Specimens of ancient Assamese scripts have been found in the Arakan/Rakhine State of Myanmar, which establishes the fact that the Assamese script used to have its sway spread over a vast area of South and South East Asia in a historical period. The period has been assigned by the scholars to thousands of years before the birth of Christ.
City-based surgeon Dr Satyakam Phukan, a keen researcher in the historically dispersed Assamese people, Assamese language and script, said, “From the point of view of the quality of the preserved inscriptions in their respective temporal situations, the inscriptions written in Assamese script found in Arakan/Rakhine State of Myanmar are indeed some of the best specimens of inscriptions in ancient Assamese script.”
Dr Phukan, after studying the photographs of the inscriptions written in Assamese scripts in the Arakan State and consulting the Arakanese and European scholars’ works on these inscriptions, maintained that these inscriptions belong to two ancient civilisations that sprang up in the area of the Arakan State and centred around two sites – Dhanyabady and Wethali (pronounced as Wedali or Waidali in Arakanese and Burmese languages). (Courtesy of assamtribune.com)
May 10, 2016
New U.S. ambassador to Myanmar says he will keep using term 'Rohingya'
The new ambassador of the United States to Myanmar said on Tuesday he will keep using the term Rohingya for the persecuted Muslim minority, even after the government controlled by Nobel prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi asked him to refrain from it.
Members of the 1.1 million-strong group, most of whom live in apartheid-like conditions in a remote part of northwestern Myanmar, are seen by many Myanmar Buddhists as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. The term is a divisive issue.
Scot Marciel took over as the head of the U.S. mission at a critical time after Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) won a landslide victory in historic elections, following decades of pro-democracy struggle. (Courtesy of Reuters)
Members of the 1.1 million-strong group, most of whom live in apartheid-like conditions in a remote part of northwestern Myanmar, are seen by many Myanmar Buddhists as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. The term is a divisive issue.
Scot Marciel took over as the head of the U.S. mission at a critical time after Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) won a landslide victory in historic elections, following decades of pro-democracy struggle. (Courtesy of Reuters)
When It Comes To Minority Rights, Aung San Suu Kyi Is Worse Than Trump
Far from resolving the persecuted minority’s problems, the Burmese Nobel Peace Prize winner is not ready to even hear the word “Rohingya.”
When it comes to the issue of minority rights in Myanmar, Aung San Suu Kyi is perhaps more vicious than Donald Trump is with undocumented immigrants.
Despite his draconian plans for Muslims and Latinos, the U.S. Republican presidential front-runner has never refused to use or propose a ban on the terms “Muslim” or “Latino.”
The de facto Burmese leader, on the other hand, doesn’t even want to hear the term “Rohingya.”
There are 135 official ethnic groups in Myanmar, but Rohingya Muslims — despite living there for hundreds of years — are not one of them.
The Buddhist-majority country instead refers to them as "Bengali" or "kalar," which is a pejorative word for people of South Asian descent. Consequently, the Rohingya aren’t recognized as citizens and are deprived of nearly all their basic rights. (Courtesy of carbonated.tv)
When it comes to the issue of minority rights in Myanmar, Aung San Suu Kyi is perhaps more vicious than Donald Trump is with undocumented immigrants.
Despite his draconian plans for Muslims and Latinos, the U.S. Republican presidential front-runner has never refused to use or propose a ban on the terms “Muslim” or “Latino.”
The de facto Burmese leader, on the other hand, doesn’t even want to hear the term “Rohingya.”
There are 135 official ethnic groups in Myanmar, but Rohingya Muslims — despite living there for hundreds of years — are not one of them.
The Buddhist-majority country instead refers to them as "Bengali" or "kalar," which is a pejorative word for people of South Asian descent. Consequently, the Rohingya aren’t recognized as citizens and are deprived of nearly all their basic rights. (Courtesy of carbonated.tv)
Myanmar to ease worker strain
Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi said Myanmar will help Thailand in taking responsibility for the 1.6 million Myammar workers residing in Thailand.
Ms Suu Kyi was speaking after meeting Thai Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai yesterday.
Myanmar President U Htin Kyaw was also present.
Mr Don, who was visiting as a special envoy of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, is on a two-day formal visit to the country to strengthen bilateral ties and foster cooperation. (Courtesy of Bangkok Post News)
Ms Suu Kyi was speaking after meeting Thai Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai yesterday.
Myanmar President U Htin Kyaw was also present.
Mr Don, who was visiting as a special envoy of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, is on a two-day formal visit to the country to strengthen bilateral ties and foster cooperation. (Courtesy of Bangkok Post News)
Rights groups call on President Obama to renew sanctions
U.S. President Barack Obama should renew sanctions authority on Myanmar for at least another year due to ongoing egregious human rights violations against ethnic minorities in the country, said Fortify Rights and United to End Genocide in a new report published on 9 May.
The president has until May 20 to renew the sanctions authority and is facing pressure from a business-led coalition of lobbyists to let it expire, the group said in a press release.
“While some clamber for normalized U.S. relations with Burma, international crimes against minorities persist and the unreformed military maintains significant political power,” said former U.S. Congressman Tom Andrews, President of United to End Genocide. “President Obama has until May 20 to stand up against those responsible for atrocity crimes and support the many genuine reformers in the country.” (Courtesy of Mizzima)
The president has until May 20 to renew the sanctions authority and is facing pressure from a business-led coalition of lobbyists to let it expire, the group said in a press release.
