A powerful ethnic party has denounced Myanmar’s government - led by Nobel Peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi - for its suggestion of a new term to describe a stateless Muslim community in troubled western Rakhine state.
The Arakan National Party (ANP) said in a statement Tuesday that the government had presented a proposal last week to the 32nd session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva that “Muslim community in Rakhine state” should be used instead of the controversial terms “Rohingya” or “Bengali”.
The ANP, which won the majority of seats in Rakhine in last year’s general election, said it was totally unacceptable to use the new term to describe the “Bengali” - a term suggesting Rohingya Muslims are illegal immigrants from neighboring country Bangladesh. (Courtesy of aa.com.tr)
June 22, 2016
Myanmar: Suu Kyi, UN human rights envoy discuss Rakhine
Myanmar State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and a United Nations human rights envoy, Yanghee Lee, have discussed how to address the situation in the country’s troubled Rakhine State, state media reported Tuesday.
During a meeting in political capital Nay Pyi Taw on Monday, Lee and Suu Kyi exchanged views on efforts to address the situation in the western state -- home to around one million Rohingya Muslims -- according to state-run newspaper the Global New Light of Myanmar.
Aung Lin, permanent secretary at the ministry of foreign affairs, told reporters after the meeting that “foreign minister [Suu Kyi] explained to her [Lee] why we should avoid using such controversial terms”. (Courtesy of aa.com.tr)
During a meeting in political capital Nay Pyi Taw on Monday, Lee and Suu Kyi exchanged views on efforts to address the situation in the western state -- home to around one million Rohingya Muslims -- according to state-run newspaper the Global New Light of Myanmar.
Aung Lin, permanent secretary at the ministry of foreign affairs, told reporters after the meeting that “foreign minister [Suu Kyi] explained to her [Lee] why we should avoid using such controversial terms”. (Courtesy of aa.com.tr)
UN investigator told to avoid ‘controversial’ terms
Yanghee Lee met with Foreign Minister Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday, the first meeting during the UN monitor’s fourth official visit to the country.
The foreign minister reportedly asked Ms Lee to avoid using the term “Rohingya” during her trip. The current administration has said its official position is to avoid using either “Bengali” and “Rohingya” to refer to a Muslim community in Rakhine State, many of whom self-identify as Rohingya.
“The government and Daw Aung San Su Kyi herself also avoid using this word. It is not useful to the community and it could cause tensions by using it,” said U Zaw Htay, of the President’s Office. (Courtesy of mmtimes.com)
The foreign minister reportedly asked Ms Lee to avoid using the term “Rohingya” during her trip. The current administration has said its official position is to avoid using either “Bengali” and “Rohingya” to refer to a Muslim community in Rakhine State, many of whom self-identify as Rohingya.
“The government and Daw Aung San Su Kyi herself also avoid using this word. It is not useful to the community and it could cause tensions by using it,” said U Zaw Htay, of the President’s Office. (Courtesy of mmtimes.com)
Thai PM Will Not Raise Rohingya Issue During Talks With Suu Kyi
Thai Prime Minister Gen Prayuth Chan-o-cha will not raise the Rohingya issue during Aung San Suu Kyi's three-days official visit here beginning Thursday saying that it was Myanmar's internal affairs.
Speaking to the media at the Government House Tuesday, he said that Bangkok will not interfere in the issue as it was considered a sensitive topic, which involved Myanmar's domestic affairs.
"If she (Suu Kyi) talks (about Rohingya issue), I will listen. They (Myanmar government) visit me and they will be (the one) who will mostly raise the topic, I will listen to them, what we can help, we will help, but we don't interfere in Myanmar's internal affairs," he stressed.(Courtesy of bernama.com.my)
Speaking to the media at the Government House Tuesday, he said that Bangkok will not interfere in the issue as it was considered a sensitive topic, which involved Myanmar's domestic affairs.
"If she (Suu Kyi) talks (about Rohingya issue), I will listen. They (Myanmar government) visit me and they will be (the one) who will mostly raise the topic, I will listen to them, what we can help, we will help, but we don't interfere in Myanmar's internal affairs," he stressed.(Courtesy of bernama.com.my)
Presidential Spokesman Hits Back Against UN Criticism Over Rohingya
The UN and the international community should support ongoing reforms inside Burma instead of focusing on human rights abuses perpetrated by the former government, said President’s Office Spokesman Zaw Htay, in response to a fresh criticism from the UN over Burma’s treatment of religious and ethnic minorities—in particular the Muslim Rohingya.
