Analysis of new satellite imagery collected by Human Rights Watch places responsibility for the burning of Rohingya villages squarely with the Myanmar military and appear to disprove the claim made by military chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing that the Rohingya are setting fire to their own homes.
Three points in the analysis make the case:
1. The burning appear to move westward, along with the military forces carrying out “clearance operation”. (Courtesy of yangon.coconuts.co)
December 15, 2016
Myanmar: A New Muslim Insurgency in Rakhine State
The deadly attacks on Border Guard Police (BGP) bases in Myanmar’s northern Rakhine State on 9 October 2016 and the days following, and a serious escalation on 12 November when a senior army officer was killed, signify the emergence of a new Muslim insurgency there. The current violence is qualitatively different from anything in recent decades, seriously threatens the prospects of stability and development in the state and has serious implications for Myanmar as a whole. The government faces a huge challenge in calibrating and integrating its political, policy and security responses to ensure that violence does not escalate and intercommunal tensions are kept under control. It requires also taking due account of the grievances and fears of Rakhine Buddhists.
Failure to get this right would carry enormous risks. While the government has a clear duty to maintain security and take action against the attackers, it needs, if its response is to be effective, to make more judicious use of force and focus on a political and policy approach that addresses the sense of hopelessness and despair underlying the anger of many Muslims in Rakhine State. Complicating this is that Aung San Suu Kyi has some influence, but under the constitution no direct control over the military. (Courtesy of crisisgroup.org)
Failure to get this right would carry enormous risks. While the government has a clear duty to maintain security and take action against the attackers, it needs, if its response is to be effective, to make more judicious use of force and focus on a political and policy approach that addresses the sense of hopelessness and despair underlying the anger of many Muslims in Rakhine State. Complicating this is that Aung San Suu Kyi has some influence, but under the constitution no direct control over the military. (Courtesy of crisisgroup.org)
Myanmar's Rohingya insurgency has links to Saudi, Pakistan: report
A group of Rohingya Muslims that attacked Myanmar border guards in October is headed by people with links to Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, the International Crisis Group (ICG) said on Thursday, citing members of the group.
The coordinated attacks on Oct. 9 killed nine policemen, and sparked a crackdown by security forces in the Muslim-majority north of Rakhine State in the country's northwest.
At least 86 people have been killed, according to state media, and the United Nations has estimated 27,000 members of the largely stateless Rohingya minority have fled across the border to Bangladesh.
Predominantly Buddhist Myanmar's government, led by Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, blamed Rohingyas supported by foreign militants for the Oct. 9 attacks, but has issued scant further information about the assailants it called "terrorists". (Courtesy of reuters.com)
The coordinated attacks on Oct. 9 killed nine policemen, and sparked a crackdown by security forces in the Muslim-majority north of Rakhine State in the country's northwest.
At least 86 people have been killed, according to state media, and the United Nations has estimated 27,000 members of the largely stateless Rohingya minority have fled across the border to Bangladesh.
Predominantly Buddhist Myanmar's government, led by Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, blamed Rohingyas supported by foreign militants for the Oct. 9 attacks, but has issued scant further information about the assailants it called "terrorists". (Courtesy of reuters.com)
Envoy: Myanmar calls for talks over Rohingya issue
Myanmar has called an emergency Asean meeting to discuss the Rohingya crisis, a diplomat said, as regional tensions deepen over a bloody military crackdown on the country’s Muslim minority.
More than 20,000 Rohingya have flooded into Bangladesh over the past two months, fleeing a military campaign in Myanmar’s western Rakhine state.
Their stories of mass rape and murder at the hands of security forces have galvanised protests in Muslim nations around the region, with Buddhist-majority Myanmar facing diplomatic pressure from its neighbours.
Last week, Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak lashed out at Myanmar’s de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi for allowing “genocide” on her watch, speaking before thousands of angry protesters in Kuala Lumpur. (Courtesy of thestar.com.my)
More than 20,000 Rohingya have flooded into Bangladesh over the past two months, fleeing a military campaign in Myanmar’s western Rakhine state.
Their stories of mass rape and murder at the hands of security forces have galvanised protests in Muslim nations around the region, with Buddhist-majority Myanmar facing diplomatic pressure from its neighbours.
Last week, Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak lashed out at Myanmar’s de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi for allowing “genocide” on her watch, speaking before thousands of angry protesters in Kuala Lumpur. (Courtesy of thestar.com.my)
Report: Islamist group in Myanmar rings alarm bell
International Crisis Group has revealed that a well-funded armed Islamist group carried out the attacks on Myanmar security forces in October and November that saw crackdown by the military in retaliation.
Formed after the 2012 riot, the insurgent group, which refers to itself as Harakah al-Yaqin (Faith Movement, HaY), is led by a committee of Rohingyas living in Saudi Arabia and is commanded on the ground by Rohingyas with international training and experience in modern guerrilla war tactics, the Brussels-based group said in a report published yesterday.
“It benefits from the legitimacy provided by local and international fatwas [religious judicial opinions] in support of its cause and enjoys considerable sympathy and backing from Muslims in northern Rakhine State, including several hundred locally-trained recruits.”
Over 20,000 Rohingya Muslims have taken shelter in Bangladesh following the latest attack in Rakhine state since October 9 that killed around 100 people. People who have escaped the attacks are sharing horrific stories of murder and torture. (Courtesy of dhakatribune.com)
Formed after the 2012 riot, the insurgent group, which refers to itself as Harakah al-Yaqin (Faith Movement, HaY), is led by a committee of Rohingyas living in Saudi Arabia and is commanded on the ground by Rohingyas with international training and experience in modern guerrilla war tactics, the Brussels-based group said in a report published yesterday.
