December 12, 2016

Aung San Suu Kyi, look yourself in the mirror, instead of pointing fingers at genocide victims

“I am somewhat appalled by her dismissive reaction to concerns I raised this morning about the problem of human trafficking in her country.” US Senator (GOP) Bob Corker, 14 September 2016. (Courtesy of theindependent.sg)

Burma Could Be Guilty Of ‘Crimes Against Humanity’ As Rohingya Crackdown Intensifies

Reports from Burma’s northern Arakan state, where violence against the country’s Rohingya Muslim minority has forced tens of thousands to flee for their lives, suggest the situation there is “getting very close to what we would all agree are crimes against humanity,” the U.N.’s top human rights investigator for the country has said.

“I am getting reports from inside the country and from neighboring places, too, that things are not as they are being portrayed by the government. We are seeing a lot of very graphic and very disturbing photos and video clips,” Yanghee Lee, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in the country, told TIME.

Burma has imposed a lockdown on the affected areas, as it conducts what it calls “clearance operations” following an attack on three border guard posts in early October. Nine policemen were killed in the attack, which the Burmese authorities blamed on Islamist militants. (Courtesy of time.com)

Zahid: Malaysia welcomes Myanmar's decision to stop sending workers

Malaysia welcomes the Myanmar government's decision to stop sending workers to the nation, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

"The decision will not have any impact whatsoever on Malaysia," he told reporters at the closing ceremony of  the Indian Progressive Front's (IPF) 24th Annual General Assembly.

Dr Ahmad Zahid, who is also Home Minister, was asked comment on reports that Myanmar had banned its citizens from working in Malaysia effective Dec 6. (Courtesy of thestar.com.my)

Myanmar to brief ASEAN amid alarm over Rakhine

Myanmar's de facto leader, State Counsellor and Foreign Minister Aung San Suu Kyi, has called for a special informal meeting with foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations on Dec. 19 in Yangon to discuss international concerns over the situation in Rakhine state.

It is the first time that Myanmar has initiated a meeting with other countries to discuss the sensitive issue of its treatment of the Muslim population. ASEAN officials saw the move as a sign of concern within Suu Kyi's fledgling administration of mounting international criticism over the recent crackdown on the country's Rohingya Muslim minority.

Many governments and humanitarian organizations have expressed alarm at the harsh military response following attacks on Oct. 9 by Muslim militants on police posts along the country's western border between Rakhine State and Bangladesh. (Courtesy of asia.nikkei.com)

Rohingya refugees from Myanmar tell of trauma

Outside this town by the Bay of Bengal, we kept bumping into fresh arrivals when we visited the camps for Rohingya refugees fleeing a security crackdown in neighbouring Myanmar.

Many of them said they were from the village of Kearipara in Myanmar. From the sounds of it, that village has been utterly devastated.

All of them shared similar stories: watching family members get murdered, hiding without eating for days, and having their homes burned down.

Several told us about having to sell their valuables - rings, piercings, earrings, whatever they had on them - to facilitate a safe passage into Bangladesh.

The route, which was always difficult and deadly, has become even more problematic. (Courtesy of aljazeera.com)