<p>The United Nations said today <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmar-takes-first-step-towards-calming-communal-hatred-21228">attacks on&nbsp;Rohingyas in Myanmar was aimed at&nbsp;</a>driving them out the country and prevent them from returning home.</p>

<p>The United Nation came <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/wion-exclusive-pakistans-role-behind-rohingya-insurgent-groups-cant-be-ruled-out-says-ht-imam-20803">to this conclusion after interviewing Rohingyas </a>who have fled to Bangladesh, AFP reported.</p>

<p>&quot;Brutal attacks against Rohingya in northern Rakhine State have been well-organised, coordinated and systematic, with the intent of not only driving the population out of Myanmar but preventing them from returning to their homes,&quot; AFP quoted the UN investigation team as saying.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The UNHCR had reported on Monday that over 11,000 Rohingyas had crossed into &nbsp;Bangladesh in one day in a surprising move especially after the rate of influx had slowed to 2,000 per day.</p>

<p>&quot;We&#39;re back in a situation of full alert as far as influxes are concerned. It is a big increase to see 11,000,&quot; Reuters quoted Adrian Edwards, spokesman for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.</p>

<p>&quot;We have had big numbers coming across by the day over the six weeks of this emergency. So we are back up to approaching some of those peak arrivals. Clearly, we have to be prepared for more arrivals,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>&quot;Some said they had fled torching and killings back home; one boy was seen with a big gash across his neck,&quot; Edwards added.</p>

<p>International agencies and governments in western nations have strongly condemned Myanmar&#39;s handling of the Rohingya crisis.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The United States had accused Myanmar of &quot;ethnic cleansing&quot; of minority Rohingya Muslims, saying the bloodshed in Rakhine state had shamed Aung Sang Suu Kyi&#39;s government.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


The UNHCR had reported on Monday that over 11,000 Rohingyas had crossed into ?Bangladesh

The United Nations said today attacks on Rohingyas in Myanmar was aimed at driving them out the country and prevent them from returning home. The United Nation came to this conclusion after interviewing Rohingyas who have fled to Bangladesh, AFP reported. "Brutal attacks against Rohingya in northern Rakhine State have been well-organised, coordinated and systematic, with the intent of not only driving the population out of Myanmar but preventing them from returning to their homes," AFP quoted the UN investigation team as saying. The UNHCR had reported on Monday that over 11,000 Rohingyas had crossed into Bangladesh in one day in a surprising move especially after the rate of influx had slowed to 2,000 per day. "We're back in a situation of full alert as far as influxes are concerned. It is a big increase to see 11,000," Reuters quoted Adrian Edwards, spokesman for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. "We have had big numbers coming across by the day over the six weeks of this emergency. So we are back up to approaching some of those peak arrivals. Clearly, we have to be prepared for more arrivals," he said. "Some said they had fled torching and killings back home; one boy was seen with a big gash across his neck," Edwards added. International agencies and governments in western nations have strongly condemned Myanmar's handling of the Rohingya crisis. The United States had accused Myanmar of "ethnic cleansing" of minority Rohingya Muslims, saying the bloodshed in Rakhine state had shamed Aung Sang Suu Kyi's government.

Attacks on Rohingyas intended to not just drive them out but prevent them from returning: UN report

<p>Myanmar launched on Tuesday its first bid to improve relations between followers of different religions since an eruption of deadly violence in August inflamed communal tension and triggered an <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/rohingya-group-urges-bangladesh-to-pressure-myanmar-on-return-to-ancestral-land-12444" target="_blank">exodus of some 520,000 Muslims to Bangladesh</a>.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/rohingya-insurgent-ceasefire-ends-in-myanmar-with-no-report-of-attacks-21212" target="_blank">Rohingya Muslims </a>are still fleeing, more than six weeks after Rohingya insurgents attacked security forces in western Myanmar&#39;s Rakhine State.</p>

<p>The United Nations has denounced a ferocious military crackdown in response to the attacks as ethnic cleansing aimed at driving out Rohingya.</p>

<p>A new surge of refugees has entered Bangladesh in recent days, including about 11,000 on Monday. Some have told of increasing hunger in Rakhine State as well as of more mob attacks on Muslim villagers.</p>

<p>Despite growing international condemnation of the refugee crisis, the military campaign is popular in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, where there is little sympathy for the Rohingya, and for Muslims in general, and where Buddhist nationalism has surged in recent years.</p>

<p>The party of government leader Aung San Suu Kyi took the first step towards trying to calm communal animosity with inter-faith prayers at a stadium in the biggest city of Yangon, with Buddhists, Muslims, Hindus and Christians.</p>

<p>&quot;This is for peace and stability,&quot; party spokesman Aung Shin told Reuters. &quot;Peace in Rakhine and peace nationwide.&quot;</p>

<p>Traffic was jammed around the stadium as Buddhist monks had nuns packed the stands inside, along with thousands of others.</p>

<p>The Rohingya had pinned hopes for change on Suu Kyi&#39;s party but it has been wary of Buddhist nationalist pressure. Her party did not field a single Muslim candidate in the 2015 election that it swept.</p>

<p>Rohingya are not classified as an indigenous minority in Myanmar and so are denied citizenship under a law that links nationality to ethnicity.</p>

<p>Regarded as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, they face restrictions and discrimination and are derided by ethnic Rakhine Buddhists in Rakhine State, and by much of the wider population.</p>

<p>The militants of the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) who launched the Aug. 25 attacks that triggered the latest spasm of violence are demanding full citizenship rights and recognition as an indigenous community.</p>

<p><strong>Ceasefire ends</strong></p>

<p>A one-month ceasefire the insurgents called in September in order, they said, to ease aid deliveries to Rakhine State, expired at midnight on Monday, but authorities said there was no sign of any new attacks.</p>

<p>The government rebuffed the ceasefire, saying it did not negotiate with terrorists.</p>

<p>Myanmar denies ethnic cleansing. It says more than 500 people have been killed in the violence since late August, most of them ARSA &quot;terrorists&quot;.</p>

<p>Even before the government offensive, the small, lightly armed ARSA appeared only capable of hit-and-run raids and unable to mount any sort of sustained challenge to the army.</p>

<p>The insurgents said on Saturday they were ready to respond to any peace move by the government, even though their ceasefire was ending.</p>

<p>The reports of food shortages in Rakhine will add to the urgency of calls by aid agencies and the international community for unfettered humanitarian access to the conflict zone.</p>

<p>Villagers said the food was running out because rice crops were not ready for harvest and authorities had shut village markets and limited food transport, apparently to cut supplies to the militants.</p>

<p>The government has cited worry about food as one of the reasons people have cited for leaving, but a senior state government official on Monday dismissed any suggestion of starvation.</p>

<p>Among those fleeing were more than 30 people on a fishing boat that capsized off the Bangladesh coast on Sunday evening. Twenty-five of them drowned, including 13 children, police said.</p>


The party of government leader Aung San Suu Kyi took the first step towards trying to calm communal animosity with inter-faith prayers at a stadium in the biggest city of Yangon, with Buddhists, Muslims, Hindus, and Christians

Myanmar launched on Tuesday its first bid to improve relations between followers of different religions since an eruption of deadly violence in August inflamed communal tension and triggered an exodus of some 520,000 Muslims to Bangladesh. Rohingya Muslims are still fleeing, more than six weeks after Rohingya insurgents attacked security forces in western Myanmar's Rakhine State. The United Nations has denounced a ferocious military crackdown in response to the attacks as ethnic cleansing aimed at driving out Rohingya. A new surge of refugees has entered Bangladesh in recent days, including about 11,000 on Monday. Some have told of increasing hunger in Rakhine State as well as of more mob attacks on Muslim villagers. Despite growing international condemnation of the refugee crisis, the military campaign is popular in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, where there is little sympathy for the Rohingya, and for Muslims in general, and where Buddhist nationalism has surged in recent years. The party of government leader Aung San Suu Kyi took the first step towards trying to calm communal animosity with inter-faith prayers at a stadium in the biggest city of Yangon, with Buddhists, Muslims, Hindus and Christians. "This is for peace and stability," party spokesman Aung Shin told Reuters. "Peace in Rakhine and peace nationwide." Traffic was jammed around the stadium as Buddhist monks had nuns packed the stands inside, along with thousands of others. The Rohingya had pinned hopes for change on Suu Kyi's party but it has been wary of Buddhist nationalist pressure. Her party did not field a single Muslim candidate in the 2015 election that it swept. Rohingya are not classified as an indigenous minority in Myanmar and so are denied citizenship under a law that links nationality to ethnicity. Regarded as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, they face restrictions and discrimination and are derided by ethnic Rakhine Buddhists in Rakhine State, and by much of the wider population. The militants of the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) who launched the Aug. 25 attacks that triggered the latest spasm of violence are demanding full citizenship rights and recognition as an indigenous community. Ceasefire ends A one-month ceasefire the insurgents called in September in order, they said, to ease aid deliveries to Rakhine State, expired at midnight on Monday, but authorities said there was no sign of any new attacks. The government rebuffed the ceasefire, saying it did not negotiate with terrorists. Myanmar denies ethnic cleansing. It says more than 500 people have been killed in the violence since late August, most of them ARSA "terrorists". Even before the government offensive, the small, lightly armed ARSA appeared only capable of hit-and-run raids and unable to mount any sort of sustained challenge to the army. The insurgents said on Saturday they were ready to respond to any peace move by the government, even though their ceasefire was ending. The reports of food shortages in Rakhine will add to the urgency of calls by aid agencies and the international community for unfettered humanitarian access to the conflict zone. Villagers said the food was running out because rice crops were not ready for harvest and authorities had shut village markets and limited food transport, apparently to cut supplies to the militants. The government has cited worry about food as one of the reasons people have cited for leaving, but a senior state government official on Monday dismissed any suggestion of starvation. Among those fleeing were more than 30 people on a fishing boat that capsized off the Bangladesh coast on Sunday evening. Twenty-five of them drowned, including 13 children, police said.

Rohingya crisis: Suu Kyi conducts inter-faith prayers in Yangon

<p>Pope Francis will meet Myanmar&#39;s top Buddhist monks, its military generals, and civilian leader <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmar-takes-first-step-towards-calming-communal-hatred-21228" target="_blank">Aung San Suu Kyi i</a>n November when he visits that country and <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/bangladesh-islamists-call-on-government-to-arm-rohingyas-21093" target="_blank">Bangladesh</a>, both caught up in a crisis over the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/videos/rohingyas-head-towards-bangladesh-for-safety-5824" target="_blank">Rohingya Muslim minority</a>.</p>

<p>According to a full programme of the November 26-December 2 trip released by the Vatican on Tuesday, the pope will say two Masses in Buddhist-majority Myanmar and one in Bangladesh, which is predominantly Muslim.</p>

<p>Francis will be the first pope to visit Myanmar and the second to visit Bangladesh, where Pope John Paul visited in 1986.</p>

<p>The pope arrives in Yangon, the country&#39;s largest city, on November 27 after a flight of more than 10 hours and is scheduled to rest for about 24 hours before heading to the country&#39;s capital Naypyitaw for a day.</p>

<p>There, he will have separate private talks with President Htin Kyaw and Suu Kyi, who is both State Counsellor and Foreign Minister, making her effectively the country&#39;s civilian leader.</p>

<p>A senior Vatican official said military leaders are expected to attend a separate, public meeting where the pope will address politicians and diplomats. This is where he is expected to give the keynote speech of the trip.</p>

<p>Myanmar is facing international scrutiny over the plight of its Rohingya community. In February, Francis said they had been tortured and killed simply because they wanted to live their culture and Muslim faith.</p>

<p>Last August, some hard-line Buddhists were riled with the pope spoke about &quot;the persecution of our Rohingya brothers and sisters&quot; and asked Catholics to pray for them, adding that they should be given &quot;their full rights&quot;.</p>

<p>On November 29, the pope will address the Sangha Maha Nayaka, the country&#39;s highest Buddhist authority, which is a government-backed panel of senior monks responsible for regulating the Buddhist clergy.</p>

<p>The United Nations refugee agency said on Tuesday that Bangladesh border guards reported more than 11,000 Rohingya refugees crossing into their country from Myanmar on Monday alone.</p>

<p>The government offensive has drawn international condemnation and UN accusations of ethnic cleansing, which the government denies.</p>

<p>There are about 700,000 Roman Catholics in Myanmar according to the country&#39;s cardinal, Charles Maung Bo, out of a population of about 51.4 million.</p>

<p>Catholics make up a tiny minority in Bangladesh. Francis will be the second pope to visit that country, after Pope John Paul in 1986.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


According to a full programme of the November 26-December 2 trip released by the Vatican on Tuesday, the pope will say two Masses in Myanmar and one in Bangladesh

Pope Francis will meet Myanmar's top Buddhist monks, its military generals, and civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi in November when he visits that country and Bangladesh, both caught up in a crisis over the Rohingya Muslim minority. According to a full programme of the November 26-December 2 trip released by the Vatican on Tuesday, the pope will say two Masses in Buddhist-majority Myanmar and one in Bangladesh, which is predominantly Muslim. Francis will be the first pope to visit Myanmar and the second to visit Bangladesh, where Pope John Paul visited in 1986. The pope arrives in Yangon, the country's largest city, on November 27 after a flight of more than 10 hours and is scheduled to rest for about 24 hours before heading to the country's capital Naypyitaw for a day. There, he will have separate private talks with President Htin Kyaw and Suu Kyi, who is both State Counsellor and Foreign Minister, making her effectively the country's civilian leader. A senior Vatican official said military leaders are expected to attend a separate, public meeting where the pope will address politicians and diplomats. This is where he is expected to give the keynote speech of the trip. Myanmar is facing international scrutiny over the plight of its Rohingya community. In February, Francis said they had been tortured and killed simply because they wanted to live their culture and Muslim faith. Last August, some hard-line Buddhists were riled with the pope spoke about "the persecution of our Rohingya brothers and sisters" and asked Catholics to pray for them, adding that they should be given "their full rights". On November 29, the pope will address the Sangha Maha Nayaka, the country's highest Buddhist authority, which is a government-backed panel of senior monks responsible for regulating the Buddhist clergy. The United Nations refugee agency said on Tuesday that Bangladesh border guards reported more than 11,000 Rohingya refugees crossing into their country from Myanmar on Monday alone. The government offensive has drawn international condemnation and UN accusations of ethnic cleansing, which the government denies. There are about 700,000 Roman Catholics in Myanmar according to the country's cardinal, Charles Maung Bo, out of a population of about 51.4 million. Catholics make up a tiny minority in Bangladesh. Francis will be the second pope to visit that country, after Pope John Paul in 1986.

Pope to meet top Buddhist monks in Myanmar, address military

<p>UN chief Antonio Guterres exhorted Myanmar&#39;s leaders to end the &quot;nightmare&quot; faced by Rohingya refugees fleeing an army campaign, after at least 19 people drowned with scores more feared dead when a boat carrying Rohingya families capsized off Bangladesh.&nbsp;</p>

<p>More than half a million Rohingya Muslims have poured into Bangladesh in the last month, fleeing a vicious Myanmar military crackdown on Rohingya rebels that has gutted villages across northern Rakhine state.</p>

<p>Scores have drowned while trying to cross waters separating the two countries, while those who survive face new dangers as they cram into squalid refugee settlements where food and clean water are in short supply.</p>

<p>The billowing humanitarian crisis prompted the UN Security Council to hold its first meeting on Myanmar in eight years, though the member countries failed to arrive at a joint resolution.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The US slammed the army for trying &quot;to cleanse the country of an ethnic minority&quot;, while Beijing and Moscow offered support to Myanmar authorities who have vehemently rebuffed allegations that ethnic cleansing is underway.</p>

<p>Speaking to the 15-member council, Guterres urged Myanmar to halt military operations and open humanitarian access to the conflict-wracked western region.</p>

<p>&quot;The situation has spiralled into the world&#39;s fastest developing refugee emergency, a humanitarian and human rights nightmare,&quot; he said while calling for those displaced by the conflict to be allowed to return home.</p>

<p>The UN chief noted that the &quot;systemic violence&quot; could cause unrest to spill south to the central part of Myanmar&#39;s Rakhine state, threatening 250,000 Muslims with displacement.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Some of the strongest criticism came from US envoy Nikki Haley, who accused Myanmar authorities of waging a &quot;brutal, sustained campaign to cleanse the country of an ethnic minority&quot;.</p>

<p>&quot;It should shame senior Burmese leaders who have sacrificed so much for an open, democratic Myanmar,&quot; she added, in what appeared to be a rebuke to the country&#39;s civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, whose reputation as a human rights champion has been battered by the crisis.</p>

<p>But Myanmar received strong backing from Russia and China, a close ally and key trade partner.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;The international community must be aware of the difficulties faced by the Burmese government, be patient and provide its assistance,&quot; Chinese envoy Wu Haitao said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;We must be very careful when we talk about ethnic cleansing and genocide,&quot; added Russian ambassador Vassily Nebenzia, taking the Myanmar government line as he blamed Rohingya militants for &quot;burning villages&quot;.</p>

<p>Fires have razed hundreds of communities in northern Rakhine over the past month, in what rights groups say is an army-led effort to drive out the stateless minority that has faced decades of persecution.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Myanmar, a mainly Buddhist country, has denied the allegation and defended its operations as a proportionate crackdown on the Rohingya militants whose deadly raids on police posts on August 25 sparked the military backlash.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Authorities have restricted access to the epicentre of the violence but agreed this week to allow a UN visit to the conflict zone.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The trip has been postponed to October 2 due to bad weather, state media reported Friday.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Boat tragedy&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>The drowning tragedy is the latest in a series of deadly accidents as desperate refugees surge into Bangladesh, where they are penned into ramshackle tent cities amid dire shortages of nearly all forms of aid.</p>

<p>Witnesses and survivors said the vessel that overturned Thursday was just metres from the coast in rough waters after it was lashed by torrential rain and high winds.</p>

<p>There are fears the death toll could rise sharply with the International Organization for Migration saying about 100 people, mainly children, were believed aboard the downed vessel.</p>

<p>The bodies of 16 people, mostly children, were found Thursday and brought to a local school, said coastguard commander Nasir Uddin.</p>

<p>Two more bodies of young boys were retrieved Friday morning, he added, while another woman was washed ashore in a separate location.</p>

<p>&quot;They drowned before our eyes. Minutes later, the waves washed the bodies to the beach,&quot; said Mohammad Sohel, a local shopkeeper.</p>

<p>One distraught survivor said&nbsp;that his wife and one of their children had been killed when the ship sank.</p>

<p>&quot;The boat hit something underground as it came close to the beach. Then it overturned,&quot; said Nurus Salam, who had set off for Bangladesh from a coastal village in Myanmar late Wednesday with his family.</p>


More than half a million Rohingya Muslims have poured into Bangladesh in the last month, fleeing a vicious Myanmar military crackdown on Rohingya rebels that has gutted villages across northern Rakhine state

UN chief Antonio Guterres exhorted Myanmar's leaders to end the "nightmare" faced by Rohingya refugees fleeing an army campaign, after at least 19 people drowned with scores more feared dead when a boat carrying Rohingya families capsized off Bangladesh. More than half a million Rohingya Muslims have poured into Bangladesh in the last month, fleeing a vicious Myanmar military crackdown on Rohingya rebels that has gutted villages across northern Rakhine state. Scores have drowned while trying to cross waters separating the two countries, while those who survive face new dangers as they cram into squalid refugee settlements where food and clean water are in short supply. The billowing humanitarian crisis prompted the UN Security Council to hold its first meeting on Myanmar in eight years, though the member countries failed to arrive at a joint resolution. The US slammed the army for trying "to cleanse the country of an ethnic minority", while Beijing and Moscow offered support to Myanmar authorities who have vehemently rebuffed allegations that ethnic cleansing is underway. Speaking to the 15-member council, Guterres urged Myanmar to halt military operations and open humanitarian access to the conflict-wracked western region. "The situation has spiralled into the world's fastest developing refugee emergency, a humanitarian and human rights nightmare," he said while calling for those displaced by the conflict to be allowed to return home. The UN chief noted that the "systemic violence" could cause unrest to spill south to the central part of Myanmar's Rakhine state, threatening 250,000 Muslims with displacement. Some of the strongest criticism came from US envoy Nikki Haley, who accused Myanmar authorities of waging a "brutal, sustained campaign to cleanse the country of an ethnic minority". "It should shame senior Burmese leaders who have sacrificed so much for an open, democratic Myanmar," she added, in what appeared to be a rebuke to the country's civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, whose reputation as a human rights champion has been battered by the crisis. But Myanmar received strong backing from Russia and China, a close ally and key trade partner. "The international community must be aware of the difficulties faced by the Burmese government, be patient and provide its assistance," Chinese envoy Wu Haitao said. "We must be very careful when we talk about ethnic cleansing and genocide," added Russian ambassador Vassily Nebenzia, taking the Myanmar government line as he blamed Rohingya militants for "burning villages". Fires have razed hundreds of communities in northern Rakhine over the past month, in what rights groups say is an army-led effort to drive out the stateless minority that has faced decades of persecution. Myanmar, a mainly Buddhist country, has denied the allegation and defended its operations as a proportionate crackdown on the Rohingya militants whose deadly raids on police posts on August 25 sparked the military backlash. Authorities have restricted access to the epicentre of the violence but agreed this week to allow a UN visit to the conflict zone. The trip has been postponed to October 2 due to bad weather, state media reported Friday. Boat tragedy The drowning tragedy is the latest in a series of deadly accidents as desperate refugees surge into Bangladesh, where they are penned into ramshackle tent cities amid dire shortages of nearly all forms of aid. Witnesses and survivors said the vessel that overturned Thursday was just metres from the coast in rough waters after it was lashed by torrential rain and high winds. There are fears the death toll could rise sharply with the International Organization for Migration saying about 100 people, mainly children, were believed aboard the downed vessel. The bodies of 16 people, mostly children, were found Thursday and brought to a local school, said coastguard commander Nasir Uddin. Two more bodies of young boys were retrieved Friday morning, he added, while another woman was washed ashore in a separate location. "They drowned before our eyes. Minutes later, the waves washed the bodies to the beach," said Mohammad Sohel, a local shopkeeper. One distraught survivor said that his wife and one of their children had been killed when the ship sank. "The boat hit something underground as it came close to the beach. Then it overturned," said Nurus Salam, who had set off for Bangladesh from a coastal village in Myanmar late Wednesday with his family.

