Representatives of the Rohingya community participated from different Islamic countries in the recent conference.
In his opening remarks, Arsalan Ayaz explained that the Rohingya were not part of the election process as they were disenfranchised from participation in the election, not only denying their right to vote, but also to contest the election.
He further explained the outlook for Rohingya in the context of the new government of Aung San Suu Kyi’s NLD, if the military hands over the power smoothly. He emphasized that Rohingya people are careful not to weigh in from any angle on the new government due to the complexity of the political landscape in Myanmar and the existence of radical extremist elements in the NLD. (Courtesy of Salem-News.com)
January 7, 2016
Jamia students distribute basic essentials among Delhi's Rohingya refugees; here is how you can contribute too
The Rohingya Muslims who escaped the ethnic cleansing in Myanmar are living forsaken life as refugees in different host countries as rather unwanted guests. Forced to live their homeland, around one lakh such Rohingyas sought refuge in different south Asian countries, including India. From Jammu to Delhi to Hyderabad their life is a story of hardship, struggles and pain.
In south Delhi, a newly developed slum (in making ) named as Sharam Vihar near Shaheen Bagh and Jasola has given shelter to 60 such Rohingya Muslim families who travelled 3,000 km in order to survive the wrath of Buddhists in the Arakan region of Myanmar, formerly known as Burma. Sharam Vihar constitutes 300 families mainly from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bangal who also came here for the long battle of survival; but as this slum constitutes majority of Muslims so they accommodated these refugees who are not easily accepted in other parts of Delhi. (Courtesy of twocircles.net)
In south Delhi, a newly developed slum (in making ) named as Sharam Vihar near Shaheen Bagh and Jasola has given shelter to 60 such Rohingya Muslim families who travelled 3,000 km in order to survive the wrath of Buddhists in the Arakan region of Myanmar, formerly known as Burma. Sharam Vihar constitutes 300 families mainly from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bangal who also came here for the long battle of survival; but as this slum constitutes majority of Muslims so they accommodated these refugees who are not easily accepted in other parts of Delhi. (Courtesy of twocircles.net)
The electoral aftermath in Rakhine State
The ANP met expectations by winning a raft of state and national seats – but U Aye Maung himself did not win one. As a result, the ANP is a divided political force as it prepares to join the parliament in which Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s victorious National League for Democracy will have the lion’s share of seats. The lingering question is how this new electoral reality will impact the long-standing ethnic, religious and economic issues that have kept Rakhine State riven by conflict and effectively segregated since 2012.
The election results may appear to be in the ANP’s favour: In Rakhine they won 12 out of 17 national lower house seats, and 10 of 12 national upper house seats. But at the state level their 23 seats fell short of an outright majority, with nine going to the NLD, three to the military-supported Union Solidarity and Development Party and 12 handed over as unelected military seats. (Courtesy of Myanmar Times)
The election results may appear to be in the ANP’s favour: In Rakhine they won 12 out of 17 national lower house seats, and 10 of 12 national upper house seats. But at the state level their 23 seats fell short of an outright majority, with nine going to the NLD, three to the military-supported Union Solidarity and Development Party and 12 handed over as unelected military seats. (Courtesy of Myanmar Times)
Rakhine villagers struggling with debt and devastation after Cyclone Komen
The Myanmar Times visited villages in Minbya and Myebon townships in Rakhine State in December. Travel to Rakhine’s capital Sittwe from these villages requires a 65- mile trip (105 kilometres) along rivers and waterways.
The communities there are poorly educated, with little access to fresh water, and are unsure of who to blame for their situation. Many of the younger men have migrated in search of better economic opportunities. One staff member of NGO Tan Lan said across Minbya and Myebon townships some 74 percent of young men had migrated.
Ma Khin Sein lives with her three children in Te Nan Pyin village, a 2.5-hour speedboat trip from Sittwe, although few villagers can afford this type of transport. Her husband migrated to Thailand illegally, but later died. Surviving day-to-day was hard, she said.
“I have to do casual work like cutting wood, carrying rice bundles and other casual work, which raises almost K3000 a day,” she said.
Te Nan Pyin Village has around 114 households, mostly engaged in agriculture and fishing. But the village lost 30 percent of its total cultivated land during Cyclone Komen, which hit in August 2015. Rice production dropped by more than 50pc, said U Tun Tun, the village development chair of the Tat Lan program, an International Rescue Committe (IRC) led effort to rebuild livelihoods in Rakhine State. (Courtesy of Myanmar Times)
The communities there are poorly educated, with little access to fresh water, and are unsure of who to blame for their situation. Many of the younger men have migrated in search of better economic opportunities. One staff member of NGO Tan Lan said across Minbya and Myebon townships some 74 percent of young men had migrated.
Ma Khin Sein lives with her three children in Te Nan Pyin village, a 2.5-hour speedboat trip from Sittwe, although few villagers can afford this type of transport. Her husband migrated to Thailand illegally, but later died. Surviving day-to-day was hard, she said.
