ARAKAN IN FEBRUARY 2001

US officials meet Aung San Suu Kyi and Myanmar junta

US officials met Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and the ruling military in the first visit by American diplomats since President George W. Bush took office last month, US diplomatic sources said Tuesday.

Visiting US deputy assistant secretary of state Ralph Boyce, who is on a regional tour of ASEAN countries, and US chargee d'affaires to Yangon Patricia Clapp met Aung San Suu Kyi at her compound, where she has been held under de facto house arrest for the past five months.

Boyce and Clapp met earlier Monday with the junta's number-three Lieutenant-General Khin Nyunt and foreign minister Win Aung before going to Aung San Suu Kyi's house for talks that lasted more than two hours, a Yangon source said.

Boyce said in Bangkok following the visit that he also met with the National League for Democracy executive committee.

The meeting is seen a positive sign in the wake of a political thaw between the Nobel Prize-winning democracy leader and the junta that began towards the end of last year when the two sides began holding secret talks.

A European Union delegation said after a mission to Yangon last month that the talks between opposition leader Aung Sang Suu Kyi and the junta are the most significant development in Myanmar for a decade.

"I took a side trip to Burma because process of dialogue in Burma is of continuing high interest to Washington and the world," Boyce said in Bangkok following his trip to Yangon.

The visit coincided with the release of a US State Department report on global human rights that harshly criticises Myanmar's human rights record.

In the report, the State Department reserved a 20,000-word chunk to detail allegations of political repression, torture, forced labour, rape and other human rights abuses in Myanmar.

A US official in Washington said the National League for Democracy leader had twice been held incommunicado last year and an official campaign of intimidation against the party had gone on unchecked.

But reports of a tentative dialogue between democracy leader and Nobel Prize Winner Aung San Suu Kyi and the junta amounted to "hopeful signs," said acting Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, Michael Parmly.

The United States, which leads an informal international coalition which has imposed sanctions and investment restrictions on Myanmar, is a frequent critic of the generals, who respond by accusing Washington of interfering in its internal affairs.

AFP, Bangkok, 27 February 2001
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U.S. slams Myanmar in annual human rights report

By Sonya Hepinstall

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department slammed the military government in Myanmar on Monday for harshly repressing its citizens by denying them the most basic social and political freedoms.

According to the State Department's annual report on human rights, citizens of Myanmar, also known as Burma, cannot express dissenting political views, people continue to disappear and prisoners continue to be abused and tortured by security forces.

"Citizens continued to live subject at any time and without appeal to the arbitrary and sometimes brutal dictates of the military regime," it said.

Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD), was held incommunicado twice in September 2000 to keep her from travelling out of the capital Yangon, also known as Rangoon, and is still being held under de facto house arrest.

However, moves late in 2000 to start a direct dialogue with Suu Kyi "appeared to produce some relaxation in the restrictions on the NLD," which won an election in 1990 but has never been allowed to govern, the report said.

Diplomats are optimistic about the progress of the talks, which the government had refused for six years. Since they started in October the government has released 85 political prisoners, including NLD vice chairman Tin Oo, and daily diatribes against the NLD in the state-run press have stopped.

The NLD, for its part, has ended public criticism of the government.

Both sides have agreed not to discuss the meetings.

HUMAN RIGHTS RECORD EXTREMELY POOR

The State Department report said the fundamental human rights situation in 2000 in Myanmar remained extremely bad, however, with credible reports of killings and rapes of unarmed villagers by army soldiers, and individual freedoms harshly curtailed.

The government uses its intelligence network to systematically monitor the travel and activities of its citizens, to the extent that anyone who spends the night any place other than his or her home must tell the police in advance.

Parents are warned by the state-run media that authorities could hold them responsible for political offences committed by their children, the report said.

The government restricted freedom of religion, assembly and association, the report said. Many prominent writers and journalists remained in prison, and forced labour, including forced child labour, continued to be a problem.

The International Labor Organization (ILO) last year asked governments, trade unions and businesses to review relations with Myanmar and take steps to ensure that Yangon could not take advantage of those relations to continue the system of forced labour.

Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright answered that request before leaving her post in January by calling for possible trade sanctions against Myanmar if the dialogue between Suu Kyi and the government does not make progress.

The State Department report is available on its website (www.state.gov).

Reuters, Yahoo, 27 February 2001
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Consultation on Burma ethnic issue held in Bangkok 
 
Shan sources from Bangkok reported that a consultation on non-Burman issue in relation to Thailand's border security was convened at one of the nation's prestigious universities. 

"Consultation on Minorities: Their struggle and Security along Thai-Burma border" was held at the Prachadhipok Building, Faculty of Political Science, Chulalongkorn University from 1330-1700. 
The meeting was opened by Kraisak Choonhavan, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Thais of ethnic descendents from Burma: Chaiya Khongchuen (Shan), Pisanh Pladsingh (Mon), Wutthi Boonlert (Karen) and several others participated in the discussions. Two of the other well-known discussants were Ms. Priyanut Parnpradap, former Miss Thailand and film producer, and 'Sam' Kalyanee from Images Asia. 
Commenting on it, Chaiya said: "Shan and other ethnic peoples have been forced by the Burmese military either to flee into Thailand or take up arms against them. Problems like drugs and alien labor are just offshoots that can be resolved only when the root cause of illegitimate rule by the Burmese military is ended". 

On Thailand's security along the western border, he said: "Shans have never been a security problem. On the contrary, they had even enhanced Thai security as buffers against communism during the Cold War. It was only after its end and the introduction of 'business over politics' policies that Thailand's troubles started. So I hope the present administration will reconsider its position". 

The consultation was organized by Institute for Asia Studies, Thai Action Committee for Democracy in Burma, Forum-Asia and Catholic Committee for Racial Groups.

Shan Herald Agency for News,25 February 2001
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Strategy to keep China at bay India woos Myanmar