“While some clamber for normalized U.S. relations with Burma, international crimes against minorities persist and the unreformed military maintains significant political power,” said former U.S. Congressman Tom Andrews, President of United to End Genocide. “President Obama has until May 20 to stand up against those responsible for atrocity crimes and support the many genuine reformers in the country.” (Courtesy of Mizzima)
Govt ambiguous on US sanctions
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi strongly supported the sanctions as leader of the opposition – often going so far as to petition US leaders to maintain them, according to leaked diplomatic cables – but has refused to give a straight-forward answer on the issue since assuming office.
“Our government welcomes any activities of the US which would support the implementation of the government’s priorities,” U Zaw Htay, the state counsellor’s spokesperson, said when asked about the government’s position on sanctions.
He listed the administration’s priorities as: national reconciliation, the peace process, democratisation, and social and economic development. The latter, some analysts say, is currently impeded by the remaining sanctions. (Courtesy of Myanmar Times)
“Our government welcomes any activities of the US which would support the implementation of the government’s priorities,” U Zaw Htay, the state counsellor’s spokesperson, said when asked about the government’s position on sanctions.
He listed the administration’s priorities as: national reconciliation, the peace process, democratisation, and social and economic development. The latter, some analysts say, is currently impeded by the remaining sanctions. (Courtesy of Myanmar Times)
Arakan Army Chief: ‘The Entire Arakan People Support Us’
Founded in 2009 in northern Kachin State, far from their homeland, the Arakan Army (AA) were trained and supported by the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), and joined the KIA and the Myanmar Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), in skirmishes with the Burma Army in the country’s northeast last year.
In March 2015, the first clashes between the AA and the Burma Army were recorded in Arakan State itself. This quickly receded, but clashes resumed in December 2015, acquiring a new intensity and prolonging into the term of the new government. The violence has spread beyond Kyauktaw Township to Buthidaung, Mrauk-U, Rathedaung and Ponnagyun townships of central and northern Arakan State. More than 1,700 local residents have been displaced this year by the fighting.
Although lawmakers of the Arakan National Party (ANP), the dominant ethnic party in the state, have called for the AA’s involvement in Burma’s peace process, the Arakanese armed group were excluded from signing the so-called Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement in October last year and remain outside of formal peace negotiations. The Burma Army publicly vowed to “eliminate” the AA in January. (Courtesy of Irrawaddy)
In March 2015, the first clashes between the AA and the Burma Army were recorded in Arakan State itself. This quickly receded, but clashes resumed in December 2015, acquiring a new intensity and prolonging into the term of the new government. The violence has spread beyond Kyauktaw Township to Buthidaung, Mrauk-U, Rathedaung and Ponnagyun townships of central and northern Arakan State. More than 1,700 local residents have been displaced this year by the fighting.
Although lawmakers of the Arakan National Party (ANP), the dominant ethnic party in the state, have called for the AA’s involvement in Burma’s peace process, the Arakanese armed group were excluded from signing the so-called Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement in October last year and remain outside of formal peace negotiations. The Burma Army publicly vowed to “eliminate” the AA in January. (Courtesy of Irrawaddy)
Dispatches: Punishing a Poet in Burma
The new government of Burma has started releasing political prisoners, but on May 10, one free-speech advocate will face another farcical day in court.
Twenty-four-year-old poet Maung Saungkha first came to public attention for a poem he posted to his Facebook page in October 2015. One section of the poem, called “Image” – cited in an adoring profile of the poet in The New Yorker – says, “On my manhood rests a tattooed portrait of Mr. President. My beloved found that out after we wed. She was utterly gutted, Inconsolable.”
Then-President Thein Sein’s spokesperson, Zaw Htay, was the first to call for the prosecution of the poet on social media (although the charge was filed by a senior police officer in Rangoon). Zaw Htay has been retained by the new government as a presidential spokesperson. When he heard of the charges filed against him, Maung Saungkha went into hiding (he asserts he does not actually have a tattoo on his penis). Though his poem was an attempt at humor and protected speech under international law, Maung Saungkha was arrested in November and charged with transmitting defamatory messages in violation of section 66(d) of Burma’s Telecommunications Law. (Courtesy of hrw.org)
Twenty-four-year-old poet Maung Saungkha first came to public attention for a poem he posted to his Facebook page in October 2015. One section of the poem, called “Image” – cited in an adoring profile of the poet in The New Yorker – says, “On my manhood rests a tattooed portrait of Mr. President. My beloved found that out after we wed. She was utterly gutted, Inconsolable.”
Then-President Thein Sein’s spokesperson, Zaw Htay, was the first to call for the prosecution of the poet on social media (although the charge was filed by a senior police officer in Rangoon). Zaw Htay has been retained by the new government as a presidential spokesperson. When he heard of the charges filed against him, Maung Saungkha went into hiding (he asserts he does not actually have a tattoo on his penis). Though his poem was an attempt at humor and protected speech under international law, Maung Saungkha was arrested in November and charged with transmitting defamatory messages in violation of section 66(d) of Burma’s Telecommunications Law. (Courtesy of hrw.org)
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