Over 1,400 Myanmarese nationals who took refuge in Mizoram&#39;s Lawngtlai district following clash between Arakan militants and the Army there in November last year have refused to return to their country, a senior police officer said today.

The refugees who fled Myanmar since November 25 last year following a crackdown on Arakan rebels by the Myanmar Army in the border areas refused to go back claiming that they were &quot;afraid&quot; of the Myanmar Army personnel, Superintendent of Police of Lawngtlai, Lalsanglura said.

&quot;Though the fighting between the Myanmar Army and the Arakan insurgents had apparently stopped and no gunfires heard for almost a month, the people who took shelter in four villages along the Mizoram-Myanmar border - Laitlang, Dumzautlang, Zochachhuah and Hmawngbuchhuah, still refused to return to their respective villages,&quot; the SP said.

The refugees were mainly from the border villages of Varang, Paletwa, Pakangwa and Mulaw in Myanmar&#39;s Chin state.

Lalsanglura said the refugees were grouped in the relief camps in two villages for administrative conveniences and also to ensure that all of them return to their homes after peace is restored in the area from where they came.&nbsp;

The refugees fled Myanmar after November 25 last year following a crackdown on Arakan rebels by the Myanmar Army

Over 1,400 Myanmarese nationals who took refuge in Mizoram's Lawngtlai district following clash between Arakan militants and the Army there in November last year have refused to return to their country, a senior police officer said today. The refugees who fled Myanmar since November 25 last year following a crackdown on Arakan rebels by the Myanmar Army in the border areas refused to go back claiming that they were "afraid" of the Myanmar Army personnel, Superintendent of Police of Lawngtlai, Lalsanglura said. "Though the fighting between the Myanmar Army and the Arakan insurgents had apparently stopped and no gunfires heard for almost a month, the people who took shelter in four villages along the Mizoram-Myanmar border - Laitlang, Dumzautlang, Zochachhuah and Hmawngbuchhuah, still refused to return to their respective villages," the SP said. The refugees were mainly from the border villages of Varang, Paletwa, Pakangwa and Mulaw in Myanmar's Chin state. Lalsanglura said the refugees were grouped in the relief camps in two villages for administrative conveniences and also to ensure that all of them return to their homes after peace is restored in the area from where they came.

Myanmarese refugees in Mizoram refusing to return: Police

Two Rohingya men have been jailed for a week for protesting against a controversial plan to repatriate the persecuted minority back to Myanmar, Bangladesh police said Wednesday.

Rohingya have erected banners, chanted slogans and staged angry rallies in crowded camps near the border in Cox&#39;s Bazar as tension mounts over the looming relocation of hundreds of thousands of refugees who have fled a crackdown by the Myanmar military.

Bangladesh insists the repatriation process will be voluntary but police have ramped up security in the camps.

Abdul Jabbar and Ali Hossain, both in their 60s, were sentenced Tuesday after being charged with creating a public nuisance.

Another man held for questioning at the protest was released Wednesday afternoon without charge on condition he will not &quot;engage in any anti-government activities&quot; or incite further protests, a police officer said.

Bangladesh had been due to start repatriating hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees this week after agreeing to a two-year timeline with Myanmar.

But it was delayed when Bangladesh said neither side was ready. Myanmar later blamed its neighbour for a lack of preparation, a charge Bangladesh has rejected.&nbsp;

Nearly 690,000 Rohingya have fled a campaign of violence in Myanmar since August, and many of the displaced Muslims living in Bangladesh fear returning to their conflict-scarred homeland in Rakhine state.

Police are also investigating the murder of two Rohingya representatives in the past week. Local media suggested one man was targeted for his support for the repatriation.

Bangladesh&#39;s Rapid Action Battalion said two Rohingya had been arrested and a knife had been seized in raids on the camps where the men were murdered, a spokesman for the elite security forces said.

Rohingya have erected banners, chanted slogans and staged angry rallies in crowded camps near the border in Cox's Bazar as tension mounts over the looming relocation of hundreds of thousands of refugees who have fled a crackdown by the Myanmar military

Two Rohingya men have been jailed for a week for protesting against a controversial plan to repatriate the persecuted minority back to Myanmar, Bangladesh police said Wednesday. Rohingya have erected banners, chanted slogans and staged angry rallies in crowded camps near the border in Cox's Bazar as tension mounts over the looming relocation of hundreds of thousands of refugees who have fled a crackdown by the Myanmar military. Bangladesh insists the repatriation process will be voluntary but police have ramped up security in the camps. Abdul Jabbar and Ali Hossain, both in their 60s, were sentenced Tuesday after being charged with creating a public nuisance. Another man held for questioning at the protest was released Wednesday afternoon without charge on condition he will not "engage in any anti-government activities" or incite further protests, a police officer said. Bangladesh had been due to start repatriating hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees this week after agreeing to a two-year timeline with Myanmar. But it was delayed when Bangladesh said neither side was ready. Myanmar later blamed its neighbour for a lack of preparation, a charge Bangladesh has rejected. Nearly 690,000 Rohingya have fled a campaign of violence in Myanmar since August, and many of the displaced Muslims living in Bangladesh fear returning to their conflict-scarred homeland in Rakhine state. Police are also investigating the murder of two Rohingya representatives in the past week. Local media suggested one man was targeted for his support for the repatriation. Bangladesh's Rapid Action Battalion said two Rohingya had been arrested and a knife had been seized in raids on the camps where the men were murdered, a spokesman for the elite security forces said.

Bangladesh jail two Rohingya for protesting repatriation

The UN&nbsp;refugee agency and other groups have urged a rethink of a plan to send Muslim Rohingya refugees back to Myanmar amid fears of forced repatriations without safeguards such as guaranteed citizenship after they fled to Bangladesh to escape bloodshed at home.&nbsp;

The calls come as Bangladesh delayed the repatriation of the largely stateless Rohingya to Myanmar that was set to begin on Tuesday, as the process of compiling and verifying the list of people to be sent back was incomplete.

&quot;In order for the repatriation to be (done) right, to be sustainable, actually viable...you need to really address a number of issues that for the time being we have heard nothing about,&quot; UNHCR head Filippo Grandi said in Geneva, noting that issues like citizenship had not been addressed.

More than 655,500 Muslim Rohingya fled to Bangladesh last year after the Myanmar military cracked down in the northern part of Rakhine state, amid witness reports of killings, looting and rape, in response to militant attacks on security forces on August 25 last year.

Many people in Buddhist-majority Myanmar regard the Rohingya as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. The United Nations described Myanmar&#39;s crackdown as ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya, which Myanmar denies.

Grandi said it was important to set up a monitoring mechanism in Myanmar&#39;s Rakhine state for those returning and noted that UNHCR currently did not have the ability to move freely and perform this role there.&nbsp;

Myanmar and Bangladesh agreed earlier this month to complete a voluntary repatriation of the refugees in two years. Myanmar says it has set up two reception centres and a temporary camp near the border in Rakhine state to receive the first arrivals.&nbsp;

Human Rights Watch, a non-government organization, said on Tuesday that Bangladesh should suspend the plan entirely as it &quot;threatens the refugees` security and well-being.&quot;

The plan has sparked fears in refugee camps in Bangladesh that people may be forced to return despite a lack of guarantees around their security.&nbsp;

One Rohingya man detained on Monday by the Bangladeshi military at the Palong Khali refugee camp following a protest against repatriations remained in police custody on Tuesday and was still being interrogated, officials said.&nbsp;

&quot;He was detained for instigating violence. He is in custody for interrogation,&quot; local police chief Abul Khayer told Reuters by telephone.

A UNHCR official said the agency plans to bring up the detention with Bangladesh during their next meeting, as the refugees were only staging a peaceful protest.

Myanmar and Bangladesh agreed earlier this month to complete a voluntary repatriation of the refugees in two years

The UN refugee agency and other groups have urged a rethink of a plan to send Muslim Rohingya refugees back to Myanmar amid fears of forced repatriations without safeguards such as guaranteed citizenship after they fled to Bangladesh to escape bloodshed at home. The calls come as Bangladesh delayed the repatriation of the largely stateless Rohingya to Myanmar that was set to begin on Tuesday, as the process of compiling and verifying the list of people to be sent back was incomplete. "In order for the repatriation to be (done) right, to be sustainable, actually viable...you need to really address a number of issues that for the time being we have heard nothing about," UNHCR head Filippo Grandi said in Geneva, noting that issues like citizenship had not been addressed. More than 655,500 Muslim Rohingya fled to Bangladesh last year after the Myanmar military cracked down in the northern part of Rakhine state, amid witness reports of killings, looting and rape, in response to militant attacks on security forces on August 25 last year. Many people in Buddhist-majority Myanmar regard the Rohingya as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. The United Nations described Myanmar's crackdown as ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya, which Myanmar denies. Grandi said it was important to set up a monitoring mechanism in Myanmar's Rakhine state for those returning and noted that UNHCR currently did not have the ability to move freely and perform this role there. Myanmar and Bangladesh agreed earlier this month to complete a voluntary repatriation of the refugees in two years. Myanmar says it has set up two reception centres and a temporary camp near the border in Rakhine state to receive the first arrivals. Human Rights Watch, a non-government organization, said on Tuesday that Bangladesh should suspend the plan entirely as it "threatens the refugees` security and well-being." The plan has sparked fears in refugee camps in Bangladesh that people may be forced to return despite a lack of guarantees around their security. One Rohingya man detained on Monday by the Bangladeshi military at the Palong Khali refugee camp following a protest against repatriations remained in police custody on Tuesday and was still being interrogated, officials said. "He was detained for instigating violence. He is in custody for interrogation," local police chief Abul Khayer told Reuters by telephone. A UNHCR official said the agency plans to bring up the detention with Bangladesh during their next meeting, as the refugees were only staging a peaceful protest.

Aid groups urge rethink of Rohingya repatriations without safeguards

Tensions mounted on Sunday at refugee camps in Bangladesh holding hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims over an operation to send them back to Myanmar, from where they have fled following a military crackdown.

Dozens of refugees stood holding cloth banners opposing their transfer as United Nations Special Rapporteur Yanghee Lee visited camps along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border over the weekend. Some refugee leaders said Bangladesh military officials had threatened to seize their food ration cards if they did not return.

Under an agreement signed last week, Myanmar is set to receive Rohingya refugees from Bangladesh at two reception centres and a temporary camp near their common border starting on Tuesday and continuing over the next two years.

The refugees refuse to go back unless their safety can be guaranteed and Myanmars grant their demands to be given citizenship and inclusion in a list of recognised ethnic minorities. They are also asking that their homes, mosques and schools that were burned down or damaged in the military operation be rebuilt.

Over 655,500 Muslim Rohingya fled to Bangladesh after the Myanmar military cracked down in the northern part of Rakhine state in response to militant attacks on security forces on August 25. The United Nations described the operation as ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya, which Myanmar denies.

Rohingya elders told Reuters that Bangladeshi army officials have called or met them over the last two days, asking them to prepare lists of families from their camps for repatriation. Four of them said they were among more than 70 camp leaders &ndash; representing thousands of refugees &ndash; who met army officers at the Gungdum camp on Saturday.

&ldquo;When we said we cannot provide the lists because people are not ready to return, they asked us to bring their WP cards,&rdquo; said Musa, a leader at the Gungdum camp, referring to relief cards provided by the UN&rsquo;s World Food Programme.

Rashedul Hasan, a spokesman for the Bangladesh army, said he was not aware of army men threatening to take away food cards.

Hundreds of refugees queue up at relief centres across the camps each morning to collect food using the cards. These centres are managed by the Bangladesh army.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has repeatedly said Rohingya returns need to be voluntary.

&ldquo;UNHCR has not been part of discussions (on repatriation) to date, but has offered support to engage in the process to ensure that the voices of refugees are heard,&rdquo; Caroline Gluck, a senior protection officer for the agency, said by email on Saturday.

&ldquo;The pace of returns should be determined by the refugees themselves.&rdquo;

The refugees refused to go back unless their safety can be guaranteed and Myanmar's grant their demands to be given citizenship and inclusion in a list of recognised ethnic minorities

Tensions mounted on Sunday at refugee camps in Bangladesh holding hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims over an operation to send them back to Myanmar, from where they have fled following a military crackdown. Dozens of refugees stood holding cloth banners opposing their transfer as United Nations Special Rapporteur Yanghee Lee visited camps along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border over the weekend. Some refugee leaders said Bangladesh military officials had threatened to seize their food ration cards if they did not return. Under an agreement signed last week, Myanmar is set to receive Rohingya refugees from Bangladesh at two reception centres and a temporary camp near their common border starting on Tuesday and continuing over the next two years. The refugees refuse to go back unless their safety can be guaranteed and Myanmars grant their demands to be given citizenship and inclusion in a list of recognised ethnic minorities. They are also asking that their homes, mosques and schools that were burned down or damaged in the military operation be rebuilt. Over 655,500 Muslim Rohingya fled to Bangladesh after the Myanmar military cracked down in the northern part of Rakhine state in response to militant attacks on security forces on August 25. The United Nations described the operation as ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya, which Myanmar denies. Rohingya elders told Reuters that Bangladeshi army officials have called or met them over the last two days, asking them to prepare lists of families from their camps for repatriation. Four of them said they were among more than 70 camp leaders – representing thousands of refugees – who met army officers at the Gungdum camp on Saturday. “When we said we cannot provide the lists because people are not ready to return, they asked us to bring their WP cards,” said Musa, a leader at the Gungdum camp, referring to relief cards provided by the UN’s World Food Programme. Rashedul Hasan, a spokesman for the Bangladesh army, said he was not aware of army men threatening to take away food cards. Hundreds of refugees queue up at relief centres across the camps each morning to collect food using the cards. These centres are managed by the Bangladesh army. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has repeatedly said Rohingya returns need to be voluntary. “UNHCR has not been part of discussions (on repatriation) to date, but has offered support to engage in the process to ensure that the voices of refugees are heard,” Caroline Gluck, a senior protection officer for the agency, said by email on Saturday. “The pace of returns should be determined by the refugees themselves.”