UN chief tells Myanmar to end 'nightmare' as 19 drown in Rohingya boat capsize

<p>The Myanmar government today rejected <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmar-says-us-official-barred-from-rohingya-conflict-zone-20306">UN human rights investigators </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmar-says-us-official-barred-from-rohingya-conflict-zone-20306">demand for</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmar-says-us-official-barred-from-rohingya-conflict-zone-20306"> access to Rakhine</a> state even as Aung San Suu Kyi appealed to outside observers &quot;to visit Myanmar and see the situation for themselves&quot;.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/want-to-find-out-why-rohingya-have-fled-myanmar-suu-kyi-says-in-state-of-union-address-20372">Suu Kyi in a televised address to the nation said</a>, &quot;Myanmar invites members of the international community to visit. There have been allegations and counter-allegations, will listen to all, culprits will be punished irrespective of race or religion.&quot;&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, Myanmar&#39;s UN ambassador Htin Lynn made his governments position clear asserting that&nbsp;&quot;instituting such a mission is not a helpful course of action in solving the already-intricated Rakhine issue&quot;.</p>

<p>The UN had set up a council in March to investigate allegations of violence against Rohingyas in Rakhine state.</p>

<p>The head of the UN mission Marzuki Darusman said: &quot;In the government&rsquo;s interest and in the interests of the people of Myanmar to communicate their views and evidence directly to the UN mission.&quot;</p>

<p>The UN mission has already dispatched a team to Bangladesh to probe the state of Rohingyas who have fled to the country.</p>

<p>Almost 400,000 Rohingyas have fled to Bangladesh from Myanmar&nbsp;since August 25.</p>

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<p>Rohingya refugee woman waits for aid with her daughter along a road in Cox&#39;s Bazar, Bangladesh (Reuters)</p>
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Aung San Suu Kyi in a televised address to the nation had appealed to outside observers to visit Myanmar and see the situation for themselves

The Myanmar government today rejected UN human rights investigators demand for access to Rakhine state even as Aung San Suu Kyi appealed to outside observers "to visit Myanmar and see the situation for themselves". Suu Kyi in a televised address to the nation said, "Myanmar invites members of the international community to visit. There have been allegations and counter-allegations, will listen to all, culprits will be punished irrespective of race or religion." However, Myanmar's UN ambassador Htin Lynn made his governments position clear asserting that "instituting such a mission is not a helpful course of action in solving the already-intricated Rakhine issue". The UN had set up a council in March to investigate allegations of violence against Rohingyas in Rakhine state. The head of the UN mission Marzuki Darusman said: "In the government’s interest and in the interests of the people of Myanmar to communicate their views and evidence directly to the UN mission." The UN mission has already dispatched a team to Bangladesh to probe the state of Rohingyas who have fled to the country. Almost 400,000 Rohingyas have fled to Bangladesh from Myanmar since August 25. Rohingya refugee woman waits for aid with her daughter along a road in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh (Reuters) ×

Rohingya crisis: Myanmar rejects UN demand for access to Rakhine state

<p>The Centre filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court on Monday on the Rohingya matter.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Centre told the Supreme Court that the total number of &quot;such illegal immigrants into our country&quot; was more than 40,000, approximately.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Centre added that the &quot;continuance of the Rohingyas&rsquo; illegal immigration into India and their continued stay has serious national security ramifications and threats&quot;.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Centre added that it has &quot;contemporaneous inputs from security agencies indicating links of some unauthorised Rohingyas with Pakistan terror organisations&quot;.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Centre has contemporaneous from security agencies inputs indicating links of some unauthorized <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Rohingyas?src=hash">#Rohingyas</a> with Pak terror orgs:Centre in SC</p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/909677729104068608">September 18, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Some Rohingyas are indulging in illegal /anti national activities i.e. mobilization of funds through hundi/hawala channels: Centre in SC 1/2</p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/909678218252132352">September 18, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Procuring fake Indian identities for other <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Rohingyas?src=hash">#Rohingyas</a> and also indulging in human trafficking: Centre in SC 2/2</p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/909678338737704960">September 18, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>The Centre added that some Rohingyas are indulging in illegal/ anti-national activities ie mobilisation of funds through hundi/ hawala channels.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Centre added that these Rohingyas are procuring fake Indian identities for other Rohingyas and that they are also indulging in human trafficking.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Centre added that the &quot;court may decline interference, leaving to Centre to exercise essential executive function by way of policy decision&quot;.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Supreme Court will now hear the matter on October 3.&nbsp;</p>


The Centre added that these Rohingyas are indulging in illegal/ anti-national activities, ie the mobilisation of funds through hawala channels

The Centre filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court on Monday on the Rohingya matter. The Centre told the Supreme Court that the total number of "such illegal immigrants into our country" was more than 40,000, approximately. The Centre added that the "continuance of the Rohingyas’ illegal immigration into India and their continued stay has serious national security ramifications and threats". The Centre added that it has "contemporaneous inputs from security agencies indicating links of some unauthorised Rohingyas with Pakistan terror organisations". Centre has contemporaneous from security agencies inputs indicating links of some unauthorized #Rohingyas with Pak terror orgs:Centre in SC — ANI (@ANI) September 18, 2017 × Some Rohingyas are indulging in illegal /anti national activities i.e. mobilization of funds through hundi/hawala channels: Centre in SC 1/2 — ANI (@ANI) September 18, 2017 × Procuring fake Indian identities for other #Rohingyas and also indulging in human trafficking: Centre in SC 2/2 — ANI (@ANI) September 18, 2017 × The Centre added that some Rohingyas are indulging in illegal/ anti-national activities ie mobilisation of funds through hundi/ hawala channels. The Centre added that these Rohingyas are procuring fake Indian identities for other Rohingyas and that they are also indulging in human trafficking. The Centre added that the "court may decline interference, leaving to Centre to exercise essential executive function by way of policy decision". The Supreme Court will now hear the matter on October 3.

Some Rohingya have links with Pakistan terror groups, Centre tells Supreme Court

<p>Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh could die due to a lack of food, shelter, and water available for the huge numbers of them fleeing violence in Myanmar, an aid agency warned on Sunday.</p>

<p>Nearly 410,000 members of the Rohingya Muslim minority fled from western Rakhine state to Bangladesh to escape a military offensive that the United Nations has branded a &quot;textbook example of ethnic cleansing&quot;.</p>

<p>&quot;Many people are arriving hungry, exhausted and with no food or water,&quot; Mark Pierce, Bangladesh country director for the Save the Children aid agency said in a statement.</p>

<p>&quot;I&rsquo;m particularly worried that the demand for food, shelter, water and basic hygiene support is not being met due to the sheer number of people in need. If families can&rsquo;t meet their basic needs, the suffering will get even worse and lives could be lost.&quot;</p>

<p>Bangladesh has for decades faced influxes of Rohingya fleeing persecution in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, where the Rohingya are regarded as illegal migrants.</p>

<p>Bangladesh was already home to 400,000 Rohingya before the latest crisis erupted on Aug. 25, when Rohingya insurgents attacked police posts and an army camp, killing a dozen people.</p>

<p>Pierce said the humanitarian response needed to be rapidly scaled up.</p>

<p>&quot;That can only be done if the international community steps up funding,&rdquo; he said.</p>

<p>Rights monitors and fleeing Rohingya say the Myanmar security forces and Rakhine Buddhist vigilantes responded to the Aug. 25 insurgent attacks with what they say is a campaign of violence and arson aimed at driving out the Muslim population.</p>

<p>Myanmar rejects those accusations, saying its security forces are carrying out clearance operations to defend against the insurgents of the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, which claimed responsibility for the August attacks and similar, smaller, raids in October.</p>

<p>The Myanmar government has declared the group a terrorist organisation and accused it of setting the fires and attacking civilians.</p>

<p><strong>Suu Kyi Address</strong></p>

<p>More than 430 people have been killed, most of them insurgents, and about 30,000 non-Muslim villagers have been displaced, Myanmar has said. Human Rights Watch said satellite imagery showed 62 Rohingya villages had been torched.</p>

<p>Myanmar government leader and Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi has faced a barrage of criticism from abroad for not stopping the violence or condemning it more forcefully.</p>

<p>The military remains in full control of security policy and there is little sympathy for the Rohingya in a country where the end of military rule has unleashed old animosities and the military campaign in Rakhine State is widely supported.</p>

<p>Suu Kyi is due to make her first address to the nation on the crisis on Tuesday.</p>

<p>Her foreign supporters and Western governments that backed her campaign against military rule, and see her as the best hope for Myanmar&#39;s future, will be hoping to see her make a new commitment to protect the rights of the Muslim minority.</p>

<p>At home, her supporters could be disappointed if she is perceived to be caving in to foreign pressure and taking the side of a Muslim minority blamed for initiating the violence with the attacks on the security forces.</p>

<p>The Myanmar military has called for unity on the issue.</p>

<p>The political party founded by retired officers and trounced by Suu Kyi&#39;s party in the 2015 election, could be expected to take heart to see her support eroded by the crisis.</p>


Nearly 410,000 members of the Rohingya Muslim minority fled from western Rakhine state to Bangladesh to escape a military offensive that the United Nations has branded a 'textbook example of ethnic cleansing'

Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh could die due to a lack of food, shelter, and water available for the huge numbers of them fleeing violence in Myanmar, an aid agency warned on Sunday. Nearly 410,000 members of the Rohingya Muslim minority fled from western Rakhine state to Bangladesh to escape a military offensive that the United Nations has branded a "textbook example of ethnic cleansing". "Many people are arriving hungry, exhausted and with no food or water," Mark Pierce, Bangladesh country director for the Save the Children aid agency said in a statement. "I’m particularly worried that the demand for food, shelter, water and basic hygiene support is not being met due to the sheer number of people in need. If families can’t meet their basic needs, the suffering will get even worse and lives could be lost." Bangladesh has for decades faced influxes of Rohingya fleeing persecution in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, where the Rohingya are regarded as illegal migrants. Bangladesh was already home to 400,000 Rohingya before the latest crisis erupted on Aug. 25, when Rohingya insurgents attacked police posts and an army camp, killing a dozen people. Pierce said the humanitarian response needed to be rapidly scaled up. "That can only be done if the international community steps up funding,” he said. Rights monitors and fleeing Rohingya say the Myanmar security forces and Rakhine Buddhist vigilantes responded to the Aug. 25 insurgent attacks with what they say is a campaign of violence and arson aimed at driving out the Muslim population. Myanmar rejects those accusations, saying its security forces are carrying out clearance operations to defend against the insurgents of the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, which claimed responsibility for the August attacks and similar, smaller, raids in October. The Myanmar government has declared the group a terrorist organisation and accused it of setting the fires and attacking civilians. Suu Kyi Address More than 430 people have been killed, most of them insurgents, and about 30,000 non-Muslim villagers have been displaced, Myanmar has said. Human Rights Watch said satellite imagery showed 62 Rohingya villages had been torched. Myanmar government leader and Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi has faced a barrage of criticism from abroad for not stopping the violence or condemning it more forcefully. The military remains in full control of security policy and there is little sympathy for the Rohingya in a country where the end of military rule has unleashed old animosities and the military campaign in Rakhine State is widely supported. Suu Kyi is due to make her first address to the nation on the crisis on Tuesday. Her foreign supporters and Western governments that backed her campaign against military rule, and see her as the best hope for Myanmar's future, will be hoping to see her make a new commitment to protect the rights of the Muslim minority. At home, her supporters could be disappointed if she is perceived to be caving in to foreign pressure and taking the side of a Muslim minority blamed for initiating the violence with the attacks on the security forces. The Myanmar military has called for unity on the issue. The political party founded by retired officers and trounced by Suu Kyi's party in the 2015 election, could be expected to take heart to see her support eroded by the crisis.

Aid group warns of death among Rohingya in Bangladesh

<p>Violence in Myanmar has not only pushed Rohingya Muslims but also Hindus from their homes to Bangladesh. I visited&nbsp;the Hindu communities that have sheltered the migrants in the border areas across Cox&#39;s Bazar</p>

<p>We have heard about Rohingya Muslims coming from Myanmar to Bangladesh fleeing the persecution that they have been facing for decades but we have not heard much about the Hindus of Myanmar who have been facing similar persecution and have sought shelter in Bangladesh in&nbsp;places across Ukhiya in Cox&#39;s Bazar. One of such persons is Chitta Ranjan Pal.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In speaking to WION, Chitta Ranjan Pal, Hindu migrant from Burma pointed out, &quot;An insurgent group has waged a movement against the government in Myanmar. We have moved to Bangladesh in the face of their atrocities. This group had confined us for eight days in our village and did not let us go outside for groceries or even get water. After some days we got to know that they killed many Burmese Hindus at Fakirabazar, two kilometres away from our village.&nbsp;</p>

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<p>We came to know that they killed 86 people in that village and the same happened in another Hindu village. We discussed among ourselves and then asked them do you plan to kill us after keeping us hostage, instead set us free and we will leave. They were nice to us for a few days after we talked but later we learnt that they planned to kill us by bombing.</p>

<p>The Burmese government gave us a card which says we are Indian. We go by that card.&quot;</p>

<p>An estimated 500 Hindus have fled to Bangladesh since the violence erupted in Myanmar.&nbsp;Like the Rohingya Muslims are identified as Bengali settlers in Myanmar, the Myanmar government identifies the Hindus of its land as Indians.</p>

<p>Their misery of identification does not end there. Since the violence&nbsp;erupted in the last week of August, insurgent groups in Myanmar have killed at least 86 members of their community.</p>

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<h5>A Muslim family helped us escape to this camp because we gave them word that we will convert to their religion.</h5>
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<p>Another Hindu migrant from Burma, Rekha Dhar had the most gruesome account of the fate they encountered. Speaking to WION, she said, &quot;They hacked my husband to death, looted my house and husband&rsquo;s jewellery store. They had black outfits and faces covered so that we could not&nbsp;identify them. They killed all the people of my area and kept only eight of us women alive. We fled our homes to this place. A Muslim family helped us escape to this camp because we gave them word that we will convert to their religion. My husband had a gold store where he had 30 tolas gold, all of which they looted. Even the little jewellery we had on ourselves or the children, they looted them too. Eight of us women came here but the men could not. They killed them all.&nbsp;</p>

<p>We came here walking for two days across the hills. They saved us because we promised to let go of our belief. If we refused, they would have killed us.&quot; &nbsp;</p>

<p>As scores of Myanmar nationals, including Rohingyas and Hindus flee homes in masses to Bangladesh, prices of essentials such as rice and materials for makeshift huts, such as plastic sheets and bamboos have increased in the bordering regions.</p>

<p>The cost of living has increased in Ukhiya. This is one of the most impoverished areas in Bangladesh. The camps of plastic sheets and bamboos are increasing in number every passing hour. This has also made business for some locals here. On the other end, the Myanmar migrants say they are being pushed into misery for no fault of theirs. Whether it is the insurgents or the Myanmar army, these people are simply victims of a bloody civil war in Myanmar.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Like the Rohingya Muslims are identified as Bengali settlers in Myanmar, the Myanmar government identifies the Hindus of its land as Indians.

Violence in Myanmar has not only pushed Rohingya Muslims but also Hindus from their homes to Bangladesh. I visited the Hindu communities that have sheltered the migrants in the border areas across Cox's Bazar We have heard about Rohingya Muslims coming from Myanmar to Bangladesh fleeing the persecution that they have been facing for decades but we have not heard much about the Hindus of Myanmar who have been facing similar persecution and have sought shelter in Bangladesh in places across Ukhiya in Cox's Bazar. One of such persons is Chitta Ranjan Pal. In speaking to WION, Chitta Ranjan Pal, Hindu migrant from Burma pointed out, "An insurgent group has waged a movement against the government in Myanmar. We have moved to Bangladesh in the face of their atrocities. This group had confined us for eight days in our village and did not let us go outside for groceries or even get water. After some days we got to know that they killed many Burmese Hindus at Fakirabazar, two kilometres away from our village. After some days we got to know that they killed many Burmese Hindus at Fakirabazar, two kilometres away from our village. × We came to know that they killed 86 people in that village and the same happened in another Hindu village. We discussed among ourselves and then asked them do you plan to kill us after keeping us hostage, instead set us free and we will leave. They were nice to us for a few days after we talked but later we learnt that they planned to kill us by bombing. The Burmese government gave us a card which says we are Indian. We go by that card." An estimated 500 Hindus have fled to Bangladesh since the violence erupted in Myanmar. Like the Rohingya Muslims are identified as Bengali settlers in Myanmar, the Myanmar government identifies the Hindus of its land as Indians. Their misery of identification does not end there. Since the violence erupted in the last week of August, insurgent groups in Myanmar have killed at least 86 members of their community. A Muslim family helped us escape to this camp because we gave them word that we will convert to their religion. × Another Hindu migrant from Burma, Rekha Dhar had the most gruesome account of the fate they encountered. Speaking to WION, she said, "They hacked my husband to death, looted my house and husband’s jewellery store. They had black outfits and faces covered so that we could not identify them. They killed all the people of my area and kept only eight of us women alive. We fled our homes to this place. A Muslim family helped us escape to this camp because we gave them word that we will convert to their religion. My husband had a gold store where he had 30 tolas gold, all of which they looted. Even the little jewellery we had on ourselves or the children, they looted them too. Eight of us women came here but the men could not. They killed them all. We came here walking for two days across the hills. They saved us because we promised to let go of our belief. If we refused, they would have killed us." As scores of Myanmar nationals, including Rohingyas and Hindus flee homes in masses to Bangladesh, prices of essentials such as rice and materials for makeshift huts, such as plastic sheets and bamboos have increased in the bordering regions. The cost of living has increased in Ukhiya. This is one of the most impoverished areas in Bangladesh. The camps of plastic sheets and bamboos are increasing in number every passing hour. This has also made business for some locals here. On the other end, the Myanmar migrants say they are being pushed into misery for no fault of theirs. Whether it is the insurgents or the Myanmar army, these people are simply victims of a bloody civil war in Myanmar.

Hindus of Myanmar suffer as much as the Rohingyas

<p>The emerging humanitarian crisis that has been rocking Myanmar - where an estimated 370,000 Rohingya <a href="http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/09/security-council-discuss-rohingya-situation-170912083144394.html">have been forced out of the country</a> &ndash; has prompted broad <a href="http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/myanmar-faces-mounting-pressure-over-rohingya-refugee-exodus.aspx?pageID=238&amp;nID=117896&amp;NewsCatID=356">international condemnation</a>. But so far it has translated into <a href="https://theconversation.com/rohingya-genocide-the-world-cant-help-until-myanmar-changes-its-ways-83588">little concrete action</a>.</p>

<p>United Nations (UN) human rights chief Zeid Raad Al Hussein has called the Rohingya&rsquo;s plight a <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-41224108">&ldquo;textbook example of ethnic cleansing&rdquo;</a> following a similar <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-myanmar-rohingya-un/u-n-chief-warns-myanmar-violence-could-destabilize-region-idUSKCN1BG2KC">statement from UN Secretary General Ant&oacute;nio Guterres</a>. While Western countries have been slow and hesitant to respond, leaders of Muslim-majority countries &ndash; particularly Malaysia, Indonesia, Bangladesh and Pakistan &ndash; have sought to place as much international pressure as possible on <a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2017/09/05/asia/rohingya-mass-protest-report/index.html">the Myanmar government</a>.</p>

<p>The strongest and most vocal response of all has come from Turkey. Indeed the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, appears to have appointed himself as the international voice of the Rohingya Muslims.</p>

<p><strong>Turkey&rsquo;s aid response</strong></p>

<p>According to a Turkish government statement, Erdogan is the first one that managed to get permission for humanitarian aid to enter <a href="http://thenewturkey.org/myanmar-allows-turkeys-tika-to-distribute-1000-tons-of-aid-to-rohingya/">Myanmar</a>. The Burmese government had, at the peak of the violence, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/sep/04/myanmar-blocks-all-un-aid-to-civilians-at-heart-of-rohingya-crisis">blocked all UN aid</a> towards the Rohingyas.</p>

<p>And so, <a href="https://www.samaa.tv/international/2017/09/first-turkish-aid-shipment-arrives-myanmar-rohingya-muslims/">on September 7</a>, Turkey&rsquo;s foreign aid agency, TIKA, became the first foreign outfit to deliver an initial shipment of 1000 tons of basic <a href="http://www.tika.gov.tr/en/news/tika_will_be_the_first_foreign_body_to_provide_aid_to_rohingya_muslims-37760">foodstuffs and medicine</a> to the conflict zone in Rakhine state, where the majority of Rohingyas live.</p>

<p>Turkey simultaneously announced plans to distribute humanitarian aid to the Rohingya camps <a href="https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/228149-Myanmar-allows-Turkey-to-deliver-aid-to-Rohingya-Muslims-spokesman">in Bangladesh</a>. The move was widely publicised as Emine Erdogan, the Turkish president&rsquo;s wife <a href="https://www.trtworld.com/asia/turkey-s-first-lady-visits-rohingya-refugees-in-bangladesh-10295">visited the camps at the same time</a>.</p>

<p><strong>Public denunciation</strong></p>

<p>Meanwhile, <a href="http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2017/09/10/534693/Iran-Kazakhstan-Myanmar-Rohingya-Muslims-OIC-summit-Astana">during a meeting in Astana</a>, Kazakhstan, Erdogan as the current chief of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) formally condemned Myanmar&rsquo;s attitude towards Rohingyas, taking the lead on the topic on behalf of the organisation. He had previously called the ongoing violence <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/sep/02/erdogan-accuses-myanmar-of-genocide-against-rohingya">a genocide</a>.</p>

<p>Since the crisis broke on August 25, the Turkish president has taken several actions to gather Muslim leaders across the world to put pressure on the Myanmar government. On August 31, he spoke with the leaders of Mauritania, Pakistan, Iran and Qatar urging them <a href="http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/president-erdogan-calls-on-muslim-countries-leaders-to-act-on-rohingya-muslims.aspx?pageID=238&amp;nID=117421&amp;NewsCatID=357">to join forces to find a way</a> to stop the violence against the Rohingyas.</p>

<p>Alongside Erdogan, other Turkish politicians have addressed the issue. Remarks by Mevl&uuml;t &Ccedil;avusoglu, the foreign minister, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-myanmar-rohingya-turkey/myanmars-rohingya-suffered-for-years-need-lasting-solution-turkey-idUSKCN1BH1CC">garnered global attention</a>. Mehmet Simsek, deputy prime minister, even tweeted unrelated images to raise the point, creating a <a href="https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/turkish-deputy-pm-denounced-misleading-twitter-pictures-rakhine-conflict.html">bit of an embarrassment</a>.</p>

<p>So how are we to explain Turkey&rsquo;s ambition to take the lead in this current crisis?</p>

<p><strong>Global ambitions</strong></p>

<p>The political vacuum prompted by the Trump administration&rsquo;s retreat from global leadership has <a href="https://www.economist.com/news/china/21723129-not-long-chinese-officials-remain-shy-world-stage-will-china-fill-vacuum-left">surely played a part</a>. But, more evidently, Turkey&rsquo;s longstanding pro-Western approach has shifted. Turkey is a NATO member and aspired to join the EU for years, but under President Erdogan&rsquo;s lead and the current AKP government, the country&rsquo;s foreign policy <a href="https://theconversation.com/shunned-by-the-west-and-menaced-by-syria-turkish-foreign-policy-turns-south-71828">has shifted towards the global south</a>, seeking new opportunities.</p>

<p>Turkey&rsquo;s foreign policy doctrine now promotes what Bilkent University academics Pinar Bilgen and Ali Bilgi&ccedil; label <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.2747/1539-7216.52.2.173?src=recsys">&ldquo;civilisational geopolitics&rdquo;</a>, &ldquo;an understanding of culture and civilisation as preordained determinants of international behaviour&rdquo;.</p>

<p>As Bilgin and Bilgi&ccedil; argue, this new doctrine aims at placing Turkey at the core of geopolitical issues between the West and the rest of Asia, justifying this global engagement by its political heritage &ndash; mainly based on its<a href="https://global.oup.com/academic/product/turks-across-empires-9780198725145?cc=gb&amp;lang=en&amp;"> Central Asian and Ottoman history</a>.</p>

