Tragedy in Arakan

The present grave situation of Human Rights violation has created a large exodus of refugees from Arakan to neighbouring Bangladesh. The plight is unbearable and not only Muslims but people from other religions are also taking refuge

The history of Bengal and neighbouring Arakan, a province of Myanmar is deep rooted over centuries. Historian  A.M. Chowdhury writes, “It is not unlikely that the Chandras of southeastern Bengal were connected with the Chandra rulers of Arakan. The existence of Chandra dynasty in Arakan with their seat at Wethali(Vesali) from 788 to 957 A.D. is evidenced by Arakanese traditions and epigraphic records. The discovery of coins similar to those of Arakan and terracotta plaques with representations of Arakanese and Burmese men and women at Mainamati strongly suggest a close connection between Arakan." This historical bondage got even deeper when a dethroned King Min Sowa took refuge in Bengal and got back his throne with the help of Sultan of Bengal. The Arakanese king Min Sowa Mun regained his throne in 1430 A.D. after an exiled life of 24 years. This event is epoch making in the history of both Bengal and Arakan. But the reinstatement of Min Sowa Mun was not easy. When the king Min Sowa Mun was still in exile the kings of Burma and Pegu made Arakan their battle ground. Attacks and counter attacks went on, in which Arakan was the worst sufferer. Meanwhile in Arakan, the political atmosphere turned form bed to worse.14 It appears that Arakan plunged into a civil war in which Arakanese nobles took part. Sultan Jalal ud-din Mohammad shah of Bengal took this opportunity to send his army to reinstate his royal guest Min Sowa Mun to his paternal throne.
The Arab merchants played a pivotal role in the international trade during the Middle Ages expanding the route from China to Europe using the Arab -North African corridor. Arab Muslim merchants landed at the ports such as Thaton, Martaban etc. what now are in present day Mayanmar. Arab Muslim ships sailed from Madagascan island to China and they used to go in and out of Burma. Arab travellers visited the Andaman Islands in the Bay of Bengal south of Burma. The Muslims arrived in Burma's Ayerawady River Delta ,  and in Rakhaine  in the 9th century, prior to the establishment of the first Burmese Empire  in 1055 AD by King Anwartha of  Bagan.

The sea posts of Burma such as Kyaukpyu, Bassein, Syriam, Martaban, Mergui, etc. are rife with the legendary accounts of early shipwrecks in their neighbourhood: of Kular shipwrecked sailors, traders and soldiers. At first Muslims arrived on the Arakan  coast and moved into the upward hinterland to Maungdaw. The time when the Muslims arrived in Burma and in Arakan  and Maungdaw is uncertain. These early Muslim settlements and the propagation of Islam were documented  by Arab, Persian, European and Chinese travellers of the 9th century. Burmese Muslims are the descendants  of Muslim peoples who settled and intermarried  with the local Burmese ethnic groups. Muslims arrived in Burma as traders, military personnel, refugee and as victims of slavery. However, many early Muslims also as saying goes held positions of status as royal advisors, royal administrators, port authorities, mayors and traditional  medicine men.

The history of the region of Arakan (now renamed Rakhine) State can be roughly divided into seven parts. The first four divisions and the periods are based on the location of the centre of power of the main independent Rakhine-dominated polities in the northern Rakhine region, especially along the Kaladan River. Thus, the history is divided into the Dhanyavadi, Wathali, Laymro and Mrauk U. Mrauk U was conquered by the Konbaung dynasty  of Burma in 1784–85, after which Rakhine became part of the Konbaung kingdom of Burma. The final Kingdom of Mrauk U was founded in 1429 by Min Saw Mon. It is seen by the Rakhine people as the golden age of their history, as Mrauk U served as a commercially important port and base of power in the Bay of Bengal region and involved in extensive maritime trade with Arabia and Europe. The country steadily declined from the 17th century onwards after the loss of Chittagong  to the Mughal Empire  in 1666. Internal instability, rebellion and dethroning of kings were very common. The Portuguese, during the era of their greatness in Asia, gained a temporary establishment in Arakans

During the more than 100 years of British rule (1824-1948), there was a significant amount of migration of labourers to what is now known as Myanmar from today's India and Bangladesh. Because the British administered Myanmar as a province of India,  such migration was considered internal, according to Human Rights Watch (HRW).The migration of labourers was viewed negatively by the majority of the native population. Shortly after Myanmar's independence from the British in 1948, the Union Citizenship Act was passed, defining which ethnicities could gain citizenship. According to a 2015 report by the International Human Rights Clinic at Yale Law School, the Rohingya were not included. The act, however, did allow those whose families had lived in Myanmar for at least two generations to apply for identity cards. Rohingya were initially given such identification or even citizenship under the generational provision. During this time, several Rohingya also served in parliament. In 1982, a new citizenship law was passed, which effectively rendered the Rohingya stateless. Under the law, Rohingya were again not recognised as one of the country's 135 ethnic groups.