If anything, External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh’s just concluded three day-visit (February 13-15) to Myanmar, erstwhile Burma, has proved that in international relations, national interests eventually prevail over a country’s ideological orientations. Though the cultural and spiritual ties between the two countries date back to BC 267 circa when Buddhism took strong roots in Burma and Pali was adopted as its official script and though both India and Myanmar were administered as one unit by the British from 1886 to 1934, and attained independence around the same time i.e. August 1947 and January 1948 respectively, the relations between the two countries, until recently, were far from encouraging. The initial post-independence years were cordial, with both countries signing a treaty of friendship in 1951. However, when military-backed leaders occupied the centers of power in Yangon (better known as Rangoon) in the early sixties - this began with General Ne Win - relations stared to drift. It was not that ties were cut off; they simply lacked any substance. The nadir in the ties reached in 1988 following the bloody suppression of a pro-democracy uprising by Myanmar’s military. Two years later, when elections were held in that country, the ruling military junta refused to give up power to the victor, Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of the National League for Democracy. India, a vibrant democracy, found it difficult to deal with Myanmar, a military dictatorship. However, over the last two years or so, the situation seems to have changed. Although, the nature of the political regime at Yangon remains the same, New Delhi has deemed it fit to enhance the level of bilateral interactions so that the ties become multifaceted and substantial. Last November, General Maung Aye, the Deputy Chief of the military government of Myanmar, visited India and revived the debate about the advisability of India nurturing and expanding relations with Myanmar. This paved the way for Jaswant Singh’s visit to Myanmar. More important, both President K.R. Narayanan and Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee will also be visiting Yangoon in near future. How does one explain India’s keen interests in Myanmar? The explanation lies in the fact that Myanmar is one of India’s most important neighbours in terms of geo-strategic location, security considerations, availability of markets and complementarity of mutual economic needs. Krishna Menon, whose views on foreign and defense policies were greatly valued by India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, had once said, " What hurts Burma (old name of Myanmar) hurts us equally. We have no military alliance but Burma is closely linked to us and naturally a great concern to us that she should suffer". All told, in the eventuality of Myanmar coming under the control of forces hostile to India, there will be grave implications for India’s security. First, there is the possibility of direct intervention in India through land by these hostile forces. India and Myanmar share a long and porous border of 1643 Km; the length of the international boundary is shared by four of the seven northeastern states of India, namely, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram. It is in this context that the control of cross-border insurgency and trans-border drug trafficking constitutes an important dimension in the bilateral relations between the two countries. Myanmar’s importance to India’s security also lies in the control on the Bay of Bengal. In the circumstances of modern air and naval warfare, hostile forces in Yangon could paralyse India’s coastal communications without even a major air attack. Moreover, Calcutta and the entire seaboard of India are within bombing range of Myanmar. So are the Jhavia coalfields and the Tata iron industry. The point is that it does not serve India’s interests if Myanmar turns out to be a part of an exclusive area of influence of other powers in the region with which India has uneasy relations. The reference here is to China, which has been increasing strategic links with Myanmar. Apart from providing military equipments to the Myanmar’s ruling junta, the Chinese have already built an all-weather road from Kunmin in China to Mandalay in Myanmar, which they are planning to extend to Yangon. There are also reports of the Myanmar government providing some visiting and berthing facilities to the Chinese navy in Coco islands; this will provide the Chinese entry-point into the Bay of Bengal. Therefore, India’s national interests dictate that the rulers at Yangon maintain their independence and freedom of options in dealing with their foreign policy and security concerns. And that, in turn, is possible, when India provides Yangon the alternative to the advantages it gets from China. This is now being done with India assisting in building up the transportation network in Myanmar and developing other infrastructures there. Yangon has also indicated its willingness to providing general facilities to the Indian Navy in Myanmar’s ports and coasts. Secondly, sound Indo-Myanmar relations mean good economics. Myanmar’s entry in July 1997 into Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), of which India is a dialogue partner, and the sub-regional grouping BIMSTEC (Bangladesh-India -Myanmar- Sri Lanka - Thailand Economic Cooperation Group) in December 1997 is bound to open up avenues for further cooperation in areas of trade and economy on bilateral and multilateral basis. At a time when Myanmar economy is in doldrums, thanks to the continuance of the US-led sanctions for Yangon’s anti-democracy policies, the military junta needs investments. India can well invest in the exploitation of that country’s rich natural gas and other mineral resources. The basic idea here seems to be the revival of the pre-independence economic links in the sub-continent when undivided India was a "common market". In the present context, many common projects involving Myanmar, India’s Northeast and Bangladesh can be undertaken, whose economic benefits well may reach Thailand, Sri Lanka and Nepal. It is against this background that some of the important features of Jaswant Singh’s trip to Myanmar may now be highlighted. Singh became the first leader of an official delegation from India to cross the land border into Myanmar since independence. The 165 kilometer-long Tamu-Kalemyo-Kalewa (TKK) road that Singh jointly inaugurated with Myanmar’s Minister of Construction Maj. General Saw Tun was also the first completed major project in the field of infrastructural cooperation between India and Myanmar. The road, built by the Border Roads Organisation of India at a cost of approximately Rs. 100 crore as part of India’s assistance to Myanmar, connects Moreh in Manipur to central Myanmar and hold enormous significance as a vital section of the designated Asian Highway running from Singapore to Istanbul passing through Myanmar and India. In this way, the road forms a gateway to South-East Asia and holds tremendous values for the success of India’s "Look-East" policy. Besides the Moreh-Tamu linkage, Singh, through his talks with Myanmar leaders, including Foreign Minister U win Aung and the chief of the ruling military junta General Than Shwe, facilitated the opening up of three new trade points at Champai-Rih, Pangsau Pass and Paletwa on the Kaladan River to enhance economic cooperation between the two countries. While Champai-Rih and Paletwa crossings are in the Mizoram -Nagaland sector, Pangsau pass links Arunachal Pradesh with Myanmar. The strengthening of border roads can now have spin-off benefits on the security front, too. Both the countries can send troops to smash cross-border insurgents who have acquired sanctuaries in Myanmar. In this sense it was reassuring that during the Foreign Minister’s visit, the two sides underscored their common approach towards terrorism and insurgency and trans-border drug trafficking through a twin-pronged strategy of tackling insurgents on the shared border and working towards the overall economic development. Myanmar rulers assured Singh that they would not allow their territory to be used for activities directed against India. It may be noted in this context that last year, the Myanmar Army destroyed five camps of the Khaplang faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-K) and suffered casualties in these operations. Another notable aspect of Singh’s visit was that it provided a big impetus to the multi-faceted economic cooperation and exchanges in the fields of science and technology between India and Myanmar. India is now prepared to help Myanmar develop its infrastructures such as roads, hydroelectric projects. Myanmar also wants India to develop its railways, ports, navigation projects and gas-line ventures. It is noteworthy that southern Myanmar (in the Arakan region) has abundant gas reserves that can be piped to either India or South East Asia. Singh’s inauguration during his visit of Myanmar’s first Centre of Remote Sensing and Data Processing at Yangon built with Indian aid should be seen in this light. In the final analysis, can we now say in the light of the above that "democracy" has no meaning in India’s relations with Myanmar? When asked this question, a Foreign Office spokesman said, "While we follow the ideals of democracy, we do not interfere with the internal affairs of other countries". In other words, while India remains committed to democracy and related values, India will not unilaterally assume responsibility of creating democracies in other countries. This has to be the choice and responsibility of the people of the country concerned.

The Independent Bangladesh 23 February 2001
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AFP: Myanmar "persists" in use of forced labour: unions

Bangkok, AFP

Myanmar "persists" in using forced labour, the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) said in a report to the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

"The junta has not taken any measures aimed at really putting an end to forced labour," the confederation said Tuesday in a statement received here.

"Even worse, the army and the administration tries hard to hide the extent and nature of forced labour imposed on the population and attempts to use propaganda, disinformation and lies to counter measures planned by the ILO," said the Brussells-based confederation which claims 221 unions in 148 countries.