<p>The shift became most obvious at the end of the 2000s. It has been identified most closely with Ahmet Davutoglu, a scholar of geopolitics and Turkey&rsquo;s foreign minister from 2009&ndash;14. In 2010 <em>Foreign Policy</em> called him &ldquo;<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20101212215853/http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2010/11/29/the_fp_top_100_global_thinkers?page=0%2C6">the brains of Turkey&rsquo;s global reawakening</a>&rdquo;.</p>

<p>Under Davutoglu&rsquo;s watch, Turkey&rsquo;s global diplomatic footprint expanded dramatically, especially in Asia and Africa. He opened Turkey&rsquo;s first embassy in Myanmar in 2012 both to take advantage of the potential trade opportunities from the country&rsquo;s post-2008 liberalisation and because of the <a href="https://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2012/08/09/231258.html">Rohingya issue</a>.</p>

<p>A subsequent <a href="http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/foreign-minister-davutoglu-visits-myanmars-muslim-minority-in-arakan.aspx?PageID=238&amp;NID=58019&amp;NewsCatID=356%5D">trip in 2013 </a> saw him tour refugee camps and call on the Burmese government to extend citizenship rights to the Rohingya people. This new foreign policy coincides with Turkey&rsquo;s decade-long ambition to become a global humanitarian power or what Turkish scholars E. Fuat Keyman and Onur Zakak call a <a href="http://research.sabanciuniv.edu/31364/1/keyman-turkey-as-a-humanitarian-state.pdf">&ldquo;humanitarian state&rdquo;</a>.</p>

<p>The Turkish humanitarian approach has been cast by journalist and former Somali Minister of Planning, Abdirahman Ali, as a middle way between the Western aid model and its <a href="http://file.insightturkey.com/Files/Pdf/insight_turkey_vol_13_no_4_-2011_ali.pdf">Chinese counterpart</a>. Whereas the former is highly conditional, bureaucratic and often security-focused and the latter tends to bolster corrupt ,authoritarian regimes, the Turkish approach - Ali claims - typically bypasses bureaucracy and emphasises &ldquo;a &lsquo;moral&rsquo; standard anchored in protecting human rights and helping the weak&rdquo;.</p>

<p>Turkey has backed this ambition with increased funding for humanitarian assistance over the last five years. Development Initiatives &ndash; a UK based NGO &ndash; <a href="https://www.dailysabah.com/turkey/2017/06/21/turkey-ranks-second-in-the-world-for-humanitarian-aid-named-most-generous-donor">recently reported</a> that now Turkey ranks second in the world for humanitarian aid, having spent around US$6 billion in 2016 (the top-ranked US spent $6.3 billion).</p>

<p><strong>The champion of Muslims&rsquo; rights</strong></p>

<p>One of the other factors is domestic politics. Indeed, much of Erdogan&rsquo;s public posturing on the Rohingya issue is entirely self-serving. The image of a strong Turkey reaching out to Muslim&rsquo;s everywhere in the world&ndash; plays very <a href="http://www.atimes.com/article/what-turkey-expects-from-myanmars-new-govt/">well at home</a>. During his 15-year tenure as Turkey&rsquo;s leader, the country&rsquo;s once-marginalised pious Muslim citizens have become increasingly prominent <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/18/world/europe/turkeys-islamic-fashion-revolution.html?_r=1">in media</a>, <a href="http://foreignpolicy.com/2010/03/19/the-happy-story-of-the-anatolian-tigers-2/">business</a> and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/oct/31/turkey-female-mps-headscarves-parliament-end-ban">politics</a>.</p>

<p>Ardent supporters in Turkey &ndash; not to mention large segments of public opinion across <a href="https://www2.csmonitor.com/World/Middle-East/2016/0720/Turkey-s-failed-coup-In-Arab-world-the-rulers-and-the-ruled-react-differently">the Muslim world</a> &ndash; thus see him as a champion of Muslim rights everywhere.</p>

<p>Erdogan has studiously crafted this image throughout other crisis, such as in <a href="http://content.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2093090,00.html">Egypt&rsquo;s during the 2011-12 Morsi regime</a> or in <a href="http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/05/erdogan-calls-israel-policy-palestinians-racist-170508170923015.html">Palestine</a>. His very public spats <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/sep/22/recep-tayyip-erdogan-arabhero-turkey">with Israel</a> and <a href="https://www.memri.org/reports/anti-west-statements-turkish-president-erdogan-and-pm-davutoglu-muslim-countries-must-unite">the West</a> have led some pro-Palestinian columnists <a href="http://turkishpolicy.com/Files/ArticlePDF/the-rise-and-fall-of-the-turkish-model-in-the-arab-world-fall-2013-en.pdf">in Arabic newspapers to call him the &ldquo;new Nasser</a>&rdquo;.</p>

<p><strong>Competition ahead</strong></p>

<p>Nevertheless, in recent days there has been a modest push back from Saudi Arabia, which appears to be chaffing at Turkey&rsquo;s leadership on the crisis. Saudi Arabia&rsquo;s ambassador to Turkey released a statement emphasising the Kingdom&rsquo;s strong, decades-long <a href="http://www.arabnews.com/node/1158161/saudi-arabia">support for the Rohingyas</a>. Iran has followed too, <a href="http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2017/09/iran-turkey-myanmar-rohingya-muslims-aid-refugees.html">promising shipments</a> to reach Myanmar soon.</p>

<p>Erdogan has promised to raise the Rohingya issue on September 19, at the annual meeting of the UN General Assembly &ndash; <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-41250057">which Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi is avoiding</a>.</p>

<p><img alt="The Conversation" height="1" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/83854/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" width="1" />His calls to protect Muslims worldwide could be a key moment for Turkey&rsquo;s diplomatic leadership but whether other Muslim countries would follow or not will tell the limits of Turkey&rsquo;s so-called &ldquo;humanitarian politics&rdquo;.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" nofollow="" rel="">The Conversation</a>. Read the original<a href="https://theconversation.com/turkey-the-rohingya-crisis-and-erdogans-ambitions-to-be-a-global-muslim-leader-83854" nofollow="" rel=""> article</a>.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Turkey's new foreign policy coincides with the country's decade-long ambition to become a global humanitarian power

The emerging humanitarian crisis that has been rocking Myanmar - where an estimated 370,000 Rohingya have been forced out of the country – has prompted broad international condemnation. But so far it has translated into little concrete action. United Nations (UN) human rights chief Zeid Raad Al Hussein has called the Rohingya’s plight a “textbook example of ethnic cleansing” following a similar statement from UN Secretary General António Guterres. While Western countries have been slow and hesitant to respond, leaders of Muslim-majority countries – particularly Malaysia, Indonesia, Bangladesh and Pakistan – have sought to place as much international pressure as possible on the Myanmar government. The strongest and most vocal response of all has come from Turkey. Indeed the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, appears to have appointed himself as the international voice of the Rohingya Muslims. Turkey’s aid response According to a Turkish government statement, Erdogan is the first one that managed to get permission for humanitarian aid to enter Myanmar. The Burmese government had, at the peak of the violence, blocked all UN aid towards the Rohingyas. And so, on September 7, Turkey’s foreign aid agency, TIKA, became the first foreign outfit to deliver an initial shipment of 1000 tons of basic foodstuffs and medicine to the conflict zone in Rakhine state, where the majority of Rohingyas live. Turkey simultaneously announced plans to distribute humanitarian aid to the Rohingya camps in Bangladesh. The move was widely publicised as Emine Erdogan, the Turkish president’s wife visited the camps at the same time. Public denunciation Meanwhile, during a meeting in Astana, Kazakhstan, Erdogan as the current chief of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) formally condemned Myanmar’s attitude towards Rohingyas, taking the lead on the topic on behalf of the organisation. He had previously called the ongoing violence a genocide. Since the crisis broke on August 25, the Turkish president has taken several actions to gather Muslim leaders across the world to put pressure on the Myanmar government. On August 31, he spoke with the leaders of Mauritania, Pakistan, Iran and Qatar urging them to join forces to find a way to stop the violence against the Rohingyas. Alongside Erdogan, other Turkish politicians have addressed the issue. Remarks by Mevlüt Çavusoglu, the foreign minister, garnered global attention. Mehmet Simsek, deputy prime minister, even tweeted unrelated images to raise the point, creating a bit of an embarrassment. So how are we to explain Turkey’s ambition to take the lead in this current crisis? Global ambitions The political vacuum prompted by the Trump administration’s retreat from global leadership has surely played a part. But, more evidently, Turkey’s longstanding pro-Western approach has shifted. Turkey is a NATO member and aspired to join the EU for years, but under President Erdogan’s lead and the current AKP government, the country’s foreign policy has shifted towards the global south, seeking new opportunities. Turkey’s foreign policy doctrine now promotes what Bilkent University academics Pinar Bilgen and Ali Bilgiç label “civilisational geopolitics”, “an understanding of culture and civilisation as preordained determinants of international behaviour”. As Bilgin and Bilgiç argue, this new doctrine aims at placing Turkey at the core of geopolitical issues between the West and the rest of Asia, justifying this global engagement by its political heritage – mainly based on its Central Asian and Ottoman history. The shift became most obvious at the end of the 2000s. It has been identified most closely with Ahmet Davutoglu, a scholar of geopolitics and Turkey’s foreign minister from 2009–14. In 2010 Foreign Policy called him “the brains of Turkey’s global reawakening”. Under Davutoglu’s watch, Turkey’s global diplomatic footprint expanded dramatically, especially in Asia and Africa. He opened Turkey’s first embassy in Myanmar in 2012 both to take advantage of the potential trade opportunities from the country’s post-2008 liberalisation and because of the Rohingya issue. A subsequent trip in 2013 saw him tour refugee camps and call on the Burmese government to extend citizenship rights to the Rohingya people. This new foreign policy coincides with Turkey’s decade-long ambition to become a global humanitarian power or what Turkish scholars E. Fuat Keyman and Onur Zakak call a “humanitarian state”. The Turkish humanitarian approach has been cast by journalist and former Somali Minister of Planning, Abdirahman Ali, as a middle way between the Western aid model and its Chinese counterpart. Whereas the former is highly conditional, bureaucratic and often security-focused and the latter tends to bolster corrupt ,authoritarian regimes, the Turkish approach - Ali claims - typically bypasses bureaucracy and emphasises “a ‘moral’ standard anchored in protecting human rights and helping the weak”. Turkey has backed this ambition with increased funding for humanitarian assistance over the last five years. Development Initiatives – a UK based NGO – recently reported that now Turkey ranks second in the world for humanitarian aid, having spent around US$6 billion in 2016 (the top-ranked US spent $6.3 billion). The champion of Muslims’ rights One of the other factors is domestic politics. Indeed, much of Erdogan’s public posturing on the Rohingya issue is entirely self-serving. The image of a strong Turkey reaching out to Muslim’s everywhere in the world– plays very well at home. During his 15-year tenure as Turkey’s leader, the country’s once-marginalised pious Muslim citizens have become increasingly prominent in media, business and politics. Ardent supporters in Turkey – not to mention large segments of public opinion across the Muslim world – thus see him as a champion of Muslim rights everywhere. Erdogan has studiously crafted this image throughout other crisis, such as in Egypt’s during the 2011-12 Morsi regime or in Palestine. His very public spats with Israel and the West have led some pro-Palestinian columnists in Arabic newspapers to call him the “new Nasser”. Competition ahead Nevertheless, in recent days there has been a modest push back from Saudi Arabia, which appears to be chaffing at Turkey’s leadership on the crisis. Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Turkey released a statement emphasising the Kingdom’s strong, decades-long support for the Rohingyas. Iran has followed too, promising shipments to reach Myanmar soon. Erdogan has promised to raise the Rohingya issue on September 19, at the annual meeting of the UN General Assembly – which Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi is avoiding. His calls to protect Muslims worldwide could be a key moment for Turkey’s diplomatic leadership but whether other Muslim countries would follow or not will tell the limits of Turkey’s so-called “humanitarian politics”. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

Turkey, the Rohingya crisis and Erdogan's ambitions to be a global Muslim leader

<p>As the Rohingya crisis burns through Rakhine state, it&#39;s interesting to note that in September 2014, the government granted citizenship to 209 Muslims, who included members of the Kaman minority (Muslims saw as native to the country) and the Rohingya. The process of giving them citizenship marked the culmination of a project aimed at determining the identity of a little over one million Rohingya whose claims to nationality had been rejected in the past.&nbsp;</p>

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<h5>Each of the green cards bore an identification number, the name of the holder, gender, date of birth, marital status and other details in Burmese and English.</h5>
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<p>Even more interesting, this was done when Myanmar was under Thein Sein, an ex-general who ran a nominally civilian government. In fact, the very next year, &quot;green cards&quot; were issued to Rohingya Muslims in 13 townships in Rakhine state. Immigration officials said the cards were intended to help those who wanted to apply for citizenship. Each of the green cards bore an identification number, the name of the holder, gender, date of birth, marital status and other details in Burmese and English. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</p>

<p>Around 700,000 of these cards were distributed to those who held &quot;white cards&quot;, which were temporary identification cards. The white cards had been issued by the former military junta for the 2010 elections (which saw Thein Sein&#39;s nominally civilian government come to power). &nbsp;An army-backed party won seats in areas where a sizeable number of white card holders were living.&nbsp;</p>

<p>So, despite the past history of violence, there was a sense within the government that Myanmar needed to be fair to the Rohingya (although they still referred to them as Bengali Muslims, meaning they were illegal Bangladeshi immigrants).&nbsp;</p>

<p>While the tensions between the majority Buddhists in Rakhine state and the minority Rohingya are of long-standing, the question is whether the spike in violence against the Rohingya and their massive exodus to Bangladesh can be traced to the new climate of freedom. &nbsp;</p>

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<h5>A former Indian ambassador to Myanmar suspects there could be elements of the military involved in stoking violence against the Rohingya to destabilise the civilian government and smear Aung San Suu Kyi personally.</h5>
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<p>A former Indian ambassador to Myanmar suspects there could be elements of the military involved in stoking violence against the Rohingya to destabilise the civilian government and smear Aung San Suu Kyi personally. There&#39;s no doubt her government has moved slowly to address the status of the Rohingya, who were not allowed to vote in the 2016 election. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</p>

<p>A peace conference in August last year to which all the ethnic groups were invited, saw no Rohingya presence. To her credit, Suu Kyi did set up the Kofi Annan panel to review tensions in Rakhine state and offer recommendations. Word <strong>is</strong> she told them to &quot;be bold&quot;. The panel has made its recommendations, the doubts are about implementation.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Is the Rohingya a high priority for the government as it figures out how to keep the military in good humour and tackle multiple insurgencies. A ceasefire agreement signed in October 2015 had only some of the ethnic insurgents on board, the United Wa State Army and the Kachin Independence Army remain on the warpath. Add to that the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army which is reported to have joined hands with the two groups already mentioned to attack the army. &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

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<h5>Suu Kyi&#39;s intentions may be good but she is a prisoner of the compromises she has to make as a politician if she is to survive.&nbsp;</h5>
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<p>Any move by Suu Kyi to give justice to the Rohingya will also need to take into account the fact that there is little sympathy for that community among the public. Suu Kyi&#39;s intentions may be good but she is a prisoner of the compromises she has to make as a politician if she is to survive.&nbsp;</p>


Suu Kyi is a prisoner of the compromises she has to make as a politician if she is to survive.?

As the Rohingya crisis burns through Rakhine state, it's interesting to note that in September 2014, the government granted citizenship to 209 Muslims, who included members of the Kaman minority (Muslims saw as native to the country) and the Rohingya. The process of giving them citizenship marked the culmination of a project aimed at determining the identity of a little over one million Rohingya whose claims to nationality had been rejected in the past. Each of the green cards bore an identification number, the name of the holder, gender, date of birth, marital status and other details in Burmese and English. × Even more interesting, this was done when Myanmar was under Thein Sein, an ex-general who ran a nominally civilian government. In fact, the very next year, "green cards" were issued to Rohingya Muslims in 13 townships in Rakhine state. Immigration officials said the cards were intended to help those who wanted to apply for citizenship. Each of the green cards bore an identification number, the name of the holder, gender, date of birth, marital status and other details in Burmese and English. Around 700,000 of these cards were distributed to those who held "white cards", which were temporary identification cards. The white cards had been issued by the former military junta for the 2010 elections (which saw Thein Sein's nominally civilian government come to power). An army-backed party won seats in areas where a sizeable number of white card holders were living. So, despite the past history of violence, there was a sense within the government that Myanmar needed to be fair to the Rohingya (although they still referred to them as Bengali Muslims, meaning they were illegal Bangladeshi immigrants). While the tensions between the majority Buddhists in Rakhine state and the minority Rohingya are of long-standing, the question is whether the spike in violence against the Rohingya and their massive exodus to Bangladesh can be traced to the new climate of freedom. A former Indian ambassador to Myanmar suspects there could be elements of the military involved in stoking violence against the Rohingya to destabilise the civilian government and smear Aung San Suu Kyi personally. × A former Indian ambassador to Myanmar suspects there could be elements of the military involved in stoking violence against the Rohingya to destabilise the civilian government and smear Aung San Suu Kyi personally. There's no doubt her government has moved slowly to address the status of the Rohingya, who were not allowed to vote in the 2016 election. A peace conference in August last year to which all the ethnic groups were invited, saw no Rohingya presence. To her credit, Suu Kyi did set up the Kofi Annan panel to review tensions in Rakhine state and offer recommendations. Word is she told them to "be bold". The panel has made its recommendations, the doubts are about implementation. Is the Rohingya a high priority for the government as it figures out how to keep the military in good humour and tackle multiple insurgencies. A ceasefire agreement signed in October 2015 had only some of the ethnic insurgents on board, the United Wa State Army and the Kachin Independence Army remain on the warpath. Add to that the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army which is reported to have joined hands with the two groups already mentioned to attack the army. Suu Kyi's intentions may be good but she is a prisoner of the compromises she has to make as a politician if she is to survive. × Any move by Suu Kyi to give justice to the Rohingya will also need to take into account the fact that there is little sympathy for that community among the public. Suu Kyi's intentions may be good but she is a prisoner of the compromises she has to make as a politician if she is to survive.

Why Aung San Suu Kyi is silent on the Rohingyas

<p>A plea to identify and deport Rohingya refugees in India was filed in the Supreme Court on Thursday by the Chennai-based trust Indic Collective.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">A plea has been filed in Supreme Court seeking identification and deportation of Rohingya Muslim refugees</p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/906059001040736256">September 8, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>The plea claims that &quot;accommodating Rohingyas in India is equivalent to inviting wretchedness, turbulence, and disturbance on Indian soil.&quot;</p>

<p>The plea comes at a time when a petition filed by two Rohingya refugees seeking a stay on the expulsion of the Rohingyas has been taken up by the top court.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Indic Collective has filed an intervention petition in Sri Prashant Bhushan&#39;s writ petition.</p>
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<p>The plea to deport Rohingyas describes the refugee community as &quot;a face of Islamic terror&quot;.</p>

<p>It also claims that their settlement is a social, economic and security threat to India.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;Around 40,000 Rohingyas residing in India as illegal immigrants pose a serious threat not only to national security but also to peacefully living Indian citizens,&quot; the plea says.</p>

<p>The plea acknowledges the plight of the Rohingya refugees, terming it a &quot;humanitarian disaster&quot;, but says &quot;India cannot solve this crisis by importing and welcoming it.&quot;</p>


The plea comes at a time when a petition seeking a stay on the expulsion of the Rohingyas from India has been taken up by the top court

A plea to identify and deport Rohingya refugees in India was filed in the Supreme Court on Thursday by the Chennai-based trust Indic Collective. A plea has been filed in Supreme Court seeking identification and deportation of Rohingya Muslim refugees — ANI (@ANI) September 8, 2017 × The plea claims that "accommodating Rohingyas in India is equivalent to inviting wretchedness, turbulence, and disturbance on Indian soil." The plea comes at a time when a petition filed by two Rohingya refugees seeking a stay on the expulsion of the Rohingyas has been taken up by the top court. Indic Collective has filed an intervention petition in Sri Prashant Bhushan's writ petition. — Indic Collective (@indiccollective) September 6, 2017 × The plea to deport Rohingyas describes the refugee community as "a face of Islamic terror". It also claims that their settlement is a social, economic and security threat to India. "Around 40,000 Rohingyas residing in India as illegal immigrants pose a serious threat not only to national security but also to peacefully living Indian citizens," the plea says. The plea acknowledges the plight of the Rohingya refugees, terming it a "humanitarian disaster", but says "India cannot solve this crisis by importing and welcoming it."

Plea filed in Supreme Court seeking immediate deportation of Rohingyas

<p>About <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/myanmars-suu-kyi-under-pressure-as-almost-125000-rohingya-flee-violence-19909">270,000 Muslim Rohingya fleeing violence in&nbsp;Myanmar&nbsp;</a>have sought refuge in Bangladesh in the past two weeks, a spokeswoman for the UN&nbsp;High Commissioner for Refugees said on Friday.</p>

<p>This has brought to 357,000 the number of Rohingya who have sought refuge in Bangladesh since October 2016.</p>

<p>The exodus has put pressure on aid agencies and communities already helping hundreds of thousands of refugees from previous violence in&nbsp;Myanmar.</p>

<p>Following are some details on the crisis gathered from UN&nbsp;sources working in the Cox&#39;s Bazar district of Bangladesh, on the&nbsp;Myanmar&nbsp;border.</p>

<p>- The number of new arrivals has increased considerably in part because of a survey carried out on September&nbsp;6 and 7, when inter-agency teams visited host communities previously left out of calculations. About 75,000 people were identified in previously unvisited communities at nine locations.</p>

<p>- There is immediate need for food for the majority of the new arrivals, who do not have, or have finished, their own supplies, and are getting food from host communities or refugees who came across the border last year.</p>

<p>- Most of the food being distributed is high-energy biscuits with 47,522 new arrivals getting them. Supplies of rice are scheduled to go out from September&nbsp;9.</p>

<p>- Water is scarce while sanitation and hygiene facilities in all makeshift settlements and refugee camps, especially at Shamlapur and Leda, where the number of fresh arrivals is increasing rapidly, are stretched. Limited space to build new facilities is a chronic problem.</p>

<p>- There are serious concerns about malnutrition, especially among children under five and pregnant or lactating women, some of whom are being enrolled in targeted feeding programmes.</p>

<p>- Many pregnant women are very hungry, some having not eaten for several days. Seven babies have been born.</p>

<p>- There is also a need for safe spaces for women with eight reported cases of gender-based violence, including 2 cases of sexual violence.</p>

<p>- As of September&nbsp;7, a total of 299 unaccompanied asylum-seeking children have been identified and registered since August&nbsp;25.</p>

<p>- An estimated 51,100 children need schooling.</p>


They have sought refuge in Bangladesh, the United Nations said

About 270,000 Muslim Rohingya fleeing violence in Myanmar have sought refuge in Bangladesh in the past two weeks, a spokeswoman for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees said on Friday. This has brought to 357,000 the number of Rohingya who have sought refuge in Bangladesh since October 2016. The exodus has put pressure on aid agencies and communities already helping hundreds of thousands of refugees from previous violence in Myanmar. Following are some details on the crisis gathered from UN sources working in the Cox's Bazar district of Bangladesh, on the Myanmar border. - The number of new arrivals has increased considerably in part because of a survey carried out on September 6 and 7, when inter-agency teams visited host communities previously left out of calculations. About 75,000 people were identified in previously unvisited communities at nine locations. - There is immediate need for food for the majority of the new arrivals, who do not have, or have finished, their own supplies, and are getting food from host communities or refugees who came across the border last year. - Most of the food being distributed is high-energy biscuits with 47,522 new arrivals getting them. Supplies of rice are scheduled to go out from September 9. - Water is scarce while sanitation and hygiene facilities in all makeshift settlements and refugee camps, especially at Shamlapur and Leda, where the number of fresh arrivals is increasing rapidly, are stretched. Limited space to build new facilities is a chronic problem. - There are serious concerns about malnutrition, especially among children under five and pregnant or lactating women, some of whom are being enrolled in targeted feeding programmes. - Many pregnant women are very hungry, some having not eaten for several days. Seven babies have been born. - There is also a need for safe spaces for women with eight reported cases of gender-based violence, including 2 cases of sexual violence. - As of September 7, a total of 299 unaccompanied asylum-seeking children have been identified and registered since August 25. - An estimated 51,100 children need schooling.