Tensions mount in Rohingya camps ahead of planned relocation to Myanmar

A Myanmar government minister has told Rohingya refugees living in a makeshift camp on the Bangladesh border they should take up a government offer to return, warning they will face &quot;consequences&quot; if they stay where they are.

A video circulated on social media apparently shows Myanmar&#39;s Deputy Minister for Home Affairs Aung Soe addressing a group of refugees through a barbed wire fence last Friday.

Nearly 700,000 Rohingya have sought sanctuary in Bangladesh since a military crackdown on the Muslim minority in Myanmar last year forced them from their homes.

Despite the campaign, which the United Nations has said amounts to ethnic cleansing, the two governments agreed late last year to repatriate all the newly-arrived refugees.

But many say they do not want to return until Myanmar agrees to give them citizenship and guarantees their safety.

Myanmar regards the Rohingya as immigrants from Bangladesh and denies them citizenship, even though they have been there for generations.

The minister&#39;s message was directed at around 6,000 refugees living in Tombru, an area of no man&#39;s land between Myanmar and Bangladesh.

In it, he tells them they must return or &quot;suffer the consequences&quot;, and that the area they were living in was under Myanmar&#39;s jurisdiction.

&quot;If the Rohingya refuse the proposal put forward by the Myanmar government through this delegation, it will not bode well for the Rohingya living in no man&#39;s land,&quot; said the minister through a translator.

Bangladesh security forces in the area confirmed the minister&#39;s visit to AFP.

&quot;He kept telling the refugees to move away from Myanmar land, or they would face problems,&quot; said police officer Mohammad Rashid by phone from the area.

Local Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) commander Manzurul Hasan Khan said Myanmar authorities had been using loudhailers since Friday to ask the refugees to leave.

Rohingya living there told AFP soldiers had recently put up tents near the barbed wire fence.

&quot;They (Myanmar army) often fire blank rounds to create panic. We&#39;ve heard they also set fire to nearby villages recently,&quot; said Dil Mohammad, one of the refugees.

Doctors Without Borders estimates at least 6,700 Rohingya died in the first month of the violence that sparked the outpouring of refugees.

Many of them have told harrowing stories of rape, arson and mass executions at the hands of the military and Buddhist mobs.

Myanmar&#39;s army denies the allegations.

The Rohingya refugees were living in a makeshift camp on the Bangladesh border

A Myanmar government minister has told Rohingya refugees living in a makeshift camp on the Bangladesh border they should take up a government offer to return, warning they will face "consequences" if they stay where they are. A video circulated on social media apparently shows Myanmar's Deputy Minister for Home Affairs Aung Soe addressing a group of refugees through a barbed wire fence last Friday. Nearly 700,000 Rohingya have sought sanctuary in Bangladesh since a military crackdown on the Muslim minority in Myanmar last year forced them from their homes. Despite the campaign, which the United Nations has said amounts to ethnic cleansing, the two governments agreed late last year to repatriate all the newly-arrived refugees. But many say they do not want to return until Myanmar agrees to give them citizenship and guarantees their safety. Myanmar regards the Rohingya as immigrants from Bangladesh and denies them citizenship, even though they have been there for generations. The minister's message was directed at around 6,000 refugees living in Tombru, an area of no man's land between Myanmar and Bangladesh. In it, he tells them they must return or "suffer the consequences", and that the area they were living in was under Myanmar's jurisdiction. "If the Rohingya refuse the proposal put forward by the Myanmar government through this delegation, it will not bode well for the Rohingya living in no man's land," said the minister through a translator. Bangladesh security forces in the area confirmed the minister's visit to AFP. "He kept telling the refugees to move away from Myanmar land, or they would face problems," said police officer Mohammad Rashid by phone from the area. Local Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) commander Manzurul Hasan Khan said Myanmar authorities had been using loudhailers since Friday to ask the refugees to leave. Rohingya living there told AFP soldiers had recently put up tents near the barbed wire fence. "They (Myanmar army) often fire blank rounds to create panic. We've heard they also set fire to nearby villages recently," said Dil Mohammad, one of the refugees. Doctors Without Borders estimates at least 6,700 Rohingya died in the first month of the violence that sparked the outpouring of refugees. Many of them have told harrowing stories of rape, arson and mass executions at the hands of the military and Buddhist mobs. Myanmar's army denies the allegations.

Myanmar minister orders Rohingya to leave no man's land, or face 'consequences'

Aerial photos of Rakhine state have emerged that appear to show several bulldozed Rohingya settlements, renewing accusations Myanmar is wiping out the homes and history of the Muslim minority.

Nearly 700,000 Rohingya have fled Myanmar&#39;s Rakhine state to Bangladesh since insurgent attacks on police posts triggered a brutal military crackdown.

The UN has led global condemnation of the army action, describing it as ethnic cleansing.

Rights activists also say the systematic destruction of hundreds of villages, mosques and property is effectively rubbing out the Rohingya&#39;s ties to their ancestral lands.

The Muslim minority are not recognised as an ethnic group in Myanmar and have faced decades of persecution.

Many fear the recent crackdown is a push to rid the country of the Rohingya for good.

Photos posted on social media after a diplomatic tour of the conflict zone in northern Rakhine state last week appear to back that up.

The haunting pictures, posted on the Twitter account of the European Union Ambassador to Myanmar Kristian Schmidt, show a scarred territory with large patches of levelled land.

Villages incinerated during the army crackdown now appear to have been completely bulldozed, devoid of all structures and even trees.

&quot;The Rohingyas are shocked to see their villages razed,&quot; said Chris Lewa, head of the NGO the Arakan Project, which has worked for years with Rohingya in Rakhine state.&nbsp;

They fear the upcoming rainy season will further wash away any signs of their past lives, she added.

&quot;The Rohingya have the feeling that they (the military) are doing away with the last traces of their presence in the region,&quot; she said.

Myanmar and Bangladesh signed a repatriation agreement last year that was supposed to commence in January.

But many Rohingya refuse to return without the guarantee of basic rights and safety.

Authorities in Myanmar also insist they will heavily vet all returnees and only take back those &quot;verified&quot; as residents -- a complex and controversial process critics say is likely to exclude large numbers of people.

Myanmar&#39;s Social Welfare Minister Win Myat Aye, the lead official in the resettlement process, said the bulldozing was part of a plan to &quot;build back&quot; villages to a higher standard than before.

&quot;We are trying to have the new village plan,&quot; he said. &quot;When they come back they can live in their place of origin or nearest to their place of origin.&quot;

He said it is taking time because of a labour shortage sparked by the Rohingya exodus and that the government plans to pay returnees to help rebuild their own homes.&nbsp;

Accusations of a systematic campaign to rid Rakhine of Rohingya history are not new.

Last year the United Nations human rights office alleged efforts were underway to &quot;effectively erase signs of memorable landmarks in the geography of the Rohingya landscape and memory&quot;.

Access to Rakhine remains tightly controlled, despite a snowballing number of allegations of massacres of Rohingya villagers in Rakhine.

The arrest of two Reuters journalists investigating the extra-judicial killing of ten Rohingya &quot;terrorist&quot; suspects in custody has upped pressure on civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi to condemn the army.

Her administration is in a delicate power-sharing arrangement with the army, which ruled with an iron fist for five decades.

Many fear the recent crackdown is a push to rid the country of the Rohingya for good

Aerial photos of Rakhine state have emerged that appear to show several bulldozed Rohingya settlements, renewing accusations Myanmar is wiping out the homes and history of the Muslim minority. Nearly 700,000 Rohingya have fled Myanmar's Rakhine state to Bangladesh since insurgent attacks on police posts triggered a brutal military crackdown. The UN has led global condemnation of the army action, describing it as ethnic cleansing. Rights activists also say the systematic destruction of hundreds of villages, mosques and property is effectively rubbing out the Rohingya's ties to their ancestral lands. The Muslim minority are not recognised as an ethnic group in Myanmar and have faced decades of persecution. Many fear the recent crackdown is a push to rid the country of the Rohingya for good. Photos posted on social media after a diplomatic tour of the conflict zone in northern Rakhine state last week appear to back that up. The haunting pictures, posted on the Twitter account of the European Union Ambassador to Myanmar Kristian Schmidt, show a scarred territory with large patches of levelled land. Villages incinerated during the army crackdown now appear to have been completely bulldozed, devoid of all structures and even trees. "The Rohingyas are shocked to see their villages razed," said Chris Lewa, head of the NGO the Arakan Project, which has worked for years with Rohingya in Rakhine state. They fear the upcoming rainy season will further wash away any signs of their past lives, she added. "The Rohingya have the feeling that they (the military) are doing away with the last traces of their presence in the region," she said. Myanmar and Bangladesh signed a repatriation agreement last year that was supposed to commence in January. But many Rohingya refuse to return without the guarantee of basic rights and safety. Authorities in Myanmar also insist they will heavily vet all returnees and only take back those "verified" as residents -- a complex and controversial process critics say is likely to exclude large numbers of people. Myanmar's Social Welfare Minister Win Myat Aye, the lead official in the resettlement process, said the bulldozing was part of a plan to "build back" villages to a higher standard than before. "We are trying to have the new village plan," he said. "When they come back they can live in their place of origin or nearest to their place of origin." He said it is taking time because of a labour shortage sparked by the Rohingya exodus and that the government plans to pay returnees to help rebuild their own homes. Accusations of a systematic campaign to rid Rakhine of Rohingya history are not new. Last year the United Nations human rights office alleged efforts were underway to "effectively erase signs of memorable landmarks in the geography of the Rohingya landscape and memory". Access to Rakhine remains tightly controlled, despite a snowballing number of allegations of massacres of Rohingya villagers in Rakhine. The arrest of two Reuters journalists investigating the extra-judicial killing of ten Rohingya "terrorist" suspects in custody has upped pressure on civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi to condemn the army. Her administration is in a delicate power-sharing arrangement with the army, which ruled with an iron fist for five decades.

Bulldozed Rohingya villages deepen fears Myanmar is erasing history

Action will be taken against 10 members of Myanmar&#39;s security forces in connection with the killing of captured Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine state, a government spokesman said on Sunday, adding it was not related to a Reuters report on the incident.

Reuters on Friday published a report laying out events that led up to the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/one-grave-for-10-rohingya-men-how-myanmar-forces-burned-looted-and-killed-in-a-remote-village-32293" target="_blank">killing of 10 Rohingya men</a> in the northern Rakhine village of Inn Din who were buried in a mass grave after being hacked to death or shot by Buddhist neighbours and soldiers.

A Myanmar government spokesman, Zaw Htay, said that &quot;action according to the law&quot; would be taken against seven soldiers, three members of the police force and six villagers as part of an army investigation that was initiated before the Reuters report was published.

The arrests were &quot;not because of Reuters news. The investigation was being conducted even before Reuters news,&quot; Zaw Htay said, adding that he was unable to specify what action would be taken against the 16 people.

On Jan. 10, the military said the 10 Rohingya men belonged to a group of 200 &quot;terrorists&quot; who had attacked security forces. Buddhist villagers attacked some of them with swords and soldiers shot the others dead, the military said, adding that it would take action against those involved.

The military&#39;s version of events is contradicted by accounts given to Reuters by Rakhine Buddhist and Rohingya Muslim witnesses.

Buddhist villagers reported no attack by a large number of insurgents on security forces in Inn Din. And Rohingya witnesses told Reuters that soldiers plucked the 10 from among hundreds of men, women and children who had sought safety on a nearby beach.

Nearly 690,000 Rohingya have fled Rakhine state and crossed into southern Bangladesh since August, when attacks on security posts by insurgents triggered a military crackdown that the United Nations has said may amount to genocide.

Arrested journalists

The Reuters investigation of the Inn Din massacre was what prompted the arrest of two of the news agency&#39;s reporters. Myanmar citizens Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were detained on Dec. 12 for allegedly obtaining confidential documents. The police has said two police officers were also arrested.

Prosecutors are seeking to charge Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo under Myanmar&#39;s Official Secrets Act, which dates back to the time of colonial British rule and carries a maximum 14-year prison sentence.

Asked about the evidence Reuters had uncovered about the massacre, spokesman Zaw Htay said on Thursday, before publication of the Reuters report: &quot;We are not denying the allegations about violations of human rights. And we are not giving blanket denials.&quot;

If there was &quot;strong and reliable primary evidence&quot; of abuses, the government would investigate, he said.

There has been no official comment from the government following the publication of the report.

Britain&#39;s foreign minister, Boris Johnson, said he would raise the case of the two journalists during a meeting with Myanmar&#39;s de facto leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, on Sunday.

A statement issued by Britain&#39;s Foreign Office after Johnson met with Aung San Suu Kyi said he had raised the case of the two journalists without providing details.

&quot;Discussed importance of Burmese authorities in carrying out full &amp; independent investigation into the violence in #Rakhine &amp; urgent need to create the right conditions for #Rohingya refugees to return to their homes in Rakhine,&quot; Johnson said in a separate tweet following the talks.

The United States and the United Nations have called the military campaign against the Rohingya &quot;ethnic cleansing&quot;. Myanmar denies ethnic cleansing, and says its security forces mounted legitimate counter-insurgency clearance operations.