The ILO's governing body last November called on its members -- which includes unions and employers besides countries -- to review their ties with Myanmar over the issue, a move which threatened to increase the sanctions load that has already helped cripple the economy.

The issue of international sanctions against Myanmar is on the agenda for the next session of advisors to the UN agency on March 8 in Geneva.

The unions warned against "any slackening of pressure on Myanmar".

The Japanese head of the ILO regional office here, Yasuyuki Nodera, said recently that Myanmar is expected to make progress in eliminating forced labour this year.

"Expect progress in Myanmar," he said, adding that one of his top priorities would be to send ILO experts to Myanmar to help stamp out forced labor by changing laws and bringing the perpetrators to justice.

AFP, Bangkok, 21 February 2001
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Jane's Defence Weekly: Myanmar installs new naval radar

Bruce Hawke 

Asian intelligence sources report that the Myanmar Navy has installed a new radar station on St Luke's Island (also called Zadetkale Island) at the southern tip of Taninthayi division (formerly known as Tenasserim) situated opposite Thailand's Ranong province. Work on the station, carried out by Chinese engineers, began in March 2000 and was completed early this year. The radar equipment was procured from a Singapore-registered trading company, but its origin is unknown. There are three islands near the new radar base whose sovereignty are under dispute. Contradicting territorial claims have produced regular clashes in the region between Myanmar and Thai naval vessels, including at least two incidents late last year during which shots were fired. The coastal region is also a haven for smugglers and has rich fishing grounds. Yangon has been complaining for several years that Thai fishing boats operating out of Ranong are illegally trawling in its territorial waters. In a related development, the same source told Jane's Defence Weekly that the Myanmar Navy has stepped up its operations since last October with the intention of seizing Thai fishing boats operating illegally. The confiscated trawlers, so far numbering about 20, have been given to a government-owned fishing company.

JDW Special Correspondent, Bangkok, 21 February 2001
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Ethnic rebels take Myanmar base near border 

BANGKOK, (AFP) -

Ethnic rebels overran a Myanmar military base Wednesday after a brief battle near the Thai border, where fighting strayed into Thailand 10 days ago and touched off a border crisis, Thai sources said.

Thai television reports Wednesday night showed ethnic rebels hiding in tall grass and firing automatic weapons through a veil of smoke as they descended on a Myanmar military base near the Thai border.

During a half-hour skirmish, Shan State Army (SSA) rebels stormed the base located some 300 meters (990 feet) from the Thai border, Thai sources said.

The base was situated inside Myanmar, opposite the Mae Fah Luang district in the northern Thai province of Chiang Rai.

The attacking troops torched the base, and one Myanmar soldier was killed while another was taken prisoner, according to a Thai border source.

Thai television showed the Myanmar prisoner with his hands bound and a sack over his head before showing an image of the bloodied uniform belonging to the killed soldier.

Scores of Thai troops have been sent to the border region in recent weeks to guard against incursions by Myanmar troops, whose fighting against ethnic rebels strayed into Thailand earlier this month.

The crisis began February 11 when artillery and gunfire rained down on the Thai border town of Mae Sai as the Thai and Myanmar armies traded fire in a conflict started by warring ethnic rebels.

With large troop build-ups on either side, there have been fears that new fighting could break out at any time.

The area has been in a state of tense stand-off since last Tuesday when the crossing was closed amid fears of fresh fighting.

The Thai army has said it may draft its top brass to negotiate with Myanmar over the border tensions, after initial talks failed to resolve the problem.

The United States has issued an advisory warning its citizens to exercise caution in the border region with Myanmar.

Myanmar denies being responsible for the artillery attack on Mae Sai, and accuses the rebel Shan State Army of shelling the town, as well as its twin settlement on the Myanmar side, Tachilek.

The official media in Yangon has lashed out at the Thai army's role in the affair, accusing it of being in league with drug traffickers along the rugged border region.

Yahoo news Singapore, Agence France-Presse 21 February 2001
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Myanmar seeks successor after hardline general dies

YANGON (Reuters) - Myanmar's military government was on Tuesday considering who would take over as its fourth most senior leader after hardline Lieutenant-General Tin Oo was killed in a helicopter crash.

Diplomats in Yangon said Monday's death of 67-year-old Tin Oo would weaken a hawkish faction led by General Maung Aye, vice-chairman of the ruling State Peace and Development Council (SPDC).

Diplomats say there is a split in Myanmar between allies of Maung Aye, who are against any weakening in the military's iron grip on power, and a faction led by SPDC Secretary One Lieutenant-General Khin Nyunt, which favours making modest reforms in the hope of improving Myanmar's economy.

Maung Aye and Khin Nyunt are the second and third most senior members of the SPDC. Maung Aye is also army commander while Khin Nyunt is military intelligence chief.

Analysts say they are jostling for position to take over the reins of power given the ailing health of SPDC Chairman Than Shwe.

Tin Oo was considered an ally of Maung Aye. They said the choice of a successor could indicate whether hardliners or reformists had the upper hand in the government. It was not known when a replacement would be announced.

Last month Khin Nyunt denied the military was split. He said there were no disagreements over a decision to initiate secret talks with the pro-democracy opposition led by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.

Rumours had circulated that more hawkish generals were unhappy about the secret talks. But Khin Nyunt told the Myanmar Times in an interview that rumours of a split within the ranks in the military had been spread by foreign media and some diplomats.

LITTLE HOPE OF MORE SURVIVORS

Officials said on Tuesday there was little hope of finding survivors among 14 people still missing after the helicopter crashed in bad weather into the Salwin River in Kayin state, southeast of the capital Yangon.

State media said that of 29 passengers and crew aboard the helicopter, 13 had been rescued and two people, including Tin Oo, were confirmed dead.

Officials said two cabinet ministers -- Brigadier-General Lun Maung, minister at the prime minister's office, and Colonel Thein Nyunt, minister for the development of border areas -- were also believed to have been killed in the crash.

Tin Oo survived two apparent attempts on his life in the 1990s.

In April 1997, his eldest daughter was killed by a parcel bomb which the authorities said was mailed to his house from Japan. Tin Oo was at home at the time, but was not injured by the blast.

The government blamed the attack on Myanmar dissidents based in Japan, but opposition groups denied responsibility and said it was linked to a power struggle among Myanmar's ruling generals.

In December 1996 two bombs exploded at a Buddhist shrine on the outskirts of Yangon after a visit by Tin Oo.

The blasts killed five people and wounded 17. The government blamed ethnic Karen guerrillas, who denied responsibility.

Yahoo news Singapore,Reuters Limited 20 February 2001
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Summary of today's protest before the Burmese Embassy in KL, Malaysia

Today we had gathered outside the Burmese embassy, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to pass a memorandum and to express our feelings on the recent riot in Arakan. There were more than a hundred peoples gathered including Rohingyas, other Burmese nationals and some Malaysians both muslims and non-muslims. We could not allow many people to gather as it was severely restricted by police. We had managed to disperse the gathering within half an hour as the police was continuously requesting to disperse. A memorandum was presented to the Burmese Embassy today at about 10:30 local time. 