270,000 Rohingya have fled Myanmar in two weeks: UN

<p>Five Rohingya villagers whose distraught relatives say they were shot dead by the Myanmar military were buried&nbsp;Thursday&nbsp;in Bangladesh at a mass funeral attended by hundreds of people after their bodies were carried across the border.</p>

<p>The relatives said the victims had been killed by the Myanmar military&nbsp;on Wednesday, a claim that could not be independently confirmed but tallies with multiple accounts of killings in Rohingya villages.</p>

<p>Their bodies were brought across the Naf river on a boat, landing on a remote stretch where thousands of Rohingya refugees have been streaming into Bangladesh over the last fortnight.</p>

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<h5>They were all killed, an elderly Rohingya woman wept, pointing to a lifeless man covered in plastic sheeting and another corpse wrapped in cloth</h5>
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<p>Sufia Begum, an elderly Rohingya woman aboard, said she had relatives among the dead.</p>

<p>&quot;They were all killed,&quot; she wept, pointing to a lifeless man covered in plastic sheeting and another corpse wrapped in cloth.</p>

<p>They were buried&nbsp;on Thursday&nbsp;in a Muslim graveyard along with a sixth man who died of unknown causes.</p>

<p>One victim, identified by survivors as the imam of their village mosque in Myanmar, had sustained a gunshot wound to the head.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;Five of them had bullet wounds,&quot; Chailau Marma, deputy police chief of Cox&#39;s Bazar, which borders Myanmar, told AFP<em>.</em></p>

<p>&quot;Relatives of the deceased carried the bodies into Bangladesh after they failed to bury them in Myanmar. They all died yesterday.&quot;</p>

<p>Myanmar&#39;s more than one million Rohingya are denied citizenship and face severe restrictions in the majority Buddhist country, which has come under increased criticism over its apartheid-like treatment of the Muslim minority.</p>

<p>UN investigators have said a military crackdown that followed ambushes by Rohingya militants in October last year has unleashed &quot;devastating cruelty&quot; on civilians which may amount to ethnic cleansing.</p>

<p>On Thursday&nbsp;the UN said 164,000 refugees have now crossed into Bangladesh in the last fortnight to escape fighting between militants and Myanmar&#39;s military.</p>

<p>The fighting is the fiercest Myanmar&#39;s western Rakhine state has witnessed in years.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Columns of Rohingya civilians arrived steadily throughout&nbsp;Wednesday&nbsp;from the jungles along the border, carrying infants, chickens and their belongings bundled in sacks.</p>

<p>Long queues formed to cross a collapsed bridge over a marshy river, with elderly civilians with canes and infants being carried across the impasse.</p>

<p>Many have brought allegations of homes being torched and villagers shot and hacked to death by Myanmar troops.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/rohingya-crisis-has-myanmar-planted-landmines-along-its-bangladesh-border-19941" target="_blank">Also read: Rohingya crisis: Has Myanmar planted landmines along its Bangladesh border?</a></p>

<p>Myanmar&#39;s government, led by Nobel peace prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, has rejected allegations of atrocities, accusing the international media, NGOs and the UN of fabrications.</p>

<p>Marium Begum, who crossed by a river into Bangladesh&nbsp;on Wednesday, said soldiers had opened fire as she and her family tried to flee their village.</p>

<p>&quot;They shot over our heads. We submerged ourselves underwater. &nbsp;The children swallowed a lot of water,&quot; she told AFP<em>.</em></p>

<p>&quot;There were many of them. They had long machetes.&quot;</p>

<p>Bangladesh border guards also allowed a Rohingya couple to be buried in Bangladesh after they were shot dead and the wife gang-raped when they went back into Myanmar to retrieve their belongings, commander Manzurul Hasan Khan, told AFP<em>.</em></p>


Five Rohingya villagers whose distraught relatives say they were shot dead by the Myanmar military were buried?Thursday?in Bangladesh

Five Rohingya villagers whose distraught relatives say they were shot dead by the Myanmar military were buried Thursday in Bangladesh at a mass funeral attended by hundreds of people after their bodies were carried across the border. The relatives said the victims had been killed by the Myanmar military on Wednesday, a claim that could not be independently confirmed but tallies with multiple accounts of killings in Rohingya villages. Their bodies were brought across the Naf river on a boat, landing on a remote stretch where thousands of Rohingya refugees have been streaming into Bangladesh over the last fortnight. They were all killed, an elderly Rohingya woman wept, pointing to a lifeless man covered in plastic sheeting and another corpse wrapped in cloth × Sufia Begum, an elderly Rohingya woman aboard, said she had relatives among the dead. "They were all killed," she wept, pointing to a lifeless man covered in plastic sheeting and another corpse wrapped in cloth. They were buried on Thursday in a Muslim graveyard along with a sixth man who died of unknown causes. One victim, identified by survivors as the imam of their village mosque in Myanmar, had sustained a gunshot wound to the head. "Five of them had bullet wounds," Chailau Marma, deputy police chief of Cox's Bazar, which borders Myanmar, told AFP. "Relatives of the deceased carried the bodies into Bangladesh after they failed to bury them in Myanmar. They all died yesterday." Myanmar's more than one million Rohingya are denied citizenship and face severe restrictions in the majority Buddhist country, which has come under increased criticism over its apartheid-like treatment of the Muslim minority. UN investigators have said a military crackdown that followed ambushes by Rohingya militants in October last year has unleashed "devastating cruelty" on civilians which may amount to ethnic cleansing. On Thursday the UN said 164,000 refugees have now crossed into Bangladesh in the last fortnight to escape fighting between militants and Myanmar's military. The fighting is the fiercest Myanmar's western Rakhine state has witnessed in years. Columns of Rohingya civilians arrived steadily throughout Wednesday from the jungles along the border, carrying infants, chickens and their belongings bundled in sacks. Long queues formed to cross a collapsed bridge over a marshy river, with elderly civilians with canes and infants being carried across the impasse. Many have brought allegations of homes being torched and villagers shot and hacked to death by Myanmar troops. Also read: Rohingya crisis: Has Myanmar planted landmines along its Bangladesh border? Myanmar's government, led by Nobel peace prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, has rejected allegations of atrocities, accusing the international media, NGOs and the UN of fabrications. Marium Begum, who crossed by a river into Bangladesh on Wednesday, said soldiers had opened fire as she and her family tried to flee their village. "They shot over our heads. We submerged ourselves underwater. The children swallowed a lot of water," she told AFP. "There were many of them. They had long machetes." Bangladesh border guards also allowed a Rohingya couple to be buried in Bangladesh after they were shot dead and the wife gang-raped when they went back into Myanmar to retrieve their belongings, commander Manzurul Hasan Khan, told AFP.

Bangladesh buries Rohingya shot dead in Myanmar

<p>It is monsoon in Burma now, the clouds gathering over the hills cast a long shadow on&nbsp;the lush green meadows of the Burmese countryside. The same shadow, may be a deeper one, has transported itself onto the face of Tun Khin. Tun is a human rights activist from Arakan State in Burma. He is a Rohingya-Muslim with large number of family members still living in Burma, a country which he fled in 2004, in pursuit of higher education in the UK.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As the Rohingya villages get razed down and UN AID forcibly stopped, it became increasingly hectic for Tun Khin. As the Founder-President of the Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK, he was called upon by every international English channel under the sun for an interview.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Rohingyas in Myanmar are beyond our reach, silenced and confined by a repressive regime. So, WION went exploring the pain, the struggle, the desperation and the grit of the Rohingyas through the words of Tun Khin.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Incidentally, never once in the interview did Tun referred to Burma as Myanmar. &nbsp;&ldquo;Myanmar is the name given by the military&rdquo;, he explained to me. On the other hand, &ldquo;Burma was used by Aung Suun Syu ki. While she was under house arrest, military government changed it &nbsp;to Myanmar.&rdquo; Guessing that the change of name comes with lot of personal and political baggage for Tun, we stick with Burma during the interview.</p>

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<p><strong>Why did you flee from your own country, Mr Khin?</strong></p>

<p>Because of continued persecution, I left. I could not&nbsp;go to a university in Burma.</p>

<p><strong>Why? What stopped you?</strong></p>

<p>In order to go to a university in Burma, one needs a citizenship&nbsp;card. A Rohingya does not have a citizenship card. So, he can&rsquo;t apply to a university.</p>

<p>Even though my grandfather was a parliamentary secretary&nbsp;during the democratic period of 1950 to 1962 but I was not recognised as a citizen because of discriminatory laws, particularly&nbsp;the 1982 Citizenship Act that made Rohingyas stateless in their own country.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p><strong>Do you have family members still in&nbsp;Burma?</strong></p>

<p>Many of my relatives are trapped in Burma. Some of my&nbsp;relatives have been burnt alive. It is a horrific moment in our history we are witnessing.</p>

<p><strong>If you are saying that it is the most&nbsp;horrific moment the Rohingyas are experiencing, how do you explain the silence of Aung </strong><strong>San</strong><strong>&nbsp;Suu Kyi?</strong></p>

<p>I find it really frustrating. She is siding with the military.&nbsp;She won the Nobel Peace Prize, but how can she keep quiet as a human being when so many other human beings are being persecuted.</p>

<p>The Rohingyas supported Aung San Suu Kyi when she was under&nbsp;house arrest. I have personally campaigned for her release in the UK, European Union and in the European Union Human Rights Commission. But, Aung San Suu&nbsp;Kyi is not speaking up for my people. I urge her, as she herself did once, please use your liberty to&nbsp;support ours.</p>

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<h5>I find India&rsquo;s recent decision to brand Rohingyas as &ldquo;terrorist&rdquo;&nbsp;disappointing. Rohingyas are peace loving people. We are not terrorists.</h5>
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<p><strong>Why do you think the military in Myanmar&nbsp;is cracking down so hard on the &nbsp;Rohingyas?</strong></p>

<p>When you look at the Rohingyas, it is a political and&nbsp;a religious persecution we are facing. It is a systematic well-planned move to wipe out the Rohingyas. That is the basic plan of the Burmese military. Rohingya look like Indians, not like other Burmese people. So, they (Burmese military) don&rsquo;t want to see in the&nbsp;country people of South Asian appearance. There is a kind of hatred that I have witnessed.</p>

<p>And, on top of it, there is a political angle. Rohingya&nbsp;are the largest Muslim minority in Myanmar.</p>

<p><strong>Hate crime/genocide/ethnic cleansing&nbsp;- these and many others terms are being used to describe what is happening to the Rohingyas, a Rohingya yourself, how do you see it?</strong></p>

<p>I completely agree that it is a genocide. It is not even&nbsp;ethnic cleansing. Why? Because direct killings are involved in it. Rohingya have been facing decades of persecution. After 1962, when a general came to power they stripped us of ethnic rights and then by the 1982 law of the citizenship rights.They imposed restrictions&nbsp;on movements and marriage (as well as) confiscation of land by the government and military. They started creating popular violence against Rohingyas. Resulting in mass migration to Bangladesh and India.</p>

<p><strong>How come in a free, democratic country&nbsp;a Rohingya can&rsquo;t move about? Will you please explain?</strong></p>

<p>If a Rohingya wants to move from one city of Burma to&nbsp;another, a pass is needed which will take 5-7 days. And, that also he will get after bribing some government official.</p>

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<p>If a Rohingya wants to get married, he has to apply for&nbsp;a permit. It will take like 3 to 5 years. You can&rsquo;t get married without that permission. Only if you provide a big bribe, you can get it in one year. That bribe can range between $500-1000. But Rohingyas have become weak, they don&rsquo;t have much money. Left&nbsp;with no other option, they marry secretly.&nbsp;</p>

<p>There are many Rohingyas who marry secretly. And for marrying secretly, the government&nbsp;can send you to jail for 5-7 years. This has been documented by Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch etc. UN Reporter Mr Quinta has documented how many Rohingyas are languishing in jail for marrying secretly.</p>

<p>After you get the permission, one has to shave the beard,&nbsp;one can&rsquo;t marry according to the norms of Muslim culture. They will interview the girl and certainly the man. It is a lot of humiliation as to how they do.</p>

<p><strong>As a Rohingya yourself, and someone&nbsp;who has been speaking up against atrocities committed against the community, what do you see as the solution to this crisis?</strong></p>

<p>Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia and other countries must stand&nbsp;up for the UN Security council to intervene, to send UN Peacekeeping Force to Burma. If this does not happen soon, there will be no more Rohingyas left in few more days.</p>

<p>I find India&rsquo;s recent decision to brand Rohingyas as &ldquo;terrorist&rdquo;&nbsp;disappointing. Rohingyas are peace loving people. We are not terrorists. Even if there were some attacks from the Rohingyas, it was an act of desperation. Sometimes we don&rsquo;t get water to drink, you have to understand. Burma has become an open prison for&nbsp;us.</p>


"Aung San Suu Kyi is not speaking up for my people. I urge her, as she herself did once, please use your liberty to support ours", says Tun Khin.

It is monsoon in Burma now, the clouds gathering over the hills cast a long shadow on the lush green meadows of the Burmese countryside. The same shadow, may be a deeper one, has transported itself onto the face of Tun Khin. Tun is a human rights activist from Arakan State in Burma. He is a Rohingya-Muslim with large number of family members still living in Burma, a country which he fled in 2004, in pursuit of higher education in the UK. As the Rohingya villages get razed down and UN AID forcibly stopped, it became increasingly hectic for Tun Khin. As the Founder-President of the Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK, he was called upon by every international English channel under the sun for an interview. Rohingyas in Myanmar are beyond our reach, silenced and confined by a repressive regime. So, WION went exploring the pain, the struggle, the desperation and the grit of the Rohingyas through the words of Tun Khin. Incidentally, never once in the interview did Tun referred to Burma as Myanmar. “Myanmar is the name given by the military”, he explained to me. On the other hand, “Burma was used by Aung Suun Syu ki. While she was under house arrest, military government changed it to Myanmar.” Guessing that the change of name comes with lot of personal and political baggage for Tun, we stick with Burma during the interview. Even though my grandfather was a parliamentary secretary during the democratic period of 1950 to 1962 but I was not recognised as a citizen because of discriminatory laws, particularly the 1982 Citizenship Act that made Rohingyas stateless in their own country. × Why did you flee from your own country, Mr Khin? Because of continued persecution, I left. I could not go to a university in Burma. Why? What stopped you? In order to go to a university in Burma, one needs a citizenship card. A Rohingya does not have a citizenship card. So, he can’t apply to a university. Even though my grandfather was a parliamentary secretary during the democratic period of 1950 to 1962 but I was not recognised as a citizen because of discriminatory laws, particularly the 1982 Citizenship Act that made Rohingyas stateless in their own country. A Rohingya family begging for life and home. (Zee News Network) × Do you have family members still in Burma? Many of my relatives are trapped in Burma. Some of my relatives have been burnt alive. It is a horrific moment in our history we are witnessing. If you are saying that it is the most horrific moment the Rohingyas are experiencing, how do you explain the silence of Aung San Suu Kyi? I find it really frustrating. She is siding with the military. She won the Nobel Peace Prize, but how can she keep quiet as a human being when so many other human beings are being persecuted. The Rohingyas supported Aung San Suu Kyi when she was under house arrest. I have personally campaigned for her release in the UK, European Union and in the European Union Human Rights Commission. But, Aung San Suu Kyi is not speaking up for my people. I urge her, as she herself did once, please use your liberty to support ours. I find India’s recent decision to brand Rohingyas as “terrorist” disappointing. Rohingyas are peace loving people. We are not terrorists. × Why do you think the military in Myanmar is cracking down so hard on the Rohingyas? When you look at the Rohingyas, it is a political and a religious persecution we are facing. It is a systematic well-planned move to wipe out the Rohingyas. That is the basic plan of the Burmese military. Rohingya look like Indians, not like other Burmese people. So, they (Burmese military) don’t want to see in the country people of South Asian appearance. There is a kind of hatred that I have witnessed. And, on top of it, there is a political angle. Rohingya are the largest Muslim minority in Myanmar. Hate crime/genocide/ethnic cleansing - these and many others terms are being used to describe what is happening to the Rohingyas, a Rohingya yourself, how do you see it? I completely agree that it is a genocide. It is not even ethnic cleansing. Why? Because direct killings are involved in it. Rohingya have been facing decades of persecution. After 1962, when a general came to power they stripped us of ethnic rights and then by the 1982 law of the citizenship rights.They imposed restrictions on movements and marriage (as well as) confiscation of land by the government and military. They started creating popular violence against Rohingyas. Resulting in mass migration to Bangladesh and India. How come in a free, democratic country a Rohingya can’t move about? Will you please explain? If a Rohingya wants to move from one city of Burma to another, a pass is needed which will take 5-7 days. And, that also he will get after bribing some government official. If a Rohingya wants to get married, he has to apply for a permit. It will take like 3 to 5 years. × If a Rohingya wants to get married, he has to apply for a permit. It will take like 3 to 5 years. You can’t get married without that permission. Only if you provide a big bribe, you can get it in one year. That bribe can range between $500-1000. But Rohingyas have become weak, they don’t have much money. Left with no other option, they marry secretly. There are many Rohingyas who marry secretly. And for marrying secretly, the government can send you to jail for 5-7 years. This has been documented by Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch etc. UN Reporter Mr Quinta has documented how many Rohingyas are languishing in jail for marrying secretly. After you get the permission, one has to shave the beard, one can’t marry according to the norms of Muslim culture. They will interview the girl and certainly the man. It is a lot of humiliation as to how they do. As a Rohingya yourself, and someone who has been speaking up against atrocities committed against the community, what do you see as the solution to this crisis? Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia and other countries must stand up for the UN Security council to intervene, to send UN Peacekeeping Force to Burma. If this does not happen soon, there will be no more Rohingyas left in few more days. I find India’s recent decision to brand Rohingyas as “terrorist” disappointing. Rohingyas are peace loving people. We are not terrorists. Even if there were some attacks from the Rohingyas, it was an act of desperation. Sometimes we don’t get water to drink, you have to understand. Burma has become an open prison for us.

"I am a Rohingya. And Rohingyas are not terrorist": Rohingya activist Tun Khin speaks to WION

<p><strong>Rohingyas of no man&#39;s land -- Who are they?</strong></p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/indonesian-minister-to-meet-suu-kyi-amid-protests-over-rohingya-19834">Rohingyas are frequently described as the world&#39;s</a> most persecuted social minority group. For centuries, the marginalised Muslim group have been living&nbsp;in Rakhine state in&nbsp;Buddhist dominated Myanmar.</p>

<p>As much as 90% of Myanmar&#39;s population follow Buddhism. <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/rohingyas-fleeing-violence-in-myanmar-turned-back-by-bangladesh-9442">Rohingyas are not recognised as citizens</a> and are considered illegal migrants. The South Asian country has 135 official ethnic groups and Rohingyas are not one of them.</p>

<p>Roughly 1.1 million Rohingya Muslims live in the country at the moment. They have been denied citizenship since 1982, leaving them stateless. The group is confined to the western coastal state of Rakhine and are not allowed to leave without the government&#39;s permission. The area does not have basic amenities and is, therefore, the poorest state of the country.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Due to the ongoing disturbance, several thousands of Rohingyas have fled to neighbouring Bangladesh.</p>

<p><strong>Where do they belong?</strong></p>

<p>According to historians, Rohingyas have roots in Myanmar since the 12th century. Historians say&nbsp;Rakhine state has been inhabited by them since time immemorial.</p>

<p>During the times when British had colonised a major region of South Asia, several Muslims migrated from India and Bangladesh to Myanmar. Since Myanmar was considered a province of India under the British rule, the migration was considered legal and internal.</p>

<p>They were brought into British Burma as cheap labour. However, the locals and natives were not happy about this and when Myanmar&nbsp;got independence, they declared the Muslim groups as illegal.</p>

<p>The term Rohingya is rejected by the government and is called a recent invention for political reasons. Rohingyas are considered newcomers and outcast by the majority in the country.</p>

<p>However, after independence, the government allowed Rohingya families living in Myanmar for at least two generations to apply for ID cards or citizenship. Some from the group were also serving in&nbsp;Parliament.</p>

<p>Things changed for them after the 1962 military coup - they were given foreign ID cards - thereby limiting educational and employment opportunities.</p>

<p>In 1982, the new citizenship law declared them stateless. The only way for them to obtain naturalised citizenship was to provide proof of their family living in Myanmar prior to 1948 and speak any of the national languages fluently.</p>

<p>Otherwise, the 1.6 per cent of the country&#39;s population was denied work, study, religious, health, voting and marital rights.</p>

<p><strong>The ongoing crisis</strong></p>

<p>In late August, in an act of protest, Rohingya insurgents attacked the country&#39;s army base and police posts. The military, in return, started firing. Unarmed and innocent people were shot by the government.</p>

<p>At least 10 areas of Rakhine state have been affected. As a result, more than 50,000 people have fled and thousands are still trapped in borders of Bangladesh and Myanmar.</p>

<p>Bangladesh has refused to let more Rohingyas enter.</p>

<p>The Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army is a group formed to &quot;defend, salvage and protect the community&quot;.</p>

<p>However, it is considered a &quot;terrorist&quot; organisation by the government. The group claims responsibility for the attack in August. &nbsp;According to the government, nearly 400 people were killed, the majority of whom were members of the ARSA. Rights groups, however, say hundreds of civilians have been killed by security forces. &nbsp;</p>

<p>This is termed as the biggest humanitarian crisis by the United Nations.</p>

<p><br />
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<p>&nbsp;</p>


Stuck in no man's land, the most persecuted social group strives for identity

Rohingyas of no man's land -- Who are they? Rohingyas are frequently described as the world's most persecuted social minority group. For centuries, the marginalised Muslim group have been living in Rakhine state in Buddhist dominated Myanmar. As much as 90% of Myanmar's population follow Buddhism. Rohingyas are not recognised as citizens and are considered illegal migrants. The South Asian country has 135 official ethnic groups and Rohingyas are not one of them. Roughly 1.1 million Rohingya Muslims live in the country at the moment. They have been denied citizenship since 1982, leaving them stateless. The group is confined to the western coastal state of Rakhine and are not allowed to leave without the government's permission. The area does not have basic amenities and is, therefore, the poorest state of the country. Due to the ongoing disturbance, several thousands of Rohingyas have fled to neighbouring Bangladesh. Where do they belong? According to historians, Rohingyas have roots in Myanmar since the 12th century. Historians say Rakhine state has been inhabited by them since time immemorial. During the times when British had colonised a major region of South Asia, several Muslims migrated from India and Bangladesh to Myanmar. Since Myanmar was considered a province of India under the British rule, the migration was considered legal and internal. They were brought into British Burma as cheap labour. However, the locals and natives were not happy about this and when Myanmar got independence, they declared the Muslim groups as illegal. The term Rohingya is rejected by the government and is called a recent invention for political reasons. Rohingyas are considered newcomers and outcast by the majority in the country. However, after independence, the government allowed Rohingya families living in Myanmar for at least two generations to apply for ID cards or citizenship. Some from the group were also serving in Parliament. Things changed for them after the 1962 military coup - they were given foreign ID cards - thereby limiting educational and employment opportunities. In 1982, the new citizenship law declared them stateless. The only way for them to obtain naturalised citizenship was to provide proof of their family living in Myanmar prior to 1948 and speak any of the national languages fluently. Otherwise, the 1.6 per cent of the country's population was denied work, study, religious, health, voting and marital rights. The ongoing crisis In late August, in an act of protest, Rohingya insurgents attacked the country's army base and police posts. The military, in return, started firing. Unarmed and innocent people were shot by the government. At least 10 areas of Rakhine state have been affected. As a result, more than 50,000 people have fled and thousands are still trapped in borders of Bangladesh and Myanmar. Bangladesh has refused to let more Rohingyas enter. The Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army is a group formed to "defend, salvage and protect the community". However, it is considered a "terrorist" organisation by the government. The group claims responsibility for the attack in August. According to the government, nearly 400 people were killed, the majority of whom were members of the ARSA. Rights groups, however, say hundreds of civilians have been killed by security forces. This is termed as the biggest humanitarian crisis by the United Nations.

