The Rohingya refugees want to go back home

The Rohingya denied repatriation until all of their demands are fulfilled

The Rohingyas are an indigenous ethnic minority of Burma, who were sons of the soil and kingmakers of Arakan. Their existence was before the birth of the country Burma. Since the Burmese independence, under the democratic government, they were fully recognized as an ethnic minority and were counted as citizens of Burma.

After the seizure of power by General Ne Win led military, the Rohingyas were systematically discriminated against and finally stripped of their citizenship, along with the Rohingyas’ authentic identification documents.

For decades, the Rohingyas have been facing genocidal operations and also have been denied their existence, and violated their human rights. In 1982, the Rohingyas were denied the Nativity Status of citizenship and labeled as Bengali.

Labeling the Rohingya as Bengali made them go through several illogical verification processes to prove their proven ancestry once again. In that period the Rohingyas were given different statuses such as temporary cards (white cards) under different names such as Bengali, Muslims, Burmese Muslims, Myanmar Muslims, etc. The final step of the Burmese military regime’s ill-motivated plan to make the Rohingya stateless was forcing for the National Verification Card (NVC), which the Rohingya called the genocide card.

The NVC is a card for newcomers to Myanmar who haven't any documents or are undocumented. The Rohingyas are documented people of Myanmar and were an indigenous ethnic minority of Arakan, Burma. According to the 1982 citizenship law, the NVC is not for the documented people.      

When enforcement of NVC was not succussed, the Myanmar government planned a systematic massacre, named it a “Clearance Operation” in 2016/17, and forced more than 1.1 million Rohingya out of their ancestral homeland, which was almost completed their project, the Rohingya genocide.

Earlier, Rohingyas were deceived many times by the Burmese government and repatriated from Bangladesh without granting any of their deserved human rights. So, this time Rohingya vowed not to fall into the trap of the Burmese government and they have decided not to go back until their demands are fulfilled.

Now the Rohingya refugees, from small babies to elderly men and women, recite their demands, in several languages and in their songs as well, everywhere. If the government of Myanmar is sincere about the repatriation of the Rohingyas, the demands are very acceptable and they deserved all those too. They argued to fulfill their demands before repatriation.  

 

The demands of the Rohingya refugees are seen as follows:

1/ Must restore citizenship rights:

It is very easy for the government of Myanmar, sincereness is a must. The issuance of an official order by the president, stating to restore full flash citizenship rights of the Rohingya Muslims of Arakan (Rakhine) state.

The Official order must be stated for both those who are living inside Arakan and who are escaped outside for their lives.

 

2/ Repatriation:

A- Must rebuild their houses, must return their properties, and must allow them to go to their own homes:

Instead of building new camps for the returnees, the government of Myanmar has to rebuild or repair their houses which were destroyed or burned by the military and its associates. The seized properties must return to the owners (Rohingyas) and allow them to come to their own homes which have been rebuilt by the government.

B- Must allow the Rohingya IDPs (who are confined in the camps since 2012) to go back to their own homes. Note: the same for IDPs.

 

3/ Security:

Must allow world security forces (UN Peacekeepers) for the safety of returnees and must not those who have committed genocide against them.

The author Mir Ahmed Siddiquee is a researcher on the Rohingya issues and can be reached at @mir_sidiquee.

The Rohingyas: "Are we safe?"

The Rohingyas are neither safe inside the Rakhine (Arakan) state of Myanmar nor in the Rohingya refugee camps of Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. 

The Rohingya refugees are untrusted in the Myanmar junta's repatriation moves which are an attempt to salvage the international reputation and to help the International Court of Justice (ICJ), in which Myanmar faces a genocide case.

"We can't trust the Myanmar junta who have committed genocide against us but we are eagerly willing to go back to our homes, as early as possible," said an elderly educated Rohingya refugee on a video call.

The elderly Rohingya refugee said, "a voluntary repatriation is expected to happen within the first 6 months of 2023, we want to be ensured, our rights, safety, and security and must allow going back to our own homes".

 To be ensured in advance👇

➡️MUST ensure Rohingya's rights. 

Restoration of nativity rights must be ensured in advance 

➡️MUST allow going back to their own homes.

The returnees must allow to go to their own homes - not to the camps which are prepared by the junta, to keep them as criminals.

Then the elderly man referred to the VOA Burmese news: https://bit.ly/418Ujna - saying read it well.