Sayed Hussein 
Secretary General Rohingya Students Development Movement(RSDM)

Email report received via email from Malaysia
Press & Publication Department, ARNO 20 February 2001
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Myanmar Copter Crash Kills Leaders

YANGON, Myanmar (AP) - A Myanmar army helicopter crashed Monday, killing the No. 4 general in the country's ruling military council and two Cabinet ministers, government officials said.

The helicopter carrying Lt. Gen. Tin Oo and about a dozen other officials crashed in southeastern Myanmar because of engine trouble, the two government officials said on condition of anonymity.

They refused to name the Cabinet ministers who were killed along with Tin Oo, known by the title of Secretary 2 in the ruling State Peace and Development Council. The government officials said there were some survivors, but no other details were immediately available.

There was no immediate confirmation of the crash from the government.

Tin Oo was the chief of staff of the army and the fourth-ranking general in the regime that came to power in a bloodless coup in 1988.

The two government officials who spoke with The Associated Press said the crash occurred near the town of Moulmein, 100 miles southeast of Yangon, the capital.

Myanmar's government usually refuses to answer questions by reporters who call it on the telephone, and a military spokesman in Yangon did not immediately respond to a fax sent to his office Monday with written questions about the reported crash.

Myanmar has been ruled by the military since 1962, and the current junta, which calls itself the State Peace and Development Council, came to power in 1988, after a crackdown on a pro-democracy movement. The regime keeps a tight grip on the media in Myanmar, and the public usually knows very little about the government and its activities.

The junta has faced intense Western criticism for stifling the opposition, which is led by Aung San Kyi. She won the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts to bring democracy to this Southeast Asian country also known as Burma.

 AP, This article is being gathered from 
Yahoo News, 19 Feb 2001
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ROHINGYA STUDENT DEVELOPMENT MOVEMENT (R.S.D.M) CALLING FOR DEMONSTRATION

Dear Rohingyas and peace loving human being, You may well know that there was a riot between Rohingyas Muslim and Rakhines Buddhist in Akyab (Sittwe), the capital of Arakan, Burma. The riot was took place on 4th February 2001 and continued following few days and spreads into many other places. In the riot many Rohingyas have been killed and injured, many Rohingya women and girls have been raped and many houses belong to Rohingyas were set on fire by junta backed extremists Rakhines. Actually the riot was created by Burmese government. The unity between Rohingyas and Rakhines is headache for junta. Creation of hatred among its citizens is the main activity of the junta for their political interest. They can do every thing they think which will help them to remain in power. There were series of riots along the history of Burma, created by government to divert the attention of the people. One time Arakan was ruled by Muslim Kings for few centuries, which ended in 1874 after invasion of Burmese king Bodaw paya. Since then they were trying to create disunity between the Rohingyas and Rakhines. Unfortunately they were not able to rule Arakan very long time as it was fallen under British administration in first English-Burmese war. There were no major conflicts between two communities during British administration. The mainly interest of British was economy and did not try to create conflicts. Compare to present Burmese administration, people of Arakan had very fair situation at that time. The conflict was created by Burmese Thakin party when British left the Arakan in 1942. About half of the population of Rohingyas was killed by extremist Rakhines who were backed up by Thakin party. The junta is still playing this tactic to unrest the people of Arakan and labeled the Rohingyas as a Bangali Khala. The junta has no such right to call us as the Bangli Khala. May be this is for their lacking of historical knowledge or just calling intentionally. Actually Arakan is only belonging to Arakanese people, not the Burmese. We are the owner of the land and they are invader. Instead of apologies for their offensive, they are trying to eradicate the Rohingyas from the land of Arakan. Now half of the alive Rohingyas are out of the country because of the continual discriminations and persecutions of junta. Those who are still in Arakan are being denied for their citizenship and receiving severe restrictions in their daily life. Although the most recent riot is over, the Rohingyas are being removed from their houses and driving to very far places where they have never reached before. The phones lines only belong to Rohingyas are still cut off and curfew is still in order only for Rohingyas. For that reason we have prepared for a demonstration out side the Burmese embassy, Kuala Lumpur as scheduled below. A memorandum will be passed up to the Burmese authority through embassy that will be signed by various organizations. There will be a big crowd to express their views on the involvement of junta in riot and to request world community to pay serious attention on Rohingyas issue. I would like to request those who are outside Malaysia, please pay serious attention on Rohingyas issue and Burmese politics. At least keep trying to highlight the cause of Rohingyas in any possible way. Request your host government to give pressure to junta to respect the minority's rights and to solve the political crisis by transferring power to National League for Democracy unconditionally. Rohingyas are anti terrorism. We would love to stay within a big country instead of independent state. But our problem must be solved without any hesitation and universal declaration of human rights must be respected. We want to solve our problem by discussion in round table but same time we have to prepare for confrontation if it cannot be solved peacefully. 

Schedule for demonstration 

Date: 20th February 2001 (Tuesday) 
Time: 9:30 am 
Place: Outside the Burmese embassy 
10 Jalan Mengkuang Off Jalan Ru Ampang 55000 
Kuala Lumpur

Please be arrived not later than 9:30 am. For further information, please contact Sayed Hussein at 017- 3898851. 
Sincerely, Sayed Hussein 
Secretary General Rohingya Students Development Movement

Press & Publication Department, ARNO 15 February 2001
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 Racial harmony in Arakan - N.U.P.A.

The Natonal United Party of Arakan (N.U.P.A) has received with shock, the news of recent riot in Arakan capital Sittwe (Akyab), on 6th February 2001, resulting in plundering of several villages, leaving many killed and injured by a group of people secrectly sent by the military regime of SPDC to stage a communal violence between the Buddhist Rakhine and Muslim Rohingyas. Although, either side has been putting the blame on the other, we understand with grief that the Rohingya Muslims have heavy lost of lives, property and missing of many. It is really unfortunate that the ruling junta , could have, to some extents, gone ahead in triggering social hatred which spreaded to other Townships of Rakhine State (Arakan). The colonized Arakan, has been under the grip of the Military rule for decades and all the ethnic races have been equally persecuted. We, having realized that all the ethnic races irrespective of cast and creed , have been the victim of "divide and rule", taken every efforts to bury the differences and forge a much stronger unity among us which have paved the way to formation of Arakan Independence Alliance (A.I.A), where the role of Arakan Rohingya National Organisation (A.R.N.O) is an integral part. At this critical juncture, we urge upon the people of Arakan, particularly, the Rohingyas to ignore the misgivings of the Junta and to maintain maximum tolerance to avoid further out break of violence between the two races. To free Arakan, from the clutches of the Burman, we need to understand clearly identify the common enemy of Arakanese peoples. 