All you need to know about Rohingyas and the ongoing crisis

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/indonesian-minister-to-meet-suu-kyi-amid-protests-over-rohingya-19834">Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi is under pressure </a>from several countries including Bangladesh, Indonesia&nbsp;and Pakistan to ensure the safety of&nbsp;Rohingya Muslims who have fled the country in large numbers.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/brics-summit-day-2-pm-modi-president-xi-set-to-meet-today-19868">Prime Minister Modi who is on his way to Myanmar after attending</a> the BRICS summit in China is due to meet top officials, including Suu Kyi.</p>

<p>&quot;PM Modi is going there and our foreign secretary has already briefed the foreign secretary of India on this. If international conscience is awakened then that would put pressure on Myanmar,&quot; said H.T. Imam told Reuters.</p>

<p>On Monday, Indonesia&#39;s foreign minister met Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi and army chief Min Aung Hlaing to discuss means of delivering humanitarian aid to members of Myanmar&#39;s Rohingya community&nbsp;and appeal to the two leaders to stop the violence against&nbsp;Rohingyas &nbsp;even as Indonesians protested outside the Myanmar embassy in Jakarta.</p>

<p>Experts feel Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi is not doing enough to stop the violence against the Rohingya community.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;The security authorities need to immediately stop all forms of violence there and provide humanitarian assistance and development aid for the short and long term,&quot; Retno said after her meetings in the Myanmar capital.</p>

<p>&quot;Indonesia is taking the lead on this and ultimately there is a possibility of ASEAN countries joining in,&quot; H.T. Imam, political adviser to Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, told Reuters.</p>

<p>&quot;If we can keep the pressure on Myanmar from ASEAN, from India as well, that will be good,&quot; he added, hinting at Modi&#39;s impending visit to the country.</p>

<p>According to the UN, at least 123,600 Rohingya Muslims have fled to Bangladesh straining the country&#39;s economy.</p>

<p>The latest violence erupted in Myanmar&#39;s northwestern Rakhine state a fortnight ago when Rohingya insurgents attacked police posts and an army base. The ensuing clashes and a military offensive led to the death of at least 400 people, Reuters reported.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The attack led to the Rohingya exodus to Bangladesh.</p>


PM Modi who is on his way to Myanmar after attending the BRICS summit in China is due to meet top officials, including Suu Kyi.

Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi is under pressure from several countries including Bangladesh, Indonesia and Pakistan to ensure the safety of Rohingya Muslims who have fled the country in large numbers. Prime Minister Modi who is on his way to Myanmar after attending the BRICS summit in China is due to meet top officials, including Suu Kyi. "PM Modi is going there and our foreign secretary has already briefed the foreign secretary of India on this. If international conscience is awakened then that would put pressure on Myanmar," said H.T. Imam told Reuters. On Monday, Indonesia's foreign minister met Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi and army chief Min Aung Hlaing to discuss means of delivering humanitarian aid to members of Myanmar's Rohingya community and appeal to the two leaders to stop the violence against Rohingyas even as Indonesians protested outside the Myanmar embassy in Jakarta. Experts feel Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi is not doing enough to stop the violence against the Rohingya community. "The security authorities need to immediately stop all forms of violence there and provide humanitarian assistance and development aid for the short and long term," Retno said after her meetings in the Myanmar capital. "Indonesia is taking the lead on this and ultimately there is a possibility of ASEAN countries joining in," H.T. Imam, political adviser to Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, told Reuters. "If we can keep the pressure on Myanmar from ASEAN, from India as well, that will be good," he added, hinting at Modi's impending visit to the country. According to the UN, at least 123,600 Rohingya Muslims have fled to Bangladesh straining the country's economy. The latest violence erupted in Myanmar's northwestern Rakhine state a fortnight ago when Rohingya insurgents attacked police posts and an army base. The ensuing clashes and a military offensive led to the death of at least 400 people, Reuters reported. The attack led to the Rohingya exodus to Bangladesh.

As Modi visits, Aung San Suu Kyi under pressure to end Myanmar's Rohingya crisis

<p>Invoking history in the everyday politics of a post-colonial state is an insane thing to do. On almost every occasion it is done, the objective is to create or expand fissures among communities for mean gains. Manipulators interpret history partially or irrationally.&nbsp;It&rsquo;s an absurd thing to live in the past, ignoring the realities and the established universal values of today. Unfortunately, all these negatives are being manifested in present day&rsquo;s Myanmar and especially in its western Rakhine State, which is also known as Arakan, in the form of an utterly irrational citizenship rule created by 1960s military dictator.</p>

<p>The Myanmar citizenship rule is in complete contrast with all international norms and conventions of the citizenship. And this citizenship rule makes an unprecedented cut off line that needs to date back to the 19th century as the criterion for citizenship, turning most Rohingya ethnic people of Rakhine State illegal immigrant.&nbsp;</p>

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<h5>The Myanmar citizenship rule is in complete contrast with all international norms and conventions of the citizenship.</h5>
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<p>Now, Rohingyas are fleeing Arakan again like the seventies. Already about half of their close to 3 million population are refugees in Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Thailand, Malaysia, India and Indonesia from the past exodus. The poor civilians of this highly persecuted and discriminated community are again on the run following the crack down on them by the Myanmar army. Accused of indulging in acts of political militancy by some elements of this desperate community, the usual Myanmar over reaction is brutal and cruel.</p>

<p>However, to understand the context of the crisis, it is imperative to revisit a bit of history and geography. Arakan rather has more geographical contiguity with Chittagong of Bangladesh in the north than the Bamar (the dominant ethnic group in Myanmar who constitute about 66 per cent&nbsp;of the country&rsquo;s population)&nbsp;hinterland in southern and central Myanmar. Rakhine State is a coastal province, elongated like a tail from north to south. The state is separated from rest of Myanmar by Arakan Mountains located on the east of the state. The mountains also run parallel from north to south to the coastal plains of the state.</p>

<p>There are two major ethnic groups living in Arakan. One is the Rakhine, after whom the state is named, and the other is the Rohingya. The Rakhine are culturally and linguistically close to the Bamar and Rohingya to the Bengali. Racially also, these two ethnicities are different. Rakhines are Mongoloid, Rohingyas are Caucasoid &ndash; Austro Asiatic mixed like most people of the eastern part of Indian sub- continent.</p>

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<h5>Separatist armed movements were waged by the Rohingyas in northern Arakan in the 1950s and 1960s which Burmese army quelled with brute force.</h5>
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<p>Historically, both the people lived and&nbsp;moved freely around this Chittagong-Arakan coastal plains and adjacent hills. There are about 200000 Rakhines too in the Chittagong Hill District of Bandarban and some in the southern Bangladeshi district of Patuakhali. Rakhines are also known as Mogh or Marma in Bangladesh. For the most part of the history, there were independent Mogh/ Rakhine kingdoms in Arakan which sometimes expanded up to Chittagong. There were early Bengali/ Rohingya courtiers and royal poets in Arakan courts. In the 18th century, forces of Bamar kingdoms crossed Arakan mountains, invaded and annexed Arakan. But it didn&rsquo;t last long as within a few decades the British gained Arakan and later the entire Burma and kept Arakan annexed to its Burmese dominion.</p>

<p>During British period there was a wave of Bengalis moving into Arakan for work, and under British patronage, they merged with old Rohingyas.&nbsp;In the World War II, the Rohingyas sided with the British whereas the Rakhines generally sided with the Japanese. Around the time of independence of Burma, there were communal tensions and riots between Rohingyas and Rakhines. Rohingyas wanted the Muslim majority of northern Arakan which had the border with Chittagong to merge with East Pakistan. Separatist armed movements were waged by the Rohingyas in northern Arakan in the 1950s and 1960s which Burmese army quelled with brute force. The same happened in the 1970s which met the same fate. The armed movement found resurgence since the 1990s and some elements are still continuing that.</p>

<p>Interestingly, there were separatist movements&nbsp;from the Rakhine side also against the Burmese. At least two groups operated in the 1960s and 1970s and some remnants still exist although at the marginal level. Burma or the present Myanmar is ethnically quite diverse a country. There are several dozens of ethnic groups other than the dominant Bamars. Some of these ethnicities are sizable and they form a majority in their own areas e.g. Kachin, Karen Shan etc. A long military rule, hegemony of the Bamar community and lack of channels for political expressions have led to the&nbsp;number of armed separatist movements in Myanmar many of which still persists. &nbsp;</p>

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<h5>A long military rule, hegemony of the Bamar community and lack of channels for political expressions have led to the&nbsp;number of armed separatist movements in Myanmar.</h5>
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<p>For the most part of its post-colonial history, Myanmar leadership has been self-secluded, secretive and regressive. Like the Pakistani army, Myanmar army captured the polity of the country right after its independence and continued to be at the helm till date. They haven&rsquo;t allowed much modern liberals thoughts of rights, democracy or institutions to enter their domain of imposed nominal socialism. Inside, they kept the Burmese society orthodox,&nbsp;stagnant and economically under developed.</p>

<p>The Buddhist monks of Myanmar, like their Sri Lankan counter parts, espouse a kind of religious nationalism. They are quite aggressive and violence-inciting and receives patronage from Myanmar army and political forces. It&rsquo;s a huge irony in light of fundamental non-violent tenets of Buddhism. The difference between Myanmar and other nations of south Asia is quite stark. Myanmar expelled its sizable Indian population right after its independence. It also had anti-Muslim turned anti-South Asian riots in the central part of it in recent past.</p>

<p>Aung San Suu Kyi, after decades of struggle, has only attained a limited political power. And despite the criticism of her in the Rohingya episode for remaining silent, it has to be understood that Suu Kyi&#39;s hands are actually tied. The Myanmar army has clearly taken the side of the Rakhine, who are ethnically and communally close to the Bamars, and they won&rsquo;t allow Suu Kyi much leeway in this. However, Suu Khi should at least have taken a middle stand and put some indirect pressure on the military. Then the international community could have done more.</p>

<p>The Rohingyas are politically quite disorganised and the high degree of persecution has suppressed their natural political expressions. Due to this oppression, some Islamist militants have found their way into this community. And that, in turn, has become more of a reason for the Myanmar army to conduct heavy handed crack down at the cost of high civilian causality.</p>

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<h5>Despite the criticism of her in the Rohingya episode for remaining silent, it has to be understood that Suu Kyi&#39;s hands are actually tied.</h5>
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<p>Geopolitically, it seems no country is interested to do much for the Rohingyas as yet. Bangladesh doesn&#39;t have enough strength to do much on its own- be it diplomatic or military.&nbsp;Bangladesh has close relations with China, but China has even closer relations with Myanmar. Despite the overt bonhomie with Hasina government, the BJP government&nbsp;in India has hardly any empathy towards Muslim sufferings anywhere in the world. Nehruvian principle based foreign policy is a thing of past for India.</p>

<p>The foreign policy is now narrow nationalistic interest based and the current Indian government&nbsp;will easily sacrifice Rohingyas for a little strategic leverage with Myanmar. The Indian government has already declared that it will deport the 40 thousand Rohingyas from neighbouring Myanmar, about 0.33 or one-thirtieths of the entire Rohingya refugee and that too against its own home ministry policy of giving shelter to persecuted communities and defying UNHCR measures.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Apart from Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have taken in sizable numbers of Rohingya refugees and Turkey is quite vocal against Myanmar atrocities against Rohingyas. But the Islamic world itself is in chaos and Islamic solidarity is in decline.&nbsp;Trump&rsquo;s US is no more reliable for anything good and many will probably count only on the EU and UK in the west on this matter. UN has been the lone consistent international voice for these distressed people. ASEAN countries certainly have some influence on Myanmar although not as much as China.</p>

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<h5>Bengalis are culturally close to the Rohingyas, and there is internal pressure on Bangladesh government to do something, but the government&nbsp;as of now has been careful not to antagonise Myanmar despite the atrocities and tried to solve the matter bilaterally with very limited success.&nbsp;</h5>
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<p>Bangladesh is in a difficult dilemma at this point. Bengalis are culturally close to the Rohingyas, and there is internal pressure on Bangladesh government to do something, but the government&nbsp;as of now has been careful not to antagonise Myanmar despite the atrocities and tried to solve the matter bilaterally with very limited success.&nbsp;It seems now that only a Bangladesh, Turkey, Saudi Arabia led diplomatic drive including measures like sanctions on Myanmar, if necessary, and with help from ASEAN countries like Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia and perhaps the EU and UN is the only way forward. Bangladesh has to be careful while taking the help of the Islamic world in not giving in to any demand of Islamic radicals to operate in Arakan from its soil. That can have serious ramifications for Bangladesh, Arakan and even the entire sub-region.</p>

<p>But the big question is to what extent these countries will be ready to coordinate with each other and invest in this crisis? Can China be pressurised substantially to put pressure on Myanmar in turn? As of now, it appears that there isn&rsquo;t&nbsp;much hope for the destitute and internationally abandoned Rohingyas - the most persecuted community in the world as declared by the UN. Humanity continues to be humiliated in that wretched land.</p>


There isn?t?much hope for the destitute and internationally abandoned Rohingyas - the most persecuted community in the world as declared by the UN.

Invoking history in the everyday politics of a post-colonial state is an insane thing to do. On almost every occasion it is done, the objective is to create or expand fissures among communities for mean gains. Manipulators interpret history partially or irrationally. It’s an absurd thing to live in the past, ignoring the realities and the established universal values of today. Unfortunately, all these negatives are being manifested in present day’s Myanmar and especially in its western Rakhine State, which is also known as Arakan, in the form of an utterly irrational citizenship rule created by 1960s military dictator. The Myanmar citizenship rule is in complete contrast with all international norms and conventions of the citizenship. And this citizenship rule makes an unprecedented cut off line that needs to date back to the 19th century as the criterion for citizenship, turning most Rohingya ethnic people of Rakhine State illegal immigrant. The Myanmar citizenship rule is in complete contrast with all international norms and conventions of the citizenship. × Now, Rohingyas are fleeing Arakan again like the seventies. Already about half of their close to 3 million population are refugees in Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Thailand, Malaysia, India and Indonesia from the past exodus. The poor civilians of this highly persecuted and discriminated community are again on the run following the crack down on them by the Myanmar army. Accused of indulging in acts of political militancy by some elements of this desperate community, the usual Myanmar over reaction is brutal and cruel. However, to understand the context of the crisis, it is imperative to revisit a bit of history and geography. Arakan rather has more geographical contiguity with Chittagong of Bangladesh in the north than the Bamar (the dominant ethnic group in Myanmar who constitute about 66 per cent of the country’s population) hinterland in southern and central Myanmar. Rakhine State is a coastal province, elongated like a tail from north to south. The state is separated from rest of Myanmar by Arakan Mountains located on the east of the state. The mountains also run parallel from north to south to the coastal plains of the state. There are two major ethnic groups living in Arakan. One is the Rakhine, after whom the state is named, and the other is the Rohingya. The Rakhine are culturally and linguistically close to the Bamar and Rohingya to the Bengali. Racially also, these two ethnicities are different. Rakhines are Mongoloid, Rohingyas are Caucasoid – Austro Asiatic mixed like most people of the eastern part of Indian sub- continent. Separatist armed movements were waged by the Rohingyas in northern Arakan in the 1950s and 1960s which Burmese army quelled with brute force. × Historically, both the people lived and moved freely around this Chittagong-Arakan coastal plains and adjacent hills. There are about 200000 Rakhines too in the Chittagong Hill District of Bandarban and some in the southern Bangladeshi district of Patuakhali. Rakhines are also known as Mogh or Marma in Bangladesh. For the most part of the history, there were independent Mogh/ Rakhine kingdoms in Arakan which sometimes expanded up to Chittagong. There were early Bengali/ Rohingya courtiers and royal poets in Arakan courts. In the 18th century, forces of Bamar kingdoms crossed Arakan mountains, invaded and annexed Arakan. But it didn’t last long as within a few decades the British gained Arakan and later the entire Burma and kept Arakan annexed to its Burmese dominion. During British period there was a wave of Bengalis moving into Arakan for work, and under British patronage, they merged with old Rohingyas. In the World War II, the Rohingyas sided with the British whereas the Rakhines generally sided with the Japanese. Around the time of independence of Burma, there were communal tensions and riots between Rohingyas and Rakhines. Rohingyas wanted the Muslim majority of northern Arakan which had the border with Chittagong to merge with East Pakistan. Separatist armed movements were waged by the Rohingyas in northern Arakan in the 1950s and 1960s which Burmese army quelled with brute force. The same happened in the 1970s which met the same fate. The armed movement found resurgence since the 1990s and some elements are still continuing that. Interestingly, there were separatist movements from the Rakhine side also against the Burmese. At least two groups operated in the 1960s and 1970s and some remnants still exist although at the marginal level. Burma or the present Myanmar is ethnically quite diverse a country. There are several dozens of ethnic groups other than the dominant Bamars. Some of these ethnicities are sizable and they form a majority in their own areas e.g. Kachin, Karen Shan etc. A long military rule, hegemony of the Bamar community and lack of channels for political expressions have led to the number of armed separatist movements in Myanmar many of which still persists. A long military rule, hegemony of the Bamar community and lack of channels for political expressions have led to the number of armed separatist movements in Myanmar. × For the most part of its post-colonial history, Myanmar leadership has been self-secluded, secretive and regressive. Like the Pakistani army, Myanmar army captured the polity of the country right after its independence and continued to be at the helm till date. They haven’t allowed much modern liberals thoughts of rights, democracy or institutions to enter their domain of imposed nominal socialism. Inside, they kept the Burmese society orthodox, stagnant and economically under developed. The Buddhist monks of Myanmar, like their Sri Lankan counter parts, espouse a kind of religious nationalism. They are quite aggressive and violence-inciting and receives patronage from Myanmar army and political forces. It’s a huge irony in light of fundamental non-violent tenets of Buddhism. The difference between Myanmar and other nations of south Asia is quite stark. Myanmar expelled its sizable Indian population right after its independence. It also had anti-Muslim turned anti-South Asian riots in the central part of it in recent past. Aung San Suu Kyi, after decades of struggle, has only attained a limited political power. And despite the criticism of her in the Rohingya episode for remaining silent, it has to be understood that Suu Kyi's hands are actually tied. The Myanmar army has clearly taken the side of the Rakhine, who are ethnically and communally close to the Bamars, and they won’t allow Suu Kyi much leeway in this. However, Suu Khi should at least have taken a middle stand and put some indirect pressure on the military. Then the international community could have done more. The Rohingyas are politically quite disorganised and the high degree of persecution has suppressed their natural political expressions. Due to this oppression, some Islamist militants have found their way into this community. And that, in turn, has become more of a reason for the Myanmar army to conduct heavy handed crack down at the cost of high civilian causality. Despite the criticism of her in the Rohingya episode for remaining silent, it has to be understood that Suu Kyi's hands are actually tied. × Geopolitically, it seems no country is interested to do much for the Rohingyas as yet. Bangladesh doesn't have enough strength to do much on its own- be it diplomatic or military. Bangladesh has close relations with China, but China has even closer relations with Myanmar. Despite the overt bonhomie with Hasina government, the BJP government in India has hardly any empathy towards Muslim sufferings anywhere in the world. Nehruvian principle based foreign policy is a thing of past for India. The foreign policy is now narrow nationalistic interest based and the current Indian government will easily sacrifice Rohingyas for a little strategic leverage with Myanmar. The Indian government has already declared that it will deport the 40 thousand Rohingyas from neighbouring Myanmar, about 0.33 or one-thirtieths of the entire Rohingya refugee and that too against its own home ministry policy of giving shelter to persecuted communities and defying UNHCR measures. Apart from Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have taken in sizable numbers of Rohingya refugees and Turkey is quite vocal against Myanmar atrocities against Rohingyas. But the Islamic world itself is in chaos and Islamic solidarity is in decline. Trump’s US is no more reliable for anything good and many will probably count only on the EU and UK in the west on this matter. UN has been the lone consistent international voice for these distressed people. ASEAN countries certainly have some influence on Myanmar although not as much as China. Bengalis are culturally close to the Rohingyas, and there is internal pressure on Bangladesh government to do something, but the government as of now has been careful not to antagonise Myanmar despite the atrocities and tried to solve the matter bilaterally with very limited success. × Bangladesh is in a difficult dilemma at this point. Bengalis are culturally close to the Rohingyas, and there is internal pressure on Bangladesh government to do something, but the government as of now has been careful not to antagonise Myanmar despite the atrocities and tried to solve the matter bilaterally with very limited success. It seems now that only a Bangladesh, Turkey, Saudi Arabia led diplomatic drive including measures like sanctions on Myanmar, if necessary, and with help from ASEAN countries like Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia and perhaps the EU and UN is the only way forward. Bangladesh has to be careful while taking the help of the Islamic world in not giving in to any demand of Islamic radicals to operate in Arakan from its soil. That can have serious ramifications for Bangladesh, Arakan and even the entire sub-region. But the big question is to what extent these countries will be ready to coordinate with each other and invest in this crisis? Can China be pressurised substantially to put pressure on Myanmar in turn? As of now, it appears that there isn’t much hope for the destitute and internationally abandoned Rohingyas - the most persecuted community in the world as declared by the UN. Humanity continues to be humiliated in that wretched land.