“I have to do casual work like cutting wood, carrying rice bundles and other casual work, which raises almost K3000 a day,” she said.
Te Nan Pyin Village has around 114 households, mostly engaged in agriculture and fishing. But the village lost 30 percent of its total cultivated land during Cyclone Komen, which hit in August 2015. Rice production dropped by more than 50pc, said U Tun Tun, the village development chair of the Tat Lan program, an International Rescue Committe (IRC) led effort to rebuild livelihoods in Rakhine State. (Courtesy of Myanmar Times)
Small-scale people smuggling reported in Myanmar
An estimated 1,000 refugees have been smuggled out of camps in Myanmar since September, a U.N. spokeswoman said.
Vivian Tan, a spokeswoman for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, said those being smuggled out of the camps were likely a mixture of Rohingyas and Bangladeshis.
"That brings to some 32,000 the total number of estimated departures [last] year," she said.A large-scale movement of Rohingya in Myanmar’s Rakhine state had not appeared by the end of 2015, despite the beginning of sailing season.
Chris Lewa from the Arakan Project — an NGO working to improve the situation for Rohingya — told ucanews.com that the only movement tracked by the end of 2015 were five boats that had embarked from Maungdaw and Chittagong in September.
"We do not expect large movements because the smuggling network has been disrupted but I guess there may be a few boats here and there leaving anyway," she said.
The scale of the Rohingya refugee crisis was revealed in May after authorities in Thailand clamped down on smuggling routes, leaving thousands of migrants abandoned at sea. (Courtesy of ucanews.com)
Vivian Tan, a spokeswoman for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, said those being smuggled out of the camps were likely a mixture of Rohingyas and Bangladeshis.
"That brings to some 32,000 the total number of estimated departures [last] year," she said.A large-scale movement of Rohingya in Myanmar’s Rakhine state had not appeared by the end of 2015, despite the beginning of sailing season.
Chris Lewa from the Arakan Project — an NGO working to improve the situation for Rohingya — told ucanews.com that the only movement tracked by the end of 2015 were five boats that had embarked from Maungdaw and Chittagong in September.
"We do not expect large movements because the smuggling network has been disrupted but I guess there may be a few boats here and there leaving anyway," she said.
The scale of the Rohingya refugee crisis was revealed in May after authorities in Thailand clamped down on smuggling routes, leaving thousands of migrants abandoned at sea. (Courtesy of ucanews.com)
Rohingya group slams Kyaukphyu economic zone plan
A group representing Rohingya Muslims in Europe has blasted plans for the long-delayed Kyaukphyu special economic zone (SEZ)in Rakhine State, saying Tuesday that it may cause lasting damage to Rohingya property and lives, Anadolu Agency reported on 5 January.
Mohamed Ibrahim, the general secretary of the European Rohingya Council, urged lawmakers to rethink plans to house the industrial park in Rakhine before addressing the rights of its Rohingya minority, along with opportunities and compensation for other local people. (Courtesy of Mizzima)
Mohamed Ibrahim, the general secretary of the European Rohingya Council, urged lawmakers to rethink plans to house the industrial park in Rakhine before addressing the rights of its Rohingya minority, along with opportunities and compensation for other local people. (Courtesy of Mizzima)
Human trafficking pre-trials press on
High-profile human trafficking pre-trials of migrant worker victims have continued this week amid concerns about a lack of witness protection.
Witnesses, mostly victims of smuggling, provided their testimonies between Dec 24 and Dec 25 on how they got on boats and paid fees to middlemen to work in Thailand and Malaysia.
The pre-trials of these witnesses began on Tuesday and will continue until Jan 15.The actual hearings involving more than 400 witnesses will begin in March.
The suspects, currently 91 in total, included an army lieutenant-general, senior police officers, local politicians and local business figures accused of trafficking more than 100 ethnic Rohingya and Bangladeshis through illicit camps in Thailand.
Several mass graves were discovered last year near the Thai-Malaysian border, sparking an international outcry.
Following the May crackdown, smugglers began to abandon boats carrying migrants, leading to thousands of Bangladeshis and persecuted Rohingya Muslims being stranded at sea. (Courtesy of Rohingya Vision TV)
Witnesses, mostly victims of smuggling, provided their testimonies between Dec 24 and Dec 25 on how they got on boats and paid fees to middlemen to work in Thailand and Malaysia.
The pre-trials of these witnesses began on Tuesday and will continue until Jan 15.The actual hearings involving more than 400 witnesses will begin in March.
The suspects, currently 91 in total, included an army lieutenant-general, senior police officers, local politicians and local business figures accused of trafficking more than 100 ethnic Rohingya and Bangladeshis through illicit camps in Thailand.
Several mass graves were discovered last year near the Thai-Malaysian border, sparking an international outcry.
Following the May crackdown, smugglers began to abandon boats carrying migrants, leading to thousands of Bangladeshis and persecuted Rohingya Muslims being stranded at sea. (Courtesy of Rohingya Vision TV)
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