“It benefits from the legitimacy provided by local and international fatwas [religious judicial opinions] in support of its cause and enjoys considerable sympathy and backing from Muslims in northern Rakhine State, including several hundred locally-trained recruits.”
Over 20,000 Rohingya Muslims have taken shelter in Bangladesh following the latest attack in Rakhine state since October 9 that killed around 100 people. People who have escaped the attacks are sharing horrific stories of murder and torture. (Courtesy of dhakatribune.com)
Asean to discuss Rohingya issue in Yangon on Dec 19
A meeting between Asean foreign ministers will take place on Monday in Yangon to discuss the oppression of and violence towards the Rohingya ethnic minority group in Myanmar, the Dewan Negara was told today.
Deputy Foreign Minister Reezal Merican Naina Merican said the ministers would seek a long-term solution to the current situation in Rakhine state in Myanmar’s northern region during the meeting.
“The decision was made when Myanmar eventually agreed to the continuous recommendations by Malaysia after both sides traded statements to back their stand (on the issue),” he said.
He said this when winding up the debate on the Supply Bill 2017. (Courtesy of freemalaysiatoday.com)
Deputy Foreign Minister Reezal Merican Naina Merican said the ministers would seek a long-term solution to the current situation in Rakhine state in Myanmar’s northern region during the meeting.
“The decision was made when Myanmar eventually agreed to the continuous recommendations by Malaysia after both sides traded statements to back their stand (on the issue),” he said.
He said this when winding up the debate on the Supply Bill 2017. (Courtesy of freemalaysiatoday.com)
Fears of military coup in Myanmar are exaggerated
Weeks of violence in Myanmar's Rakhine State and intense fighting between government troops and ethnic armed groups along the Chinese border have led some to suggest that State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi is facing a crisis of such proportions that the military might mount a coup d'etat.
Accusations by Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak and others of genocide against minority Muslim Rohingya in Rakhine State, tensions within Suu Kyi's ruling National League for Democracy, four non-lethal bombings in Yangon, and overall economic underperformance round out a picture of uncertainty about the government's hold on power.
Some observers of Myanmar have long believed that the military creates crises as a "pretext" for expanding its power. Fears of a coup were raised after Commander-in-Chief Min Aung Hlaing in November made references to a "state of emergency" constitutional provision, leading to speculation whether the armed forces, or Tatmadaw, intends to oust Suu Kyi's government. (Courtesy of asia.nikkei.com)
Accusations by Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak and others of genocide against minority Muslim Rohingya in Rakhine State, tensions within Suu Kyi's ruling National League for Democracy, four non-lethal bombings in Yangon, and overall economic underperformance round out a picture of uncertainty about the government's hold on power.
Some observers of Myanmar have long believed that the military creates crises as a "pretext" for expanding its power. Fears of a coup were raised after Commander-in-Chief Min Aung Hlaing in November made references to a "state of emergency" constitutional provision, leading to speculation whether the armed forces, or Tatmadaw, intends to oust Suu Kyi's government. (Courtesy of asia.nikkei.com)
Iranian, Indonesian Presidents Discuss Myanmar Crisis
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and his Indonesian counterpart Joko Widodo discussed a range of issues at a meeting in Tehran, including the need for peaceful settlement of a conflict in Myanmar that has killed and displaced a large number of Rohingya Muslims since 2012.
Speaking to reporters after a meeting with Widodo, President Rouhani said Iran and Indonesia, as two members of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) with close bonds, have agreed to boost cooperation to address the challenges the Islamic world is facing, such as the conflict in Myanmar, or the situation in West Asia, as in Syria and Yemen.
“Resolution of these problems can deepen regional stability and security” in the West and East Asia, the Iranian president added. (Courtesy of tasnimnews.com)
Speaking to reporters after a meeting with Widodo, President Rouhani said Iran and Indonesia, as two members of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) with close bonds, have agreed to boost cooperation to address the challenges the Islamic world is facing, such as the conflict in Myanmar, or the situation in West Asia, as in Syria and Yemen.
“Resolution of these problems can deepen regional stability and security” in the West and East Asia, the Iranian president added. (Courtesy of tasnimnews.com)
Solution to Rohinghya crisis simple – it’s called citizenship
Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has been accused of opportunism for lashing out at Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi over her treatment of the Muslim Rohingya, which he has branded “genocide”.
But Najib’s maverick behaviour threatens to undermine Asean leaders and the entire organisation unless they take a stand on the issue. No member can afford to stand idly by while an ethnic group faces deadly persecution within Asean, which claims to be a people-centred community. Worse still would be employing the Asean doctrine of non-interference to justify such negligence. What is the point in integrating as a community if members cannot address an issue which affects the whole region?
No Asean member-country can justify turning its back on the Rohingya crisis, since this is a longstanding regional problem with deep-rooted causes. (Courtesy of nationmultimedia.com)
But Najib’s maverick behaviour threatens to undermine Asean leaders and the entire organisation unless they take a stand on the issue. No member can afford to stand idly by while an ethnic group faces deadly persecution within Asean, which claims to be a people-centred community. Worse still would be employing the Asean doctrine of non-interference to justify such negligence. What is the point in integrating as a community if members cannot address an issue which affects the whole region?
No Asean member-country can justify turning its back on the Rohingya crisis, since this is a longstanding regional problem with deep-rooted causes. (Courtesy of nationmultimedia.com)
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