No country for a Rohingya

<p>Aung San Suu Kyi&nbsp;has denied the ethnic cleansing of Myanmar&#39;s Muslim minority, speaking to the BBC after the UN rights council agreed to investigate allegations against the army.</p>

<p>&quot;I don&#39;t think there is ethnic cleansing going on.&nbsp;I think ethnic cleansing is too strong an expression to use for what is happening,&quot;&nbsp;Suu&nbsp;Kyi&nbsp;said in the interview televised on Wednesday.</p>

<p>Her one-year-old government has faced international condemnation for the treatment of the&nbsp;country&#39;s Rohingya Muslims, who are regarded as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, prompting the UN rights council to agree last month to launch an investigation into violations against the minority.</p>

<p>The Geneva-based body&#39;s fact-finding mission will examine allegations of torture, murder and rape allegedly committed by troops.</p>

<p>Suu&nbsp;Kyi&nbsp;told the BBC there was &quot;a lot of hostility&quot; in the western state of Rakhine, where more than one million Rohingya live.</p>

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<h5>Rohingya who have fled Myanmar have told UN rights office that soldiers executed babies in front of their mothers, as part of a campaign to terrorise the Muslim minority</h5>
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<p>&quot;It is Muslims&nbsp;killing Muslims, as well, if they think they are collaborating with authorities.</p>

<p>&quot;It is not just a matter of ethnic cleansing.&nbsp;It is a matter of people on different sides of a divide, and this divide we are trying to close up. As best as possible and not to widen it further,&quot; she said.</p>

<p>Myanmar has launched its own domestic probe into possible crimes in Rahkine and appointed former UN chief Kofi Annan to head a commission tasked with healing long-simmering divisions between Buddhists and Muslims.</p>

<p>Suu&nbsp;Kyi&nbsp;said the army was &quot;not free to rape, pillage and torture&quot;.</p>

<p>&quot;They are free to go in and fight.&nbsp;And of course, that is in the constitution... Military matters are to be left to the army,&quot; she said, adding that she aimed to amend the constitution.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Almost 75,000 people from the persecuted minority have escaped to Bangladesh after the military launched operations in the north of Rakhine state to find Rohingya militants who raided police border posts in October.</p>

<p>Rohingya who have fled have told UN rights office that soldiers executed babies in front of their mothers, as part of a campaign to terrorise the Muslim minority.</p>

<p>(AFP)</p>


'I think ethnic cleansing is too strong an expression to use for what is happening,' she told the BBC

Aung San Suu Kyi has denied the ethnic cleansing of Myanmar's Muslim minority, speaking to the BBC after the UN rights council agreed to investigate allegations against the army. "I don't think there is ethnic cleansing going on. I think ethnic cleansing is too strong an expression to use for what is happening," Suu Kyi said in the interview televised on Wednesday. Her one-year-old government has faced international condemnation for the treatment of the country's Rohingya Muslims, who are regarded as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, prompting the UN rights council to agree last month to launch an investigation into violations against the minority. The Geneva-based body's fact-finding mission will examine allegations of torture, murder and rape allegedly committed by troops. Suu Kyi told the BBC there was "a lot of hostility" in the western state of Rakhine, where more than one million Rohingya live. Rohingya who have fled Myanmar have told UN rights office that soldiers executed babies in front of their mothers, as part of a campaign to terrorise the Muslim minority × "It is Muslims killing Muslims, as well, if they think they are collaborating with authorities. "It is not just a matter of ethnic cleansing. It is a matter of people on different sides of a divide, and this divide we are trying to close up. As best as possible and not to widen it further," she said. Myanmar has launched its own domestic probe into possible crimes in Rahkine and appointed former UN chief Kofi Annan to head a commission tasked with healing long-simmering divisions between Buddhists and Muslims. Suu Kyi said the army was "not free to rape, pillage and torture". "They are free to go in and fight. And of course, that is in the constitution... Military matters are to be left to the army," she said, adding that she aimed to amend the constitution. Almost 75,000 people from the persecuted minority have escaped to Bangladesh after the military launched operations in the north of Rakhine state to find Rohingya militants who raided police border posts in October. Rohingya who have fled have told UN rights office that soldiers executed babies in front of their mothers, as part of a campaign to terrorise the Muslim minority. (AFP)

Suu Kyi denies ethnic cleansing of Myanmar's Rohingya Muslims

<p>Myanmar&#39;s military has ended&nbsp;a &quot;clearance operation&quot; in the country&#39;s troubled Rakhine State, government officials said, ending a four-month sweep that the United Nations said may amount to crimes against humanity and possibly ethnic cleansing.</p>

<p>The security operation had been under way since nine policemen were killed in attacks on security posts near the Bangladesh border on October 9. Almost 69,000 Rohingyas have since fled from Myanmar to Bangladesh, according to UN&nbsp;estimates.</p>

<p>The violence has renewed international criticism that Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi has done too little to help members of the Muslim minority. The government led by Nobel laureate Suu Kyi has denied almost all allegations of human rights abuses in Rakhine, including mass killings and gang rapes of Rohingya Muslims, and said the operation was a lawful counterinsurgency campaign.</p>

<p>&quot;The situation in northern Rakhine has now stabilised. The clearance operations undertaken by the military have ceased, the curfew has been eased and there remains only a police presence to maintain the peace,&quot; newly-appointed national security advisor Thaung Tun was quoted as saying in a statement released by State Counselor&#39;s Office late on Wednesday.</p>

<p>&quot;There can be no excuse for excessive force, for abuses of fundamental human rights and basic criminality. We have shown that we are ready to act where there is clear evidence of abuses,&quot; he told a group of diplomats and UN&nbsp;representatives in a meeting, according to the statement.</p>

<p>Two senior officials from Myanmar&#39;s President Office and the Ministry of Information confirmed that the army operation in northern Rakhine had ended but said the military force remained in the region to maintain &quot;peace and security&quot;.</p>

<p>Myanmar military did not immediately respond to requests for comments.</p>

<p>The military and police have separately set up a team to investigate alleged crimes after Suu Kyi promised to probe UN&nbsp;allegations of atrocities against the Muslim minority.</p>

<p>More than 1,000 Rohingya Muslims may have been killed in the crackdown, two senior UN&nbsp;officials dealing with refugees fleeing the violence told Reuters last week.</p>

<p>A Myanmar presidential spokesman has said the latest reports from military commanders were that fewer than 100 people had been killed in the counterinsurgency operation.</p>

<p>Rohingya Muslims have faced discrimination in Buddhist-majority Myanmar for generations. They are regarded as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, entitled only to limited rights and some 1.1 million of them live in apartheid-like conditions in northwestern Myanmar.</p>

<p>(Reuters)</p>


According to UN, almost 69,000 Rohingyas have fled from Myanmar to Bangladesh since the operation started

Myanmar's military has ended a "clearance operation" in the country's troubled Rakhine State, government officials said, ending a four-month sweep that the United Nations said may amount to crimes against humanity and possibly ethnic cleansing. The security operation had been under way since nine policemen were killed in attacks on security posts near the Bangladesh border on October 9. Almost 69,000 Rohingyas have since fled from Myanmar to Bangladesh, according to UN estimates. The violence has renewed international criticism that Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi has done too little to help members of the Muslim minority. The government led by Nobel laureate Suu Kyi has denied almost all allegations of human rights abuses in Rakhine, including mass killings and gang rapes of Rohingya Muslims, and said the operation was a lawful counterinsurgency campaign. "The situation in northern Rakhine has now stabilised. The clearance operations undertaken by the military have ceased, the curfew has been eased and there remains only a police presence to maintain the peace," newly-appointed national security advisor Thaung Tun was quoted as saying in a statement released by State Counselor's Office late on Wednesday. "There can be no excuse for excessive force, for abuses of fundamental human rights and basic criminality. We have shown that we are ready to act where there is clear evidence of abuses," he told a group of diplomats and UN representatives in a meeting, according to the statement. Two senior officials from Myanmar's President Office and the Ministry of Information confirmed that the army operation in northern Rakhine had ended but said the military force remained in the region to maintain "peace and security". Myanmar military did not immediately respond to requests for comments. The military and police have separately set up a team to investigate alleged crimes after Suu Kyi promised to probe UN allegations of atrocities against the Muslim minority. More than 1,000 Rohingya Muslims may have been killed in the crackdown, two senior UN officials dealing with refugees fleeing the violence told Reuters last week. A Myanmar presidential spokesman has said the latest reports from military commanders were that fewer than 100 people had been killed in the counterinsurgency operation. Rohingya Muslims have faced discrimination in Buddhist-majority Myanmar for generations. They are regarded as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, entitled only to limited rights and some 1.1 million of them live in apartheid-like conditions in northwestern Myanmar. (Reuters)

Myanmar ends 'military operation' against Rohingyas, UN claims may be ethnic cleansing

<p>Human Rights Watch on Monday called for Myanmar to punish army and police commanders if they allowed troops to rape and sexually assault women and girls of the Rohingya Muslim minority.</p>

<p>The New York-based campaign group said it had documented rape, gang rape and other sexual violence against girls as young as 13 in interviews with some of the 69,000 Rohingya Muslims, who have fled to Bangladesh since Myanmar security forces responded to attacks on border posts four months ago.</p>

<p>&quot;The sexual violence did not appear to be random or opportunistic, but part of a coordinated and systematic attack against Rohingya, in part because of their ethnicity and religion,&quot; a Human Rights Watch (HRW) news release said. Reuters was unable to contact a Myanmar government spokesman to respond to the allegations.</p>

<p>An estimated 1.1 million Rohingya live in the western state of Rakhine&nbsp;but have their movements and access to services restricted. Rohingyas are barred from citizenship in Myanmar, where many call them &quot;Bengalis&quot; to suggest they are illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.</p>

<p>Independent journalists and observers have been barred from visiting the army&#39;s operation zone in northern Rakhine since the October 9 attacks that killed nine border police.</p>

<p>The government has so far dismissed most claims that soldiers raped, beat, killed and arbitrarily detained civilians while burning down villages, insisting instead that a lawful operation is underway against a group of armed Rohingya insurgents.</p>

<p>The HRW report comes just days after United Nations investigators said Myanmar&#39;s security forces had &quot;very likely&quot; committed crimes against humanity, posing a dilemma for de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi.</p>

<p>The Nobel Peace Prize winner took charge of most civilian affairs in April after a historic transition from full military rule, but soldiers retain a quarter of seats in parliament and control ministries related to security.</p>

<p>UN&nbsp;High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra&#39;ad al-Hussein said on Friday that Suu Kyi had promised to investigate the UN&#39;s allegations.</p>

<p>HRW said it had gathered evidence on 28 separate sexual assaults, including interviews with nine women who said they were raped or gang raped at gunpoint by security forces during the army&#39;s so-called &quot;clearance operations&quot; in northern Rakhine.</p>

<p>The women and other witnesses said the perpetrators were Myanmar army troops or border police, who they identified by their uniforms, kerchiefs, armbands and patches, HRW said.</p>

<p>&ldquo;These horrific attacks on Rohingya women and girls by security forces add a new and brutal chapter to the Burmese military&rsquo;s long and sickening history of sexual violence against women,&rdquo; said HRW senior emergencies researcher Priyanka Motaparthy.</p>

<p>&ldquo;Military and police commanders should be held responsible for these crimes if they did not do everything in their power to stop them or punish those involved.&rdquo;</p>

<p>(Reuters)</p>


The group said it had documented rape, gang rape and other sexual violence against girls as young as 13

Human Rights Watch on Monday called for Myanmar to punish army and police commanders if they allowed troops to rape and sexually assault women and girls of the Rohingya Muslim minority. The New York-based campaign group said it had documented rape, gang rape and other sexual violence against girls as young as 13 in interviews with some of the 69,000 Rohingya Muslims, who have fled to Bangladesh since Myanmar security forces responded to attacks on border posts four months ago. "The sexual violence did not appear to be random or opportunistic, but part of a coordinated and systematic attack against Rohingya, in part because of their ethnicity and religion," a Human Rights Watch (HRW) news release said. Reuters was unable to contact a Myanmar government spokesman to respond to the allegations. An estimated 1.1 million Rohingya live in the western state of Rakhine but have their movements and access to services restricted. Rohingyas are barred from citizenship in Myanmar, where many call them "Bengalis" to suggest they are illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. Independent journalists and observers have been barred from visiting the army's operation zone in northern Rakhine since the October 9 attacks that killed nine border police. The government has so far dismissed most claims that soldiers raped, beat, killed and arbitrarily detained civilians while burning down villages, insisting instead that a lawful operation is underway against a group of armed Rohingya insurgents. The HRW report comes just days after United Nations investigators said Myanmar's security forces had "very likely" committed crimes against humanity, posing a dilemma for de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The Nobel Peace Prize winner took charge of most civilian affairs in April after a historic transition from full military rule, but soldiers retain a quarter of seats in parliament and control ministries related to security. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein said on Friday that Suu Kyi had promised to investigate the UN's allegations. HRW said it had gathered evidence on 28 separate sexual assaults, including interviews with nine women who said they were raped or gang raped at gunpoint by security forces during the army's so-called "clearance operations" in northern Rakhine. The women and other witnesses said the perpetrators were Myanmar army troops or border police, who they identified by their uniforms, kerchiefs, armbands and patches, HRW said. “These horrific attacks on Rohingya women and girls by security forces add a new and brutal chapter to the Burmese military’s long and sickening history of sexual violence against women,” said HRW senior emergencies researcher Priyanka Motaparthy. “Military and police commanders should be held responsible for these crimes if they did not do everything in their power to stop them or punish those involved.” (Reuters)

Myanmar commanders should be punished for rape of Rohingya women, girls: Human Rights Watch

<p>Human rights group Amnesty International and the&nbsp;International Crisis Group (ICG),&nbsp;a Brussels-based think tank,&nbsp;have urged Myanmar to investigate the apparent assassination of prominent Muslim lawyer Ko Ni, whose shooting at Yangon airport shocked the Southeast Asian nation.</p>

<p>Sunday&#39;s slaying, amid heightened communal and religious tension in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, appears to be a rare act of political violence in the commercial capital that coincided with a tough security operation in a northwestern region populated mostly by Muslims.</p>

<p>Police have arrested a 53-year-old man, suspected to be the lone gunman who shot Ko Ni&nbsp;in the head while the lawyer held his young grandson. Ko Ni was&nbsp;an expert in constitutional law and adviser of the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD).</p>

<p>A taxi driver was also killed when he attempted to apprehend the gunman, whom police named as Kyi Linn from the central city of Mandalay.</p>

<p>Reuters was unable to contact the suspect&#39;s family for comment and it was not clear if he had legal representation.</p>

<p>Ko Ni&#39;s funeral has been set for 4 pm&nbsp;on Monday at a Muslim cemetery in Yangon, according to an announcement posted at his home.</p>

<p>The killing had &quot;all the hallmarks of an assassination&quot;, human rights group Amnesty International said in a statement on Sunday, calling for a &quot;thorough, independent and impartial investigation&quot;.</p>

<p>Ko Ni, 63, had criticised the continuing role of the military in governing Myanmar despite the party, led by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, assuming power in April.</p>

<p>Family members and friends told Reuters Ko Ni had received threats to his life connected to his political work, but the motive for the killing is still unknown.</p>

<p>Ko Ni&#39;s death was &quot;a great loss for which there is no susbstitute,&quot; the NLD said.</p>

<p>&quot;We cautioned our NLD party members to continue political work with no hesitation, maintain stability and avoid serious responses,&quot; the party said in a statement late on Sunday.</p>

<p>The timing of the killing was a matter of particular concern, said the International Crisis Group (ICG), since it comes just months after attacks on border police blamed on insurgents from the Rohingya minority.</p>

<p>It was essential &quot;that no stone is left unturned in finding the truth about this incident and who may have been behind it,&quot; the ICG&nbsp;tank said in a statement.</p>

<p>Residents, refugees and monitors accuse soldiers of extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests, rape and arson in response to the border attacks on October&nbsp;9.</p>

<p>The government strongly denies most allegations, but 66,000 people have fled to Bangladesh and at least 21,000 have been internally displaced, the United Nations says.</p>

<p>Ko Ni was returning from Indonesia, where Myanmar government officials and Muslim leaders, including the mostly stateless Rohingya, were discussing issues of reconciliation with Indonesian counterparts.</p>

<p>&quot;In a context of strong anti-Muslim sentiment, rampant hate speech on social media, and virulent Buddhist nationalism propounded by some senior monks, this crime could embolden others and unleash further violence,&quot; the ICG added.</p>

<p>(Reuters)</p>


The killing had 'all the hallmarks of an assassination', Amnesty said, calling for a 'thorough, independent and impartial investigation'

Human rights group Amnesty International and the International Crisis Group (ICG), a Brussels-based think tank, have urged Myanmar to investigate the apparent assassination of prominent Muslim lawyer Ko Ni, whose shooting at Yangon airport shocked the Southeast Asian nation. Sunday's slaying, amid heightened communal and religious tension in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, appears to be a rare act of political violence in the commercial capital that coincided with a tough security operation in a northwestern region populated mostly by Muslims. Police have arrested a 53-year-old man, suspected to be the lone gunman who shot Ko Ni in the head while the lawyer held his young grandson. Ko Ni was an expert in constitutional law and adviser of the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD). A taxi driver was also killed when he attempted to apprehend the gunman, whom police named as Kyi Linn from the central city of Mandalay. Reuters was unable to contact the suspect's family for comment and it was not clear if he had legal representation. Ko Ni's funeral has been set for 4 pm on Monday at a Muslim cemetery in Yangon, according to an announcement posted at his home. The killing had "all the hallmarks of an assassination", human rights group Amnesty International said in a statement on Sunday, calling for a "thorough, independent and impartial investigation". Ko Ni, 63, had criticised the continuing role of the military in governing Myanmar despite the party, led by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, assuming power in April. Family members and friends told Reuters Ko Ni had received threats to his life connected to his political work, but the motive for the killing is still unknown. Ko Ni's death was "a great loss for which there is no susbstitute," the NLD said. "We cautioned our NLD party members to continue political work with no hesitation, maintain stability and avoid serious responses," the party said in a statement late on Sunday. The timing of the killing was a matter of particular concern, said the International Crisis Group (ICG), since it comes just months after attacks on border police blamed on insurgents from the Rohingya minority. It was essential "that no stone is left unturned in finding the truth about this incident and who may have been behind it," the ICG tank said in a statement. Residents, refugees and monitors accuse soldiers of extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests, rape and arson in response to the border attacks on October 9. The government strongly denies most allegations, but 66,000 people have fled to Bangladesh and at least 21,000 have been internally displaced, the United Nations says. Ko Ni was returning from Indonesia, where Myanmar government officials and Muslim leaders, including the mostly stateless Rohingya, were discussing issues of reconciliation with Indonesian counterparts. "In a context of strong anti-Muslim sentiment, rampant hate speech on social media, and virulent Buddhist nationalism propounded by some senior monks, this crime could embolden others and unleash further violence," the ICG added. (Reuters)

Amnesty International, Belgian think tank urge Myanmar to investigate Muslim lawyer's murder

<p>A commission probing violence in Myanmar&#39;s Rakhine state on Wednesday denied security forces have carried out a genocidal campaign against the Rohingya, days after a video emerged showing police beating civilians from the Muslim minority.</p>

<p>Tens of thousands of Rohingya -- a group loathed by many among Myanmar&#39;s Buddhist majority -- have fled a military operation in the northwestern state, launched after deadly attacks on police posts in October.</p>

<p>Dozens have died in the crackdown, while escapees now in neighbouring Bangladesh have claimed they suffered rape, arson, murder and torture at the hands of police or soldiers.</p>

<p>Myanmar&#39;s government, led by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, has said the allegations are invented and has resisted mounting international pressure to protect the minority.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A state-appointed commission set up to investigate the violence released its interim report on Wednesday, dismissing claims troops and police have embarked on a campaign to force the Rohingya out of the country.</p>

<p>Its interim findings come days after the government detained multiple police officers over a video showing policemen beating and kicking Rohingya villagers. The footage, shot by one of the officers, has sparked outrage and undermined the government&#39;s blanket denials that soldiers and police have carried out rights abuses.</p>

<p>The size of the &quot;Bengali&quot; population, mosques and religious buildings in the unrest-hit area &quot;are proof that there were no cases of genocide and religious persecution&quot;, it said in a statement carried in state media. Myanmar refuses to recognise the Rohingya as one of the country&#39;s ethnic minorities, instead describing them as Bengalis -- or illegal immigrants from neighbouring Bangladesh -- even though many have lived in Myanmar for generations.</p>

<p>The commission also found &quot;insufficient evidence&quot; of rape but added it was still looking into claims security forces committed arson, illegal arrests and torture of the Rohingya. It blamed the unrest on foreign-backed extremists, whom it said had attacked security forces in October to harm &quot;the sovereignty of the state... with the intention of igniting riots and conflicts&quot;.</p>

<p>Legal action has been taken against 485 people arrested during the army&#39;s subsequent clearance operation, it added, without giving further details. Chris Lewa, from the Arakan project, said the commission had failed to properly investigate the widespread allegations of rape and rights abuses.</p>

<p>&quot;The methodology is not credible, it&#39;s totally unprofessional,&quot; she said.&nbsp;&quot;There is no corroboration from the villagers they are meant to have talked to. Their job was to verify the allegations and the report has not verified them.&quot;&nbsp;</p>

<p>The commission has faced opposition from across the spectrum since it was announced last month -- the second body created by Suu Kyi to try to heal the simmering religious divide in Rakhine state.</p>

<p>Rights activists dismissed the 13-member commission as toothless, pointing out it is headed by the vice-president, a former army general. Rakhine nationalists and many of the state&#39;s MPs have denounced it as a tool for government propaganda.</p>

<p>Malaysia&#39;s prime minister has accused Suu Kyi of allowing genocide on her watch, while more than a dozen Nobel Laureates wrote to the UN Security Council urging action to stop the &quot;human tragedy amounting to ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity&quot; in northern Rakhine.</p>

<p>State media ran a statement from the Home Affairs Ministry on Wednesday, saying eight officers have now been arrested over the incident depicted in the video. &quot;Police committed abuses as they tried to arrest some villagers who fled the village and some who were hiding in their homes,&quot; the statement said.</p>

<p>Myanmar has long discriminated against the stateless Rohingya. More than one million of them live in Rakhine, including 120,000 in displacement camps. Their movements are severely restricted as well as their access to basic services, like health and education.</p>

<p>(AFP)</p>


A recent video showing policemen beating and kicking Rohingya villagers undermines the government's blanket denials