A Myanmar government spokesman said "action according to the law" would be taken against seven soldiers, three members of the police force and six villagers as part of an army investigation

Action will be taken against 10 members of Myanmar's security forces in connection with the killing of captured Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine state, a government spokesman said on Sunday, adding it was not related to a Reuters report on the incident. Reuters on Friday published a report laying out events that led up to the killing of 10 Rohingya men in the northern Rakhine village of Inn Din who were buried in a mass grave after being hacked to death or shot by Buddhist neighbours and soldiers. A Myanmar government spokesman, Zaw Htay, said that "action according to the law" would be taken against seven soldiers, three members of the police force and six villagers as part of an army investigation that was initiated before the Reuters report was published. The arrests were "not because of Reuters news. The investigation was being conducted even before Reuters news," Zaw Htay said, adding that he was unable to specify what action would be taken against the 16 people. On Jan. 10, the military said the 10 Rohingya men belonged to a group of 200 "terrorists" who had attacked security forces. Buddhist villagers attacked some of them with swords and soldiers shot the others dead, the military said, adding that it would take action against those involved. The military's version of events is contradicted by accounts given to Reuters by Rakhine Buddhist and Rohingya Muslim witnesses. Buddhist villagers reported no attack by a large number of insurgents on security forces in Inn Din. And Rohingya witnesses told Reuters that soldiers plucked the 10 from among hundreds of men, women and children who had sought safety on a nearby beach. Nearly 690,000 Rohingya have fled Rakhine state and crossed into southern Bangladesh since August, when attacks on security posts by insurgents triggered a military crackdown that the United Nations has said may amount to genocide. Arrested journalists The Reuters investigation of the Inn Din massacre was what prompted the arrest of two of the news agency's reporters. Myanmar citizens Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were detained on Dec. 12 for allegedly obtaining confidential documents. The police has said two police officers were also arrested. Prosecutors are seeking to charge Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo under Myanmar's Official Secrets Act, which dates back to the time of colonial British rule and carries a maximum 14-year prison sentence. Asked about the evidence Reuters had uncovered about the massacre, spokesman Zaw Htay said on Thursday, before publication of the Reuters report: "We are not denying the allegations about violations of human rights. And we are not giving blanket denials." If there was "strong and reliable primary evidence" of abuses, the government would investigate, he said. There has been no official comment from the government following the publication of the report. Britain's foreign minister, Boris Johnson, said he would raise the case of the two journalists during a meeting with Myanmar's de facto leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, on Sunday. A statement issued by Britain's Foreign Office after Johnson met with Aung San Suu Kyi said he had raised the case of the two journalists without providing details. "Discussed importance of Burmese authorities in carrying out full & independent investigation into the violence in #Rakhine & urgent need to create the right conditions for #Rohingya refugees to return to their homes in Rakhine," Johnson said in a separate tweet following the talks. The United States and the United Nations have called the military campaign against the Rohingya "ethnic cleansing". Myanmar denies ethnic cleansing, and says its security forces mounted legitimate counter-insurgency clearance operations.

Myanmar says soldiers, police face action over village killings

The Rohingya accuse the army of arson, rapes and killings aimed at rubbing them out of existence in this mainly Buddhist nation of 53 million.

'One grave for 10 Rohingya men': How Myanmar forces burned, looted and killed in a remote village

It is known as &quot;widows&#39; camp&quot; a sanctuary off limits to men inside Bangladesh&#39;s congested refugee settlements, where Rohingya women and children traumatized by violence find rare moments of peace.

The cluster of orange tarpaulins strung across bamboo offers a safe haven for dozens of widows and young children left fending for themselves after fleeing into Bangladesh in an exodus of nearly 690,000 Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar.

They escaped atrocities likened by the UN to &quot;ethnic cleansing&quot; but their husbands did not, leaving them to compete for food, shelter, and survival in a border zone teeming with close to one million refugees.

Among them is Swaleha Begum, who crossed alone after her husband of just three months was killed in an army-led crackdown on their village.

At just 18 she oversees the women-only encampment separated from other refugee tents in a crowded and dusty valley.

The sense of ownership and pride in their basic refuge is strong among the 60-odd widows, who maintain their own bathrooms, run prayer sessions and share responsibility for scores of children and orphans.

&quot;Those who have husbands can make their own accommodation using bamboo and tarpaulins,&quot; Swaleha told AFP.

&quot;We got this by the grace of God,&quot; she added, gesturing at the simple tents lined with thin sleeping mats and cooking utensils.

One of her primary tasks is ensuring men even teenage boys venture nowhere near their shelters, where the inhabitants are comfortable enough to eschew the veil worn by most Rohingya Muslim women in public areas.

&nbsp;&#39;Sisters&#39; in the camp

Aid workers say women and girls are most at threat from predators and human traffickers lurking in the poorly supervised camps.

This risk is compounded when Rohingya women uncomfortable at sharing toilets with men venture far away for privacy in the forest after dark.

The International Organization for Migration has documented cases of refugee women being lured away from the camps with promises of marriage or jobs that end instead of in forced labour or sex work.

More than half the Rohingya refugees who escaped the bloodshed in Myanmar&#39;s westernmost Rakhine state are women and children, the UN Women agency said.

They made it out alive but not without scars.

The UN Women agency says almost every woman and girl in the sprawling Balukhali camp is a victim of unimaginable violence a survivor of rape, or witness to the sexual assault, murder or burning alive of their family and friends.

Mabiya Khatun, who said her husband and two sons were butchered as their village was razed by soldiers, cherished the solidarity among her &quot;sisters&quot; in the widows&#39; camp.

&quot;I like it here. I find it very peaceful. We get to live a life of respect here, a dignified life,&quot; she said.

The mood shifts at talk of returning to their homeland.

Bangladesh and Myanmar have agreed to a two-year timetable for repatriating some 750,000 refugees to Rakhine on a voluntary basis, but the process has stalled.

Despite the safety in Bangladesh, and the horrors inflicted on their people in Myanmar, some Rohingya living in the widows&#39; camp yearn for the lives they left behind.

Kushida Begum, a 30-year-old refugee whose husband and children were killed in Rakhine, said no amount of relative comfort in Bangladesh could ever replace her ancestral lands.

&quot;I was born there. So was my mother, father, and grandparents. We only came here because of the torture and killing and arson,&quot; Kushida said.

&quot;If we get justice for what happened, we want to go back.&quot;

But others are looking forward to rebuilding a new life in Bangladesh surrounded by the only people who can understand their pain.

&quot;I won&#39;t go back. I don&#39;t have anything to go back to no home, no husband, no children, nothing,&quot; said Mabiya, who gave her age as 50.

&quot;At least I have something like a family here.&quot;

The sense of ownership and pride in their basic refuge is strong among the 60-odd widows, who maintain their own bathrooms, run prayer sessions and share responsibility for scores of children and orphans.

It is known as "widows' camp" a sanctuary off limits to men inside Bangladesh's congested refugee settlements, where Rohingya women and children traumatized by violence find rare moments of peace. The cluster of orange tarpaulins strung across bamboo offers a safe haven for dozens of widows and young children left fending for themselves after fleeing into Bangladesh in an exodus of nearly 690,000 Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar. They escaped atrocities likened by the UN to "ethnic cleansing" but their husbands did not, leaving them to compete for food, shelter, and survival in a border zone teeming with close to one million refugees. Among them is Swaleha Begum, who crossed alone after her husband of just three months was killed in an army-led crackdown on their village. At just 18 she oversees the women-only encampment separated from other refugee tents in a crowded and dusty valley. The sense of ownership and pride in their basic refuge is strong among the 60-odd widows, who maintain their own bathrooms, run prayer sessions and share responsibility for scores of children and orphans. "Those who have husbands can make their own accommodation using bamboo and tarpaulins," Swaleha told AFP. "We got this by the grace of God," she added, gesturing at the simple tents lined with thin sleeping mats and cooking utensils. One of her primary tasks is ensuring men even teenage boys venture nowhere near their shelters, where the inhabitants are comfortable enough to eschew the veil worn by most Rohingya Muslim women in public areas. 'Sisters' in the camp Aid workers say women and girls are most at threat from predators and human traffickers lurking in the poorly supervised camps. This risk is compounded when Rohingya women uncomfortable at sharing toilets with men venture far away for privacy in the forest after dark. The International Organization for Migration has documented cases of refugee women being lured away from the camps with promises of marriage or jobs that end instead of in forced labour or sex work. More than half the Rohingya refugees who escaped the bloodshed in Myanmar's westernmost Rakhine state are women and children, the UN Women agency said. They made it out alive but not without scars. The UN Women agency says almost every woman and girl in the sprawling Balukhali camp is a victim of unimaginable violence a survivor of rape, or witness to the sexual assault, murder or burning alive of their family and friends. Mabiya Khatun, who said her husband and two sons were butchered as their village was razed by soldiers, cherished the solidarity among her "sisters" in the widows' camp. "I like it here. I find it very peaceful. We get to live a life of respect here, a dignified life," she said. The mood shifts at talk of returning to their homeland. Bangladesh and Myanmar have agreed to a two-year timetable for repatriating some 750,000 refugees to Rakhine on a voluntary basis, but the process has stalled. Despite the safety in Bangladesh, and the horrors inflicted on their people in Myanmar, some Rohingya living in the widows' camp yearn for the lives they left behind. Kushida Begum, a 30-year-old refugee whose husband and children were killed in Rakhine, said no amount of relative comfort in Bangladesh could ever replace her ancestral lands. "I was born there. So was my mother, father, and grandparents. We only came here because of the torture and killing and arson," Kushida said. "If we get justice for what happened, we want to go back." But others are looking forward to rebuilding a new life in Bangladesh surrounded by the only people who can understand their pain. "I won't go back. I don't have anything to go back to no home, no husband, no children, nothing," said Mabiya, who gave her age as 50. "At least I have something like a family here."

Rohingya women find peace in 'widows' camp' barred to men

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/after-firing-one-trump-on-collision-course-with-new-fbi-director-31533" target="_blank">After firing one, Trump on collision course with new FBI director</a>

FBI Director Christopher Wray was hand-picked by Donald Trump to head a law enforcement agency the US president believed was biased against him.

Now, just six months into his tenure, the 50-year-old Wray finds himself on a collision course with a president who has already fired one FBI director.

CNN reported Thursday that Wray could quit if Trump goes ahead and approves the release of a secret memo at the center of a political firestorm in Washington.

 
<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/fidel-castros-eldest-son-commits-suicide-cuban-media-31534" target="_blank">Fidel Castro&#39;s eldest son commits suicide: Cuban media</a>

The son of late Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro, Fidel Castro Diaz-Balart, committed suicide on Thursday after being treated for months for depression, Cuban state-run media reported.

&quot;Diaz-Balart, who had been attended by a group of doctors for several months due to a state of profound depression, committed suicide this morning,&quot; Cubadebate website said.

 
<a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/apple-says-it-sold-fewer-iphones-but-made-record-profit-31535" target="_blank">Apple says it sold fewer iPhones but made record profit</a>

Apple on Thursday said its earnings in the final three months of last year set new records, with sales of its flagship iPhone X topping its expectations.

The California-based technology giant reported that profit climbed to $20 billion on revenue that increased 13 percent to $88.3 billion during the period.

&quot;We&#39;re thrilled to report the biggest quarter in Apple&#39;s history, with broad-based growth that included the highest revenue ever from a new iPhone lineup,&quot; said Apple chief executive Tim Cook.

 
<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/china-russia-roles-in-americas-alarming-says-rex-tillerson-31537" target="_blank">China, Russia roles in Americas &#39;alarming&#39;, says Rex Tillerson</a>

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson warned that China and Russia are assuming &quot;alarming&quot; roles in Latin America and urged regional powers to work with the United States instead.

&quot;Latin America doesn&#39;t need new imperial powers that seek only to benefit their own people,&quot; Tillerson said, in a major policy address yesterday before his first tour of South American capitals.

&quot;China&#39;s state-led model of development is reminiscent of the past. It doesn&#39;t have to be the hemisphere&#39;s future,&quot; he said, warning that &quot;unfair trading practices&quot; would cost local jobs.

 
<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmar-turns-down-un-security-council-visit-31539" target="_blank">Myanmar turns down UN Security Council visit</a>

Myanmar&#39;s government has told the Security Council that this month was &quot;not the right time&quot; for a visit by the top UN body to see first-hand the Rohingya refugee crisis, the council president said on Thursday.

Kuwait&#39;s Ambassador Mansour al-Otaibi said Myanmar authorities were not opposed to such a visit, which could take place in March or April.

&quot;They just think that this is not the right time for a visit,&quot; Otaibi, who holds the council presidency for February, told reporters at UN headquarters.

After firing one, Trump on collision course with new FBI director FBI Director Christopher Wray was hand-picked by Donald Trump to head a law enforcement agency the US president believed was biased against him. Now, just six months into his tenure, the 50-year-old Wray finds himself on a collision course with a president who has already fired one FBI director. CNN reported Thursday that Wray could quit if Trump goes ahead and approves the release of a secret memo at the center of a political firestorm in Washington. Fidel Castro's eldest son commits suicide: Cuban media The son of late Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro, Fidel Castro Diaz-Balart, committed suicide on Thursday after being treated for months for depression, Cuban state-run media reported. "Diaz-Balart, who had been attended by a group of doctors for several months due to a state of profound depression, committed suicide this morning," Cubadebate website said. Apple says it sold fewer iPhones but made record profit Apple on Thursday said its earnings in the final three months of last year set new records, with sales of its flagship iPhone X topping its expectations. The California-based technology giant reported that profit climbed to $20 billion on revenue that increased 13 percent to $88.3 billion during the period. "We're thrilled to report the biggest quarter in Apple's history, with broad-based growth that included the highest revenue ever from a new iPhone lineup," said Apple chief executive Tim Cook. China, Russia roles in Americas 'alarming', says Rex Tillerson Secretary of State Rex Tillerson warned that China and Russia are assuming "alarming" roles in Latin America and urged regional powers to work with the United States instead. "Latin America doesn't need new imperial powers that seek only to benefit their own people," Tillerson said, in a major policy address yesterday before his first tour of South American capitals. "China's state-led model of development is reminiscent of the past. It doesn't have to be the hemisphere's future," he said, warning that "unfair trading practices" would cost local jobs. Myanmar turns down UN Security Council visit Myanmar's government has told the Security Council that this month was "not the right time" for a visit by the top UN body to see first-hand the Rohingya refugee crisis, the council president said on Thursday. Kuwait's Ambassador Mansour al-Otaibi said Myanmar authorities were not opposed to such a visit, which could take place in March or April. "They just think that this is not the right time for a visit," Otaibi, who holds the council presidency for February, told reporters at UN headquarters.