This week saw the release of a new report on Burma by the UN’s human rights office, which stated that systematic violations against the Rohingya—including denial of citizenship rights, forced labor and sexual violence—could amount to “crimes against humanity.”
More than 100,000 Rohingya remain in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps in Arakan State, after anti-Muslim violence in 2012 and 2013. They are subjected to severe restrictions of movement and are denied citizenship and proper access to healthcare and education; many have chosen to flee the country, placing them in the hands of predatory human-trafficking gangs. The new government has yet to take concrete steps to alleviate the situation, and its policies remain a topic of speculation. (Courtesy of irrawaddy.com)
This week saw the release of a new report on Burma by the UN’s human rights office, which stated that systematic violations against the Rohingya—including denial of citizenship rights, forced labor and sexual violence—could amount to “crimes against humanity.”
More than 100,000 Rohingya remain in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps in Arakan State, after anti-Muslim violence in 2012 and 2013. They are subjected to severe restrictions of movement and are denied citizenship and proper access to healthcare and education; many have chosen to flee the country, placing them in the hands of predatory human-trafficking gangs. The new government has yet to take concrete steps to alleviate the situation, and its policies remain a topic of speculation. (Courtesy of irrawaddy.com)
Rohingya refugees back on their feet a year after crisis
No more: Security personnel push a stranded Sri Lankan boat off the shore using a backhoe before towing it out to sea at Lhoknga Beach, Aceh, on Monday. After providing humanitarian aid, local authorities tried to turn away the boat, which was carrying 44 Sri Lankan asylum seekers.(JP/Hotli Simanjuntak)
Sofih Alam can only resign himself to God as he cannot fast during Ramadhan with his family. Sofih is staying with other Rohingya Muslim refugees at the Pelangi Hotel in Medan, North Sumatra, while his wife and child, who are Indonesian nationals, live with his parents-in-law on Jl. Irigasi, Medan.
Sofih is among Myanmar’s Rohingya refugees who are married to Indonesian Muslim women. Since getting married in 2014, Sofih lives separately with his wife, but the ethnically mixed marriage is blessed with a son, aged 8 months. (Courtesy of thejakartapost.com)
Sofih Alam can only resign himself to God as he cannot fast during Ramadhan with his family. Sofih is staying with other Rohingya Muslim refugees at the Pelangi Hotel in Medan, North Sumatra, while his wife and child, who are Indonesian nationals, live with his parents-in-law on Jl. Irigasi, Medan.
Sofih is among Myanmar’s Rohingya refugees who are married to Indonesian Muslim women. Since getting married in 2014, Sofih lives separately with his wife, but the ethnically mixed marriage is blessed with a son, aged 8 months. (Courtesy of thejakartapost.com)
Calendar printers convicted, imprisoned
Four men were sentenced last week to one year’s imprisonment for publishing a Rohingya calendar that authorities said could be detrimental to the state or public tranquility.
The four men have been incarcerated since their arrest on November 24 and police are still looking for another man who was charged in absentia. Publisher U Kyaw Kyaw Wai was also arrested last year but has since been released due to a lack of evidence corroborating his alleged role in the case, according to judge U Myint Kyaw.
“We have taken action against them but the main organiser of the publication, U Aung Khin, has absconded. The court has declared him a fugitive and put out a court warrant. We also shared this with other police stations,” said Police Major Khin Maung Latt.
The verdict was handed down on June 14. (Courtesy of mmtimes.com)
The four men have been incarcerated since their arrest on November 24 and police are still looking for another man who was charged in absentia. Publisher U Kyaw Kyaw Wai was also arrested last year but has since been released due to a lack of evidence corroborating his alleged role in the case, according to judge U Myint Kyaw.
“We have taken action against them but the main organiser of the publication, U Aung Khin, has absconded. The court has declared him a fugitive and put out a court warrant. We also shared this with other police stations,” said Police Major Khin Maung Latt.
The verdict was handed down on June 14. (Courtesy of mmtimes.com)
UN investigator told to avoid ‘controv ersial’ terms
The UN special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar was asked yesterday to refrain from using “controversial” terminology to refer to people in Rakhine State.
Yanghee Lee met with Foreign Minister Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday, the first meeting during the UN monitor’s fourth official visit to the country.
The foreign minister reportedly asked Ms Lee to avoid using the term “Rohingya” during her trip. The current administration has said its official position is to avoid using either “Bengali” and “Rohingya” to refer to a Muslim community in Rakhine State, many of whom self-identify as Rohingya.