A commission probing violence in Myanmar's Rakhine state on Wednesday denied security forces have carried out a genocidal campaign against the Rohingya, days after a video emerged showing police beating civilians from the Muslim minority. Tens of thousands of Rohingya -- a group loathed by many among Myanmar's Buddhist majority -- have fled a military operation in the northwestern state, launched after deadly attacks on police posts in October. Dozens have died in the crackdown, while escapees now in neighbouring Bangladesh have claimed they suffered rape, arson, murder and torture at the hands of police or soldiers. Myanmar's government, led by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, has said the allegations are invented and has resisted mounting international pressure to protect the minority. A state-appointed commission set up to investigate the violence released its interim report on Wednesday, dismissing claims troops and police have embarked on a campaign to force the Rohingya out of the country. Its interim findings come days after the government detained multiple police officers over a video showing policemen beating and kicking Rohingya villagers. The footage, shot by one of the officers, has sparked outrage and undermined the government's blanket denials that soldiers and police have carried out rights abuses. The size of the "Bengali" population, mosques and religious buildings in the unrest-hit area "are proof that there were no cases of genocide and religious persecution", it said in a statement carried in state media. Myanmar refuses to recognise the Rohingya as one of the country's ethnic minorities, instead describing them as Bengalis -- or illegal immigrants from neighbouring Bangladesh -- even though many have lived in Myanmar for generations. The commission also found "insufficient evidence" of rape but added it was still looking into claims security forces committed arson, illegal arrests and torture of the Rohingya. It blamed the unrest on foreign-backed extremists, whom it said had attacked security forces in October to harm "the sovereignty of the state... with the intention of igniting riots and conflicts". Legal action has been taken against 485 people arrested during the army's subsequent clearance operation, it added, without giving further details. Chris Lewa, from the Arakan project, said the commission had failed to properly investigate the widespread allegations of rape and rights abuses. "The methodology is not credible, it's totally unprofessional," she said. "There is no corroboration from the villagers they are meant to have talked to. Their job was to verify the allegations and the report has not verified them." The commission has faced opposition from across the spectrum since it was announced last month -- the second body created by Suu Kyi to try to heal the simmering religious divide in Rakhine state. Rights activists dismissed the 13-member commission as toothless, pointing out it is headed by the vice-president, a former army general. Rakhine nationalists and many of the state's MPs have denounced it as a tool for government propaganda. Malaysia's prime minister has accused Suu Kyi of allowing genocide on her watch, while more than a dozen Nobel Laureates wrote to the UN Security Council urging action to stop the "human tragedy amounting to ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity" in northern Rakhine. State media ran a statement from the Home Affairs Ministry on Wednesday, saying eight officers have now been arrested over the incident depicted in the video. "Police committed abuses as they tried to arrest some villagers who fled the village and some who were hiding in their homes," the statement said. Myanmar has long discriminated against the stateless Rohingya. More than one million of them live in Rakhine, including 120,000 in displacement camps. Their movements are severely restricted as well as their access to basic services, like health and education. (AFP)

Myanmar commission denies genocidal campaign against Rohingya Muslims

<p>Twenty-three Nobel laureates and global leaders have jointly issued a letter on Thursday to the president of the United Nations Security Council urging the United Nations to take actions to stop persecution against Rohingya Muslim minorities in Myanmar and end the crisis there.</p>

<p>Signatories of the letter include Nobel peace laureates Muhammad Yunus, Jody Williams, Jos&eacute; Ramos-Horta, founder and editor of The Huffington Post Arianna Huffington and former Italian prime minister Romano Prodi among others.</p>

<p>The letter expressed disappointment at Myanmar&rsquo;s leader Aung San Suu Kyi, herself a Nobel peace prize laureate, for turning a blind eye to the persecution of the Muslim Rohingya minority.</p>

<p>It states, &ldquo;Despite repeated appeals to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi we are frustrated that she has not taken any initiative to ensure full and equal citizenship rights of the Rohingyas. Daw Suu Kyi is the leader and is the one with the primary responsibility to lead, and lead with courage, humanity and compassion.</p>

<p>&ldquo;We urge the United Nations to do everything possible to encourage the Government of Myanmar to lift all restrictions on humanitarian aid, so that people receive emergency assistance. Access for journalists and human rights monitors should also be permitted, and an independent, international inquiry to establish the truth about the current situation should be established.</p>

<p>&ldquo;Furthermore, we urge the members of UN Security Council to put this crisis on Security Council&rsquo;s agenda as a matter of urgency, and to call upon the Secretary-General to visit Myanmar in the coming weeks as a priority. If the current Secretary-General is able to do so, we would urge him to go; if not, we encourage the new Secretary-General to make it one of his first tasks after he takes office in January.</p>

<p>&ldquo;It is time for the international community as a whole to speak out much more strongly. After Rwanda, world leaders said &lsquo;never again&rsquo;. If we fail to take action, people may starve to death if they are not killed with bullets, and we may end up being the passive observers of crimes against humanity which will lead us once again to wring our hands belatedly and say &lsquo;never again&rsquo; all over again.&rdquo;</p>

<p>Some 50,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled to Bangladesh from Myanmar, Bangladeshi foreign ministry in Dhaka said on Thursday. The ministry summoned Myanmar&rsquo;s ambassador to express &ldquo;deep concern at the continued influx&rdquo; of tens of thousands of members of the stateless ethnic minority into its territory.</p>

<p>Myanmar&rsquo;s armed security forces launched an&nbsp;offensive in the western state of Rakhine after 10 border policemen were killed in the state allegedly by members of the Rohingya community on October 9. The entire community has been made to pay the price as the security forces razed their homes, raped the women and assaulted members of the community.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&ldquo;When you persecute people like that and push [them] into Bangladesh by torturing them Bangladesh would definitely have a concern and I would say India should also be concerned because some of them [Rohingyas] have gone there as well,&rdquo; said Brigadier General (R) Sakhawat Hussain.</p>

<p>Bangladesh has been accommodating between 300,000 to 500,000 Rohingya Muslims, according to unofficial estimates for years.</p>

<p>(WION)</p>


They expressed disappointment at Myanmar leader Suu Kyi for turning a blind eye to the persecution of the Rohingya minority

Twenty-three Nobel laureates and global leaders have jointly issued a letter on Thursday to the president of the United Nations Security Council urging the United Nations to take actions to stop persecution against Rohingya Muslim minorities in Myanmar and end the crisis there. Signatories of the letter include Nobel peace laureates Muhammad Yunus, Jody Williams, José Ramos-Horta, founder and editor of The Huffington Post Arianna Huffington and former Italian prime minister Romano Prodi among others. The letter expressed disappointment at Myanmar’s leader Aung San Suu Kyi, herself a Nobel peace prize laureate, for turning a blind eye to the persecution of the Muslim Rohingya minority. It states, “Despite repeated appeals to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi we are frustrated that she has not taken any initiative to ensure full and equal citizenship rights of the Rohingyas. Daw Suu Kyi is the leader and is the one with the primary responsibility to lead, and lead with courage, humanity and compassion. “We urge the United Nations to do everything possible to encourage the Government of Myanmar to lift all restrictions on humanitarian aid, so that people receive emergency assistance. Access for journalists and human rights monitors should also be permitted, and an independent, international inquiry to establish the truth about the current situation should be established. “Furthermore, we urge the members of UN Security Council to put this crisis on Security Council’s agenda as a matter of urgency, and to call upon the Secretary-General to visit Myanmar in the coming weeks as a priority. If the current Secretary-General is able to do so, we would urge him to go; if not, we encourage the new Secretary-General to make it one of his first tasks after he takes office in January. “It is time for the international community as a whole to speak out much more strongly. After Rwanda, world leaders said ‘never again’. If we fail to take action, people may starve to death if they are not killed with bullets, and we may end up being the passive observers of crimes against humanity which will lead us once again to wring our hands belatedly and say ‘never again’ all over again.” Some 50,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled to Bangladesh from Myanmar, Bangladeshi foreign ministry in Dhaka said on Thursday. The ministry summoned Myanmar’s ambassador to express “deep concern at the continued influx” of tens of thousands of members of the stateless ethnic minority into its territory. Myanmar’s armed security forces launched an offensive in the western state of Rakhine after 10 border policemen were killed in the state allegedly by members of the Rohingya community on October 9. The entire community has been made to pay the price as the security forces razed their homes, raped the women and assaulted members of the community. “When you persecute people like that and push [them] into Bangladesh by torturing them Bangladesh would definitely have a concern and I would say India should also be concerned because some of them [Rohingyas] have gone there as well,” said Brigadier General (R) Sakhawat Hussain. Bangladesh has been accommodating between 300,000 to 500,000 Rohingya Muslims, according to unofficial estimates for years. (WION)

Global leaders urge UN to resolve Rohingya crisis

<p>The United Nations has urged Myanmar&#39;s leader Aung San Suu Kyi to visit the country&#39;s northern state of Rakhine and reassure the civilian population of their protection amid accusations against the army of a brutal military crackdown on Rohingya minority.</p>

<p>UN special adviser on Myanmar Vijay Nambiar appealed to the Nobel prize winner to intercede, in a statement released on Thursday.</p>

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<h5>Suu Kyi, a Nobel peace prize winner, has described the situation as &#39;under control&#39; and asked the international community to stop stoking the &#39;fires of resentment&#39;</h5>
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<p>&quot;The adoption of a generally defensive rather than proactive approach to providing security to the local population, have caused frustration locally and disappointment internationally,&quot; he said, news agency AFP reported.</p>

<p>&quot;I also appeal to Daw Suu to visit Maungdaw and Buthidaung and reassure the civilian population there that they will be protected,&quot; he added, referring to the locked down area in Rakhine.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Malaysia has accused the military of &quot;genocide&quot;. The army has reportedly pushed more than 20,000 Rohingya over the border to Bangladesh and is accused of mass rape, murder and arson. Myanmar officials have denied the charges.</p>

<p>Suu Kyi, who has faced growing criticism for not stopping the military&#39;s campaign, said that the situation was &quot;under control&quot;. She further asked the international community to stop aggravating the &quot;fires of resentment&quot;.</p>

<p>&quot;What&#39;s the use of Aung San Suu Kyi having a Nobel prize?&quot; Malaysia&#39;s Prime Minister Najib Razak asked some 5,000 protesters in Kuala Lumpur. &quot;The world cannot sit and watch genocide taking place.&quot;</p>

<p>The bloodshed in the country poses the biggest challenge to Suu Kyi&#39;s party. Protesters have expressed outrage against the latest crackdown on Rohingyas who have suffered years of abuse and discrimination.</p>

<p>Activists say Buddhist-majority Myanmar&#39;s stateless Muslim Rohingya minority are among the most persecuted in the world.&nbsp;</p>

<p>More than 120,000 have been trapped in squalid displacement camps since the last major outbreak of violence erupted in Rakhine in 2012, AFP said.</p>

<p>(With inputs from AFP)</p>


The army is accused of carrying out a brutal crackdown on Rakhine's Muslim Rohingya minority

The United Nations has urged Myanmar's leader Aung San Suu Kyi to visit the country's northern state of Rakhine and reassure the civilian population of their protection amid accusations against the army of a brutal military crackdown on Rohingya minority. UN special adviser on Myanmar Vijay Nambiar appealed to the Nobel prize winner to intercede, in a statement released on Thursday. Suu Kyi, a Nobel peace prize winner, has described the situation as 'under control' and asked the international community to stop stoking the 'fires of resentment' × "The adoption of a generally defensive rather than proactive approach to providing security to the local population, have caused frustration locally and disappointment internationally," he said, news agency AFP reported. "I also appeal to Daw Suu to visit Maungdaw and Buthidaung and reassure the civilian population there that they will be protected," he added, referring to the locked down area in Rakhine. Malaysia has accused the military of "genocide". The army has reportedly pushed more than 20,000 Rohingya over the border to Bangladesh and is accused of mass rape, murder and arson. Myanmar officials have denied the charges. Suu Kyi, who has faced growing criticism for not stopping the military's campaign, said that the situation was "under control". She further asked the international community to stop aggravating the "fires of resentment". "What's the use of Aung San Suu Kyi having a Nobel prize?" Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak asked some 5,000 protesters in Kuala Lumpur. "The world cannot sit and watch genocide taking place." The bloodshed in the country poses the biggest challenge to Suu Kyi's party. Protesters have expressed outrage against the latest crackdown on Rohingyas who have suffered years of abuse and discrimination. Activists say Buddhist-majority Myanmar's stateless Muslim Rohingya minority are among the most persecuted in the world. More than 120,000 have been trapped in squalid displacement camps since the last major outbreak of violence erupted in Rakhine in 2012, AFP said. (With inputs from AFP)

UN calls on Myanmar's Suu Kyi to visit crisis-hit Rakhine

<p>Aung San Suu Kyi must step in to prevent the &quot;genocide&quot; of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar, Malaysia&#39;s prime minister said Sunday as he mocked the Nobel laureate for her inaction.</p>

<p>Addressing a 5,000-strong rally in Kuala Lumpur, Najib Razak said the Myanmar government must stop the bloody crackdown in its far west that has sent thousands of Rohingya fleeing, many with stories of rape, torture and murder.</p>

<p>&ldquo;What&rsquo;s the use of Aung San Suu Kyi having a Nobel prize?&quot; Najib asked a raucous crowd.</p>

<p>&ldquo;We want to tell Aung San Suu Kyi, enough is enough... We must and we will defend Muslims and Islam,&quot; he said as supporters chanted &quot;Allahu Akbar&quot; (&quot;God is greater&quot;).</p>

<p>&quot;We want the OIC(Organisation of Islamic Cooperation) to act.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;Please do something. The UN do something. The world cannot sit and watch genocide taking place,&quot; said Najib.</p>

<p>More than 10,000 Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh in recent weeks, the United Nations said on Wednesday, escaping a bloody army crackdown in the north of Rakhine state.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Arrivals in Bangladesh have told AFP horrifying stories of gang rape, torture and murder at the hands of Myanmar&#39;s security forces.</p>

<p>Myanmar has denied allegations of abuse, but has also banned foreign journalists and independent investigators from the area.</p>

<p>Muslim-majority Malaysia has recently upped its criticism of Myanmar for its handling of the crisis.</p>

<p>Last month it summoned the Myanmar ambassador, while around 500 Malaysians and Rohingya marched to the embassy in the Malaysian capital carrying banners denouncing the &quot;genocide.&quot;&nbsp;</p>

<p>A senior minister has called on ASEAN, the ten-country Southeast Asia bloc, to review Myanmar&#39;s membership, while a strongly worded statement from the foreign ministry Saturday accused Myanmar of engaging in &quot;ethnic cleansing.&quot;</p>

<p>But analysts said Sunday the issue is a convenient smokescreen for Najib, who is fighting allegations he took part in the looting of billions of dollars of public cash through state fund 1MDB.</p>

<p>Both he and the fund deny any wrongdoing.</p>

<p>James Chin, director of the Asia Institute at the University of Tasmania, told AFP that Najib &quot;is there (at the rally) to boost his standing as an Islamic leader,&quot; with a general election looming.</p>

<p>&quot;Najib is looking for anything to make him look good and the Rohingya issue is simply a tool,&quot; said Bridget Welsh, a Malaysia politics expert with Turkey&#39;s Ipek University.</p>

<p>She added that if Najib&#39;s government really cared for the Rohingya, they would &quot;reexamine their own treatment of the community within Malaysia.&quot;&nbsp;</p>

<p>Malaysia might be a beacon for Rohingya fleeing Myanmar but many have said they end up in a precarious and stateless limbo and suffer a new kind of marginalisation.</p>

<p>(AFP)</p>


'We want to tell Suu Kyi, enough is enough. We must and we will defend Muslims and Islam,' Razak said in an address to a 5,000-strong rally

Aung San Suu Kyi must step in to prevent the "genocide" of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar, Malaysia's prime minister said Sunday as he mocked the Nobel laureate for her inaction. Addressing a 5,000-strong rally in Kuala Lumpur, Najib Razak said the Myanmar government must stop the bloody crackdown in its far west that has sent thousands of Rohingya fleeing, many with stories of rape, torture and murder. “What’s the use of Aung San Suu Kyi having a Nobel prize?" Najib asked a raucous crowd. “We want to tell Aung San Suu Kyi, enough is enough... We must and we will defend Muslims and Islam," he said as supporters chanted "Allahu Akbar" ("God is greater"). "We want the OIC(Organisation of Islamic Cooperation) to act. "Please do something. The UN do something. The world cannot sit and watch genocide taking place," said Najib. More than 10,000 Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh in recent weeks, the United Nations said on Wednesday, escaping a bloody army crackdown in the north of Rakhine state. Arrivals in Bangladesh have told AFP horrifying stories of gang rape, torture and murder at the hands of Myanmar's security forces. Myanmar has denied allegations of abuse, but has also banned foreign journalists and independent investigators from the area. Muslim-majority Malaysia has recently upped its criticism of Myanmar for its handling of the crisis. Last month it summoned the Myanmar ambassador, while around 500 Malaysians and Rohingya marched to the embassy in the Malaysian capital carrying banners denouncing the "genocide." A senior minister has called on ASEAN, the ten-country Southeast Asia bloc, to review Myanmar's membership, while a strongly worded statement from the foreign ministry Saturday accused Myanmar of engaging in "ethnic cleansing." But analysts said Sunday the issue is a convenient smokescreen for Najib, who is fighting allegations he took part in the looting of billions of dollars of public cash through state fund 1MDB. Both he and the fund deny any wrongdoing. James Chin, director of the Asia Institute at the University of Tasmania, told AFP that Najib "is there (at the rally) to boost his standing as an Islamic leader," with a general election looming. "Najib is looking for anything to make him look good and the Rohingya issue is simply a tool," said Bridget Welsh, a Malaysia politics expert with Turkey's Ipek University. She added that if Najib's government really cared for the Rohingya, they would "reexamine their own treatment of the community within Malaysia." Malaysia might be a beacon for Rohingya fleeing Myanmar but many have said they end up in a precarious and stateless limbo and suffer a new kind of marginalisation. (AFP)

Suu Kyi must stop Rohingya 'genocide': Malaysia PM

<p>An Asian news network on Saturday called for the release of two Myanmar media executives jailed for alleged defamation, the latest case to highlight limits on free speech under the country&#39;s new democratic government.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The CEO of Eleven Media Group and a chief editor of a newspaper it publishes were detained by police Friday over a column that accused the government of having &quot;rosy relations&quot; with corrupt officials.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The defamation lawsuit was brought by a minister from Aung San Suu Kyi&#39;s pro-democracy party, which came to power earlier this year after sweeping historic elections that ended five decades of military rule.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The column also accused the minister of receiving a $100,000 watch from a businessman who later won plum contracts. Although neither were directly named in the piece, both called press conferences to deny the allegations.</p>

<p>On Saturday, editors from the Asian news network - a consortium of English-language outlets across the region, including Eleven Media group -&nbsp;expressed &quot;shock and dismay&quot; over the arrests of CEO Than Htut Aung and editor Wai Phyo.</p>

<p>The incident threatens to &quot;impede the democratic processes that Aung San Suu Kyi and her party had fought long and hard for,&quot; the network said, calling for the two men&#39;s immediate release.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Police said they are preparing to charge the journalists with violating a defamation clause under Myanmar&#39;s broadly worded telecommunications law - legislation that was frequently used by the former quasi-military government to punish critics.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Despite hopes democracy activist Suu Kyi would usher in a new era of free expression, several people have been prosecuted for defamation since her party took over in late March.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In September, a man was handed a nine-month jail sentence for calling President Htin Kyaw - Suu Kyi&#39;s ally - &quot;crazy&quot; in a Facebook post.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A researcher for the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) was also recently charged under the law for criticising the still-powerful army in a Facebook post.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;While the new government has made some attempts to amend long-standing repressive laws that target activists and media workers, this case shows that those attempts do not go far enough,&quot; said Rafendi Djamin, Amnesty International&#39;s regional director for Southeast Asia and the Pacific.</p>

<p>(AFP)</p>


The network said the arrests over a column accusing govt of 'relations' with corrupt officials threatens to impede the democratic process

An Asian news network on Saturday called for the release of two Myanmar media executives jailed for alleged defamation, the latest case to highlight limits on free speech under the country's new democratic government. The CEO of Eleven Media Group and a chief editor of a newspaper it publishes were detained by police Friday over a column that accused the government of having "rosy relations" with corrupt officials. The defamation lawsuit was brought by a minister from Aung San Suu Kyi's pro-democracy party, which came to power earlier this year after sweeping historic elections that ended five decades of military rule. The column also accused the minister of receiving a $100,000 watch from a businessman who later won plum contracts. Although neither were directly named in the piece, both called press conferences to deny the allegations. On Saturday, editors from the Asian news network - a consortium of English-language outlets across the region, including Eleven Media group - expressed "shock and dismay" over the arrests of CEO Than Htut Aung and editor Wai Phyo. The incident threatens to "impede the democratic processes that Aung San Suu Kyi and her party had fought long and hard for," the network said, calling for the two men's immediate release. Police said they are preparing to charge the journalists with violating a defamation clause under Myanmar's broadly worded telecommunications law - legislation that was frequently used by the former quasi-military government to punish critics. Despite hopes democracy activist Suu Kyi would usher in a new era of free expression, several people have been prosecuted for defamation since her party took over in late March. In September, a man was handed a nine-month jail sentence for calling President Htin Kyaw - Suu Kyi's ally - "crazy" in a Facebook post. A researcher for the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) was also recently charged under the law for criticising the still-powerful army in a Facebook post. "While the new government has made some attempts to amend long-standing repressive laws that target activists and media workers, this case shows that those attempts do not go far enough," said Rafendi Djamin, Amnesty International's regional director for Southeast Asia and the Pacific. (AFP)

Myanmar's media network demands release of executives detained for alleged defamation

<p>On 31 August 2016, the government of Myanmar inaugurated the much-awaited &#39;21st Century Panglong Peace Conference&#39; (also referred to as the Union Peace Conference) in the capital Naypyidaw. This four-day long mega event saw a wide range of stakeholders gather under a single roof to discuss issues of ethnic discord and armed conflict that have ravaged Myanmar for the last 60 years or so. But how comprehensive is this institutionalised process of reconciliation in reality, and where do Indian interests align with this plan?</p>

<p>&nbsp;With the decolonisation of Myanmar by the British in early 1948 and the subsequent takeover by the military in 1962, the 135 ethnic groups in the country have continuously fought for greater recognition of their respective cultural and political rights. In addition to demanding a larger say in the country&rsquo;s heavily centralised decision-making process, they have also protested against the perceived economic and social impoverishment of their respective regions. After the coming of the military government, particularly, they began to oppose the curtailment of their cultural and religious rights under the government&rsquo;s policy of &lsquo;Burmanisation&rsquo;.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Under severe state repression, the grievances gradually transformed into an armed struggle for greater political autonomy, giving birth to some fifty Ethnic Armed Organisations (EAOs). The political conflict, in due course, spiralled into a protracted civil war, marked by a profitable war economy and inter-group clashes. From purely ethnopolitical groups, some of the EAOs metamorphosed into narco-insurgent groups involved in illegal contraband trafficking across Myanmar&#39;s porous borders with China, Thailand, and Northeast India.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, with the coming of the National League for Democracy (NLD) government in 2015, a legitimate opening for democratic reconciliation became visible and viable. Myanmar&#39;s State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi envisaged to reboot the original &#39;Panglong Peace Conference&#39; organised by her father in 1947, and the latest edition comes as a crucial waypoint in the internal peace process of the country. Despite major hold-ups and criticisms, this convention successfully established a cohesive platform for dialogue and peaceful reconciliation between the state and the various independent ethnic organisations.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The high-profile conference, attended by around 1,600 representatives from various EAOs, political parties, parliamentary and military clusters as well as the United Nations secretary-general, was a follow-up to last year&#39;s Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) that was signed by eight EAOs. The key focus areas of the conference were: power sharing through federalism, local autonomy, constitutional revision, and separation of powers between the military and civilian state structures.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While the ethnic groups proposed a fully federal union that would proffer complete administrative autonomy to each state, the civilian-military clusters argue for a more decentralised structure of governance through constitutional amendments. Furthermore, the former wish for a complete separation of powers between the civilian government and the military, while the latter group does not deem it as a core issue. As of now, the peace process remains largely staggered owing to differences over these critical agenda points.</p>