WION Morning News Brief, February 2, 2018

Two Reuters journalists accused of violating Myanmar&#39;s colonial-era Official Secrets Act were brought to a district court on Thursday where, according to a defence lawyer, the judge is due to rule on a bail request.

The prosecution is also scheduled to present at least one more witness at the hearing in the Insein District Court of Yangon, Myanmar&#39;s main city.

The two journalists - Wa Lone, 31, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 27 - had worked on Reuters coverage of a crisis in Rakhine state, where an army crackdown on insurgents since the end of August has triggered the flight of 688,000 Rohingya Muslims, according to the United Nations.

The reporters were detained on December 12 after they had been invited to meet police officers over dinner in Yangon. They have told relatives they were arrested almost immediately after being handed some documents at a restaurant by two officers they had not met before.

The two reporters were smiling as they were brought handcuffed to the court and Wa Lone gave the &quot;thumbs up&quot; sign.

Diplomats from the US, British, Canadian, Norwegian, Swedish, French and Danish embassies were present as well as United Nations and EU officials.

At the last court proceedings on January 23, the first witness presented by the prosecution, Police Lieutenant Colonel Yu Naing, said he was told the reporters were arrested while they were walking along a road carrying four official documents that included a listing of forces and weapons of a police battalion in the Maungdaw district of Rakhine state.

Yu Naing repeatedly told the court &quot;I don&#39;t know&quot;, when asked about the circumstances of the arrest because it was only reported to him by subordinates. He could not point to evidence that the defendants were acting for the enemy or hostile forces, defence lawyer Khin Maung Zaw told reporters after the hearing.

The prosecution has 24 other witnesses in the case, more than half of whom are police officers, Khin Maung Zaw has said. Another police witness was likely to be called on Thursday, he said.

A ruling on an application for bail will also be announced at the hearing, Khin Maung Zaw said.

The prosecution has previously objected to the bail application.

Reuters repeated its calls for the pair&#39;s prompt release in a statement after the last hearing.

&quot;They are innocent of any wrongdoing and should be allowed to return to their jobs reporting on events in Myanmar,&quot; the news agency said.

&quot;Many Inconsistencies&quot;

The Danish embassy in Myanmar said its officers attended the previous hearing, where &quot;many inconsistencies in the material put before the court to substantiate the charges were revealed&quot;.

&quot;We once again urge the immediate release of the two journalists,&quot; the embassy said in a statement on Thursday.

In a Twitter message, the Committee to Protect Journalists also reiterated its demand that the two reporters be set free.

Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo are being tried under the Official Secrets Act, which dates back to 1923 - when Myanmar, then known as Burma, was under British rule - and carries a maximum prison sentence of 14 years.

They have been accused under Section 3.1 (c) of the act, which covers entering prohibited places, and taking images or obtaining secret official documents that &quot;might be or is intended to be, directly or indirectly, useful to an enemy&quot;.

Government officials from some of the world&#39;s major nations, including the United States, Britain and Canada, as well as top UN officials, have called for the reporters to be freed.

Veteran US politician Bill Richardson said last week that Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi&#39;s response was &quot;furious&quot; when he brought up the case in a meeting with her.

Richardson quit an international panel advising the Myanmar government on the Rohingya crisis, saying it was conducting a &quot;whitewash&quot; and accusing Suu Kyi of lacking &quot;moral leadership&quot;.

Suu Kyi&#39;s office said her government had asked Richardson to step down and accused him of pursuing &quot;his own agenda&quot;.

A statement from the nine remaining members of the advisory board said they met last week &quot;with open minds&quot; and rejected Richardson&#39;s criticism that he feared the panel would be used as &quot;a cheerleading squad&quot;.

The two journalists - Wa Lone, 31, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 27 - had worked on Reuters coverage of a crisis in Rakhine state, where an army crackdown on insurgents since the end of August has triggered the flight of 688,000 Rohingya Muslims, according to the United Nations

Two Reuters journalists accused of violating Myanmar's colonial-era Official Secrets Act were brought to a district court on Thursday where, according to a defence lawyer, the judge is due to rule on a bail request. The prosecution is also scheduled to present at least one more witness at the hearing in the Insein District Court of Yangon, Myanmar's main city. The two journalists - Wa Lone, 31, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 27 - had worked on Reuters coverage of a crisis in Rakhine state, where an army crackdown on insurgents since the end of August has triggered the flight of 688,000 Rohingya Muslims, according to the United Nations. The reporters were detained on December 12 after they had been invited to meet police officers over dinner in Yangon. They have told relatives they were arrested almost immediately after being handed some documents at a restaurant by two officers they had not met before. The two reporters were smiling as they were brought handcuffed to the court and Wa Lone gave the "thumbs up" sign. Diplomats from the US, British, Canadian, Norwegian, Swedish, French and Danish embassies were present as well as United Nations and EU officials. At the last court proceedings on January 23, the first witness presented by the prosecution, Police Lieutenant Colonel Yu Naing, said he was told the reporters were arrested while they were walking along a road carrying four official documents that included a listing of forces and weapons of a police battalion in the Maungdaw district of Rakhine state. Yu Naing repeatedly told the court "I don't know", when asked about the circumstances of the arrest because it was only reported to him by subordinates. He could not point to evidence that the defendants were acting for the enemy or hostile forces, defence lawyer Khin Maung Zaw told reporters after the hearing. The prosecution has 24 other witnesses in the case, more than half of whom are police officers, Khin Maung Zaw has said. Another police witness was likely to be called on Thursday, he said. A ruling on an application for bail will also be announced at the hearing, Khin Maung Zaw said. The prosecution has previously objected to the bail application. Reuters repeated its calls for the pair's prompt release in a statement after the last hearing. "They are innocent of any wrongdoing and should be allowed to return to their jobs reporting on events in Myanmar," the news agency said. "Many Inconsistencies" The Danish embassy in Myanmar said its officers attended the previous hearing, where "many inconsistencies in the material put before the court to substantiate the charges were revealed". "We once again urge the immediate release of the two journalists," the embassy said in a statement on Thursday. In a Twitter message, the Committee to Protect Journalists also reiterated its demand that the two reporters be set free. Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo are being tried under the Official Secrets Act, which dates back to 1923 - when Myanmar, then known as Burma, was under British rule - and carries a maximum prison sentence of 14 years. They have been accused under Section 3.1 (c) of the act, which covers entering prohibited places, and taking images or obtaining secret official documents that "might be or is intended to be, directly or indirectly, useful to an enemy". Government officials from some of the world's major nations, including the United States, Britain and Canada, as well as top UN officials, have called for the reporters to be freed. Veteran US politician Bill Richardson said last week that Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi's response was "furious" when he brought up the case in a meeting with her. Richardson quit an international panel advising the Myanmar government on the Rohingya crisis, saying it was conducting a "whitewash" and accusing Suu Kyi of lacking "moral leadership". Suu Kyi's office said her government had asked Richardson to step down and accused him of pursuing "his own agenda". A statement from the nine remaining members of the advisory board said they met last week "with open minds" and rejected Richardson's criticism that he feared the panel would be used as "a cheerleading squad".

Reuters reporters arrested in Myanmar brought to court; bail decision likely

Two journalists accused of violating Myanmar&#39;s colonial-era Official Secrets Act are due in court on Thursday as the prosecution presents more witnesses, while a defence lawyer has said the judge will rule on a bail request.

Wa Lone, 31, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 27, had worked on Reuters coverage of a crisis in Rakhine state, where an army crackdown on insurgents since the end of August has triggered the flight of 688,000 Rohingya Muslims, according to the United Nations.

The reporters were detained on December 12 after they had been invited to meet police officers over dinner in Yangon. They have told relatives they were arrested almost immediately after being handed some documents at a restaurant by two officers they had not met before.

At the last court hearing on January 23, the first prosecution witness, Police Lieutenant Colonel Yu Naing, said the reporters were arrested while they were walking along a road carrying four official documents that included a listing of forces and weapons of a police battalion in the Maungdaw district of Rakhine state.

Yu Naing repeatedly told the court &quot;I don`t know&quot;, when asked about the circumstances of the arrest because it was only reported to him by subordinates. He could not point to evidence that the defendants were acting for the enemy or hostile forces, defence lawyer Khin Maung Zaw told reporters after the hearing.

The prosecution has 24 other witnesses in the case, more than half of whom are police officers, Khin Maung Zaw has said. Another police witness was likely to be called on Thursday, he said.

A ruling on an application for bail will also be announced at the hearing in a Yangon district court, Khin Maung Zaw said.

The prosecution has previously objected to the bail application.

Reuters repeated its calls for the pair&#39;s prompt release in a statement after the last hearing.

&quot;They are innocent of any wrongdoing and should be allowed to return to their jobs reporting on events in Myanmar,&quot; the news agency said.

Secrets act charges

Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo are being tried under the Official Secrets Act, which dates back to 1923 - when Myanmar, then known as Burma, was under British rule - and carries a maximum prison sentence of 14 years.

They have been accused under Section 3.1 (c) of the act, which covers entering prohibited places, and taking images or obtaining secret official documents that &quot;might be or is intended to be, directly or indirectly, useful to an enemy&quot;.

Government officials from some of the world&#39;s major nations, including the United States, Britain and Canada, as well as top UN&nbsp;officials, have called for the reporters to be freed.

Veteran US&nbsp;politician Bill Richardson said last week that Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi&#39;s response was &quot;furious&quot; when he brought up the case in a meeting with her.&nbsp;

Richardson quit an international panel advising the Myanmar government on the Rohingya crisis, saying it was conducting a &quot;whitewash&quot; and accusing Suu Kyi of lacking &quot;moral leadership&quot;.

Suu Kyi&#39;s office said her government had asked Richardson to step down and accused him of pursuing &quot;his own agenda&quot;.

A statement from the nine remaining members of the advisory board said they met last week &quot;with open minds&quot; and rejected Richardson&#39;s criticism that he feared the panel would be used as &quot;a cheerleading squad&quot;.

A ruling on an application for bail will also be announced at the hearing in a Yangon district court

Two journalists accused of violating Myanmar's colonial-era Official Secrets Act are due in court on Thursday as the prosecution presents more witnesses, while a defence lawyer has said the judge will rule on a bail request. Wa Lone, 31, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 27, had worked on Reuters coverage of a crisis in Rakhine state, where an army crackdown on insurgents since the end of August has triggered the flight of 688,000 Rohingya Muslims, according to the United Nations. The reporters were detained on December 12 after they had been invited to meet police officers over dinner in Yangon. They have told relatives they were arrested almost immediately after being handed some documents at a restaurant by two officers they had not met before. At the last court hearing on January 23, the first prosecution witness, Police Lieutenant Colonel Yu Naing, said the reporters were arrested while they were walking along a road carrying four official documents that included a listing of forces and weapons of a police battalion in the Maungdaw district of Rakhine state. Yu Naing repeatedly told the court "I don`t know", when asked about the circumstances of the arrest because it was only reported to him by subordinates. He could not point to evidence that the defendants were acting for the enemy or hostile forces, defence lawyer Khin Maung Zaw told reporters after the hearing. The prosecution has 24 other witnesses in the case, more than half of whom are police officers, Khin Maung Zaw has said. Another police witness was likely to be called on Thursday, he said. A ruling on an application for bail will also be announced at the hearing in a Yangon district court, Khin Maung Zaw said. The prosecution has previously objected to the bail application. Reuters repeated its calls for the pair's prompt release in a statement after the last hearing. "They are innocent of any wrongdoing and should be allowed to return to their jobs reporting on events in Myanmar," the news agency said. Secrets act charges Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo are being tried under the Official Secrets Act, which dates back to 1923 - when Myanmar, then known as Burma, was under British rule - and carries a maximum prison sentence of 14 years. They have been accused under Section 3.1 (c) of the act, which covers entering prohibited places, and taking images or obtaining secret official documents that "might be or is intended to be, directly or indirectly, useful to an enemy". Government officials from some of the world's major nations, including the United States, Britain and Canada, as well as top UN officials, have called for the reporters to be freed. Veteran US politician Bill Richardson said last week that Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi's response was "furious" when he brought up the case in a meeting with her. Richardson quit an international panel advising the Myanmar government on the Rohingya crisis, saying it was conducting a "whitewash" and accusing Suu Kyi of lacking "moral leadership". Suu Kyi's office said her government had asked Richardson to step down and accused him of pursuing "his own agenda". A statement from the nine remaining members of the advisory board said they met last week "with open minds" and rejected Richardson's criticism that he feared the panel would be used as "a cheerleading squad".

Reporters arrested in Myanmar due to appear in court

On the second day of his three-day visit, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pope-to-lead-huge-mass-for-bangladesh-catholics-25549">Pope Francis finally met Rohingya </a>refugees&nbsp;in Dhaka as he appealed for "a spirit of openness, acceptance and cooperation"&nbsp;

During the day, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pope-arrives-in-bangladesh-appeals-for-decisive-action-for-refugees-from-rakhine-state-25546">Pope Francis held an open-air mass</a>&nbsp;in a park in central Dhaka with around 100,000 Bangladeshi Catholics in attendance.

