Correcting the false narrative of the Ma Ba Tha

By Dr. Habib Siddiqui

Wirathu and his band of criminal Buddhist monks have hijacked Buddhism and poisoned the political discourse inside Myanmar. Ma Ba Tha uses the news of the rape and murder of a Rakhine woman allegedly by Rohingya Muslims in Arakan in 2012 to paint a very damning picture of the divide between "us" and "them". And such a nasty propaganda, a false one, which I must remind our readers, has worked because people are always willing to believe the worst about one's enemies if they are programmed as such. 

For too long, in the context of Burma, her various ethnic and racial groups were poisoned to hate each other, which only helped the divisive forces inside, let alone the military that ruled the fractured country with strong arms tactics and brutal strategy. Wirathu and the hateful, xenophobic monks like him were used as the willing partners to prolong this environment of hatred and intolerance against the minority Muslims, esp. the Rohingya people, and strengthen the grip of the military that ruled and other divisive forces within the country to arrest a change for the better in the political scene. 

Fortunately, even though most Muslims were barred from voting and participating in the latest election process, people inside Myanmar have spoken loud and clear. They have rejected the criminal messengers and propagators of hatred and dehumanization. 

It is high time to stop Ma Ba Tha once and for all time. This would require not only serious efforts within the movers and shakers within the poisoned society, esp. those with some authority, e.g., the NLD and various political parties that represent the very mosaic of this diverse country but also a brave intelligentsia that knows its historical role to correct the wrongs and create an environment of inclusion, tolerance and hope. 

Surely, such an endeavor is never going to be an easy one, but we can all try our best with our limited resources to make that happen, and multiply our voices as change agents for the better. 

This process can start by educating the broader public about the falsity of the very narrative that Ma Ba Tha has been exploiting to poison Myanmar. If I recall correctly, Dr. Maung Zarni was able to expose that there is no truth to the claim that the Rakhine Buddhist woman was raped and killed by Rohingya Muslim(s). He wrote that “the rape narrative of the Rakhine woman - the late Ma Thida Htwe - raped by 'Bengali men' was patently false, but spread by President Thein Sein's men the likes of Major Zaw Htay (Hmu Zaw), Colonel Ye Htut (now deputy information minister) as a trigger event to set the fire of genocidal hatred towards the Muslims. Ma Thida Htwe was NOT raped but was simply murdered - the doctor who examined her body told Ko Zaganar [a popular comedian], in no uncertain terms, that there was absolutely no evidence of rape on Ma Thida Htwe's dead body. The doctor was forced to sign the medical report which claims falsely she was raped. The rape story was spread by government agents on the social media and was used as a launching pad to start waves of mass killings against the Rohingya and the Muslims across Burma or Myanmar.” “Within a month of his death - when [Maung Thura[ Zaganar attempted to meet Htet Htet's wife,” writes Dr. Zarni in his blog, “she was found dead in a village well. How convenient!” It is believed amongst the independent analysts that NASAKA security forces killed Ma Thida Htwe and possibly Htet Htet’s wife.

As subsequent inquiries have proven most of the anti-Muslim pogroms and genocidal activities inside Burma (or Myanmar) owed their origin to the government – central and local. These crimes were sometimes scripted and often times sanctioned by the government. 

I can only pray and hope that the upcoming NLD government will take a different course than its predecessors thereby making the country a safe and secure one for all its people – Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike. 

 

Myanmar to form committee to nominate next president

Myanmar’s ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) party chief Aung San Suu Kyi cannot be the country’s president, at least for now.

The current constitution bars her from that role because she has children who are not Myanmar citizens.

To enable the democracy icon to assume the presidency, some have suggested suspending the constitution. However, the likes of Khun Maung Zaw, a political analyst, find it unlikely for the military to welcome the proposal. (Courtesy of Channel NewsAsia)

Arakan Army Chief’s Father-in-Law Appointed Rakhine Parliament Speaker

The Rakhine State parliament in Sittwe has elected as its speaker a lawmaker with ties to an insurgent army currently battling against Myanmar’s military.

State lawmakers have confirmed to Frontier a parliamentary vote on Monday morning to appoint as speaker U San Kyaw Hla, a lawmaker representing Ponnagyun for the Rakhine National Party and father-in-law of Brigadier General Tun Myat Naing, the chief of the Arakan Army.