<p>Nevertheless, Suu Kyi&#39;s primary motivation in organising such a conference was to bring as many political stakeholders as possible to a common deliberative forum, and in the process create a level-playing field for peaceful settlement of ethnopolitical disputes. It was aimed at expanding the NCA by establishing a platform for sustained and inclusive dialogue between the government, the army, and the various EAOs, including those who did not sign the accord in 2015. However, if one looks closely, the purported inclusiveness of the whole process comes under serious doubt. &nbsp;</p>

<p>First, although some of the NCA non-signatory EAOs did attend the conference, four of them remained uninvited because of their refusal to disarm before the conference, as stipulated by the army. These non-participant groups are the Arakan Army (AA), the Ta&#39;ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), the Myanmar National Democracy Alliance Army (MNDAA), and the Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland - Khaplang (NSCN-K). Their refusal to disarm is premised on their perception that the Panglong process does not align with their demands for greater autonomy, or in the case of NSCN-K, with the &lsquo;demand for Naga sovereignty&rsquo;.</p>

<p>Second, representatives from the United Wa State Army (UWSA) &ndash; the largest and most powerful EAO in Myanmar &ndash; staged a walkout on the second day of the conference after being identified as &#39;observers&#39; rather than participants. Although this might have been a misunderstanding of protocol, it was enough to incite the aforementioned non-attendees to express solidarity with UWSA and reassert their stance that the Panglong Conference was a &#39;discriminatory&#39; forum.</p>

<p>The crucial point about the above non-attendees, barring the AA and NSCN-K, is that they are based out of Shan State in the north &ndash; a perennial hotbed of violent clashes. On one hand, while TNLA and MNDAA are still engaged in skirmishes with the army, on the other, UWSA continues to survive in the region as one of the largest narco-insurgent groups in the world, and a prime dealer of drugs and illegal arms from Chinese grey markets. The organisation is known to have been the key supplier of weapons to several of the Indian insurgent outfits based in Sagaing division in Myanmar&rsquo;s <a href="http://bit.ly/2cskukd">northwest</a>. Furthermore, a recent <a href="http://bit.ly/2cWa0Hb">analysis</a> points towards the movement of United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA-Paresh Baruah faction) rebels from Sagaing to Shan for safe haven.</p>

<p>Third, the non-participation of NSCN-K, which is currently &lsquo;at war&rsquo; with India, remains a destabilising phenomenon. According to the group&rsquo;s leadership, they chose to not attend because the conference &#39;had nothing to do with the Nagas&rsquo; demand for sovereignty.&#39; Notably, it was only last year that India officially banned the outfit after a brutal assault against an army convoy in Manipur, following which Indian Special Forces pursued the rebels across the India-Myanmar border in a covert operation. NSCN-K is also the &lsquo;leader&rsquo; of the motley set of northeast Indian separatist outfits that currently operate out of Sagaing. Hence, it continues to be a serious threat to India.</p>

<p>Fourth, the political parties from Kayah State who failed to secure seats in November 2015 elections refused to attend the conference, complaining about the meagre five seats granted to them at the table. This reflects a core political dynamic in newly democratic Myanmar where smaller regional parties harbour the perception of political underrepresentation and marginalisation. Fifth, despite the strong statements made by the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon on the deplorable condition of the Rohingya community in Rakhine State, no representative from the religious minority was invited, marking a continuity of the alleged institutionalised marginalisation of the Rohingyas.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In light of the above, Aung San Suu Kyi&rsquo;s remarks and attitudes have been fairly encouraging. In addition to meeting the non-signatory EAOs a month before the conference, she has also succinctly expressed the government&rsquo;s willingness to reach a common ground with the unwilling groups so as to achieve a comprehensive reconciliatory framework. However, the past few days have witnessed the army launch shockingly violent offensives against armed groups in Kachin and Shan <a href="http://bit.ly/2dzmwfW">states </a>- something that threatens to derail the entire peace process.</p>

<p>It is undeniable that the ambitious peace process in Myanmar will remain hobbled without the participation of all ethnic, religious, and political groups. Although the government has charted a specific follow-up action plan - including scheduling similar forums after every six months and widening the scope of the NCA &ndash; it remains to be seen if the recalcitrant EAOs are absorbed in the Panglong framework in the future. As rightly stated by Suu Kyi in her closing remarks, &#39;To achieve peace is very difficult.&#39;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


The difficult process of achieving peace with Ethnic Armed Organisations has started in Myanmar

On 31 August 2016, the government of Myanmar inaugurated the much-awaited '21st Century Panglong Peace Conference' (also referred to as the Union Peace Conference) in the capital Naypyidaw. This four-day long mega event saw a wide range of stakeholders gather under a single roof to discuss issues of ethnic discord and armed conflict that have ravaged Myanmar for the last 60 years or so. But how comprehensive is this institutionalised process of reconciliation in reality, and where do Indian interests align with this plan? With the decolonisation of Myanmar by the British in early 1948 and the subsequent takeover by the military in 1962, the 135 ethnic groups in the country have continuously fought for greater recognition of their respective cultural and political rights. In addition to demanding a larger say in the country’s heavily centralised decision-making process, they have also protested against the perceived economic and social impoverishment of their respective regions. After the coming of the military government, particularly, they began to oppose the curtailment of their cultural and religious rights under the government’s policy of ‘Burmanisation’. Under severe state repression, the grievances gradually transformed into an armed struggle for greater political autonomy, giving birth to some fifty Ethnic Armed Organisations (EAOs). The political conflict, in due course, spiralled into a protracted civil war, marked by a profitable war economy and inter-group clashes. From purely ethnopolitical groups, some of the EAOs metamorphosed into narco-insurgent groups involved in illegal contraband trafficking across Myanmar's porous borders with China, Thailand, and Northeast India. However, with the coming of the National League for Democracy (NLD) government in 2015, a legitimate opening for democratic reconciliation became visible and viable. Myanmar's State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi envisaged to reboot the original 'Panglong Peace Conference' organised by her father in 1947, and the latest edition comes as a crucial waypoint in the internal peace process of the country. Despite major hold-ups and criticisms, this convention successfully established a cohesive platform for dialogue and peaceful reconciliation between the state and the various independent ethnic organisations. The high-profile conference, attended by around 1,600 representatives from various EAOs, political parties, parliamentary and military clusters as well as the United Nations secretary-general, was a follow-up to last year's Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) that was signed by eight EAOs. The key focus areas of the conference were: power sharing through federalism, local autonomy, constitutional revision, and separation of powers between the military and civilian state structures. While the ethnic groups proposed a fully federal union that would proffer complete administrative autonomy to each state, the civilian-military clusters argue for a more decentralised structure of governance through constitutional amendments. Furthermore, the former wish for a complete separation of powers between the civilian government and the military, while the latter group does not deem it as a core issue. As of now, the peace process remains largely staggered owing to differences over these critical agenda points. Nevertheless, Suu Kyi's primary motivation in organising such a conference was to bring as many political stakeholders as possible to a common deliberative forum, and in the process create a level-playing field for peaceful settlement of ethnopolitical disputes. It was aimed at expanding the NCA by establishing a platform for sustained and inclusive dialogue between the government, the army, and the various EAOs, including those who did not sign the accord in 2015. However, if one looks closely, the purported inclusiveness of the whole process comes under serious doubt. First, although some of the NCA non-signatory EAOs did attend the conference, four of them remained uninvited because of their refusal to disarm before the conference, as stipulated by the army. These non-participant groups are the Arakan Army (AA), the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), the Myanmar National Democracy Alliance Army (MNDAA), and the Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland - Khaplang (NSCN-K). Their refusal to disarm is premised on their perception that the Panglong process does not align with their demands for greater autonomy, or in the case of NSCN-K, with the ‘demand for Naga sovereignty’. Second, representatives from the United Wa State Army (UWSA) – the largest and most powerful EAO in Myanmar – staged a walkout on the second day of the conference after being identified as 'observers' rather than participants. Although this might have been a misunderstanding of protocol, it was enough to incite the aforementioned non-attendees to express solidarity with UWSA and reassert their stance that the Panglong Conference was a 'discriminatory' forum. The crucial point about the above non-attendees, barring the AA and NSCN-K, is that they are based out of Shan State in the north – a perennial hotbed of violent clashes. On one hand, while TNLA and MNDAA are still engaged in skirmishes with the army, on the other, UWSA continues to survive in the region as one of the largest narco-insurgent groups in the world, and a prime dealer of drugs and illegal arms from Chinese grey markets. The organisation is known to have been the key supplier of weapons to several of the Indian insurgent outfits based in Sagaing division in Myanmar’s northwest. Furthermore, a recent analysis points towards the movement of United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA-Paresh Baruah faction) rebels from Sagaing to Shan for safe haven. Third, the non-participation of NSCN-K, which is currently ‘at war’ with India, remains a destabilising phenomenon. According to the group’s leadership, they chose to not attend because the conference 'had nothing to do with the Nagas’ demand for sovereignty.' Notably, it was only last year that India officially banned the outfit after a brutal assault against an army convoy in Manipur, following which Indian Special Forces pursued the rebels across the India-Myanmar border in a covert operation. NSCN-K is also the ‘leader’ of the motley set of northeast Indian separatist outfits that currently operate out of Sagaing. Hence, it continues to be a serious threat to India. Fourth, the political parties from Kayah State who failed to secure seats in November 2015 elections refused to attend the conference, complaining about the meagre five seats granted to them at the table. This reflects a core political dynamic in newly democratic Myanmar where smaller regional parties harbour the perception of political underrepresentation and marginalisation. Fifth, despite the strong statements made by the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon on the deplorable condition of the Rohingya community in Rakhine State, no representative from the religious minority was invited, marking a continuity of the alleged institutionalised marginalisation of the Rohingyas. In light of the above, Aung San Suu Kyi’s remarks and attitudes have been fairly encouraging. In addition to meeting the non-signatory EAOs a month before the conference, she has also succinctly expressed the government’s willingness to reach a common ground with the unwilling groups so as to achieve a comprehensive reconciliatory framework. However, the past few days have witnessed the army launch shockingly violent offensives against armed groups in Kachin and Shan states - something that threatens to derail the entire peace process. It is undeniable that the ambitious peace process in Myanmar will remain hobbled without the participation of all ethnic, religious, and political groups. Although the government has charted a specific follow-up action plan - including scheduling similar forums after every six months and widening the scope of the NCA – it remains to be seen if the recalcitrant EAOs are absorbed in the Panglong framework in the future. As rightly stated by Suu Kyi in her closing remarks, 'To achieve peace is very difficult.'

Myanmar Army, Rohingyas and other Ethnic Armed Organisations at Panglong peace conference

<p lang="en"><font>At least two policemen were killed in three attacks along the Myanmar-Bangladesh border early on Sunday&nbsp;morning, a police official said.</font></p>

<p lang="en"><font>&quot;According to initial information, two police officers were killed, two others were injured and six police are missing,&quot; Tin Maung Swe, a senior official with the government of Myanmar&#39;s Rakhine, where the attack took place, told AFP.</font></p>

<p lang="en"><font>A second police official, however, said that as many as eight policemen&nbsp;and some of the attackers might have been killed. </font></p>

<p lang="en"><font>Weapons were also recovered from the assailants from the border post, AFP reported the official as saying.</font></p>

<p lang="en"><font>It was not immediately known which group carried out the attack.</font></p>

<p lang="en"><font><b>Rakhine&#39;s sectarian tensions</b></font></p>

<p lang="en"><font>Rakhine, an impoverished state in Myanmar, has been fraught with sectarian tensions between the hardliner Buddhist nationalists and Rohingya Muslims since 2012.</font></p>

<p lang="en"><font>Buddhist nationalists consider Rohingyas, an ethnic Muslim minority group living primarily in Rakhine, as outsiders and are opposed to the government granting them citizenship.</font></p>

<p lang="en"><font>Bouts of communal violence between the two communities and discriminatory policies of the Myanmar government have forced tens of thousands to flee and take shelter in squalid refugee camps in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand.&nbsp;</font></p>

<p lang="en"><font>But unlike in eastern and northern border states, Rohingyas don&#39;t have much of a military presence.</font></p>

<p lang="en"><font>Observers, however, say that continued persecution might prompt the Rohingyas to develop a significant militant faction.</font></p>

<p lang="en"><font>A surge in violence in the ravaged state of Rakhine could be a major migraine for the newly-elected Aung San Suu Kyi government.&nbsp;</font></p>

<p lang="en"><font>(WION with inputs from AFP)</font></p>


The violence erupted in Rakhine, an impoverished state in Myanmar simmering in sectarian tension between Buddhists and Muslim Rohingyas

At least two policemen were killed in three attacks along the Myanmar-Bangladesh border early on Sunday morning, a police official said. "According to initial information, two police officers were killed, two others were injured and six police are missing," Tin Maung Swe, a senior official with the government of Myanmar's Rakhine, where the attack took place, told AFP. A second police official, however, said that as many as eight policemen and some of the attackers might have been killed. Weapons were also recovered from the assailants from the border post, AFP reported the official as saying. It was not immediately known which group carried out the attack. Rakhine's sectarian tensions Rakhine, an impoverished state in Myanmar, has been fraught with sectarian tensions between the hardliner Buddhist nationalists and Rohingya Muslims since 2012. Buddhist nationalists consider Rohingyas, an ethnic Muslim minority group living primarily in Rakhine, as outsiders and are opposed to the government granting them citizenship. Bouts of communal violence between the two communities and discriminatory policies of the Myanmar government have forced tens of thousands to flee and take shelter in squalid refugee camps in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. But unlike in eastern and northern border states, Rohingyas don't have much of a military presence. Observers, however, say that continued persecution might prompt the Rohingyas to develop a significant militant faction. A surge in violence in the ravaged state of Rakhine could be a major migraine for the newly-elected Aung San Suu Kyi government. (WION with inputs from AFP)

At least two policemen killed in attack along Myanmar-Bangladesh border

Myanmar&#39;s state counsellor, Aung San Suu Kyi, on Wednesday became country&#39;s first civilian leader in over five decades to address the UN General Assembly.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Nobel peace laureate Suu Kyi, without referring to the Rohingyas by name, spoke about the situation in Rakhine state where tens of thousands of Rohingya Muslims are living in poor conditions in makeshift camps. The persecution of the minority community has drawn world&#39;s attention.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Suu Kyi,who has been criticised for ignoring the plight of the Rohingyas, defended her government by saying that Myanmar does not fear international scrutiny.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
&quot;We are committed to a sustainable solution that will lead to peace, stability and development for all communities within the state. Our government is taking a holistic approach that makes development central to both short and long-term programmes aimed at promoting understanding and trust.&quot;&nbsp;<br />
<br />
She also pointed out that she had appointed former UN secretary-general Kofi Annan to chair a commission which will look into the issue.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Suu Kyi also insisted, according to international news agency Reuters, that her government faced &quot;persistent opposition from some quarters&quot; to the establishment of the commission.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
&quot;By standing firm against the forces of prejudice and intolerance, we are reaffirming our faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person,&quot; she added.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
She also spoke on the issue of migration, saying lack of peace and development forced people to migrate. And terrorism is also born out of lack of social and economic security which forces youths to be enamored by ideologies which promise security.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
&nbsp;&quot;We also need to consider the possibility that lack of purpose, of a sense of direction in life, could also be a force that drives many, especially the young into the snare of ideologies that appear to offer certainty.&quot;<br />
<br />
(WION with inputs from agencies)<br />
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Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi spoke about the situation in Rakhine state where thousands of Rohingyas are living

Myanmar's state counsellor, Aung San Suu Kyi, on Wednesday became country's first civilian leader in over five decades to address the UN General Assembly. Nobel peace laureate Suu Kyi, without referring to the Rohingyas by name, spoke about the situation in Rakhine state where tens of thousands of Rohingya Muslims are living in poor conditions in makeshift camps. The persecution of the minority community has drawn world's attention. Suu Kyi,who has been criticised for ignoring the plight of the Rohingyas, defended her government by saying that Myanmar does not fear international scrutiny. "We are committed to a sustainable solution that will lead to peace, stability and development for all communities within the state. Our government is taking a holistic approach that makes development central to both short and long-term programmes aimed at promoting understanding and trust." She also pointed out that she had appointed former UN secretary-general Kofi Annan to chair a commission which will look into the issue. Suu Kyi also insisted, according to international news agency Reuters, that her government faced "persistent opposition from some quarters" to the establishment of the commission. "By standing firm against the forces of prejudice and intolerance, we are reaffirming our faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person," she added. She also spoke on the issue of migration, saying lack of peace and development forced people to migrate. And terrorism is also born out of lack of social and economic security which forces youths to be enamored by ideologies which promise security. "We also need to consider the possibility that lack of purpose, of a sense of direction in life, could also be a force that drives many, especially the young into the snare of ideologies that appear to offer certainty." (WION with inputs from agencies)

Myanmar's first civilian leader addresses UN in over 50 years

Hundreds of Buddhist hardliners rallied against the former United Nations chief Kofi Annan who visited the Rakhine state of Myanmar today to find a sustainable solution to the religious conflict between the country&#39;s Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims.&nbsp;<br />
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Rakhine, which borders Bangladesh, has been fraught with religious and ethnic tensions since 2012 when violence between the Rakhine Buddhists and the minority muslim community first flared up.<br />
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The conflict has led to the displacement of tens of thousands of Rohingya Muslims, who have been denied citizenship and are not identified as ethnic Muslim minorities.&nbsp;<br />
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Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been leading the country as state counselor and foreign minister since March, has drawn criticism for not being able to alleviate the Rohingya plight. Questions have also been raised on her stance on human rights. &nbsp;<br />
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<h5>Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been leading the country as state counselor and foreign minister since March, has drawn criticism for not being able to alleviate the Rohingya plight. She had asked Kofi Annan to lead the&nbsp;advisory commission.</h5>
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Suu Kyi had asked Annan to lead an advisory commission. The protesters denounced the panel and even followed the convoy into the town where Annan will deliver a speech during his two-day visit in the capital state Sittwe.<br />
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&quot;I don&#39;t want to see foreigners involved in this commission. I want to see a commission involving people of the Rakhine nationality,&quot; Kyaw Zin Wai, a 52-year-old carpenter told Reuters, adding that the two ethnic Rakhine commission members were not &quot;representative&quot; of people in the state.&nbsp;<br />
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The protest was called by some leaders in the state&#39;s powerful Arakan National Party (ANP), which has criticised the commission, insisting that foreigners cannot understand the history of the area, according to Reuters.&nbsp;<br />
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&quot;We want him to come,&quot; Hla Kyaw, a Rohingya man living in The Chaung IDP camp, told AFP.&nbsp;<br />
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&quot;If he comes, we will raise the issue of our citizenship status and our plight of staying in IDP (internally displaced persons) camps for four years,&quot; he added.<br />
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(WION with inputs from agencies)

Buddhist hardliners rallied against an advisory commission that aims to find a sustainable solution between them and Rohingya Muslims

Hundreds of Buddhist hardliners rallied against the former United Nations chief Kofi Annan who visited the Rakhine state of Myanmar today to find a sustainable solution to the religious conflict between the country's Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims. Rakhine, which borders Bangladesh, has been fraught with religious and ethnic tensions since 2012 when violence between the Rakhine Buddhists and the minority muslim community first flared up. The conflict has led to the displacement of tens of thousands of Rohingya Muslims, who have been denied citizenship and are not identified as ethnic Muslim minorities. Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been leading the country as state counselor and foreign minister since March, has drawn criticism for not being able to alleviate the Rohingya plight. Questions have also been raised on her stance on human rights. Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been leading the country as state counselor and foreign minister since March, has drawn criticism for not being able to alleviate the Rohingya plight. She had asked Kofi Annan to lead the advisory commission. Suu Kyi had asked Annan to lead an advisory commission. The protesters denounced the panel and even followed the convoy into the town where Annan will deliver a speech during his two-day visit in the capital state Sittwe. "I don't want to see foreigners involved in this commission. I want to see a commission involving people of the Rakhine nationality," Kyaw Zin Wai, a 52-year-old carpenter told Reuters, adding that the two ethnic Rakhine commission members were not "representative" of people in the state. The protest was called by some leaders in the state's powerful Arakan National Party (ANP), which has criticised the commission, insisting that foreigners cannot understand the history of the area, according to Reuters. "We want him to come," Hla Kyaw, a Rohingya man living in The Chaung IDP camp, told AFP. "If he comes, we will raise the issue of our citizenship status and our plight of staying in IDP (internally displaced persons) camps for four years," he added. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Myanmar Buddhists protest against ex-UN chief Kofi Annan's peace mission

A Myanmar actor was sentenced to nearly three years in prison for scribbling and spray-painting insults fraught with curses about the army on his car, calling them an &ldquo;army of dogs&quot;, a police officer said today.&nbsp;<br />
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Thirty five years old Tun Lin Thein, who appears in Myanmar music videos, spray-painted a number of other expletives across his silver Nissan in March, according to officials. He&nbsp;was also charged with defaming the national flag and a Buddhist flag which he had put alongside the graffiti on his car. He was arrested shortly after and convicted of defamation by a Yangon court.&nbsp;<br />
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&quot;The court sentenced him for two years and nine months,&quot; police officer Thein Han told AFP.<br />
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&quot;His behaviour was not only abusive to the Tatmadaw (Myanmar army) but also to our religion and national flag. That is why he had to receive this sentence,&quot; Thein Han said.<br />
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Freedoms have flourished in Myanmar since the military junta stepped down in 2011, paving the way for November elections that swept democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi into power.<br />
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But limits on expression remain, with criticism of the army especially taboo.<br />
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Suu Kyi&rsquo;s first few months in power have seen several defamation prosecutions being carried out.&nbsp;<br />
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Earlier, a six-month sentence was handed out to a man who wrote a poem about having a tattoo of the former ex-army president on his penis.&nbsp;<br />
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A film about the&nbsp;conflict between the military and ethnic Shan groups in the mid-20th century was also pulled from a human rights film festival in June.<br />
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(WION with inputs from AFP)<br />
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Tun Lin Thein was also charged with defaming the national flag and a Buddhist flag which he had put alongside the graffiti

A Myanmar actor was sentenced to nearly three years in prison for scribbling and spray-painting insults fraught with curses about the army on his car, calling them an “army of dogs", a police officer said today. Thirty five years old Tun Lin Thein, who appears in Myanmar music videos, spray-painted a number of other expletives across his silver Nissan in March, according to officials. He was also charged with defaming the national flag and a Buddhist flag which he had put alongside the graffiti on his car. He was arrested shortly after and convicted of defamation by a Yangon court. "The court sentenced him for two years and nine months," police officer Thein Han told AFP. "His behaviour was not only abusive to the Tatmadaw (Myanmar army) but also to our religion and national flag. That is why he had to receive this sentence," Thein Han said. Freedoms have flourished in Myanmar since the military junta stepped down in 2011, paving the way for November elections that swept democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi into power. But limits on expression remain, with criticism of the army especially taboo. Suu Kyi’s first few months in power have seen several defamation prosecutions being carried out. Earlier, a six-month sentence was handed out to a man who wrote a poem about having a tattoo of the former ex-army president on his penis. A film about the conflict between the military and ethnic Shan groups in the mid-20th century was also pulled from a human rights film festival in June. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Myanmar actor jailed for cursing army with graffiti

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