Ignoring the Plight of the Rohingya is a Mistake

The State Department’s minimization of the plight of the Rohingya is sending dangerous, mixed messages to Myanmar and its neighbors.

The US State Department’s recent declaration of the Islamic State (IS) being responsible for genocide against groups in areas under its control, including Yazidis, Christians and Shia Muslims, captured headlines across the globe. The news came out of a congressionally mandated report.

However, the biggest story out of that report was not about IS, but rather the failure to find anything more than “discrimination” and “persecution” against the Rohingya in western Myanmar. Such a shockingly understated conclusion and downplaying of atrocities against Rohingya sends a dangerously mixed message at a time of important transition. (Courtesy of Fair Observer)

New Myanmar minister scolded over 'anti Muslim' comment

Muslim officials in Myanmar jumped to the defense of Aung San Suu Kyi's government on Sunday after its new religious affairs minister appeared to make comments detrimental to the country's Muslims.

The National League for Democracy (NLD) only took power Friday after a landslide win in December elections. Many international observers hope the change in rule will lead to positive steps to improve the plight of the country's religious minorities, in particular its persecuted Muslim Rohingya ethnicity.

In an interview with Voice of America radio on Saturday evening, Religious Affairs and Culture Minister Thura Aung Ko said Islam in Myanmar is “a religion by the minority associate citizens” who acquired citizenship through the 1948 Union Citizenship Law.

He went on to say that Buddhists were full citizens, and described Christianity as the country's minority ethnic group. (Courtesy of aa.com.tr)

“Islam in Myanmar is No More Than a Religion Practiced by Foreign Immigrants” Minister of Religious and Cultural Affairs

The newly appointed minister for religious and cultural affairs, Thura Aung Ko said Islam in Myanmar is no more than a religion practiced by foreign immigrants. He stated this controversial remark during the interview with VOA Burmese on his first day at the office.

He mentioned that in Myanmar, Buddhism is practiced by majority Burmese, Christianity is practiced by ethnic minorities while Islam and Hindu are practiced by foreign immigrants. He furthermore remarked that Thein Sein’s regime and the junta did not discriminate against the religions which are being practiced by minorities albeit the piles of UN and HRW reports show against his statement.

A retired military officer and the former deputy minister for religious affairs until he contested the 2010 election, Thura Aung Ko got a promotion under the NLD regime recently. He was born in 1948, and served the Tatmadaw from 1969 to 1997. (Courtesy of Rohingya Vision TV)

Myanmar: It's Not Easy Being Mean

 The military is bracing for the most serious attack on its power and corrupt business empire. The new parliament has, in theory, the power to undo all the laws the generals put in place during 2011 to preserve that wealth and provide immunity from prosecution. For half a century the military ran the country as a dictatorship that mainly benefitted the generals and their cronies. The majority of Burmese opposed that and made that clear during the 2015 elections for parliament.

Despite the military being guaranteed 25 percent of the parliamentary seats in the 2008 constitution (that made the 2011 elections possible) reformer Aung San Suu Kyi’s party still gained an absolute majority (67 percent) and was able to form the current government with Aung San Suu Kyi in charge. The generals suspected this would happen and passed a law making it illegal for anyone with children who are not Burmese citizens to hold high office (like prime minister or president). The two sons of Aung San Suu Kyi are British (because her deceased husband was). The generals prevented Aung San Suu Kyi from being with her husband and children from 1989 to 2010, Most of that time she was under house arrest. (Courtesy of strategypage.com)

New government in Myanmar

Finally, after half a century of military-led regimes, Myanmar has sworn in a fully democratic government. The National League for Democracy (NLD) is now reaping the rewards of its struggles and has joyously sworn in Htin Kyaw, a close confidant of Aung San Suu Kyi, as the president. Ms Suu Kyi herself was barred from taking the post due to legal restrictions put in place by previous governments. The NLD and Myanmar’s people are rightfully emotional at this time of political upheaval in the country. For decades, the military has quashed dissent with an iron fist. Ms Suu Kyi herself remained under house arrest for well over a decade and her party was not allowed to assume power despite populous support and electoral victories. In the face of these difficulties and the very real dangers faced by all those who decided to oppose the military dictatorship, the NLD stood firm and rallied Myanmar’s people in their arduous struggle for freedom.

The NLD’s newly formed government is being termed the beginning of a new era in which Myanmar can learn from the success stories of other countries which managed to institute successful democracies after long periods of dictatorial rule. Pledges have been made to improve living standards, bring peace and formulate a constitution, which will ensure the continuation of democracy in the country. The party hopes to limit the military’s interventions in government matters. However, this will be a delicate balancing act, which will require the cooperation of the military leadership. (Courtesy of The Express Tribune)