Tay Zaw, 

On behalf of Central Executive Committee, 
National United Party of Arakan (NUPA), 
Sittwe, Rakhine State (Arakan).

Press & Publication Department, ARNO 15 February 2001
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Anti-Rohingya Propaganda--SPDC Blue Print?

After a spate of communal violence that rocked a number of townships in Arakan (Rakhine state), Burma, the ruling SPDC military regime have kept all lele-communication links with Sittwe town disconnected. The junta has also cut bus and boats link from the town, making the local residents stay virtually confined to their homes. Added to it is the night -time curfew imposed since the communal riot against Rohingya Muslims broke out in the First week of February.
Beginning from the 11th February, hundreds of Rohingya residents have forcefully been dispatched to Buthidaung and Maung Daw Township close to the border of Bagladesh.
On the first day alone, more than nine hundred Muslims were loaded on three government own motor vassals -namely DawaWady 1,2,3 and dispatched to Buthidaung. Peoples in the southern district of Cox's Bazaar widely told that a fresh exodus of Rohingya Muslim in the area might not be very far.
Meanwhile, Narinnjaraa after interview with the couple of traders in the border area reached to the conclusion that, the riot was premeditated. According to Maung wai, 36 of Mrauk Oo(not real name), the SPDC agents started a slandering campaign against Muslim Rohingyas by October last year when the junta held alleged talks with Aung San Su Kyi. Across Arakan, rumour was ripe of a possible attack by" Muslim terrorists". Troops were mobilized to boost up military out posts only the border area on Naf River. Restriction on the movement of on the Roingya Muslims was freshly imposed. Muslim and bBuddhist religious leaders of frontier areas were summoned to Rangoon and were given warning about a "secret plan" of sabotage by "extremist elements". The junta high-ups instructed the leaders to support the junta and keep away from any subversive activities.
Shortly after the incident, a team of cox's bazaar police in a pre-dawn raid on January 22, 2001, arrested two leades of the Rohingya movement from Chittagong and sealed-off an office of ARNO, Arakan Rohingya National Organization. Immediately the Bangladesh press picked up the purported and motivated reports of "alleged Rohingya linked with Fundamentalists, terrorists, gunrunning, drug trafficking, etc" cooked up by the police. Without any verification, a section of press which was controlled by the major political parties by the country," quoting the police department and the intelligent agencies " as a source, runs the story word for word.
Meanwhile there was no evidence found in support of the claims of gun running or separatist's movement to dismember Bangladesh or of "trafficking". But a great harm has already been done against the Rohingya Movement. Merely after the weeks of the motivated attack, ant Muslim riot instigated by the Brmese junta broke out in some part of Arakan. The riot started when a sequel to a teashop squabble, some law enforcing agents disguised as Buddhist monks set fire first to the Muslim houses. Clearly the despicable act was done by the junta in fear of the solidarity and integrity of the Arakanese in the face of the demend of decolonosation of bUema and independence of arakan by the member of Arakanese Organizations in exile.
If the rioot at sittwe(Akyab) be on SPDC design, then the anti Rohingya action in Bangladesh fits neatly into the jigsaw.
Has a section of the police at Cox'bazaar been handsomely bribed by the Burman top brass to work for them?
On the home front, Home minister Mr. Nassim of Bangladesh fondly speculates that the present tough going with the fundamentalists (arrest of hundreds leaders supporters of Islamic political parties) would please the western allies of his government sine the western powers were abscessed with Ladenists and other extremists Islamic factions.
If only a connation could be established between the Islamiic activists at home and the Ldenists the ruling party would ingratiate itself with the western power for the blessings for the next electoral war. The war of slander against the Rohinyas movement may, there fore, be apart of the war where Rohingyas have been made scapegoat for the political football.
Rakhine anf Rohingya people have lived peacefully for centuries together, the both NUPA and ARNO believe in the principle of peaceful co-existence, both the parties serve as a free voice of the Arakanese peoples and advocate that, Arakan be decolorize from Burma and that has nothing to do with Bangladesh. 
Peoples are beginning to understand that the spoon-fed information in the press of Bangladesh on Rohingya, is nothing but politically motivated crap. 


N.K Shuja
Advisor to president
ARNO

Press & Publication Department, ARNO 15 February 2001
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Eviction of Rohingyas from Akyab, forcing
them to Bangladesh border

Following the racial violence provoked between Buddhist
and Muslims in Akyab (Arakan), more than three thousand five hundred Rohingyas were evicted from Akyab (sittwe) and forcibly sent to the Buthidaung and Maung Daw Township of northern Arakan bordering town with Bangladesh.

On 12th February, the ruling regime State Peace and Development Council, SPDC, junta ordered the police and army in Akyab to gather the Muslim Rohingya men, women and children and forced them to board to the government own motor vassals, Danyawadi No.1, 2,3 alleging them as Bengalis, trouble makers and rioters in the recent racial violence in Akyab.

According to an eyewitness account and some newspapers reported in Banglasdesh daily Dainik Dinkal dated 5-7-8, it is now strongly suspected the SPDC regime's involvement in the crisis. It is widely believed in Arakan that, before creating the riot, the SPDC through their paid agents in the border business community, bribed some law enforcing agencies, especially a few corrupts police officials at Cox's Bazzar district, Bangladesh, and carried-out a defamatory campaign in a section of the press against the local Rohingya community. As soon as the Rohingyas were cornered and faced embarrassment, the SPDC regime jumped the opportunity to create communal riot in Arakan. In no time the junta resorted to manoeuvre attacks on the Muslim community.

Racial riots have been reported in six village/quarters of Akyab and Rathidaung township and a mosque on the Lamro river has been razed to the ground.

Since February 5, at least 2 Rohingya Muslim collage student and hundreds of young people were missing, with reports of loss of lives and destruction of property.

Meanwhile, The Arakan Independence Alliance (A.I.A) which was formed political alliance by Arakan Rohingya National Organization (ARNO) and National United Party of Arakan (NUPA) have appealed to both of the communities in Arakan to exercise maximum restraint and not to be used as a tools of the SPDC design.

The Arakanese peoples at large wish the international community to denounce the wicked act of the Burmese junta and force it to stop persecution the Muslim Rohingyas of Arakan. Leaders of the ARNO and NUPA expressed this in a telephone interview with Radio free Asia.

In the meantime, Muslim Rohingya are not allowed to enter Akyab since a week. The town is still kept under curfew and the telecommunication service in only those Rohingyas area has been snapped since then. 

Press & Publication Department, ARNO 13 February 2001
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Statement on the visit of Indian Foreign Minister to Burma-AIA

It is learnt that the foreign minister of India, Mr. Jaswant Singh is scheduled to visit Burma on Friday 12th February 2001.
Such a visit of the foreign minister of the world largest democracy  to Burma- the country run by the world's most hated human rights violators, the racist military regime, is not only disgraceful but also a great shock to the peace loving people of the world including the people of Burma as a whole.