Francis is the first Pope to visit Bangladesh in 31 years, quite expectedly the crowd thronged to watch the Holy See with chants of "viva il papa" ("long live the Pope").

The Pope had arrived in Bangladesh on Thursday after spending three days in Myanmar to find ways and means to help solve the Rohingya crisis which has spiralled out of control in recent months.

Soon after arriving in Bangladesh the Pope met Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid.

In his speech, he praised Bangladesh's "spirit of generosity and solidarity" in helping "a massive influx of refugees from Rakhine state".&nbsp;

The Pope who has avoided using the term "Rohingya" during his visit to Myanmar, sidestepped using the term again in Bangladesh calling them "refugees".

He appealed to the international community to take decisive action to address the "grave crisis".&nbsp;

 
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kzYoXojCLNM" width="560"></iframe> 
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During the day, Pope Francis held an open-air mass?in a park in central Dhaka

On the second day of his three-day visit, Pope Francis finally met Rohingya refugees in Dhaka as he appealed for "a spirit of openness, acceptance and cooperation" During the day, Pope Francis held an open-air mass in a park in central Dhaka with around 100,000 Bangladeshi Catholics in attendance. Francis is the first Pope to visit Bangladesh in 31 years, quite expectedly the crowd thronged to watch the Holy See with chants of "viva il papa" ("long live the Pope"). The Pope had arrived in Bangladesh on Thursday after spending three days in Myanmar to find ways and means to help solve the Rohingya crisis which has spiralled out of control in recent months. Soon after arriving in Bangladesh the Pope met Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid. In his speech, he praised Bangladesh's "spirit of generosity and solidarity" in helping "a massive influx of refugees from Rakhine state". The Pope who has avoided using the term "Rohingya" during his visit to Myanmar, sidestepped using the term again in Bangladesh calling them "refugees". He appealed to the international community to take decisive action to address the "grave crisis".

Watch: Pope Francis meets Rohingya refugees in Dhaka

In a bilateral meeting held between Indonesia President Joko Widodo and Bangladesh Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday, President Widodo stressed upon devising a peaceful and quick solution to the Rohingya crises.&nbsp;

In his two day visit to Bangladesh to discuss the bilateral relationship between the two nations, President Widodo also drew attention on the crises.&nbsp;

Appreciating the efforts of the Bangladesh government for providing shelter to over one million Rohingya people in the country, the&nbsp;president has&nbsp;assured to extend his country&#39;s support&nbsp;for the&nbsp;global concern.

Indonesian capital Jakarta had earlier supported the Rohingyas at the United Nations and its Human Rights Council.&nbsp;

To examine the plight and suffering of the Rohingya people, the&nbsp;president also expressed&nbsp;to visit the refugee camps of thousands of Rohingya Muslims. His visit is expected to put pressure on the on the Myanmar government.

The meeting was held at the office of Prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

&nbsp;

In his two day visit to Bangladesh to discuss the bilateral relationship between the two nations, President Widodo drew attention on the global crises

In a bilateral meeting held between Indonesia President Joko Widodo and Bangladesh Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday, President Widodo stressed upon devising a peaceful and quick solution to the Rohingya crises. In his two day visit to Bangladesh to discuss the bilateral relationship between the two nations, President Widodo also drew attention on the crises. Appreciating the efforts of the Bangladesh government for providing shelter to over one million Rohingya people in the country, the president has assured to extend his country's support for the global concern. Indonesian capital Jakarta had earlier supported the Rohingyas at the United Nations and its Human Rights Council. To examine the plight and suffering of the Rohingya people, the president also expressed to visit the refugee camps of thousands of Rohingya Muslims. His visit is expected to put pressure on the on the Myanmar government. The meeting was held at the office of Prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

Indonesia President called for quick, peaceful solution to Rohingya crises

The <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/seven-rakhine-killed-as-myanmar-police-fire-on-rioters-29846" target="_blank">deaths of seven ethnic Rakhine Buddhists</a> in Myanmar&#39;s north has cast fresh light on the complex swirl of religious and ethnic tensions in one of the country&#39;s poorest and most troubled regions.

Rakhine state usually makes the news because of the Rohingya, a stateless Muslim minority who have fled to Bangladesh in an army crackdown against insurgents that has been classified as ethnic cleansing.&nbsp;

But most of the population in the state is ethnic Rakhine, a group whose grievances are a key part of the conflict but often go unheard.&nbsp;

Who are the Rakhine?&nbsp;

Like nearly 90 percent of Myanmar&#39;s population, the Rakhine people are Buddhist, but a shared faith masks deeper divides.&nbsp;

Unlike the Rohingya Muslims who live in the same state, the Rakhine are recognised by the government as an ethnic group but are often marginalised under a system that favours the dominant Bamar (Burmese).

Like other ethnic groups, they harbour longstanding grievances against the central government that date back to British colonial rule, but the 18th-century subjugation of their own kingdom by the Burmese has also not been forgotten.

A deadly riot on Tuesday in Mrauk U occurred on the anniversary of the fall of the kingdom.&nbsp;

&quot;Mrauk U is the former capital of the kingdom of Arakan so it is an area where autonomist, regionalist claims are strong,&quot; said Alexandra De Mersan, an expert from the French School of Oriental Studies.

There are around two million Rakhine -- twice as many as the Rohingya before their recent exodus.

Why are they clashing with security forces?&nbsp;

Communal violence between Rakhine Buddhists and Rohingya Muslim communities has deep roots and pivots on a dispute over who belongs in the state.&nbsp;

But Rakhine antipathy towards the government and the Burmese military is also strong. Civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi is not as popular in the state as she is in the rest of the country.&nbsp;

While the world&#39;s attention has focused on attacks by Rohingya insurgents, security forces have been fighting Rakhine rebels in a nearly decade-long war that has gone largely unnoticed outside Myanmar.

An AFP tally from Myanmar media reports indicates that the Arakan Army, the main rebel group, killed scores of members of the security forces from late 2015 to late 2016.

&quot;It would not be unreasonable to speculate that AA cadres or supporters might have been involved in whipping up a protest that turned violent fairly quickly,&quot; security analyst Anthony Davis said of Tuesday&#39;s clash.

What&#39;s the impact on the Rohingya?&nbsp;

The riot occurred just days before Myanmar and Bangladesh are slated to begin repatriating some of the hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslim refugees who fled last year.

Observers are worried the recent violence may morph into fresh tensions between Rakhine and Rohingya -- and complicate the return process.

The repatriation deal covers more than 750,000 Rohingya who have fled over the border to Bangladesh.

&quot;Things can get mixed up,&quot; Oo Hla Saw, a lawmaker with the Arakan National Party. &quot;Hatred and incitement could increase as well,&quot; he told AFP.

Unlike the Rohingya Muslims who live in the same state, the Rakhine are recognised by the government as an ethnic group but are often marginalised under a system that favours the dominant Bamar (Burmese)

The deaths of seven ethnic Rakhine Buddhists in Myanmar's north has cast fresh light on the complex swirl of religious and ethnic tensions in one of the country's poorest and most troubled regions. Rakhine state usually makes the news because of the Rohingya, a stateless Muslim minority who have fled to Bangladesh in an army crackdown against insurgents that has been classified as ethnic cleansing. But most of the population in the state is ethnic Rakhine, a group whose grievances are a key part of the conflict but often go unheard. Who are the Rakhine? Like nearly 90 percent of Myanmar's population, the Rakhine people are Buddhist, but a shared faith masks deeper divides. Unlike the Rohingya Muslims who live in the same state, the Rakhine are recognised by the government as an ethnic group but are often marginalised under a system that favours the dominant Bamar (Burmese). Like other ethnic groups, they harbour longstanding grievances against the central government that date back to British colonial rule, but the 18th-century subjugation of their own kingdom by the Burmese has also not been forgotten. A deadly riot on Tuesday in Mrauk U occurred on the anniversary of the fall of the kingdom. "Mrauk U is the former capital of the kingdom of Arakan so it is an area where autonomist, regionalist claims are strong," said Alexandra De Mersan, an expert from the French School of Oriental Studies. There are around two million Rakhine -- twice as many as the Rohingya before their recent exodus. Why are they clashing with security forces? Communal violence between Rakhine Buddhists and Rohingya Muslim communities has deep roots and pivots on a dispute over who belongs in the state. But Rakhine antipathy towards the government and the Burmese military is also strong. Civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi is not as popular in the state as she is in the rest of the country. While the world's attention has focused on attacks by Rohingya insurgents, security forces have been fighting Rakhine rebels in a nearly decade-long war that has gone largely unnoticed outside Myanmar. An AFP tally from Myanmar media reports indicates that the Arakan Army, the main rebel group, killed scores of members of the security forces from late 2015 to late 2016. "It would not be unreasonable to speculate that AA cadres or supporters might have been involved in whipping up a protest that turned violent fairly quickly," security analyst Anthony Davis said of Tuesday's clash. What's the impact on the Rohingya? The riot occurred just days before Myanmar and Bangladesh are slated to begin repatriating some of the hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslim refugees who fled last year. Observers are worried the recent violence may morph into fresh tensions between Rakhine and Rohingya -- and complicate the return process. The repatriation deal covers more than 750,000 Rohingya who have fled over the border to Bangladesh. "Things can get mixed up," Oo Hla Saw, a lawmaker with the Arakan National Party. "Hatred and incitement could increase as well," he told AFP.

Who are Myanmar's Rakine?

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Senior Supreme Court lawyer Shyam Divan, appearing for the petitioners in the Aadhaar hearing, told a five-judge Constitution bench Wednesday that &quot;Aadhaar may cause death of citizens&#39; civil rights&quot;.

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Seven ethnic Rakhine Buddhists died after Myanmar police opened fire on a crowd trying to seize a government office, officials said Wednesday, in fresh violence in a febrile state already scarred by ethnic and religious hatred.

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Haryana rape and murder: Class 12 suspect found dead in Kurukshetra The Haryana Police found the dead body of the main suspect in the brutal rape and murder case of a 15-year-old Dalit girl. Sensex crosses 35,000 mark for first time, Nifty closes at all-time high Benchmark Sensex soared over 310 points today to close above the 35,000-mark for the first time ever, while the broader Nifty too ended at a fresh life-time high on unabated buying by participants. 'Aadhaar may cause death of citizens' civil rights': Lawyer for petitioners tells Supreme Court Senior Supreme Court lawyer Shyam Divan, appearing for the petitioners in the Aadhaar hearing, told a five-judge Constitution bench Wednesday that "Aadhaar may cause death of citizens' civil rights". Seven ethnic Rakhine killed as Myanmar Police fire on rioters Seven ethnic Rakhine Buddhists died after Myanmar police opened fire on a crowd trying to seize a government office, officials said Wednesday, in fresh violence in a febrile state already scarred by ethnic and religious hatred. Czech government agrees to resign after losing confidence vote The Czech government led by Prime Minister Andrej Babis agreed to resign on Wednesday after the minority cabinet lost a confidence vote a day earlier. South Africa's Cape Town may run out of water in 90 days South Africa's Cape Town, one of the world's iconic tourist destinations, could run out of water by April as the city's worst drought in a century risks forcing residents to join queues for emergency rations.

WION Evening News Brief, 17 January 2018

Myanmar and Bangladesh have reached a deal to repatriate Rohingya displaced by an army crackdown &quot;within two years&quot;, Dhaka said Tuesday.

According to a statement from the Bangladeshi government following talks in Myanmar&#39;s capital Naypyidaw, the agreement between the two countries states that the process will be &quot;completed preferably within 02 (two) years from the commencement of repatriation&quot;.

This is the first clear timeline for a return of hundreds of thousands of refugees.

&quot;During this two-day meeting, we agreed on the form that refugees will have to fill to be able to come back to Myanmar,&quot; Mohammad Sufiur Rahman, Bangladesh ambassador in Myanmar told AFP.&nbsp; 
 
Also Read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/rohingya-insurgents-say-they-have-no-option-but-to-fight-myanmar-28754">Rohingya insurgents say they have no option but to fight Myanmar</a>

&quot;We should be able to start the process in the coming days,&quot; he said, but added Myanmar&#39;s stated deadline of next week for starting Rohingya repatriation was &quot;not possible&quot;.

The deal applies to Rohingya who fled Myanmar in two major outbreaks of violence since October 2016, when militants from the stateless Muslim minority first attacked border-guard posts in northern Rakhine state.

It does not cover Rohingya refugees who were living in Bangladesh prior to that date who the UN estimates number at 200,000.

In November, the two countries reached a pact paving the way for repatriations from January 23. The deadline is likely to slip given the logistical challenges of the cross-border operation.

Myanmar has faced intense diplomatic pressure to allow the safe return of Rohingya refugees driven out by its army.

But many Rohingya in crowded camps in Bangladesh say they are reluctant to return to Rakhine state having fled atrocities including murder, rape and arson attacks on their homes.