“The government and Daw Aung San Su Kyi herself also avoid using this word. It is not useful to the community and it could cause tensions by using it,” said U Zaw Htay, of the President’s Office. (Courtesy of mmtimes.com)
Yanghee Lee met with Foreign Minister Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday, the first meeting during the UN monitor’s fourth official visit to the country.
The foreign minister reportedly asked Ms Lee to avoid using the term “Rohingya” during her trip. The current administration has said its official position is to avoid using either “Bengali” and “Rohingya” to refer to a Muslim community in Rakhine State, many of whom self-identify as Rohingya.
“The government and Daw Aung San Su Kyi herself also avoid using this word. It is not useful to the community and it could cause tensions by using it,” said U Zaw Htay, of the President’s Office. (Courtesy of mmtimes.com)
School for 300 Rohingya children in Balapur
Coinciding with the World Refugee Day, a Sarva Siksha Abhiyan (SSA) school was opened at Balapur for 300 Rohingya refugee students on Monday.
Dubbed as the first educational institution for refugees in Telangana, the school would be run by NGO Save the Children and would provide 12-hour services to Rohingya refugees along with three meals a day. (Courtesy of newindianexpress.com)
Dubbed as the first educational institution for refugees in Telangana, the school would be run by NGO Save the Children and would provide 12-hour services to Rohingya refugees along with three meals a day. (Courtesy of newindianexpress.com)
Ban on Muslim lawyers network sought
An attorney of the Lawyers Network for Upper Myanmar collected signatures and sent a formal request to the Home Affairs Ministry, according to U Thein Than Oo, the secretary of the Independent Lawyers Association of Myanmar.
“I haven’t signed it even though I disagree with forming a Muslim lawyers network, because they have the right to form an association,” the Mandalay-based lawyer said. U Thein Than Oo added that he was concerned the issue would reignite tensions between Buddhist and Muslim communities.
The Ministry of Home Affairs confirmed receipt of the letter asking it not to permit the Muslim association to register. “We have no plan to take action on this because we haven’t received any registration request by the association described in the letter,” said U Ye Naing, the spokesperson for the ministry. (Courtesy of mmtimes.com)
“I haven’t signed it even though I disagree with forming a Muslim lawyers network, because they have the right to form an association,” the Mandalay-based lawyer said. U Thein Than Oo added that he was concerned the issue would reignite tensions between Buddhist and Muslim communities.
The Ministry of Home Affairs confirmed receipt of the letter asking it not to permit the Muslim association to register. “We have no plan to take action on this because we haven’t received any registration request by the association described in the letter,” said U Ye Naing, the spokesperson for the ministry. (Courtesy of mmtimes.com)
UNHCR introduces new refugee ID cards in Malaysia
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has begun issuing new identification cards with enhanced security features for refugees in Malaysia in a bid to combat identity fraud and the use of counterfeit documentation.
UNHCR’s representative to Malaysia, Richard Towle, told Anadolu Agency on Tuesday that the new cards come with a card verification application and advanced features such as 3D holograms and barcodes and a large Secure Quick Response (SQR) code.
"The card [is] also supported by an enhanced biometric data collection at the UNHCR office," he said. (Courtesy of aa.com.tr)
UNHCR’s representative to Malaysia, Richard Towle, told Anadolu Agency on Tuesday that the new cards come with a card verification application and advanced features such as 3D holograms and barcodes and a large Secure Quick Response (SQR) code.
"The card [is] also supported by an enhanced biometric data collection at the UNHCR office," he said. (Courtesy of aa.com.tr)
Rohingya may be victims of ‘crimes against humanity’: UN
The United Nations has warned that widespread and ongoing human rights violations against Myanmar’s Rohingya Muslims could amount to crimes against humanity.