The law established three levels of citizenship. In order to obtain the most basic level (naturalised citizenship), there must be proof that the person's family lived in Myanmar prior to 1948, as well as fluency in one of the national languages. Many Rohingya lack such paperwork because it was either unavailable or denied to them. The Rohingya cannot vote and even if they jump through the citizenship test hoops, they have to identify as "naturalised" as opposed to Rohingya, and limits are placed on them entering certain professions like medicine, law or running for public offices. Rohingyas have been living in Arakan from time immemorial. They are a people with distinct culture and civilization of their own. They trace their ancestry to Arabs, Moors, Pathans, Moghuls, Bengalis and some Indo-Mongoloid people. Early Muslim settlements in Arakan date back to 7th century AD. The Rohingyas are living on agriculture. Arakan state’s agricultural output is mainly contributed by Rohingyas. Small percentage of them are engaged in fishing and trade & business. Besides there are Rohingya artisans, blacksmiths and carpenters. Due to discrimination against them, the Rohingyas have become landless and homeless. Their farm lands are being grabbed by the new Buddhist settlers being invited from within and outside the country. Over and above, high taxation on agricultural produce, continued forced labour and confiscation of farm lands and various restrictions on farming, conspire them to abandon their lands, live below poverty line or face starvation.
At present, the number of Rohingya traders and businessmen sharply declined. They are not allowed to do trade and business freely. Sometimes, they require to share their business with the Buddhists giving them lion shares without investment. Ther military regime has prohibited the Rohingyas of their right to freedom of movement within the country, nay within the same locality seriously affecting the socio-cultural, economic, educational activities and daily life of the Rohingyas. The regime has stopped recruitment of Rohingyas even in civil services since 1970s. No Rohingyas are allowed to enter into defense services. Rohingyas are staunch followers of Islam. Most of the elderly Rohingya grow beards and the women wear hijab. All Rohingya houses are surrounded by high bamboo walls. There are mosques and Madrassahs (religious schools) in every quarter and village. The men pray in congregation, where as the female pray at home. There is still in existence of a social bond in every village called ”Samaj”. All social welfare activities like Adhahi meat distribution, helping the poor, widows, orphans and needy, marriage and funereal functions are done collectingly by the Samaj. The Ulema play a very prominent role particularly in matters relating to persoanal laws, like family affairs of the Rohingyas. Before 1962 military take over Rohingya Muslims did not lag behind their Buddhist sister community .Due to poverty, serious discrimination and continued persecution against them, the number of Rohingya students have declined much. To get admission in colleges and universities for higher studies is a problematic matter for the Rohingyas. Severe restrictions have been imposed on their pursuing professional courses for citizenship question. There are a number of voluntary religious schools educating a good percentage of Rohingya students. However, because of various restrictions, lack of funds and facilities these institutions are unable to modernize the teaching methods thus failing to produce efficient students or manpower for the society. Most of the Rohingyas living in exile have little means to educate their children. Prior to 1962 the Rohingya community has been recognized as an indigenous ethnic nationality of Burma. They have their representatives in Burmese parliament and some of them have bean appointed as ministers, parliamentary secretaries and in high government positions. After the military take over they have been systematically deprived of their political rights. With the promulgation of the most controversial and discriminatory citizenship law of 1982 they are declared as “non-national” or “foreign residents”.

The present grave situation of Human Rights violation has created a large exodus of refugees from Arakan to neighbouring Bangladesh. The plight is unbearable and not only Muslims but people from other religious belief like Hindu and Buddhist are also taking refuge. This is an ethnic cleansing with unfortunate results damaging the stability  and progress of the region. It may be mentioned here that both Myanmar and Bangladesh are members of BIMSTEC and are among the countries where GDP growth is around seven percent per year during the recent years. This is the need of the time that both the countries with the participation of international bodies need to sit for a permanent solution to these man made tension in the region.