In this VOA Burmese newsletter, the liar, spokesman General Zaw Min Tun said "We are ready to accept them" and starts barking against Bangladesh, saying "they are not sending, even though both countries agreed on it." 

The allegation against the host state of a million Rohingya refugees of Myanmar is intolerable. The home of the Rohingyas in Myanmar's Rakhine (Arakan) state is not conducive, according to international surveys, and existing Rohingyas inside Arakan state. 

The Rohingyas inside the Arakan state are trapped between armed groups, Tatmadaw (Myanmar Military) & Arakan Army (AA - rebel), both are terrorist groups. Their views are the same on Rohingyas upon dissimilarity of faith. They are facing all kinds of restrictions, living in the open prison with a fear of life and modesty. "Just life as a human, 24 hours in fear of life and modesty," said a retired government servant.

Moreover, about 2 lakhs Rohingya Muslims in IDP camps in Arakan state (Sittwe & many other townships), are still in the death camps since the 2012 mass killings. Their properties including home yards were occupied by local Buddhists in the NLD period, and no one tried to solve the problem, even Daw Aung San Suu Kyi during her reign.

Don't forget to read:

Why the Rohingyas don't trust AA?

Read more: https://mirsdq.blogspot.com/2021/08/why-rohingya-dont-trust-aa.html

What next for the Rohingya refugees?

Read more: https://mirsdq.blogspot.com/2021/10/what-next-for-rohingya-refugees.html

Security and safety are important issues in the Arakan state for the returnees (the Rohingyas). The world community and the govt of Bangladesh MUST rethink the important issues.

Due to the blind and forcible repatriations, without any sustainable solution, of the Rohingya refugees in the last two times, (1977/78 & 1992), the Rohingyas didn't have their basic human rights and faced long-term genocidal campaigns. Then they - more than a million victims of genocide in 2017 while Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was silently guiding the genocide - entered Bangladesh while the final stage of the genocidal campaign, in the name of the clearance operation, was widely committed by Myanmar's security forces and armed Buddhists including monks against the Rohingyas in northern Arakan state.

As for the Rohingya refugee camps in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh; "It is unsafe, our life is unsafe and in danger, the modesty of our women are too unsafe here, as APBn (Armed Police Battalion - security in-charge of the camps) are derailed and destabilized the camps. Instead of taking the security responsibilities of the refugees, it becomes a big threat to ordinary and educated refugees. The radical groups are franker with APBn than innocent and educated Rohingya refugees. Armed radical groups and APBn are committing all kinds of heinous crimes together. Radical groups have more money, earning from drugs, APBn officers are partners with them in each radical activity, they can buy model arms, and automatic rifles and can use too (seems the government allowed them) which we never saw before" an elderly educated Rohingya refugee said. (Name hidden for security reasons).

Human trafficking is too uncontrolled in Rohingya refugee camps, as the camps are unsafe for men and women, large quantity of Rohingya refugees are fleeing through the grisly sea routes to find out better future as they are not seen any positiveness in the camps.

As for the upcoming repatriation plan, MUST be FINAL, and shall not be a refugee again, which is a big burden for Bangladesh. Therefore, a sustainable solution is a MUST otherwise new influx may occur again within a short time.

The Author: Mir Ahmed Siddiquee, a human rights activist, can be reached here on Twitter @mir_sidiquee

"Very similar to a final stage of genocide"

 The sufferings of the Rohingya refugees in the camps of Bangladesh are "very similar to a final stage of genocide." 

By @mir_sidiquee 

Bangladesh has played a very commendable role in rescuing the Rohingya from the ongoing genocide in Burma. Unfortunately, the Rohingya refugees are now facing again a similar situation - which they have faced in their native land - of racism in Bangladesh too. 

Genocide does not mean massacring or massive killing of all, which is the last stage of the criteria of genocide. There are many issues linked to the criteria of genocide. 

Read here about genocide: https://bit.ly/3vR5yTJ

 The Rohingyas have escaped genocide in Burma but still facing the stages of genocide in the camps of Bangladesh. Such as discrimination, persecution, restrictions, inhumane treatment, and birth control are parts of genocide that are faced widely not only inside Arakan but in Rohingya refugee camps of Bangladesh. 

The Rohingya refugees are frequently subjected to inhumane treatment in the mainstream of Bangladesh and on social media.

