“I do not know because when you talk about the Rohingya, we are not quite sure who you are talking about. As …I said there is a problem about who we are referring to.”
(Chairperson Daw Aung San Suu Kyi of National League for Democracy Party responded to the question whether the Rohingyas should be regarded as Myanmar nationals).
In accordance to the above-mentioned answer of Auntie Suu, we need to simplify first ‘Who are the Rohingyas?’ Despite it is a highly controversial topic, it is undeniable that the word ‘Rohingya’ appeared in the country in the 1950s. It should be reconsidered that if a certain race had inhabited in the country aeons ago, then why were they recognized only in the 1950s?
Ancient indigenous ethnics
There is a Rakhine ethnic called Kaman who believes in Islam are living in Rakhine State since ancient time. Historical records show Hindus also migrated into Myanmar in Wasali period. It should be clearly understood. Rohingyas are different from these people. The number of population of Kaman and Hindus were not high and they have been living peacefully. However those who have fully dominated Buthedaung and Maungdaw are not included in these ancient indigenous ethnics.
Who are the Rohingyas?
Historians remarked that the so-called Rohingyas infiltrated into Myanmar after the country had fallen into the British colony. Rather than mass migration, they gradually permeated the country. According to the existing law, the residents who descended from the races living in Myanmar before 1824 are regarded as the citizen. There was no usage of ‘Rohingya’. Instead, they were commonly known as the ‘Chittagonians’ descendants from Mayu Frontier area (East Pakistan in the past, now Chittagong of Bangladesh at present). This controversial issue is to be discussed by the researchers.
Who are the losers?
There are documentary evidences that local residents were displaced due to the mass infiltration of migrants from Chittagong into Buthedaung and Maungdaw areas after Rakhine State fell into British colony. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said recently that the Rohingya issue becomes larger due to porous border area and illegal immigrants. While there has been a long history of accusing each other, the lack of rule of law has resulted in the losses for indigenous Rakhine ethnics. National races must be protected as they lost their rights. The real losers are Rakhine people. Who were resettled in Buthedaung and Maungdaw areas in Rakhine State?
In reviewing 1942 issue or 1988 issue, unrests broke out in the areas where Rakhine people are in the minority. They were the real losers. They had to migrate into the mainland and other countries.
Where was the starting point of the problem in recent unrest? The riots began in Buthedaung and Maungdaw areas where many Rohingyas are in the majority, as well as in Sittwe and nearby villages where about half of population is Rohingyas. Then who made arson attack? Bengalis burnt down their own houses and abandoned the area where they are in the minority there. Fire spread to the houses of Rakhine people. The losses from both sides are not much different in the official statistics. However, arsonists must be disclosed.
Not a religious riot
This violence was not a religious riot mentioned by foreign media. Despite it was not allowed to construct a mosque near the collapsed World Trade Center in the United States, there is a mosque near the famous Sule Pagoda in downtown Yangon. Hindu temples and Christian churches are closely located near Buddhist monasteries in Myanmar. Religious festivals are joyously celebrated in the country. Continue reading “IMPORTANT NOTE!: National races never ever think of hatred”
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