By K S Venkatachalam
The stance of the Myanmar government that the Rohingyas are illegal immigrants and thus, not the original inhabitants of Myanmar does not stand the test of historical records. It has a ridiculous that these people have been living in Arakan (later renamed as Rakhine) for over 500 years — even before its capture by the Burmese army in the early 15th century.
Ever since the capture of Rakhine, the Rohingya Muslims are now referred as illegal immigrants from East Bengal (now Bangladesh), because their language is similar to that of people in Chittagong. According to Myanmar’s 1982 Citizenship Law, Rohingya Muslims are not counted amongst the 135 ethnic minority groups of the country, which renders them a ‘stateless’ community with the denial of basic rights of citizenship.
The community has been facing persecution at the hands of the Rohingya Buddhists and the army ever since the capture of Arakan. However, it took a turn for the worse in 2012, when over 10,000 Rohingyas had to flee their homes for Bangladesh and other South East Asian countries, to escape the inhuman and brutal treatment. In 2016, the large-scale human rights violations by the Myanmar army were highlighted by the Human Rights Watch among other human rights activists and were reported widely in the international media. It has been reported that over 40 Rohingyas were massacred in the village of Du CheeYar Tan alone by the local men.
In fact, the United Nations was heavily criticised for not taking up the cause of the Rohingyas at the international forum on top of their failure in pressurising the Myanmar government to stop atrocities against the community. As a result of the international outcry, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (OHCHR) sent a four-member team to Bangladesh this January to interview Rohingyas, who had entered Bangladesh from Northern Rakhine State (RS) in the aftermath of the attacks of October 9, 2016. Based on the interviews and the documentary, OHCHR released a flash report on February 3, 2017, highlighting the army’s brutality on the Rohingyas Muslims.
The report released on February 6, 2017, is based on evidence gathered by interviewing as many as 220 persons, who had fled Rakhine, unfolds a chilling account of the systemic persecution of the community by the army. The community was subjected to the inhuman treatment, which included torture, rape, burning of their homes, killing their livestock, destruction of farms, and other inhuman acts of violence. Of the 101 women interviewed, 52 percent reported having been raped or subjected to other forms of sexual violence. The UN delegation has said that many women, who could have been violated, refused to share their traumatic experiences for the fear of social stigma. It is shocking that the army had even used helicopters to destroy their houses, which had led to the death and also to a large-scale destruction of property. Many instances were recounted where the army had hurled grenades at the homes of this minority group killing of innocent persons. The team has also relied on satellite imagery analysis provided by three different independent sources that point out to the extensive burning of homes having occurred during the months of October and November 2016 in the following ten locations in the lockdown area.
The report also highlights the “calculated policy of terror” unleashed on the community by Tatmadaw (Myanmar Armed Forces) in RS since October 9. It goes on to say, “The various acts of crimes cannot be seen as an isolated event, but as a larger part of deliberate acts of ethnic cleansing through systemic human rights violations and abuses.”
The report blames the Myanmar army for creating a coercive environment that forced over 66,000 to escape from their homes. Many of the refugees were forced to pay hefty amounts by the human traffickers to facilitate their escape to Bangladesh, Indonesia and Malaysia by boats. Last year, it was reported that over 100 had lost their lives when their boats had capsized in the South China Sea.
The human rights champion and a Nobel laureate, Aung San Suu Kyi, in the run up to 2015 general elections had promised to offer citizenship to Rohingya Muslims. However, as she feared the wrath of her Buddhist constituency, she chose to remain silent on the issue. Her silence, especially after her long struggle against the Military junta for establishing democracy in Myanmar, was unbecoming of a human rights champion.
Furthermore, what is inexplicable is the total silence on the part of ASEAN, of which Myanmar is a member. The members of ASEAN justify their silence on the ground that non-interference on the association’s members is part of their ‘key principle.’ One can’t come across a more ridiculous explanation than this, especially, when one of its members has been targeting a particular community.
The situation has recently worsened with Bangladeshi government’s blocking the entry of refugees. This has led to over 20,000 people living in inhuman conditions in the transit camps at the border. Both Bangladesh and Thailand are now putting pressure on Myanmar to stop the killings and take effective steps to integrate them into the society. According to UNICEF, hundreds of children are facing starvation as humanitarian aid to them has been cut off.