The plight of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh is a collective punishment for the crimes committed by a few people in the communities. The government of Bangladesh claimed that the crime rate in the Rohingya refugee camps is higher than in other parts of Bangladesh or anywhere in the world. Most of the crimes committed in the refugee camps are linked to the joint criminal gangs - comprising Rohingyas and localhost Bangladeshis. Instead of collectively punishing the entire community, the authorities could find out and remove the criminal gangs from the camps.

Recently, the movement of refugees inside the camps has been severely restricted and the camps are surrounded by double barbed-wire fences. Refugees are required to obtain special permission to visit relatives in the camps, which is worse than the Burmese junta. 

Refugees are barred from using android phones and accessing dry goods. And even barred to access emergency medical facilities, hardly getting permission by giving bribes to the camp authorities. 

The authorities recently demolished the schools which have been designated for refugee children. Harassments and extortions are too widely going on against starving refugees. As the situation worsens, the survivors of the genocide, the Rohingyas, are in a state of shock and despair.

Dignified and safe repatriation is a key solution to solving this crisis, meanwhile, it is highly anticipated that should not force for repatriation as long as there is no secure environment, conducive for them, in accordance with refugee rights and procedures. Moreover, must be ensured of their rights of nativity and all others which they have lost.

What next for the Rohingya refugees?

The ARU called to end radical activities in refugee camps in its official statement

By Mir Ahmed Sidiquee

The Rohingya crisis is a top issue for the world community that remained unsolved. It was created by the governments of Burma (Myanmar), has been based on hatred and dissimilarity of faith.

The Rohingyas are blatantly denied citizenship and basic human rights, also being treated as sub-humans in Myanmar by the governments and murderous Tatmadaw together with extremist Buddhists of Myanmar (so call Nationalists).

Indeed, the Rohingyas are historical people of Arakan, sons of the soil of Arakan, undeniable historical pieces of evidence are available inside Arakan and worldwide.

The Rohingyas are suffering from the government's back genocidal campaign for years. The final stage has been carried out in 2017, it was extraordinary among many stages, driven out million Rohingyas to bordering Bangladesh, thousands of Rohingyas have been mercilessly killed, raped, burned alive, hundreds of Rohingya villages have been partially or entirely burned amongst about 50 of them have been bulldozed and built infrastructures for settlement of Buddhists and their security.

The heinous crimes and inhumanities, the Myanmar government has committed, are pending in the world courts, meanwhile, the international community is trying its best for the repatriation of Rohingya refugees to their homes, with their rights, justice, security, and dignity but the government of Myanmar - either so call people's governments or Military - is fooling to the world by playing games of denial.

The remaining Rohingyas inside Arakan are too suffering as well, all those are in open prisons either they are in IDP camps or in their villages, at the targets of a Buddhist rebel group, namely the Arakan Army (AA) https://bit.ly/2WGOIYY and Myanmar military, both are murderous and in same ways and planned to drive out the Rohingya Muslims from Arakan by anyways.

Read more: https://bit.ly/3mjrAZn https://bit.ly/3mpUSVY https://bit.ly/3mjVz3b

The UN and international community have been failed to initiate a peace process for the Rohingya refugees, to return to their homes. Similarly, the land where their homes to turn back is also not peaceful at all, both rebels and the Myanmar military are on watch, waiting to kick out the remaining Rohingyas, forcibly Banglizing them.

The officials used to say to the remaining Rohingyas that "you have options; accept this NVC (genocide card) or go out or ready to go jail or ending life." Many Rohingyas died, were jailed, and fled for the NVC, which is called genocide card, one of the main sources of the Rohingya crisis. 

The government of Bangladesh is trying its best together with the world community, for dignified and voluntary repatriation of Rohingya refugees to their original homes. There are more than a million Rohingya refugees residing terribly in Cox's Bazar, a big burden for Bangladesh.

Rohingya leader's assassination

On 29th, September 2021, at about 8:30 PM, a top leader of Rohingya refugees, Mr. Mohibullah, 48 years, has been murdered by the radical extremists, at his office in Lambasia refugee camp. He was the Chairman of ARSPH (Arakan Rohingya Society for Peace and Human Rights), reached to the UN Human Rights Council (Geneva) to talk for the Rights of Rohingya and visited the White House, met with former US president Trump, exposed the ignorance of Rohingya genocide, in 2019.