The agreement between the two countries states that the process will be 'completed preferably within 02 (two) years from the commencement of repatriation'

Myanmar and Bangladesh have reached a deal to repatriate Rohingya displaced by an army crackdown "within two years", Dhaka said Tuesday. According to a statement from the Bangladeshi government following talks in Myanmar's capital Naypyidaw, the agreement between the two countries states that the process will be "completed preferably within 02 (two) years from the commencement of repatriation". This is the first clear timeline for a return of hundreds of thousands of refugees. "During this two-day meeting, we agreed on the form that refugees will have to fill to be able to come back to Myanmar," Mohammad Sufiur Rahman, Bangladesh ambassador in Myanmar told AFP. Also Read: Rohingya insurgents say they have no option but to fight Myanmar "We should be able to start the process in the coming days," he said, but added Myanmar's stated deadline of next week for starting Rohingya repatriation was "not possible". The deal applies to Rohingya who fled Myanmar in two major outbreaks of violence since October 2016, when militants from the stateless Muslim minority first attacked border-guard posts in northern Rakhine state. It does not cover Rohingya refugees who were living in Bangladesh prior to that date who the UN estimates number at 200,000. In November, the two countries reached a pact paving the way for repatriations from January 23. The deadline is likely to slip given the logistical challenges of the cross-border operation. Myanmar has faced intense diplomatic pressure to allow the safe return of Rohingya refugees driven out by its army. But many Rohingya in crowded camps in Bangladesh say they are reluctant to return to Rakhine state having fled atrocities including murder, rape and arson attacks on their homes.

Myanmar, Bangladesh reach two-year deal to repatriate Rohingya refugees

Rohingya Muslim insurgents said on Saturday that 10 Rohingya found in a mass grave in Myanmar&#39;s troubled Rakhine state last month were &quot;innocent civilians&quot;, and not members of their group.

Myanmar&#39;s military said earlier this week its soldiers had killed 10 captured Muslim &quot;terrorists&quot; during insurgent attacks at the beginning of September after Buddhist villagers had forced the captured men into a grave the villagers had dug.

It was a rare acknowledgement of wrongdoing by the Myanmar military during its operations in the western state of Rakhine.

The Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), whose raids against security posts starting last August sparked sweeping military operations in the Muslim-majority northern part of Rakhine, said it &quot;whole-heartedly welcomes the admission&quot; of &quot;war crimes&quot; by the &quot;Burmese terrorist army&quot;.&nbsp;

&quot;We hereby declare that these ten innocent Rohingya civilians found in the said mass grave in Inn Din Village Tract were neither ARSA nor had any association with ARSA&quot;, the group said in a statement on Twitter.&nbsp;

A Myanmar government spokesman said in response to ARSA&#39;s statement that sometimes &quot;terrorists and villagers were allied&quot; in attacks&quot; against security forces.

&quot;We have already said it is very difficult to segregate who is a terrorist and who are innocent villagers,&quot; spokesman Zaw Htay said. &quot;There will be an ongoing investigating process whether they are members of ARSA or not.&quot;&nbsp;

The Myanmar military did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

New step

Myanmar&rsquo;s civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi said on Friday it was &ldquo;positive&rdquo; that the country&rsquo;s military was taking responsibility for the actions of troops.

&ldquo;It is a new step for our country,&rdquo; she told a joint news conference with Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono in Myanmar`s capital of Naypyitaw.&nbsp;

&ldquo;I see it that way because a country needs to take responsibility for the rule of law in the country, and this is the first step on the road of taking responsibility and it is a positive thing,&rdquo; She said, according to a transcript of the news conference posted on her Facebook page.

On December&nbsp;18, the military announced a mass grave containing 10 bodies had been found at the coastal village of Inn Din, about 50 km (30 miles) north of the state capital Sittwe. The army appointed a senior officer to investigate.

A statement from the military on Wednesday said its investigation had found that members of the security forces had taken part in the killings and action would be taken against them.

Some civilians wanted to kill the 10 men to avenge the death of an ethnic Rakhine Buddhist man in Inn Dinn village named Maung Ni and would face punishment, the military said.

On Saturday, a lawyer for one of Maung Ni&rsquo;s sons said police were seeking murder charges against the son, named Tun Aye, for taking part in the killings. Lawyer Khin Win said a murder complaint against the son was filed with local prosecutors last week in Maungdaw, the nearest town to Inn Din.&nbsp;

Tun Aye was one of four Inn Din villagers detained by police on December&nbsp;15, said Khin Win. The other three had been released, he said.

National police spokesman Thet Naing said he was not aware of the murder complaint.&nbsp;

The Rohingya crisis erupted after Rohingya insurgent attacks on security posts on August&nbsp;25 in Rakhine triggered a fierce military response that the United Nations denounced as ethnic cleansing.

Myanmar denies ethnic cleansing, saying its security forces had mounted legitimate counter-insurgency clearance operations.&nbsp;

The Myanmar military did not immediately respond to requests for comment

Rohingya Muslim insurgents said on Saturday that 10 Rohingya found in a mass grave in Myanmar's troubled Rakhine state last month were "innocent civilians", and not members of their group. Myanmar's military said earlier this week its soldiers had killed 10 captured Muslim "terrorists" during insurgent attacks at the beginning of September after Buddhist villagers had forced the captured men into a grave the villagers had dug. It was a rare acknowledgement of wrongdoing by the Myanmar military during its operations in the western state of Rakhine. The Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), whose raids against security posts starting last August sparked sweeping military operations in the Muslim-majority northern part of Rakhine, said it "whole-heartedly welcomes the admission" of "war crimes" by the "Burmese terrorist army". "We hereby declare that these ten innocent Rohingya civilians found in the said mass grave in Inn Din Village Tract were neither ARSA nor had any association with ARSA", the group said in a statement on Twitter. A Myanmar government spokesman said in response to ARSA's statement that sometimes "terrorists and villagers were allied" in attacks" against security forces. "We have already said it is very difficult to segregate who is a terrorist and who are innocent villagers," spokesman Zaw Htay said. "There will be an ongoing investigating process whether they are members of ARSA or not." The Myanmar military did not immediately respond to requests for comment. New step Myanmar’s civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi said on Friday it was “positive” that the country’s military was taking responsibility for the actions of troops. “It is a new step for our country,” she told a joint news conference with Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono in Myanmar`s capital of Naypyitaw. “I see it that way because a country needs to take responsibility for the rule of law in the country, and this is the first step on the road of taking responsibility and it is a positive thing,” She said, according to a transcript of the news conference posted on her Facebook page. On December 18, the military announced a mass grave containing 10 bodies had been found at the coastal village of Inn Din, about 50 km (30 miles) north of the state capital Sittwe. The army appointed a senior officer to investigate. A statement from the military on Wednesday said its investigation had found that members of the security forces had taken part in the killings and action would be taken against them. Some civilians wanted to kill the 10 men to avenge the death of an ethnic Rakhine Buddhist man in Inn Dinn village named Maung Ni and would face punishment, the military said. On Saturday, a lawyer for one of Maung Ni’s sons said police were seeking murder charges against the son, named Tun Aye, for taking part in the killings. Lawyer Khin Win said a murder complaint against the son was filed with local prosecutors last week in Maungdaw, the nearest town to Inn Din. Tun Aye was one of four Inn Din villagers detained by police on December 15, said Khin Win. The other three had been released, he said. National police spokesman Thet Naing said he was not aware of the murder complaint. The Rohingya crisis erupted after Rohingya insurgent attacks on security posts on August 25 in Rakhine triggered a fierce military response that the United Nations denounced as ethnic cleansing. Myanmar denies ethnic cleansing, saying its security forces had mounted legitimate counter-insurgency clearance operations.

Rohingya insurgents say 10 found in Myanmar grave 'innocent civilians'

Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono conveyed serious concern over Myanmar&#39;s Rohingya Muslims to the country&#39;s leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, in a meeting on Friday in the capital Naypyidaw, Japan&#39;s Kyodo news agency reported.

Separately, the Japanese government announced emergency grant aid of 330 million yen ($2.97 million) to Myanmar to help members of the minority who return to Myanmar from Bangladesh.

Myanmar&#39;s army launched a sweeping offensive in the north of the western state of Rakhine in response to Rohingya militant attacks on Aug. 25, triggering an exodus of more than 650,000 Rohingya villagers to Bangladesh.

Separately, the Japanese government announced emergency grant aid of 330 million yen ($2.97 million) to Myanmar to help members of the minority.

Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono conveyed serious concern over Myanmar's Rohingya Muslims to the country's leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, in a meeting on Friday in the capital Naypyidaw, Japan's Kyodo news agency reported. Separately, the Japanese government announced emergency grant aid of 330 million yen ($2.97 million) to Myanmar to help members of the minority who return to Myanmar from Bangladesh. Myanmar's army launched a sweeping offensive in the north of the western state of Rakhine in response to Rohingya militant attacks on Aug. 25, triggering an exodus of more than 650,000 Rohingya villagers to Bangladesh.

Japan conveys concern over Rohingya to Myanmar's Suu Kyi

Myanmar security forces took part in a massacre of 10 Rohingya in September, the army chief&#39;s office said today, as it admitted for the first-time abuses during a crackdown that sparked a mass exodus&nbsp;of&nbsp;the Muslim minority.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The massacre took place on September 2 in the village of Inn Din in Rakhine state, the Facebook posting said, as tensions escalated pitting Rohingya against security forces and ethnic Rakhine locals following the killing of a Rakhine man.&nbsp;&nbsp;

&quot;Some villagers from Inn Din village and security members confessed they killed 10 Bengali terrorists,&quot; the office said in its post, using a pejorative term for Rohingya and blaming militants for causing the unrest in the village.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The post also gave the first confirmation of a mass Rohingya grave inside Rakhine state following an army crackdown on militants from the minority group.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In its account, the office said security forces captured 10 Rohingya militants before killing them as violence engulfed Inn Din village and its surrounding area.&nbsp;&nbsp;

&quot;The decision was made to kill them at a cemetery,&quot; the post added.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Refugees who have fled in their hundreds of thousands to neighbouring Bangladesh have given consistent accounts of massacres by Myanmar security forces flanked by ethnic Rakhine mobs.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Those allegations, which have been cross-checked by media and rights groups, have seen Myanmar accused of ethnic cleansing by the US and UN and prompted questions over whether the army crackdown may have amounted to genocide.&nbsp;&nbsp;

But Myanmar&#39;s army has until now staunchly rebutted allegations of misconduct, clearing itself of any wrongdoing in an internal probe.

The massacre took place on September 2 in the village of Inn Din in Rakhine state

Myanmar security forces took part in a massacre of 10 Rohingya in September, the army chief's office said today, as it admitted for the first-time abuses during a crackdown that sparked a mass exodus of the Muslim minority. The massacre took place on September 2 in the village of Inn Din in Rakhine state, the Facebook posting said, as tensions escalated pitting Rohingya against security forces and ethnic Rakhine locals following the killing of a Rakhine man. "Some villagers from Inn Din village and security members confessed they killed 10 Bengali terrorists," the office said in its post, using a pejorative term for Rohingya and blaming militants for causing the unrest in the village. The post also gave the first confirmation of a mass Rohingya grave inside Rakhine state following an army crackdown on militants from the minority group. In its account, the office said security forces captured 10 Rohingya militants before killing them as violence engulfed Inn Din village and its surrounding area. "The decision was made to kill them at a cemetery," the post added. Refugees who have fled in their hundreds of thousands to neighbouring Bangladesh have given consistent accounts of massacres by Myanmar security forces flanked by ethnic Rakhine mobs. Those allegations, which have been cross-checked by media and rights groups, have seen Myanmar accused of ethnic cleansing by the US and UN and prompted questions over whether the army crackdown may have amounted to genocide. But Myanmar's army has until now staunchly rebutted allegations of misconduct, clearing itself of any wrongdoing in an internal probe.

Myanmar security forces took part in killing 10 Rohingya: Army

&nbsp;

By Robert Huish &amp; Patrick Balazo*

New technology can have profound impacts on society in ways never intended.

The radio <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-27894944">carried codes</a> during the First World War, but later became a household fixture. <a href="https://bebusinessed.com/history/history-of-the-telephone/">Early telephones</a> were leased in pairs but after Western Union, a telegraph company, adopted &ldquo;exchanges,&rdquo; it led to rapid long-distance communication. Likewise, mobile phones have evolved from bulky &ldquo;walkie-talkies&rdquo; to small supercomputers.

And now Facebook, originally a connection platform for university students, conjoins one in four people. But today, in Myanmar, Facebook is helping fuel a genocide against the Rohingya people.

Based on our research in Myanmar and in Cuba, we argue that internet usage in Myanmar is dangerous. Unbridled connection to Facebook creates what we call a &ldquo;virtual coercive,&rdquo; a digital space that bolsters coercion. We suggest that Cuba&rsquo;s internet model may provide lessons to manage social media amid political chaos.

The utility of inventions can be unpredictable, and so too can the social impacts be catastrophic.

<a href="https://bebusinessed.com/history/history-of-the-telephone/">Distracted driving</a> is an unforeseen consequence of mobile phones that kills or maims thousands each year. Dealing with distracted driving involves better driver education, curbing usage behind the wheel and penalties for stupidity.

<a href="http://www.rwandanstories.org/genocide/hate_radio.html">Radio enabled unimaginable horrors</a> during the 1994 genocide in Rwanda.

&lsquo;Blood on hands&rsquo;

But in conditions of genocide, can a technology like radio be limited or restricted? It&rsquo;s an essential service, but with blood on its hands. That&rsquo;s a burden Facebook now shares.

In 2010, Myanmar had 130,000 heavily restricted internet users. In seven years, SIM card prices plunged from more than US$3,000 to $1. The government also relaxed censorship laws, allowing Facebook to attract 30 million Burmese users. Many of them view Facebook as the internet.

Beginning in late August, Burmese security forces pursued a scorched-earth campaign against the Rohingya. Some 6,700 were killed and 645,000 were forced to seek refuge in Bangladesh.

Along with ultra-nationalist monk Ashin Wirathu, a host of Facebook pages spread hate speech. This vitriolic propaganda further vilifies the already marginalized and much-maligned Rohingya.