As a part of the national reconciliation effort, the Myanmar government led by Aung San SuuKyi should facilitate the return of the Rohingyas and also consider grant of citizenship which will go a long way in atoning for the various acts of crimes committed against this community. If, however, the Myanmar continues to pursue its discriminatory policies, it is most likely the terrorist organisations like ISIS will take advantage of the situation by recruiting the refugees in launching terror attacks. We have already seen few incidents of attacks on the Myanmar border guards.
K S Venkatachalam is an Independent Columnist and Political Commentator
"Kama ilivyoelezwa na K.S. Venkatachalam, msimamo wa serikali ya Myanmar kwamba Rohingya ni wahamiaji haramu na kwa hivyo, sio wakazi wa asili wa Myanmar haukubali mtihani wa rekodi za kihistoria. """ "Watu hao wamekuwa wakiishi katika eneo la Arakan (ambalo baadaye lilibadilishwa jina kuwa Rakhine) kwa zaidi ya miaka 500 - hata kabla ya kutekwa na jeshi la Burma mwanzoni mwa karne ya 15.""" Tangu kutekwa kwa Rakhine, Waislamu wa Rohingya sasa wanajulikana kama wahamiaji haramu kutoka Bengal Mashariki (sasa Bangladesh), kwa sababu lugha yao ni sawa na ile ya watu wa Chittagong. Kulingana na Sheria ya Uraia ya Myanmar ya 1982, Waislamu wa Rohingya hawahesabiwi miongoni mwa vikundi vya watu 135 wa kikabila nchini humo, na hivyo kuwafanya kuwa jamii isiyo na taifa na kukataliwa haki za msingi za uraia. Jamii hiyo imekuwa ikikabiliwa na mateso mikononi mwa Wabuddha wa Rohingya na jeshi tangu kukamatwa kwa Arakan. Hata hivyo, hali hiyo ilizidi kuwa mbaya mwaka 2012, wakati zaidi ya watu 10,000 wa jamii ya Rohingya walipolazimika kukimbia makazi yao kuelekea Bangladesh na nchi nyingine za Kusini Mashariki mwa Asia, ili kuepuka kutendewa kwa ukatili na ukatili. Uvunjaji mkubwa wa haki za binadamu na jeshi la Myanmar ulikumbukwa na shirika la Human Rights Watch na wanaharakati wengine wa haki za binadamu na uliripotiwa sana katika vyombo vya habari vya kimataifa. Zaidi ya watu 40 wa jamii ya Rohingya wameuawa katika kijiji cha Duche Yar Tan. Umoja wa Mataifa umekosolewa kwa kutochukua jukumu la Rohingya katika mkutano wa kimataifa, baada ya kushindwa kushinikiza serikali ya Myanmar kuacha ukatili dhidi ya jamii hiyo. Shirika la Umoja wa Mataifa la kuhudumia wakimbizi (UNHCR) limetuma kikundi cha watu wanne nchini Bangladesh kuhoji watu wa kabila la Rohingya ambao waliwasili nchini humo kutoka jimbo la Rakhine baada ya mashambulizi ya Oktoba 9. Kwa mujibu wa taarifa za ripoti hiyo, UNHCR ilitoa ripoti ya haraka Februari 3, 2017 ikionyesha ukatili wa jeshi dhidi ya Waislamu wa Rohingya. Ripoti hiyo iliyotolewa Februari 6, 2017 inategemea ushahidi uliokusanywa kwa kuhoji watu 220 ambao walikimbia Rakhine, na inaelezea kwa uchungu jinsi jeshi linavyomnyanyasa jamii hiyo. Watu hao walipatwa na mateso, ubakaji, kuchomwa moto, kuuawa kwa mifugo, kuharibiwa kwa mashamba, na vitendo vingine vya jeuri. Kati ya wanawake 101 waliofanyiwa mahojiano, 52% waliripoti kuwa wamebakwa au wamekuwa na aina nyingine za unyanyasaji wa kingono. "Wakili wa Umoja wa Mataifa amesema wanawake wengi ambao wangeweza