Throughout the last 12 years of military rule, the SPDC fascist has shown no sign of improvement. Last year, finding no sign of correction on the part of the SPDC, the I.L.O. with the democratic west condemned and imposed sanction upon the
country.

Instead of showing any sign of rectification, the SPDC junta last week fanned racial communal violence to divide the two brotherly Arakanese peoples, the Buddhist Rakhine the Muslim Rohingya in Rakhine state (Arakan). In the incident, hundreds of Arakanese were killed and lost their properties, more are still missing. The tension across the Arakan is still prevailing.

While the junta, as a gesture of goodwill released some of the Burmese NLD leaders from prison, thousands of Arakanese including others were still kept under confinement.

Arakan, through ages, has been apart of Indian sub-continent. The successive Arakanese revolution has  maintained friendly relation with the Indian people. Whatever our problems in Arakan were, it was helped and solved by Bengal and the Indian Kings, particularly, during the Mogul Era. 

Hence, during the visit of Indian foreign minister to Burma , the
question of Arakan affairs will hopefully be discussed and will pressurize the Burmese regime. The Arakan under the colonial York of Brumes fascist is suffering the worse human rights violation like ethnic cleansing, genocide and in the threat of total extinction.

Being one of the great democratic powers in Asia, the Indian government should reassess its policy towards the Burmese junta considering  the ethnic nationalities of Burma and their democratic rights.

We. The A.I.A appeal to the democratic government of India to respect the dignity and honor of the people of Arakan and to immediately: -

1.Stop all economic political relationship with the SPDC.
2.To pressurize the military regime for a total halt of its evil design of genocidal scheme in Arakan.
3.To put pressure upon the SPDC regime to immediately restore democracy in Burma.
4.To help decolorize the Arakan from the colonial rule of Burmese racist regime.

N. Shuja.
For and on behalf of the Arakan Independence Alliance (A.I.A)

Press & Publication Department, ARNO 11 February 2001
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Reuters: Myanmar Muslim rebels say hundreds dead in clashes

DHAKA, Feb 8 (Reuters) - A Muslim rebel group from Myanmar said on Thursday some 450 people were killed and more than 1,500 wounded in ethnic violence in western Myanmar.

Myanmar government troops were called in to restore order following clashes between Muslims, known in the region as Rohingyas, and Buddhists, known as Rakhaines, the Arakan Rohingya National Organisation (ARNO) said in a statement. ``At least 450 Rohingyas were killed and more than 1,500 were seriously injured when the Rakhaines posing as monks attacked six villages near Akyab town on February 4,'' said the release, faxed to Reuters in Dhaka on Thursday.

There was no independent confirmation of the rebel group's report. A Myanmar government spokesman said on Tuesday a curfew had been imposed in the western town of Sittwe because of disturbances between Muslims and Buddhists after ``a quarrel.'' The spokesman said the situation had returned to normal. The ARNO said the killing and arson in Muslim villages continued until Tuesday when Myanmar army soldiers dispersed the attackers and restored control.

Thousands of families were homeless after their homes were set ablaze and hundreds of Muslim people, including women and children were missing, the group said. The ARNO is seeking autonomy for Muslims in Arakan state, also known as Rakhine state, which borders Bangladesh. The majority of people in Myanmar are Buddhist. Bangladeshi officials said on Thursday they could not confirm the report of violence but if it were true, they feared an influx of Muslim refugees into their country. They said there had been no fresh movement of refugees into Bangladesh in recent days. Bangladesh has been home to nearly 21,000 Rohingya refugees from Myanmar for a decade.

They are the remnants of more than 250,000 Rohingyas who fled into Bangladesh in 1991-92 to escape alleged Myanmar military persecution, including killings and rape. Myanmar's military government denies persecuting its Muslim minority. Most of the refugees have returned to Myanmar under the supervision of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees but some 21,000 are still huddled in two refuge camps near Cox's Bazar in southeastern Bangladesh.

The ARNO said the violence was the result of a government campaign to get rid of Muslims in Myanmar, also know as Burma. ``The Burmese government is systematically trying to exterminate the Muslims by large scale persecution and gross human rights violations,'' the news release said.

The Burmanet News, 8 February 2001
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450 dead in Myanmar ethnic feud

A Muslim rebel group from Myanmar said Thursday some 450 people were killed and more than 1,500 wounded in ethnic violence in western Myanmar.

Myanmar government troops were called in to restore order following clashes between Muslims, known as Rohingyas, and Buddhist, known as Rakhines, the Arakan Rohingya National Organization (ARNO) said in a statement.

"At least 450 Rohingyas were killed and more than 1,500 were seriously injured when the Rakhines posing as monks attacked six villages near Akyab town on February 4", said the release, fazed to Reuters in Dhaka Thursday.

There wan no independent confirmation of the rebel group's report. A Myanmar government spokesman said Tuesday a curfew had been imposed in the western town of Sittwe because of  disturbances between Muslims and Buddhists after "a quarrel". The spokesman said the situation had returned to normal.

The ARNO said the killing and arson in Muslim villages continued until Tuesday

Dhaka (Rtr), Saudi Gazette, 9 February 2001
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Racial tension in Arakan State capital Sittwe (Akyab) killed more then 150 Muslim Rohingyas and is continuing.
Teknaf

Racial tension in Arakan State capital Sittwe (Akyab) has continued to prevail till today following last Sunday's killing of Muslim Rohingya residents of the town.
According to information reaching here over phone from Yangon, the riot further spread to other townships of Arakan State and 12 Muslim houses in the town of Rathedaung, 40 mile in the north east of Akyab, have been Burned down on 8th Feb night by Rakhine mobs believed to be under the instigation of communalist forces linked with the regime.

(According to a press release of Arakan Independence seeker
under the banner of Arakan Independence Alliance (A.I.A) of which combined Rakhine National Groups of National United Party of Arakan (N.U.P.A) and combined Rohingya groups Arakan Rohingya National Organisation (A.R.N.O). 
It stated that On 4-5 and 6 February 2001, in Akyab district of Arakan (the western part of Burma), an estimate of 150 to 180
Rohingya Muslim killed, more than 500 seriously injured, 200 missing including women, children and thousands left homeless in a planned way secret killings and setting fire the Rohingya Muslims area of MolviPara, Nazir para, Amla para , Rohingya para, Sakki Bazaar para and Kawshy Para near the township of Akyab by a group of Burmese Army in the guise of Buddhist Monks. They firstly come to Moley Para, the Muslim majority area and started up in fighting with the local Rohingya residents. Soon after starting provoked quarrel they started to set fire the area at lane No.904 and 763 of Nazir pare onwards in a planned way. Before the incident taken place, all telecommunication facilities from that Muslims area have been cut off. As many as 400 houses including 4 boarding were raze down, the report added.) 

