YANGON: Buddhist monks, politicians and other ethnic Rakhine figures are kindling hatred towards Muslim Rohingya in an area plagued by sectarian violence, Myanmar's president has warned in a report seen by AFP Friday.
In an unvarnished assessment of the role of Buddhists in unrest in Rakhine state, which has left scores dead on both sides and displaced tens of thousands of people, President Thein Sein also said ethnic Rakhine could not accept the Rohingya as fellow citizens.
Decades of discrimination have left the Rohingya stateless and Myanmar's government considers their 800,000-strong population as foreigners, while many citizens see them as illegal immigrants from neighbouring Bangladesh and view them with hostility.
"Political parties, some monks and some individuals are increasing the ethnic hatred. They even approach and lobby both the domestic and overseas Rakhine community," Thein Sein said in a report sent to Myanmar's union parliament – which combines the upper and lower houses – on August 17.
"Rakhine people are continuously thinking to terrorise the Bengali Muslims living across the country," he said, using a term frequently used in Myanmar for Rohingya.
Thein Sein also said ethnic Rakhine could not envisage sharing their land with people they consider foreigners, echoing comments he made in July calling for camps or deportation of Rohingya.
"They cannot consider a situation in which the Bengali Muslims can be citizens," the president said.
A leading Rakhine political party rejected the findings, saying it had already lodged "an objection" over the report to parliament.
"We don't agree with their review... such a review should not be released in this current time..., it can worsen the clashes," said Aye Maung, chairman of Rakhine Nationalities Development Party.
Myanmar's authorities have faced heavy criticism from rights groups after clashes between Rohingya and ethnic Rakhine, which according to government figures left 87 people dead.
In response the government on August 18 announced a new 27-member investigating commission, including religious leaders, artists and former dissidents, to probe the causes of the violence and suggest ways forward.
The president's review also found that the economy of Rakhine state had been decimated by the unrest, while both communities are suffering "mental trauma" after the clashes, which saw neighbours turn on each other and thousands of homes torched.
New York-based Human Rights Watch has accused Myanmar forces of opening fire on Rohingya during the June outbreak of unrest, as well as committing rape and standing by as rival mobs attacked each other.
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I live in USA over seven years. U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) cannot accept illegal immigrants to apply for U.S. Citizen. All naturalization applicants must be their Alien Registration Card (I-94) and have valid documents (social security #, passport, driver’s license, national ID, military ID or State-issued photo ID. If applicants do not have proper identification, they do not apply U.S. Citizenship process that is taken by over six year to recognize U.S. Citizen. After application, USCIS initiates the background checks of the applicant/petitioner and identifies issues that may need to be addressed either during an interview or by asking the applicant/petitioner to submit additional information or documentation. USCIS reviews the applicant's/petitioner's criminal history, determines if there are national security concerns that need to be addressed, and reviews the application/petition for fraud indicators. I am feeling of uncertainty how to illegal immigrants Bengalis get to recognize as Myanmar Citizen without immigration process accordance with Myanmar Citizenship Law.
Pakistan should take them.
How are you guy so blind? If theres a article here im pretty sure its authentic.
Thanks to U Thein Sein.After all,the truth is coming from his mouth now.Aye Maung is the main instigator of current deadly violence.He is a very cruel racist.So,he did not like what he heard from the president.He and other racists like Ko Ko Gyi should be excluded from the commission.
Minorties and Ahmedis are the rohingyas of Pakistan. What is the President of Pakistan and CJP doing other than taking suo motos and asking for reports?
@HABIB SIDDIQUI: The problem with Muslims generally is that the only prism they see through is Islam. Rest of the world sees all such events differently. This is clear when you see even prosperous Europe has begun to ease out large Muslim populations from their countries by enacting laws. In this case of Rohingyas as well as in India's own case in its North East it is that a spillover of population from Bangladesh has taken place over time which puts pressure on the already-overstretched local resources that is intolerable. So such conflicts cannot be resolved simply on the humanitarian basis. No one is willing to starve himself to feed a largely indigent population which continues to profligate without control and which contributes practically nothing to the general good of the communities they force themselves on to. Those who do not agree with such a formulation or those like you who believe in thekedarri of Islamic world should come forward and take these Muslims home. Until that happens, conflicts will not stop.
enormously thanks to president of Myanamr due to his exposing the truth concern rohingya crisis.we know openly that state central government control the concern territories so it is illegitimate to express from president that some of rakhine communities and monks dont accept rohingya as their fellow citizens.it is mandatory of current government to declare officially rohingya as ethnic native race of rakhine state in western burma.our appeal to myanamr regime of president u thein sein to grant immediately citizenship to rohingya and to lift all restricted laws against rohingya allowing all kinds of rights. it is obligatory duty of current regime to announce officially to bring charge of court who denies and encourage to racial hatred against rohingya nationality of burma union.we respect law.we respect government.we respect army and every official officers of burma union.we are rohingya muslim minority of burma.
enormously thanks to president of Myanamr due to his exposing the truth concern rohingya crisis.we know openly that state central government control the concern territories so it is illegitimate to express from president that some of rakhine communities and monks dont accept rohingya as their fellow citizens.it is mandatory of current government to declare officially rohingya as ethnic native race of rakhine state in western burma.our appeal to myanamr regime of president u thein sein to grant immediately citizenship to rohingya and to lift all restricted laws against rohingya allowing all kinds of rights. it is obligatory duty of current regime to announce officially to bring charge of court who denies and encourage to racial hatred against rohingya nationality of burma union.we respect law.we respect government.we respect army and every official officers of burma union.we are rohingya muslim minority of burma.
After all these years, I am glad that someone like Thein Sein had the guts to say plainly that the Rakhines have been terrorizing the Rohingya Muslims. That is a welcome assessment. But look at the racism of Aye Maung. This criminal has been behind fueling the current crisis against the Rohingya, so he did not like what he heard from the president. Guys like Aye Maung should be the first ones put to prison for their crimes against humanity.
With or without religion, you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things; That takes religion. - Steven Weinberg
Your blogs dont admit anything...There is no body killed, full stop.
You (Express Tribune) know there is violence at Burma ? :O strange