kutendewa vibaya wanakataa kueleza kuhusu maono yao ya ""maumivu"" kwa hofu ya kuaibishwa na jamii." "Ilikuwa ya kushangaza kwamba jeshi lilitumia helikopta kuharibu nyumba zao, na kusababisha vifo na uharibifu mkubwa wa mali.""" "Mambo mengi yaliripotiwa ambapo jeshi lilitupa makombora kwenye nyumba za watu wa jamii hiyo ndogo na kuwaua watu wasio na hatia.""" "Timu hiyo pia imegemea uchambuzi wa picha za satelaiti zinazotolewa na vyanzo vitatu tofauti vya kujitegemea ambavyo vinataja ""kuchoma kwa nyumba kwa wingi"" wakati wa miezi ya Oktoba na Novemba 2016 katika maeneo kumi ya chini katika eneo la kufungwa." Ripoti hiyo pia inasisitiza "sera ya kutisha iliyopangwa" iliyotolewa kwa jamii na Tatmadaw (Majeshi ya Kijeshi ya Myanmar) katika RS tangu Oktoba 9. "Imeelezwa kuwa ""hatua mbalimbali za uhalifu haziwezi kuonekana kama tukio la pekee, bali kama sehemu kubwa ya matendo ya makusudi ya kusafisha kikabila kupitia ukiukaji wa haki za binadamu na unyanyasaji wa kimfumo,"" ripoti hiyo ilisema, ikisema jeshi la Myanmar limeunda mazingira ya kulazimisha zaidi ya watu 66,000 kutoroka makazi yao." Wakimbizi hao wengi walilazimishwa kulipa kiasi kikubwa cha pesa na wafanyabiashara wa binadamu ili kuwezesha kutoroka kwao kwenda Bangladesh, Indonesia na Malaysia kwa mashua. Mwaka jana, zaidi ya watu 100 walipoteza maisha yao wakati mashua zao zilipozama katika Bahari ya China Kusini. Aung San Suu Kyi, mshindi wa tuzo ya Nobel ya haki za binadamu, aliahidi kuwapa raia wa Rohingya. Hata hivyo, kwa kuwa aliogopa ghadhabu ya wapiga kura wake wa Kibuddha, aliamua kukaa kimya juu ya suala hilo. Ukimya wake, hasa baada ya mapambano yake marefu dhidi ya junta ya kijeshi ya kuanzisha demokrasia nchini Myanmar, haukufaa kwa mwanaharakati wa haki za binadamu. Kwa kuongezea, kile kisichoelezeka ni ukimya kamili kwa upande wa ASEAN, ambayo Myanmar ni mwanachama. Wanachama wa ASEAN wanahakikishia ukimya wao kwa msingi wa kwamba kutoingilia wanachama wa chama hicho ni sehemu ya "kanuni yao kuu". Mtu hawezi kupata ufafanuzi wa kipumbavu zaidi kuliko huu, haswa, wakati mmoja wa wanachama wake amekuwa akilenga jamii fulani. Hali imezidi kuwa mbaya hivi karibuni na serikali ya Bangladesh kuzuia kuingia kwa wakimbizi. Kwa sababu hiyo, zaidi ya watu 20,000 wanaishi katika hali mbaya sana katika kambi za kusafiri kwenye mpaka. Bangladesh na Thailand sasa zinaweka shinikizo juu ya Myanmar kuacha mauaji na kuchukua hatua za ufanisi za kuingiza watu hao katika jamii. UNICEF imesema watoto wengi wanakabiliwa na njaa kwa sababu misaada ya kibinadamu imekatwa. """Kama sehemu ya juhudi za upatanisho wa kitaifa, serikali ya Myanmar inayoongozwa na Aung San Suu Kyi inapaswa kuwezesha kurudi kwa Rohingya na pia kuzingatia kutoa uraia ambao utaenda mbali katika kusamehe matendo mbalimbali ya uhalifu uliofanywa dhidi ya jamii hii." """Ikiwa Myanmar itaendelea na sera zake za ubaguzi, huenda makundi ya kigaidi kama ISIS yatatumia fursa hiyo na kuajiri wakimbizi ili kuanzisha mashambulizi ya kigaidi." """Tumeona matukio machache ya mashambulizi dhidi ya walinzi wa mpaka wa Myanmar." K S Venkatachalam ni mwandishi wa makala huru na mtangazaji wa kisiasa