Following the incident, the Secretary -III Gen. Win Myint has
been visiting the area from Yangon on 8 February and ordered the troops to remain on full alert. He also advised the people of other townships in Akyab to return to their Respective townships by fast available transport. Hundreds of injured Muslims have still been lying in the hospital wards and floor mostly unattended due to sudden overcrowded position and lack of sufficient facilities in the only State hospital.
The injured mostly have cut marks and other brutal wounds have been in critical condition, as they could not afford life saving medicine and surgery.

It is further reported that the hoodlums picked up some 70-80 children running helter-skelter and there is no trace of these children and most people believe that they might have been killed after taking away to remote place. Many more are reported missing since the incident. The injured children lying in the pool of blood were seen thrown into the blazing fire by the mob and no exact figure of casualties could be collected due to news blackout as the army has of late cordoned off the area. More than 380 houses have been razed to the ground during Sunday's
arson and the occupants have been passing their days in open sky in the severe cold without anything left with them. The Burmese junta is reported to have asked the Muslims to maintain restraint while the Rakhines have been told to show their muscle against the Muslims. In absence of co-operation in supply of relief goods to the victims, the Muslims of Rangoon and other cities have been trying to collect fund and relief materials including life saving drugs for the Muslims of Akyab.

It is feared that there might be new influx of Rohingya Muslims from Arakan State to neighboring Bangladesh if the tension further escalates.

Another information coming in through Burma Bangladesh border has it that the Burmese military junta has become serious following the unity of the two ethnic communities Rakines and Rohingyas at organization level and has since been serious to foil it by taking various steps. Hence, the amassing of 20,000 troops along Burma Bangladesh border, police crackdown
on Burmese opposition elements in Bangladesh at the time when border tension between the two countries has been at its height and the latest racial riot in Akyab are nothing but a series of systematic conspiratorial plan of the Burmese regime, observed by many watchers.

The Government of our Bangladesh should eye cautiously so that recurrence of refugee influx couldn't be happened once again on our head.

Ko Ko Lay, General Secretary, Institute of Arakan Studies, Chittagong, 9th February 2001
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National United Party of Arakan: on the Racial Clashes in Sittwe, Arakan

We are deeply concerned over the racial clashes that took place as a sequel to an untoward incident in a teashop in Sittwe on the fourth February 2001. According to the report, the Buddhists and the Muslims in the area got locked up in racial riots and the ruling SPDC junta imposed curfew to diffuse the tension. As a result to the incident, there was losses of lives, destruction of property and a deep sense of animosity prevailed upon the two brotherly peoples, the Buddhists and the Muslims.

NUPA being a secular organization believes in the peaceful coexistence of all the nationals living in Arakan, as Arakan has always been a secular free nation under the Arakanese kings before the Burmans came to the land as foreign aggressors.The row that took place in a teashop was insignificant. But the outcome of the episode was beyond what the average citizen can ever imagine of. We want to make it known that, the average Arakanese people are peace-loving but the SPDC junta which is overtly Burman-dominated has like its predecessors, the SLORC and BSPP, got down to stir up communal agitation so that the two brotherly communities could be divided. The SPDC who has the full authority in Burma can squarely be put to blame for the sad event in Sittwe. While the NUPA has been engaged in the restoration of amity among all the people of Arakan, transcending the barriers of religion, race, caste or creed, the SPDC junta has deliberately created discord and tension by constructing a dam on the Naaf, and in this particular incident, flared up racial tension and animosity, in order to sidetrack the deteriorating law and order situation, economy and the worsening political crisis in Burma, as it has done in previous occasions, as in the racial riots that were stirred up by the military junta in Mandalay, Taungyi and Prome (Pyi).

The SPDC without controlling the situation before it could end up in racial tension, should have stopped the flare-up. For this the SPDC is to be squarely blamed for stirring up the riot.As peace-loving Arakanese, the Buddhists, the Muslims and the Christions and all other minorities must be aware of the evil design of the Burman junta, and repel any attempt to disorganize and break up the racial harmony prevailing in Arakan. The above event though controllable went beyond control and ended up in the loss of valuable human lives and property, which is insensible. So long as we, the Arakanese, live under the colonial yoke of the xenophobic Burmans, we can never solve the racial problems among the Arakanese brotherly peoples.

We want to make it clear that, the refugee problem that causes a lot of trouble to the neighbouring countries like Thailand, India and Bangladesh are the direct result of the Burman racist rule.To all the sensible people at home and abroad, we want to urge that, there is no racial problem in Arakan, rather the SPDC junta creates such sad unwanted events to fish in the troubled waters.Until and unless the independence of Arakan is achieved there can never be good governance and peace and prosperity of the citizens enjoying the fruits of democracy, human rights, and secularism.

To the international community at large, our appeal is to give moral and material support to the national liberation movement of Arakan so that the long-cherished independence of Arakan could be realized and rule of law could be established..

Central Committee National United 
Party of Arakan 7 February 2001
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Press Release of AIA on the arrest of Mr. Salim Ullah 

Our attention has been drawn to the news items appeared in the foreign press, particularly in various newspapers in Bangladesh on 23-24 January 2001, on the arrest of Mr. Salim Ullah, commander in chief of the Rohingya National Army (R.N.A).

We express our serious concern on the repeated unfounded misleading propaganda against the freedom movement of the Arakanes Rohingya Muslims alleging them as extremists and collaborators of so-called Taliban,Harkat etc;. Nothing could be more of a blatant lie than this. It is but a design of the vested interest to tarnish the image of the freedom movement of the colonised people of Arakan, and to foil the liberation struggle of Arakan.

The Arakan Independence Alliance (A.I.A), of which N.U.P.A and A.R.N.O are members is the only legitimate representative organisation and spokesperson of the whole people of Arakan, irrespective of religion or race, struggling for the restoration of the lost independence of Arakan. We have the utmost respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bangladesh.

The alliance strongly aspires all-out support of the international
communities, particularly the neighboring countries with which we have had long historical and traditional relationship. It may be mentioned that being a O.I.C (Organisation of Islamic Conference) member state, Bangladesh has moral obligations to render political and moral support to the cause of the people of Arakan.

Our policy has always been not to interfere with the internal affairs of the Bangladesh, or any of it's political parties. The liberation war of Bangladesh has always been an inspiration to us.

On the other hand, our enemy the SPDC regime of Burma in order to divert the attention of the people of Burma from the ongoing worsening internal situation of the country, has recently fanned trouble along the border with Bangladesh erecting a dam on the Naf River.

Does the arrest of Mr. Salim Ullah by the Ukiah branch of Bangladesh police have any implication to the issue, too?

We fervently appeal to the friendly people and Government of Bangladesh to support the freedom of struggle of the people of Arakan, to consider the case of Mr. Salim Ullah with sympathetic consideration and arrange his quick release, so that our friendly relation perpetuates and take care not to let such and unhappy and awkward situation repeat again.