The writer, a banker by profession, has worked both in local and overseas market with various foreign and local banks in different positions

Tragedy in Arakan

The present grave situation of Human Rights violation has created a large exodus of refugees from Arakan to neighbouring Bangladesh. The plight is unbearable and not only Muslims but people from other religions are also taking refuge

The history of Bengal and neighbouring Arakan, a province of Myanmar is deep rooted over centuries. Historian A.M. Chowdhury writes, It is not unlikely that the Chandras of southeastern Bengal were connected with the Chandra rulers of Arakan. The existence of Chandra dynasty in Arakan with their seat at Wethali(Vesali) from 788 to 957 A.D. is evidenced by Arakanese traditions and epigraphic records. The discovery of coins similar to those of Arakan and terracotta plaques with representations of Arakanese and Burmese men and women at Mainamati strongly suggest a close connection between Arakan. This historical bondage got even deeper when a dethroned King Min Sowa took refuge in Bengal and got back his throne with the help of Sultan of Bengal. The Arakanese king Min Sowa Mun regained his throne in 1430 A.D. after an exiled life of 24 years. This event is epoch making in the history of both Bengal and Arakan. But the reinstatement of Min Sowa Mun was not easy. When the king Min Sowa Mun was still in exile the kings of Burma and Pegu made Arakan their battle ground. Attacks and counter attacks went on, in which Arakan was the worst sufferer. Meanwhile in Arakan, the political atmosphere turned form bed to worse.14 It appears that Arakan plunged into a civil war in which Arakanese nobles took part. Sultan Jalal ud-din Mohammad shah of Bengal took this opportunity to send his army to reinstate his royal guest Min Sowa Mun to his paternal throne. The Arab merchants played a pivotal role in the international trade during the Middle Ages expanding the route from China to Europe using the Arab -North African corridor. Arab Muslim merchants landed at the ports such as Thaton, Martaban etc. what now are in present day Mayanmar. Arab Muslim ships sailed from Madagascan island to China and they used to go in and out of Burma. Arab travellers visited the Andaman Islands in the Bay of Bengal south of Burma. The Muslims arrived in Burmas Ayerawady River Delta , and in Rakhaine in the 9th century, prior to the establishment of the first Burmese Empire in 1055 AD by King Anwartha of Bagan. The sea posts of Burma such as Kyaukpyu, Bassein, Syriam, Martaban, Mergui, etc. are rife with the legendary accounts of early shipwrecks in their neighbourhood: of Kular shipwrecked sailors, traders and soldiers. At first Muslims arrived on the Arakan coast and moved into the upward hinterland to Maungdaw. The time when the Muslims arrived in Burma and in Arakan and Maungdaw is uncertain. These early Muslim settlements and the propagation of Islam were documented by Arab, Persian, European and Chinese travellers of the 9th century. Burmese Muslims are the descendants of Muslim peoples who settled and intermarried with the local Burmese ethnic groups. Muslims arrived in Burma as traders, military personnel, refugee and as victims of slavery. However, many early Muslims also as saying goes held positions of status as royal advisors, royal administrators, port authorities, mayors and traditional medicine men. The history of the region of Arakan (now renamed Rakhine) State can be roughly divided into seven parts. The first four divisions and the periods are based on the location of the centre of power of the main independent Rakhine-dominated polities in the northern Rakhine region, especially along the Kaladan River. Thus, the history is divided into the Dhanyavadi, Wathali, Laymro and Mrauk U. Mrauk U was conquered by the Konbaung dynasty of Burma in 178485, after which Rakhine became part of the Konbaung kingdom of Burma. The final Kingdom of Mrauk U was founded in 1429 by Min Saw Mon. It is seen by the Rakhine people as the golden age of their history, as Mrauk U served as a commercially important port and base of power in the Bay of Bengal region and involved in extensive maritime trade with Arabia and Europe. The country steadily declined from the 17th century onwards after the loss of Chittagong to the Mughal Empire in 1666. Internal instability, rebellion and dethroning of kings were very common. The Portuguese, during the era of their greatness in Asia, gained a temporary establishment in Arakans During the more than 100 years of British rule (1824-1948), there was a significant amount of migration of labourers to what is now known as Myanmar from todays India and Bangladesh. Because the British administered Myanmar as a province of India, such migration was considered internal, according to Human Rights Watch (HRW).The migration of labourers was viewed negatively by the majority of the native population. Shortly after Myanmars independence from the British in 1948, the Union Citizenship Act was passed, defining which ethnicities could gain citizenship. According to a 2015 report by the International Human Rights Clinic at Yale Law School, the Rohingya were not included. The act, however, did allow those whose families had lived in Myanmar for at least two generations to apply for identity cards. Rohingya were initially given such