In a report released on Monday on the situation of minorities in Myanmar, the UN human rights office said Rohingyas in the Southeast Asian country are subject to multiple and aggravated forms of human rights violation, including citizenship denial, forced labor and sexual violence.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, therefore urged the new Myanmar Government to take concrete steps to end the “systemic discrimination” and ongoing human rights violations against minority communities, particularly the Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine state, as he issued a new report on the situation of minorities in Myanmar. (Courtesy of nation.com.pk)
In a report released on Monday on the situation of minorities in Myanmar, the UN human rights office said Rohingyas in the Southeast Asian country are subject to multiple and aggravated forms of human rights violation, including citizenship denial, forced labor and sexual violence.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, therefore urged the new Myanmar Government to take concrete steps to end the “systemic discrimination” and ongoing human rights violations against minority communities, particularly the Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine state, as he issued a new report on the situation of minorities in Myanmar. (Courtesy of nation.com.pk)
Myanmar Government Orders State Media Not To Use ‘Rohingya’
The Myanmar government has ordered state-run media not to refer to the persecuted Muslim minority group that lives in western Myanmar’s Rakhine state by the divisive term “Rohingya” during a visit by a United Nations human rights official.
The Ministry of Information’s letter dated June 16 instructed official news outlets to describe the 1.1 million Rohingya who live in Rakhine as the “Muslim community in Rakhine state” during a visit by Yanghee Lee, the U.N.’s special envoy on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, who is visiting the country from June 19 to July 2.
“We submitted the phrase ‘Muslim community in Rakhine’ to the United Nations, and we will continue using it in the Burmese language in Myanmar,” said Myo Myint Aung, deputy permanent secretary at the ministry of information. (Courtesy of rfa.org)
The Ministry of Information’s letter dated June 16 instructed official news outlets to describe the 1.1 million Rohingya who live in Rakhine as the “Muslim community in Rakhine state” during a visit by Yanghee Lee, the U.N.’s special envoy on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, who is visiting the country from June 19 to July 2.
“We submitted the phrase ‘Muslim community in Rakhine’ to the United Nations, and we will continue using it in the Burmese language in Myanmar,” said Myo Myint Aung, deputy permanent secretary at the ministry of information. (Courtesy of rfa.org)
UN report documents systemic discrimination, rights violations
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein yesterday urged the new Myanmarese government to take comprehensive legal and policy measures to end the systemic discrimination and human rights violations against minorities, including the large Rohingya Muslim community in Rakhine State.
He was releasing a new report, requested by the UN Human Rights Council in July 2015 on the situation of “Rohingya Muslims and other minorities in Myanmar”, in Geneva highlighting the plight of the minorities and documenting a wide range of human rights violations and abuses.
The Rohingya are suffering from arbitrary deprivation of nationality, severe restrictions on freedom of movement, threats to life and security, denial of rights to health and education, forced labour, sexual violence, and limitations to their political rights, among other violations, the report says. (Courtesy of thedailystar.net)
He was releasing a new report, requested by the UN Human Rights Council in July 2015 on the situation of “Rohingya Muslims and other minorities in Myanmar”, in Geneva highlighting the plight of the minorities and documenting a wide range of human rights violations and abuses.
The Rohingya are suffering from arbitrary deprivation of nationality, severe restrictions on freedom of movement, threats to life and security, denial of rights to health and education, forced labour, sexual violence, and limitations to their political rights, among other violations, the report says. (Courtesy of thedailystar.net)
Myanmar bans officials from saying 'Rohingya'
Myanmar has banned its officials from referring to the oppressed Muslim minority as Rohingya, instead insisting they are called "people who believe in Islam".
The order by the Information Ministry attempts to sidestep the controversy that surrounds the identity of the Rohingya and head off disquiet during an ongoing visit by United Nations Special Rapporteur on Myanmar Yanghee Lee.
"Rohingya or Bengali shall not be used" during Lee's visit, the ministry said in a letter.
"Instead, 'people who believe in Islam in Rakhine State' shall be used," it added. (Courtesy of aljazeera.com)
The order by the Information Ministry attempts to sidestep the controversy that surrounds the identity of the Rohingya and head off disquiet during an ongoing visit by United Nations Special Rapporteur on Myanmar Yanghee Lee.
"Rohingya or Bengali shall not be used" during Lee's visit, the ministry said in a letter.
"Instead, 'people who believe in Islam in Rakhine State' shall be used," it added. (Courtesy of aljazeera.com)
Myanmar will be ready to take back refugees soon, source claims
Myanmar will soon be ready to take back over 100,000 refugees from nine shelters in Thailand, as the country moves towards democracy, an informed source claimed on 20 June. Details were revealed during the launch of a “World Refugee Day” event at Ban Umpiem Mai shelter in Phop Phra district in Tak province, which currently houses about 20,000 refugees. The source said a team from UNHCR had earlier visited the city of Hpa-An in Myanmar to negotiate with authorities there for repatriation of the refugees. (Courtesy of opendevelopmentmekong.net)
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