Re: Army plunders paddy seedlings, NMG, 13 September 2005

Re: Army plunders paddy seedlings, NMG, 13 September 2005

Since so-called rohingyas are not ethnic group of Burma or Rakhine state, I have to complain that you should not mention them as rohingyas of Rakhine state. If you mention them as Muslims of Rakhine state, that's fine very very much.

Recall that during U Nu-led government, they were recognised as ethnic of Burma even though there is never ever a trace of history of them in Rakhine state or Burma yet, apparently to play with Rakhine people so that Rakhine people were so busy with Kalar issues that they did not have time or could not pay attention to their rights as one major ethnic of Burma to demand from U Nu government. We suffered anguish from this short-sighted plot played by U Nu, U KYaw Nyein, U Ba Swe and etc...

Because Burman-dominated government thought that we Rakhine were separatism-oriented people, and that this so-called rohingyas issue was the best for them to divert the high political ambitions of Rakhine people at the time. This legacy is still being played by some Burmese people to play with us to date, obviously to put aside our political aims in the future.

We accept Muslim people of Arakan as an integral part of Rakhine state, but not under the so-called ethnic rohingya. They are increasingly pushing their issue with might and main in order to get an ethnic status, and then they can create a separate territory inside Arakanland.

If they have real history in Arakan, there is no reason for us to reject their claim. But here their case is totally fake, unfounded and goundless. We have ethnic Muslim people called as Kaman in Rakhineland. If they ask separate territory inside Arakanland, that's logical and reasonable, and we can consider that.

So, I often urge so-called rohingya to write a thesis on their history and have it examined at a prestigious university like Oxford, thereby enabling them to shut our mouths from further rejecting their claim. Besides, they can also erase the doubt of all Burmese people and then they can enjoy the rightful place in Burma history.

As long as they are claiming as so-called rohingya, we will keep rejecting them. We cannot, under any circumstances, accept their claim until they give us logical, reasonable, universal truth of their history.
However, some Burmese people are taking democracti right as an excuse to reply to us. That is also unacceptable since there is never ever their history mentioned in this world yet until 1950s by themselves.

Sincerely,
Jan Tun Aung <hlabukay@yahoo.com>

S.H.A.N also received a commentary from an anonymous reader concerning the ongoing terminological dispute on 1 October 2004. A full reproduction is presented here.

Rohingya_What's in a name?

The name Aung San Suu Kyi may be a matador's red rag to Senior General Than Shwe. But, by all accounts, the easiest way to invite trouble with many leaders of Burma's Arakanese opposition appears to be the use of the label 'Rohingya' to refer to the state's largest ethnic group apart from its Rakhaing majority.

Outsiders, whose mere wish is to see that the people of the state are living together in peace and compassion, the principal tenets of Buddhism which is professed by the majority, are totally 'pissed off' by what they perceive as childish tantrums thrown by normally gentle-looking dissidents.

The alternative is, of course, to avoid talking about 'Rohingyas' when dealing with the Arakan majority. You state your main purpose of your visit in the briefest possible manner and get the hell out of their immediate vicinity.

The problem with this kind of approach, unfortunately, is that the problem simply refuses to go away, because these 'wretched Bengali descendants', as Rohingyas are known to be, simply refuse to leave the country and are not accepted by the country where they are supposed to originate. Most of them have for generations been in Burma and to them it's their country as well. To make things worse, they also steadfastly refuse to be known as anything but Rohingya.

That's no different from Musers wanting to be recognized as Lahu, Taungthu as Pa-O and, come to that, Cassius Clay as Muhammed Ali. It's only a matter of getting used to it, but don't try to explain that to the said Rakhaing leaders and scholars, who are still trying to make up their minds whom they hate more between the Burmese military rulers and the Rohingyas.

It would therefore be the good for all those concerned with Burma if the Arakanese leaders and academics can resolve the issue as soon as possible. Because many friends of Burma are getting frustrated. For all they care, the Rakhaing majority might as well learn to live with Gen Than Shwe and his cohorts if they cannot learn to live with the Rohingyas.

Anonymous Reader

No: 12 - 09/2005
13 September 2005

Human Rights

Army plunders paddy seedlings

September 12, Buthitaung:  Due to the Burma Army's confiscation of paddy seedlings in Buthitaung township, Rakhine State, the farmers are facing with difficulty and they will not be able to carry out the coming seasonal cultivation in time, reports Kaladan Press Network.

In accordance with the instruction from the head quarters, each army unit is required to cultivate in its assigned field. But, as the army doesn't have knowledge of cultivation, farmers in near Rohingya villages were forced to grow rice for the army in previous years. But, this year, local farmers' fields and seedlings were taken just because of the order that the army must cultivate rice on its own. As a result, the farmers are worried that they might not be able to plant a new crop in time, said a local farmer.

"Army units in northern Rakhine State, ignoring the order that they have to cultivate rice themselves, are forcing the Rohingya people to work for them," he said.

Because of the changing weather and late monsoons in Rakhine State, the farmers had to start late. While the farmers were vigorously cultivating from August 15, the army took over the fields, making it impossible for them to cultivate a new crop in time, said a farmer from Dabyuchaung tract.

"In other countries, when farmers face with any difficulties, their governments often help them, but in Burma, the authorities are creating troubles for farmers instead of aiding," said a member of the farming committee in Pongnyilek village.