identification or even citizenship under the generational provision. During this time, several Rohingya also served in parliament. In 1982, a new citizenship law was passed, which effectively rendered the Rohingya stateless. Under the law, Rohingya were again not recognised as one of the countrys 135 ethnic groups. The law established three levels of citizenship. In order to obtain the most basic level (naturalised citizenship), there must be proof that the persons family lived in Myanmar prior to 1948, as well as fluency in one of the national languages. Many Rohingya lack such paperwork because it was either unavailable or denied to them. The Rohingya cannot vote and even if they jump through the citizenship test hoops, they have to identify as naturalised as opposed to Rohingya, and limits are placed on them entering certain professions like medicine, law or running for public offices. Rohingyas have been living in Arakan from time immemorial. They are a people with distinct culture and civilization of their own. They trace their ancestry to Arabs, Moors, Pathans, Moghuls, Bengalis and some Indo-Mongoloid people. Early Muslim settlements in Arakan date back to 7th century AD. The Rohingyas are living on agriculture. Arakan states agricultural output is mainly contributed by Rohingyas. Small percentage of them are engaged in fishing and trade business. Besides there are Rohingya artisans, blacksmiths and carpenters. Due to discrimination against them, the Rohingyas have become landless and homeless. Their farm lands are being grabbed by the new Buddhist settlers being invited from within and outside the country. Over and above, high taxation on agricultural produce, continued forced labour and confiscation of farm lands and various restrictions on farming, conspire them to abandon their lands, live below poverty line or face starvation. At present, the number of Rohingya traders and businessmen sharply declined. They are not allowed to do trade and business freely. Sometimes, they require to share their business with the Buddhists giving them lion shares without investment. Ther military regime has prohibited the Rohingyas of their right to freedom of movement within the country, nay within the same locality seriously affecting the socio-cultural, economic, educational activities and daily life of the Rohingyas. The regime has stopped recruitment of Rohingyas even in civil services since 1970s. No Rohingyas are allowed to enter into defense services. Rohingyas are staunch followers of Islam. Most of the elderly Rohingya grow beards and the women wear hijab. All Rohingya houses are surrounded by high bamboo walls. There are mosques and Madrassahs (religious schools) in every quarter and village. The men pray in congregation, where as the female pray at home. There is still in existence of a social bond in every village called Samaj. All social welfare activities like Adhahi meat distribution, helping the poor, widows, orphans and needy, marriage and funereal functions are done collectingly by the Samaj. The Ulema play a very prominent role particularly in matters relating to persoanal laws, like family affairs of the Rohingyas. Before 1962 military take over Rohingya Muslims did not lag behind their Buddhist sister community .Due to poverty, serious discrimination and continued persecution against them, the number of Rohingya students have declined much. To get admission in colleges and universities for higher studies is a problematic matter for the Rohingyas. Severe restrictions have been imposed on their pursuing professional courses for citizenship question. There are a number of voluntary religious schools educating a good percentage of Rohingya students. However, because of various restrictions, lack of funds and facilities these institutions are unable to modernize the teaching methods thus failing to produce efficient students or manpower for the society. Most of the Rohingyas living in exile have little means to educate their children. Prior to 1962 the Rohingya community has been recognized as an indigenous ethnic nationality of Burma. They have their representatives in Burmese parliament and some of them have bean appointed as ministers, parliamentary secretaries and in high government positions. After the military take over they have been systematically deprived of their political rights. With the promulgation of the most controversial and discriminatory citizenship law of 1982 they are declared as non-national or foreign residents. The present grave situation of Human Rights violation has created a large exodus of refugees from Arakan to neighbouring Bangladesh. The plight is unbearable and not only Muslims but people from other religious belief like Hindu and Buddhist are also taking refuge. This is an ethnic cleansing with unfortunate results damaging the stability and progress of the region. It may be mentioned here that both Myanmar and Bangladesh are members of BIMSTEC and are among the countries where GDP growth is around seven percent per year during the recent years. This is the need of the time that both the countries with the participation of international bodies need to sit for a permanent solution to these man made tension in the region. The writer, a banker by profession, has worked both in local and overseas market with various foreign and local banks in different positions