many, many attacks on innocent people in Europe that are also on the account of Islam?
Perhaps superfluously also that Christian minorities in Muslim countries do not exactly go through life carefree and safe.
We have a big problem with this religion in the west and you can't talk about it from the politically correct, it's beyond insane.
You can't talk about it? Since 2001 it has been about Muslims almost every day and often not positively. Also on this blog it occurs with some regularity or else it is about left vs right. I don't really understand reactions like Freddy's. It is nice to hear (substantiated) sounds that are different from your own. At least that way you (I) are less likely to step into an 'echo chamber'. So fine this piece on TB and if someone sees it differently: send in a piece.
What doesn't help: 'Help! Muslims!!' and 'you can't name it'. Then you quickly find yourself in black and white boxes instead of seeking rapprochement, understanding and self-reflection.
Although I understand your point of view, unfortunately it is still not mentioned in the MSM. Attacks are carried out by “confused men” when that is clearly not the case. Stabbings in Germany are invariably done by “a man” and nuisance in our neighborhoods in the Netherlands are by “young people”. As soon as you criticize Islam you are Islamophobic or worse.
If you choose politically to object to this religion, you are no longer sure of your life and you have to move every day and find a place to sleep in hiding places. See Geert Wilders. Tolerance against intolerances is a very bad idea.
I've read all these comments, but no one is talking about the influence of Jihadists in the Muslim world.
AIVD has published a very clear report on this.
https://www.aivd.nl/onderwerpen/terrorisme/jihadistische-ideologie
Jihadism has already infiltrated Rohingya groups in the countries of Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, Afghanistan and Malaysia.
Too bad that a good article on history is now used for other purposes; in the link that Chander indicates, the word Rohingya does not even appear! And in his last sentence, unfortunately, no source is mentioned.
The primary source of this misery and all man-made destruction is the delusion of superiority: "I am/we are superior to you/you."
I know of no religions that are not based on this delusion, and the Buddha was of the same opinion. That man would be superior to woman, who in turn would be superior to other animals, etc., etc.
This misconception quickly degenerates into: 'That is why you/you must do what I say/we say, because otherwise…'