<figure class="align-right "><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/200499/original/file-20171229-96263-vt2qmm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" />
<figcaption>
Myanmar&rsquo;s radical Buddhist monk, the anti-Muslim Ashin Wirathu, is seen here in Sri Lanka in 2014. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

&nbsp;

Anti-Rohingya content includes explicitly racist political cartoons, falsified images and staged news reports. This content goes viral, normalizing hate speech and shaping public perception. Violence against Rohingya people is increasingly welcomed, and then celebrated online. This virtual coercive serves the Myanmar military&rsquo;s interests.

The military junta&rsquo;s monopoly on information has provided little arena to foster media literacy. Such propaganda in this virtual coercive of anti-Rohingya propaganda preys upon the ill-informed. For many, the misinformation spread through Facebook justifies what the United Nations has dubbed a textbook example of ethnic cleansing.

Myanmar citizens now have unbridled access to low-cost internet on their mobile devices. Freedom of speech advocates will laud this. But this open information pipeline reinforces Facebook&rsquo;s dark side of self-reaffirmation with limited perspective.

This is to the Burmese military&rsquo;s advantage. Just as radio fuelled genocide in the 1990s, Facebook is making it happen in Myanmar today.
</figcaption>
</figure>

Fiction becomes reality

Facebook&rsquo;s virtual coercive is one of division, competing realities and a lack of mutual acceptance. In Facebook&rsquo;s virtual coercive, fiction is reality and lies can validate.

Considering this, we argue that constant Facebook use in Myanmar is too risky to ignore. Societies require spaces for tolerance of differing ideas, trade, negotiation, volunteerism and face-to-face dynamics. This is lacking in Myanmar.

Cuba may be an important example in this discussion.

The nature of internet access in Cuba has not led to the abusive coercion or divisive politics. Protests through social media that are common in other parts of the world do not exist in Cuba.

Why?

Internet in Cuba is, simply put, expensive. Spending US$3 for an hour of WiFi in internet parks is about 10 per cent of a Cuban&rsquo;s monthly earnings. With only limited time to be online, Facebook&rsquo;s bandwidth-clogging bulk makes it unpopular in Cuba. Instead, other SMS and chat apps such as IMO, a direct video chat service, is preferred.

Cubans access internet in small doses

Cuba has only limited capacity to monitor its internet traffic, and the government worries about unbridled access.

And so Facebook cannot be accessed during working hours in most government and university settings in Cuba. It creates a disincentive to rely on Facebook for news and connections.

Cubans surf the net in small doses and often in public spaces. This breaks the virtual coercive through face-to-face interactions.

The shortcomings of Cuba&rsquo;s model are obvious given it creates a barrier to information. Free-speech advocates will be quick to dismiss the idea of limiting the time spent online, never mind the dangers of a state having the responsibility to curtail social media.

But is unbridled access to Facebook really a pillar of free speech if the platform can be harnessed for the purpose of eliminating an entire population?

It&rsquo;s time to entertain disconnecting from the virtual coercive in order to engage in real space. Maybe in this way, Facebook&rsquo;s dark side can be kept at bay while still serving its original purpose of connecting people and enriching, not destroying, lives.

&nbsp;

This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" rel="nofollow" target="blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/unliked-how-facebook-is-playing-a-part-in-the-rohingya-genocide-89523" rel="nofollow" target="blank">original article</a>.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

*Patrick Balazo is Researcher, Dalhousie University

Anti-Rohingya content includes explicitly racist political cartoons, falsified images and staged news reports. This content goes viral, normalizing hate speech and shaping public perception.

By Robert Huish & Patrick Balazo* New technology can have profound impacts on society in ways never intended. The radio carried codes during the First World War, but later became a household fixture. Early telephones were leased in pairs but after Western Union, a telegraph company, adopted “exchanges,” it led to rapid long-distance communication. Likewise, mobile phones have evolved from bulky “walkie-talkies” to small supercomputers. And now Facebook, originally a connection platform for university students, conjoins one in four people. But today, in Myanmar, Facebook is helping fuel a genocide against the Rohingya people. Based on our research in Myanmar and in Cuba, we argue that internet usage in Myanmar is dangerous. Unbridled connection to Facebook creates what we call a “virtual coercive,” a digital space that bolsters coercion. We suggest that Cuba’s internet model may provide lessons to manage social media amid political chaos. The utility of inventions can be unpredictable, and so too can the social impacts be catastrophic. Distracted driving is an unforeseen consequence of mobile phones that kills or maims thousands each year. Dealing with distracted driving involves better driver education, curbing usage behind the wheel and penalties for stupidity. Radio enabled unimaginable horrors during the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. ‘Blood on hands’ But in conditions of genocide, can a technology like radio be limited or restricted? It’s an essential service, but with blood on its hands. That’s a burden Facebook now shares. In 2010, Myanmar had 130,000 heavily restricted internet users. In seven years, SIM card prices plunged from more than US$3,000 to $1. The government also relaxed censorship laws, allowing Facebook to attract 30 million Burmese users. Many of them view Facebook as the internet. Beginning in late August, Burmese security forces pursued a scorched-earth campaign against the Rohingya. Some 6,700 were killed and 645,000 were forced to seek refuge in Bangladesh. Along with ultra-nationalist monk Ashin Wirathu, a host of Facebook pages spread hate speech. This vitriolic propaganda further vilifies the already marginalized and much-maligned Rohingya. Myanmar’s radical Buddhist monk, the anti-Muslim Ashin Wirathu, is seen here in Sri Lanka in 2014. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena) Anti-Rohingya content includes explicitly racist political cartoons, falsified images and staged news reports. This content goes viral, normalizing hate speech and shaping public perception. Violence against Rohingya people is increasingly welcomed, and then celebrated online. This virtual coercive serves the Myanmar military’s interests. The military junta’s monopoly on information has provided little arena to foster media literacy. Such propaganda in this virtual coercive of anti-Rohingya propaganda preys upon the ill-informed. For many, the misinformation spread through Facebook justifies what the United Nations has dubbed a textbook example of ethnic cleansing. Myanmar citizens now have unbridled access to low-cost internet on their mobile devices. Freedom of speech advocates will laud this. But this open information pipeline reinforces Facebook’s dark side of self-reaffirmation with limited perspective. This is to the Burmese military’s advantage. Just as radio fuelled genocide in the 1990s, Facebook is making it happen in Myanmar today. Fiction becomes reality Facebook’s virtual coercive is one of division, competing realities and a lack of mutual acceptance. In Facebook’s virtual coercive, fiction is reality and lies can validate. Considering this, we argue that constant Facebook use in Myanmar is too risky to ignore. Societies require spaces for tolerance of differing ideas, trade, negotiation, volunteerism and face-to-face dynamics. This is lacking in Myanmar. Cuba may be an important example in this discussion. The nature of internet access in Cuba has not led to the abusive coercion or divisive politics. Protests through social media that are common in other parts of the world do not exist in Cuba. Why? Internet in Cuba is, simply put, expensive. Spending US$3 for an hour of WiFi in internet parks is about 10 per cent of a Cuban’s monthly earnings. With only limited time to be online, Facebook’s bandwidth-clogging bulk makes it unpopular in Cuba. Instead, other SMS and chat apps such as IMO, a direct video chat service, is preferred. Cubans access internet in small doses Cuba has only limited capacity to monitor its internet traffic, and the government worries about unbridled access. And so Facebook cannot be accessed during working hours in most government and university settings in Cuba. It creates a disincentive to rely on Facebook for news and connections. Cubans surf the net in small doses and often in public spaces. This breaks the virtual coercive through face-to-face interactions. The shortcomings of Cuba’s model are obvious given it creates a barrier to information. Free-speech advocates will be quick to dismiss the idea of limiting the time spent online, never mind the dangers of a state having the responsibility to curtail social media. But is unbridled access to Facebook really a pillar of free speech if the platform can be harnessed for the purpose of eliminating an entire population? It’s time to entertain disconnecting from the virtual coercive in order to engage in real space. Maybe in this way, Facebook’s dark side can be kept at bay while still serving its original purpose of connecting people and enriching, not destroying, lives. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. *Patrick Balazo is Researcher, Dalhousie University

Opinion: How Facebook is playing a part in the Rohingya genocide

2017 saw some of the most dramatic and ominous unravelings of the delicate human condition, and the Rohingya crisis in Myanmar and Bangladesh sits right at the top. The scale of the violence and physical displacement that unfolded after the 25 August militant attack in Myanmar&rsquo;s Northern Rakhine State remains unlike anything else in recent memory.

&nbsp;

Perhaps most remarkable is the geopolitical whirlpool that the crisis has created in the region, drawing in peering state and non-state actors in a complex, and often clashing, interplay of agendas, interests, and anxieties. In a way, the crisis has opened up Myanmar, currently undergoing democratic transition under the much-scrutinised leadership of Aung San Suu Kyi, to the subsuming throes of big power politics and regional contestation for strategic leverage. India, owing to its proximity to ground zero and concomitant regional dynamics, too remains in this sphere of geopolitical churning.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

But, the question is whether India has been able to respond in a manner that is not just effective in restoring stability in the short-term or providing comprehensive assistance to the direct stakeholders of the crisis, but also that consolidates its own standing as a reliable power in this volatile region.

The Indian Response

India has obviously had to articulate a position on the crisis, thanks to strategic realities, domestic sentiments, and regional geopolitical compulsions. But, this has been a far-from-consistent position, with the establishment in New Delhi fumbling to make sense of the rapidly evolving (or devolving) situation on the ground and get the geopolitical arithmetic right. The constant struggle for the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been to showcase and build upon a framework of neutrality by assisting both Myanmar and Bangladesh.&nbsp;

Modi, during his early-September visit to Myanmar, used the term &lsquo;extremist violence&rsquo; to describe the instability and centred the bulk of his remarks on terrorism and the deepening partnership between India and Myanmar. The absence of any reference to allegations of human rights abuses and use of excessive force against Rohingya civilians by Burmese security forces not only drew sharp criticism from commentators, but also stoked the hearth in Dhaka, which blames Myanmar for triggering the refugee situation. Less than a week after the tour, the Modi government had to do damage control by issuing a call for &lsquo;restraint and maturity&rsquo; from Burmese authorities.&nbsp;

A week hence, the Indian Air Force airlifted material aid, intended for the refugees, to Chittagong as part of &lsquo;Operation Insaniyat&rsquo;. Following this, New Delhi sent another 900 tonnes of relief aid via the naval route. Further, India&rsquo;s Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar recently signed an MoU with the Suu Kyi government on &ldquo;long-term socio-economic development of [Rakhine] state,&rdquo; including construction of pre-fabricated houses for returning refugees.

One could argue that India, quickly realising the difficult geopolitics of the situation, ultimately forwarded a balanced and mature diplomatic prognosis in the face of sensational - often precipitate - global rhetoric. After all, the Modi government chose to water the roots (read: infuse relief assistance at the source points) rather than prune the leaves&nbsp; (read: engage in abstract verbosity against the Suu Kyi government).&nbsp;

But, in reality, what good has come out of this diplomatic calibration?

Balanced Diplomacy or Timidity?&nbsp;

In effect, all of the above are nominal measures that neither resolve the refugee crisis, nor add any significant value to India&rsquo;s footprint in South and Southeast Asia. New Delhi must note that it is an extended stakeholder in the crisis, simply because Rohingyas are also crossing over to India, albeit in much lesser numbers to Bangladesh. While keeping the borders open to refugees in distress is a fair and precedent-based policy position, actively engaging in crisis-management is a far more concrete and sustainable design - even from a &lsquo;national security&rsquo; point of view. There is little doubt that existing Islamist extremist networks in the region would exploit the crisis to recruit and mobilise, and India then is a natural target.&nbsp;

But, the Modi government has done little to act from the front. Beyond abstaining from critical UN resolutions and sending limited aid that barely even scratches at the surface of the mammoth humanitarian demand, India has remained largely passive. Such a lukewarm and rather shaky response to an enormous regional crisis is counterintuitive to India&rsquo;s bulging aspirations of establishing itself as South Asia&rsquo;s prime security guarantor and in general, a responsible global power. Simply put, if regional assertion is an intention, then India cannot afford to sit by as a backbencher.&nbsp;

Even at home, the BJP-led government could not drive home a rational agenda on this issue. The noise over the intended deportation of the 40,000 odd Rohingya refugees in India drowned most voices of empathy in the initial phase of the crisis. Yet, the government ultimately ended up not actually carrying out the deportation, thus stoking the impatience of its rabble-rousing domestic electorate. What more, influential party voices kept the conversation confined to the apparent &lsquo;national security threat&rsquo; that Rohingyas posed to India while censoring the significant human rights aspect of the whole crisis.

For India, the most stark outcome of weak action has come in the form of corresponding strong-willed action from its most ambitious regional nemesis, China.&nbsp;

Geopolitical Consequences of Inaction

The Chinese have displayed impressive diplomatic tact on the Rohingya issue. Departing from its longstanding policy of leveraging itself in the neighbourhood through proxy subversion or absolute neutrality in third-party disputes, Beijing stepped into the shoes of a core mediator this time. In November, China proposed a three-stage plan to Bangladesh and Myanmar to resolve the refugee crisis and in the longer term, the &lsquo;Rohingya issue&rsquo;. Less than a week later, Bangladesh and Myanmar announced the signing of a bilateral repatriation deal.&nbsp;

From the perspective of a regional hegemon, this was result-oriented diplomacy at its finest, despite the fact that the deal is as obscure as it can get. The caveat here is that China&rsquo;s &lsquo;Rohingya plan&rsquo; may not be in the best interests of the Rohingyas. But, it certainly is in its own interests.&nbsp;

However, it might not be all too late for New Delhi to move to the frontline and lead a comprehensive regional effort to find sustainable solutions to the crisis.&nbsp;

For an ambitious global power like India, this quest for hegemony starts with desire for greater legitimacy (and not just dominance) in the region, which in turn, is premised on good faith, engagement, understanding, and progressive diplomacy.