(Maung Kyaw Nu) 
(NURUL ISLAM)

VICE PRESIDENT 
PRESIDENT

NATIONAL UNITED PARTY OF ARAKAN (N.U.P.A) 
ARAKAN ROHINGYA NATIONAL ORGANISATION (ARNO), ARAKAN 

Press & Publication Department, ARNO 24 January 2001
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More then 18 Rohingyas killed in a planned attack

On 4-5 February 2001, in Akyab district of Arakan (the western part of Burma), an estimate of 18 to 20 Rohingya Muslim died ,more than 540 seriously injured ,18 missing including women, children and thousands left homeless in a planned way secret killings and setting fire the Rohingya Muslims area of MolviPara, Nazir para, Amla para and Rohingya para near the
township of Akyab. According to our sources that a group of Burmese Army in the guise of Buddhist Monks have firstly come to Moley Para,the Muslim majority areas, and started up in fighting with the local Rohingya residents. Soon after starting quarrel they have started setting fire the area at lane No.904 and 763, Nazir pare and Amla pare onwards in a planned way. At one stage, before the incident taken place, all tele-communication
facilities have been cut off from the said areas. As many as 280 houses including Dullar Boarding, Gunng Boarding, Mr.Abas's House, Mr. Hla Myint's House, Mr.Mynar's House are among the houses were burned down. Finally the Military came to the area and surrounded with tight control. Still the panic-stricken Rohingyas are yet to be rescued by the law enforcing agencies of Burmese regime.
It is not a secret to the world of the Burmese government's brutality toward the Rohingya Muslims that resulted hundreds of thousands of refugee influx in Bangladesh. The international community, particularly the Government of Bangladesh should caution the intention of the present Burmese's SPDC junta once again. 
Such malicious act is continuously witnessed in Arakan where the Burmese government is systematically trying to exterminate the Muslims and subjecting large scale persecution, ethnic cleansing and gross human rights violation.
We appeal to the world body, United Nation Organization U.N.O and human rights organizations to study the matter immediately and stop the genocidal design of Burmese government to the helpless peoples of Arakan.

Press & Publication Department, ARNO 6 Feb 2001
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International Herald Tribune: Get Burma's Minorities Talking

Josef Silverstein

NEW BRUNSWICK, New Jersey As representatives of the military government in Burma continue secret talks with the opposition leader, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, both sides should be aware that the central problem today, as it was when Burma gained independence from Britain in 1948, is national unity. It does not exist because there is a lack of equality and trust between majority Burmese and other ethnic groups, and between the military and the people. Restoration of democratic rule and respect for human rights and civil liberties are, of course, important. But if the talks are to be the first step in solving long-standing problems, then the interests of the ethnic minorities must get high priority. They represent a third of the national population, but most do not feel part of the nation. After so many years of war, misunderstanding and division, the basic issues of unity, trust and peaceful resolution of problems must be discussed openly, honestly and in depth so that a new social basis can be found and built upon. The military rulers defend their seizure of power in 1962 and again in 1988 as necessary to preserve national unity, territorial integrity and sovereignty. They claim that any mistrust is a legacy of colonial rule. They say that the cease fires they negotiated with ethnic minorities were first steps toward equality, sharing of power and trust. Such principles, they claim, will be in the new constitution. In 1989, when the Burma Communist Party imploded and the minority representatives who served as its cadres broke away and formed ethnic groupings, the government offered them cease-fire agreements to end their wars against the state. It allowed those who accepted to keep their weapons, administer their areas and run their economies with a minimum of interference. However, the government did not allow them to discuss their political future. That was to be put off until a new constitution was in place. In 1993, the junta created a national convention at which invited Burmese and minority representatives were supposed to develop the principles for a new constitution. The move failed because it was tightly controlled and the participants were denied free speech and interaction. After a walkout by Shan minority delegates, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi withdrew the delegates of her National League for Democracy. Most of the ethnic minorities contend that the conditions that drove many to fight the central government or resist in other ways have their roots in inequalities inscribed in the 1947 constitution and in the absence of full autonomy, resource-sharing and participation in decisions affecting their future. They also deeply resent the emergence of Burmese culture as the national culture, instead of a multiculture reflecting the diversity of the population. For half a century the minorities have been victims of rules made in Rangoon, the central government's violence and unwillingness by those in power to discuss the grievances of ethnic minorities and work together to find real solutions. While the Karens continue their war against the government, their leaders have been on record since 1984 as saying that they no longer seek independence. They refuse to accept a cease-fire because its terms say nothing about the future. A significant portion of the Christian Karens also have religious differences with the Burmese, who are Buddhist. As dialogue between representatives of the military and the people progresses, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is the logical person to speak for the people. She is committed to a free, democratic and peaceful Burma based on equality for all, the rule of law and human rights. She respects the cultural diversity of the nation and the rights of the people to retain their identities, languages and traditions. She trusts the people, as most trust her. She should have minority leaders at her side to participate in the discussions and speak to the issues which directly effect their people. That would be the best symbol possible of equality, unity and trust as efforts are made again to build a united Burma. The writer, professor emeritus of politics at Rutgers University, contributed this comment to the International Herald Tribune.

International Herald Tribune,Feb. 5, 2001
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Friends of Rohingya: "Malicious Misinformation about Arakan Resistance"

Recently, members of a Burma resistance group, ARNO, have been taken into custody in Bangladesh, simply for their expression of political views against the rulers of the neighbor country, Burma (Myanmar). This was accompanied with a very vicious campaign of lies and slander through the Bangladesh press. In reality, ARNO is a coalition of Rohingya Muslims and also Rakhaine Buddhist groups aimed at bringing democracy to Burma and its province Arakan which they share as a homeland in happier times. They are most certainly not fundamentalists or extremists, but are believers in tolerance and equal rights for all regardless of ethnicity, faith or gender. They are a small group simply struggling to survive, with no real source of support in finance or arms, and have sought to expose the terrible narcotics trade linked to the Burmese generals.

The ARNO's main actions are as a voice of advocacy for the oppressed in Arakan who suffer tortures, slave labors and murders at the hands of Burma's army, on a routine daily basis. This mistreatment of Arakan people is verified by the UN, ILO and Amnesty reports.

The Burma military dictatorship's genocidal policies has led to thousands and thousands of refugees flowing away from Arakan.The ARNO group was simply trying to stay nearby Arakan, to monitor and publicise the situation and encourage some small level of local resistance. It must surely be emphasized that this has had nothing whatsoever to do with Bangladesh, or with any political parties or conflicts within Bangladesh. The last thing ARNO wanted was to be involved in any of that. So it is to be regretted if this small Burmese democracy group is being made a "political football" and lied about in Bangladesh, which after all enjoys its own democracy, free press, etc. unlike Burma. Also, any contacts with foreigners by resistance members have been made in efforts to ask them to use their countries' diplomatic skills to pressure the Burmese government to observe human rights. It is to be desired that all of Burma's neighbors spend their time encouraging Burma towards democracy, and not harassing those who promote Burma's freedom.

Friends of Rohingya USA

 Posted on the Maykha mailing list, Feb. 3, 2001
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