Along with four other ethnic armed groups, the Arakan Army was barred by the government from participating in last year’s National Ceasefire Agreement due to ongoing hostilities. With an estimated fighting force of 1,500, the Arakan Army has received training support from the Kachin Independence Army in Myanmar’s north, and was involved in numerous skirmishes with Tatmadaw troops in Rakhine State last year. Brig-Gen Tun Myat Naing is believed to reside in Laiza, the KIA’s headquarters. (Courtesy of Frontier Myanmar)

"The first point is stability": U Nyi Pu, NLD chair in Rakhine State

The Myanmar Times’ Nyan Lynn Aung interviews U Nyi Pu, National League for Democracy’s chair for Rakhine State and a Pyithu Hluttaw representative from Gwa township constituency 2, also rumoured to be in line for the state chief minister’s post.

The National League for Democracy did not win a large number of votes in Rakhine State and most seats went to the third-largest party in the country, the Arakan National Party (ANP). How do you think the two parties will be able to negotiate?

Since the beginning, before and after the election, we have said that we would cooperate and negotiate with ethnic parties. But some people wrongly interpreted what we said and accused the NLD of not offering negotiations and deceiving people. In fact, the NLD always opens the door [to negotiations]. They [other parties] have to show their willingness to engage [and tell us] which type of negotiation they want or what kind of topic they want to discuss. (Courtesy of Myanmar Times)

Border Guard Police Gang-Rape Two Rohingya Women

The Myanmar (Burmese) Border Guard Police locally known as BGP raped two Rohingya women in northern Maungdaw at 8:30 PM last Friday.

It has been learnt that a gang of four BGP including a Corporal– from the camp at ‘Zaydi Pyin hamlet of Londoong village tract’ – raided at ‘Pan Myaung hamlet of Ngasa Kyu village tract on February 5 evening. Meanwhile, they, in two separate groups, raided two homes belong to two Rohingyas, Sayed Alam Abul Kalam and Sayed Ahmed, respectively, where they (BGP) gang-raped the women.

“Sayed Alam has been married with a woman, Shamshidah (daughter of) Gura Meah, 25, for two years. However, they haven’t had any children yet. So, they are the only two members in their family.

As the BGP entered their home, they, without a proof, alleged Sayed Alam of using Bangala Phone and asked him to give to them. He said he neither possesses a Bangala Phone nor knows how to use a mobile phone. Soon after, the BGP handcuffed and tied his hands and legs with ropes. (Courtesy of Rohingya Vision TV)

Ethnic Sectarianism will Threaten Peace Deal

The demands and activities of ethnic minority groups have been much in the news recently. The demands have been issued by armed ethnic groups and also by unarmed groups that are planning to form political parties. Political activism was suppressed under the junta and the change of government has enabled ethnic minorities greater freedom to speak out about their aspirations and concerns.

But the resurgence of a sectarian attitude among ethnic minority political leaders is likely to become one of the challenges for the incoming National League for Democracy government. This week I want to discuss whether the NLD can overcome this challenge.

News has emerged about the formation of a Kachin Republic Party that wants Kachin State to become an independent republic. The KRP’s provisional secretary, U Lashi Yawna, said the demand for an independent state differentiates the group from the Kachin Independence Organisation, and its armed wing, the Kachin Independence Army. He said the KIO had relinquished its original goal of establishing an independent state when negotiated a ceasefire with the government in 1994 that held until 2011. (Courtesy of Frontier Myanmar)

Australia’s migrant tide

The immigrant surge throughout the world is not just south to north. Migrants are surging to Australia, too, and Australia’s highest court has ordered a temporary respite from a migrant threat like that in Europe and North America.

Australia’s high standard of living, freedom from religious persecution and a broad welfare net makes the land down under a target for millions of Asians. Many migrants are legitimate refugees seeking shelter for life and limb, but many others are economic migrants chasing jobs or professional careers.

In a test case involving a Bangladeshi woman, the Australian high court ruled that the strategy of holding migrants in New Guinea and on the equatorial island of Nauru until questions about status satisfies the law. Despite being a verified refugee whose status is sanctioned by the Nauruan government, the woman can be confined to the island’s immigration detention center. (Courtesy of Washington Times)