Read here: https://bit.ly/3AcoGKK to know about Molana Abdullah, a popular Rohingya scholar, abducted by the radical extremist group.

Read here: https://bit.ly/2WGN4GM to know about Arif Ullah, a higher educated Rohingya activist, brutally murdered by the radical extremist group.

The world cried and condemned the assassination of the top leader, Mr. Mohibullah, hundreds of thousands of Rohingyas and non-Rohingyas have been honored the martyrdom and participated in his funeral on 30th, and mourned by hundreds of Rohingya organizations & international communities, such as the UN, US, INGOs, NGOs, CSOs, Human Rights organizations, state heads, and political leaders of countries, popular public figures and scholars, meanwhile, all those have called to the government of Bangladesh for a thorough investigation for the brutal murder. Read more: https://aje.io/mnw75n  

UN, US condemn the killing of Rohingya refugee leader in Bangladesh: https://reut.rs/3iwNNSr  

Bangladeshi Foreign Minister Dr. AK Abdul Momen said in a statement that “vested” interests were responsible for the killing as Mohibullah had wanted to return to Myanmar. “The killers of Mohibullah must be brought to justice.”

Moreover, the ARU (Arakan Rohingya Union) - a legitimate representative of the persecuted Rohingya community, an umbrella of 61 Rohingya organizations, recognized by OIC - called to the international community to support the government of Bangladesh, in battling to end the activities of the radical extremist group from Rohingya refugee camps. Read more: https://bit.ly/3mfIIiyj 

Note: The photos are credited to the owner.

The author: @mir_sidiquee, is a Human Rights Activist.

Why the Rohingyas don't trust AA?

 Why the Rohingyas don't trust AA?

Must build trust between two sister communities, not in words but in practice.

Arakan Army (AA)

By Mir Siddiquee

The rebel group, Arakan Army (AA), is fighting for liberation, to get the freedom of the Arakan (Rakhine) state in which Rohingya is the second majority.

The rebel group AA has unmixed soldiers of only Rakhine Buddhists, no Rohingya Muslims in it at all.

The Rakhines and Rohingyas are those who owned a Kingdom jointly, Arakan (today's Rakhine State of Myanmar), which was lost in 1784, occupied by Burmese King Bodaw, massively killed many people of both major communities.

Note: Rakhines were called Mogs & Rohingyas were called Roinga or Mahamedin - according to historical documents.

After about 40 years, it reached under British colony in 1824. Then again when the British left, it reached Burma in 1948, even most of the Rakhine leaders were unwilling to join with Burma's maladministration, wanted a separate state, similarly Rohingya leaders too, unfortunately, the Arakan reached under Burma.

The governments of Burma has given some favor to the stakeholders of both communities used ill-motivated plans to keep fighting like cat and dong of the same house and same owner.

Since 1962, Rohingyas are under restrictions, treated as subhuman then again after 1982 eliminated from citizenship treated as slaves of its Buddhist majorities. After the 1990s the Rohingyas reached under total restrictions, even banned traveling within the state, higher education, and medical facilities. These all inhumanities were practiced by the Rakhines under the instruction of the Burmese government as they have high posts in government.

More than half million Buddhist tribes (Rakhine, Marma, Barua, Kathee, Chakma, and other Buddhist tribes) of Bangladesh have been sneaked into Rakhine state since 1962. The governments of Burma have used mostly sneaked and interloped Mogs of Bangladesh against Rohingyas, to create a concreted separation, enmity, between two sister communities.

The result, in the final stage of genocide against Rohingyas in 2017, was also jointly committed by the government security forces, Rakhine armed groups, and local Rakhine Buddhists including monks.

Fleeing Rohingya for life in 2017, a genocidal joint campaign

Therefore the Rohingyas do not believe in AA (Arakan Army) at all. The AA Chief General Twan Mrat Naing and other leaders must build trust, regardless of race, and religion between two major communities to get freedom from the common enemy.

10 Rohingyas massively killed Inndin by security forces & local Rakhines,
later informed to Reuters news agency 

Moreover, the AA must deal equally with both communities, not in words but in practice to build trust for the future. It will be a big success if joined hands both communities together, the freedom may knock the back of the fighters.

My suggestion here is "forget all, join hands together and get free from a common enemy forever."

-

The author is human rights defender, can be reached here: mir120571@gmail.com, Twitter: @mir_sidiquee