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL).

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

China has strengthened its geo-strategic clout in the region, however, it might not be all too late for New Delhi to move to the frontline, finding a sustainable solution to the crisis.

2017 saw some of the most dramatic and ominous unravelings of the delicate human condition, and the Rohingya crisis in Myanmar and Bangladesh sits right at the top. The scale of the violence and physical displacement that unfolded after the 25 August militant attack in Myanmar’s Northern Rakhine State remains unlike anything else in recent memory. Perhaps most remarkable is the geopolitical whirlpool that the crisis has created in the region, drawing in peering state and non-state actors in a complex, and often clashing, interplay of agendas, interests, and anxieties. In a way, the crisis has opened up Myanmar, currently undergoing democratic transition under the much-scrutinised leadership of Aung San Suu Kyi, to the subsuming throes of big power politics and regional contestation for strategic leverage. India, owing to its proximity to ground zero and concomitant regional dynamics, too remains in this sphere of geopolitical churning. But, the question is whether India has been able to respond in a manner that is not just effective in restoring stability in the short-term or providing comprehensive assistance to the direct stakeholders of the crisis, but also that consolidates its own standing as a reliable power in this volatile region. The Indian Response India has obviously had to articulate a position on the crisis, thanks to strategic realities, domestic sentiments, and regional geopolitical compulsions. But, this has been a far-from-consistent position, with the establishment in New Delhi fumbling to make sense of the rapidly evolving (or devolving) situation on the ground and get the geopolitical arithmetic right. The constant struggle for the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been to showcase and build upon a framework of neutrality by assisting both Myanmar and Bangladesh. Modi, during his early-September visit to Myanmar, used the term ‘extremist violence’ to describe the instability and centred the bulk of his remarks on terrorism and the deepening partnership between India and Myanmar. The absence of any reference to allegations of human rights abuses and use of excessive force against Rohingya civilians by Burmese security forces not only drew sharp criticism from commentators, but also stoked the hearth in Dhaka, which blames Myanmar for triggering the refugee situation. Less than a week after the tour, the Modi government had to do damage control by issuing a call for ‘restraint and maturity’ from Burmese authorities. A week hence, the Indian Air Force airlifted material aid, intended for the refugees, to Chittagong as part of ‘Operation Insaniyat’. Following this, New Delhi sent another 900 tonnes of relief aid via the naval route. Further, India’s Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar recently signed an MoU with the Suu Kyi government on “long-term socio-economic development of [Rakhine] state,” including construction of pre-fabricated houses for returning refugees. One could argue that India, quickly realising the difficult geopolitics of the situation, ultimately forwarded a balanced and mature diplomatic prognosis in the face of sensational - often precipitate - global rhetoric. After all, the Modi government chose to water the roots (read: infuse relief assistance at the source points) rather than prune the leaves (read: engage in abstract verbosity against the Suu Kyi government). But, in reality, what good has come out of this diplomatic calibration? Balanced Diplomacy or Timidity? In effect, all of the above are nominal measures that neither resolve the refugee crisis, nor add any significant value to India’s footprint in South and Southeast Asia. New Delhi must note that it is an extended stakeholder in the crisis, simply because Rohingyas are also crossing over to India, albeit in much lesser numbers to Bangladesh. While keeping the borders open to refugees in distress is a fair and precedent-based policy position, actively engaging in crisis-management is a far more concrete and sustainable design - even from a ‘national security’ point of view. There is little doubt that existing Islamist extremist networks in the region would exploit the crisis to recruit and mobilise, and India then is a natural target. But, the Modi government has done little to act from the front. Beyond abstaining from critical UN resolutions and sending limited aid that barely even scratches at the surface of the mammoth humanitarian demand, India has remained largely passive. Such a lukewarm and rather shaky response to an enormous regional crisis is counterintuitive to India’s bulging aspirations of establishing itself as South Asia’s prime security guarantor and in general, a responsible global power. Simply put, if regional assertion is an intention, then India cannot afford to sit by as a backbencher. Even at home, the BJP-led government could not drive home a rational agenda on this issue. The noise over the intended deportation of the 40,000 odd Rohingya refugees in India drowned most voices of empathy in the initial phase of the crisis. Yet, the government ultimately ended up not actually carrying out the deportation, thus stoking the impatience of its rabble-rousing domestic electorate. What more, influential party voices kept the conversation confined to the apparent ‘national security threat’ that Rohingyas posed to India while censoring the significant human rights aspect of the whole crisis. For India, the most stark outcome of weak action has come in the form of corresponding strong-willed action from its most ambitious regional nemesis, China. Geopolitical Consequences of Inaction The Chinese have displayed impressive diplomatic tact on the Rohingya issue. Departing from its longstanding policy of leveraging itself in the neighbourhood through proxy subversion or absolute neutrality in third-party disputes, Beijing stepped into the shoes of a core mediator this time. In November, China proposed a three-stage plan to Bangladesh and Myanmar to resolve the refugee crisis and in the longer term, the ‘Rohingya issue’. Less than a week later, Bangladesh and Myanmar announced the signing of a bilateral repatriation deal. From the perspective of a regional hegemon, this was result-oriented diplomacy at its finest, despite the fact that the deal is as obscure as it can get. The caveat here is that China’s ‘Rohingya plan’ may not be in the best interests of the Rohingyas. But, it certainly is in its own interests. However, it might not be all too late for New Delhi to move to the frontline and lead a comprehensive regional effort to find sustainable solutions to the crisis. For an ambitious global power like India, this quest for hegemony starts with desire for greater legitimacy (and not just dominance) in the region, which in turn, is premised on good faith, engagement, understanding, and progressive diplomacy. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL).

Opinion: China leveraged Rohingya crisis. India was timid.

The detention of two Reuters journalists in Myanmar was extended for two more weeks, a court said Wednesday, in the pair`s first public appearance since their December 12 arrest under a draconian colonial-era secrecy law.

Wa Lone, 31, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 27 - Myanmar nationals who had been reporting on a military-led crackdown on Rohingya Muslims - were arrested after being invited to meet police for dinner on the outskirts of Yangon.

They face up to 14 years in jail under the Official Secrets Act for allegedly possessing documents related to the army crackdown in Rakhine state - a highly sensitive issue in Myanmar.

The UN says the army is likely guilty of ethnic cleansing and may have committed genocide against the Muslim minority, some 655,000 of whom have fled the country since the military launched a crackdown on Rohingya rebels in late August.

Myanmar denies the allegations and has tightly controlled media and UN access to the conflict area.

Myanmar officials have refused to comment on where the Reuters journalists were being detained or when they would be released.

On Wednesday, the pair appeared in public for the first time in a court on the outskirts of Yangon, where they were embraced by tearful relatives who have been denied any contact with the two men.

&quot;They have not mistreated me,&quot; Wa Lone told AFP inside the courthouse.

The other reporter, Kyaw Soe Oo, urged other journalists to be cautious in brief comments to AFP.

&quot;Please tell journalist friends to be careful. It&#39;s really scary. We didn&#39;t do anything wrong,&quot; he said.

Judge Ohn Myint extended their remand period until January 10, telling the court &quot;the interrogation is still ongoing.&quot;

The arrests have been widely condemned as the latest sign of eroding press freedoms in Myanmar, which is still shedding a 50-year legacy of brutal junta rule.

The emerging democracy is now led by former democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi, who was swept into office in the 2015 elections.

But her civilian administration must share power with an army that retains firm control of security policy and other key levers of government.

At least 11 journalists have been arrested in Myanmar in 2017.

They face up to 14 years in jail under the Official Secrets Act for allegedly possessing documents related to the army crackdown in Rakhine state - a highly sensitive issue in Myanmar.

The detention of two Reuters journalists in Myanmar was extended for two more weeks, a court said Wednesday, in the pair`s first public appearance since their December 12 arrest under a draconian colonial-era secrecy law. Wa Lone, 31, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 27 - Myanmar nationals who had been reporting on a military-led crackdown on Rohingya Muslims - were arrested after being invited to meet police for dinner on the outskirts of Yangon. They face up to 14 years in jail under the Official Secrets Act for allegedly possessing documents related to the army crackdown in Rakhine state - a highly sensitive issue in Myanmar. The UN says the army is likely guilty of ethnic cleansing and may have committed genocide against the Muslim minority, some 655,000 of whom have fled the country since the military launched a crackdown on Rohingya rebels in late August. Myanmar denies the allegations and has tightly controlled media and UN access to the conflict area. Myanmar officials have refused to comment on where the Reuters journalists were being detained or when they would be released. On Wednesday, the pair appeared in public for the first time in a court on the outskirts of Yangon, where they were embraced by tearful relatives who have been denied any contact with the two men. "They have not mistreated me," Wa Lone told AFP inside the courthouse. The other reporter, Kyaw Soe Oo, urged other journalists to be cautious in brief comments to AFP. "Please tell journalist friends to be careful. It's really scary. We didn't do anything wrong," he said. Judge Ohn Myint extended their remand period until January 10, telling the court "the interrogation is still ongoing." The arrests have been widely condemned as the latest sign of eroding press freedoms in Myanmar, which is still shedding a 50-year legacy of brutal junta rule. The emerging democracy is now led by former democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi, who was swept into office in the 2015 elections. But her civilian administration must share power with an army that retains firm control of security policy and other key levers of government. At least 11 journalists have been arrested in Myanmar in 2017.

Myanmar court remands detained journalists for two more weeks

The first list for repatriation of Rohingya refugees, who entered into Bangladesh after fleeing violence in Myanmar&#39;s Rakhine State, will contain 1,00,000 names.

The Dhaka Tribune quoted a Bangladesh government official as saying, &quot;A database containing the names of 850,000 Rohingya refugees has already been created. In the first phase, we will provide them [Myanmar] with a list of 100,000 displaced Rohingyas.&quot;

The 17th meeting of National Task Force (NTF) on Rohingya is also scheduled to be held next Thursday to discuss these issues in detail.

&quot;Once they [Myanmar] scrutinize and send back the list, we will send the next list,&quot; the official added.

On Sunday, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) urged Myanmar to end the military campaign against Muslim Rohingyas.

The resolution forwarded by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) was adopted by a vote of 122 to 10 with 24 abstentions on Sunday.

China and Russia along with some regional countries opposed the resolution, but despite their rejection, the resolution also called on UN&nbsp;Secretary General Antonio Guterres to assign a special envoy to the country.

Earlier on Monday, Bangladesh Health Minister Mohammed Nasim said Rohingya refugees would return to their homeland as soon as the international community and the UN&nbsp;pressured Myanmar into repatriating them.

Myanmar and Bangladesh had earlier this month formed Joint Working Group (JWG) to handle the repatriation of Rohingya refugees.

The crucial JWG with 15 each from Bangladesh and Myanmar will oversee the repatriation of over 6,00,000 Rohingya refugees who have taken shelter in Bangladesh to escape ethnic violence in the latter.

More than 655,000 Rohingyas have crossed into Bangladesh since August 25, escaping a military crackdown in Rakhine state, which many countries and human rights bodies have described as ethnic cleansing.

The military action, which was triggered after their posts became targets of terrorist attacks, invited ire of the international community.

On October 12, a United Nations&#39; report based on interviews conducted in Bangladesh found that brutal attacks against Rohingyas in the 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.

The Rakhine state is home to a majority of Muslims in Myanmar, who have been denied citizenship and long faced persecution in the Buddhist-majority country, especially from the extremists.

The 17th meeting of National Task Force (NTF) on Rohingya is also scheduled to be held next Thursday to discuss these issues in detail

The first list for repatriation of Rohingya refugees, who entered into Bangladesh after fleeing violence in Myanmar's Rakhine State, will contain 1,00,000 names. The Dhaka Tribune quoted a Bangladesh government official as saying, "A database containing the names of 850,000 Rohingya refugees has already been created. In the first phase, we will provide them [Myanmar] with a list of 100,000 displaced Rohingyas." The 17th meeting of National Task Force (NTF) on Rohingya is also scheduled to be held next Thursday to discuss these issues in detail. "Once they [Myanmar] scrutinize and send back the list, we will send the next list," the official added. On Sunday, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) urged Myanmar to end the military campaign against Muslim Rohingyas. The resolution forwarded by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) was adopted by a vote of 122 to 10 with 24 abstentions on Sunday. China and Russia along with some regional countries opposed the resolution, but despite their rejection, the resolution also called on UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to assign a special envoy to the country. Earlier on Monday, Bangladesh Health Minister Mohammed Nasim said Rohingya refugees would return to their homeland as soon as the international community and the UN pressured Myanmar into repatriating them. Myanmar and Bangladesh had earlier this month formed Joint Working Group (JWG) to handle the repatriation of Rohingya refugees. The crucial JWG with 15 each from Bangladesh and Myanmar will oversee the repatriation of over 6,00,000 Rohingya refugees who have taken shelter in Bangladesh to escape ethnic violence in the latter. More than 655,000 Rohingyas have crossed into Bangladesh since August 25, escaping a military crackdown in Rakhine state, which many countries and human rights bodies have described as ethnic cleansing. The military action, which was triggered after their posts became targets of terrorist attacks, invited ire of the international community. On October 12, a United Nations' report based on interviews conducted in Bangladesh found that brutal attacks against Rohingyas in the 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. The Rakhine state is home to a majority of Muslims in Myanmar, who have been denied citizenship and long faced persecution in the Buddhist-majority country, especially from the extremists.

Rohingya repatriation: First list will contain 1 lakh names

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