A Catalog of Sorrow

The current "Rohingya/Bengali" conflict in Burma does have very complex political and historical roots from the time of Burma gaining independence in 1948. Problem for that "Rohingya/Bengali" community was compounded in 1971 break-up of the then old East Pakistan into Bangladesh. That time, diplomatic notes indicated up to 500,000-800,000 East Pakistanis war refugees (Bengali/Pashtoon tribes) overflowed into Northern Arakan where current "Rohingya/Bengali" community (legitimate Burma residents).

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Rohingya/Bengali: A Snapshot of Community in 1960s

In recent years, there has been disquiet between Burmese Government and international observers on the use of word, "Rohingya". In this note, the author examines the issues regarding with the use of word "Rohingya" by Burmese Government officials in the 1960s. On this question, this author had been largely assisted by the research work of All Burma Student Democratic Front (ABSDF) in 1992 [#1] . The ABSDF paper written in Burmese language is well-worth reading, which covered wide-ranging aspects of the political conflict and emerging humanitarian crisis at that time.

Profiling Rohingya flight of 1978, Case of Ulla Meah and Sultan Ahmed

With regards to the 1978 Operation Dragon King, there were a lot to learn about what happened to those who fled Burma. With all probability, ordinary people like Ulla Meah might have been heading back to Arakan when the dust had settled. However, Mr. Sultan Ahmed, the President of Jamiatul-Ulema, former MP and Parliamentary Secretary during AFPFL era, stayed on exile and died of old age in Bangladesh. Sultan Ahmed was already in his 80s when he fled Burma; why had he choose to flee Bangladesh? Was there any threat on him -- direct or implied? We would have no way of knowing.

Burma-Rohingyas and the Other Rohingyas -- residual cases

Of recent, there have been concerns raised, especially by political and social organisations from Pakistan about the plight of long-suffering Rohingyas. On 26 May 2015, the Pakistanis Foreign Office, through OIC, encourages "Myanmar authorities to take necessary measures to restore stability and launch reconciliation process". The Foreign Office has also urged the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers to assist in the rescue and rehabilitation of the displaced Rohingya Muslims.[#A]

Aussie Government on Regional Trafficking Agenda

Following Bangkok post article is saying the Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop will be attending regional forum tackling "human trafficking". Recent finding of a mass grave for human trafficking victims, governments in the region are in alert about unregulated movement of people, especially Rohingya refugee and all those in migratory movements. Though on the surface, there is nothing wrong about convening such regional forum, current Australian Liberal/Coalition Government's involvement should have to be noted with caution and due skepticism.

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Rohingya: The Profile of Community in 1931-1961

There has been considerable gap in our knowledge about the Rohingya/Bengali community within the three decades spanning from 1931 to 1961. The information has been rather sketchy on their total population as well as their immigration status within Burma. As far as British era censuses were in concerns, records up to 1931 are being available. The 1941 census records in Rangoon, however, were destroyed with the advance of Japanese in 1942.

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Rohingya: Time for Unity, Time for Action

Following article is the response, or a declaration rather, of The Rights Honourable U Shwe Maung, the MP elect of Buthidaung Township in Rakhine State, about which the Burmese Government's recent controversial move to take back the "White Cards" or "Temporary Registration Cards (TRCs)" from the section of Rohingya/Bengali community. As we all know, there had been a mass exodus of Rohingya/Bengali from Rakhine state in 1992 under the late General Saw Maung's military government. The returnees from this exodus were being issued with TRCs at the request of UNHCR in 1995.

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On Je suis Rohingya [#4], History and Operation King Dragon

Dr. Abid Bahar, who is one of the unfailing supporters of Rohingya cause, has a lot to complain about the "Burman nationalism". He criticizes my understanding about Burmese history as being influenced by certain political agenda. The 'truth' he said, has escaped through the backdoor.

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Rohingya: The Seeds of Mistrust

There have been frequent charges by Arakanese politicians as well as those within community that the stateless Rohingya/Bengali as 'illegals'. The perception or source of "illegal" labeling may have had some underlying historical reasons, rather than that of racially motivated vilification. Having said that, the word "illegals" is rather detrimental effect on the stateless Rohingya/Bengalis. In any case, the origin of such perception, or the roots of statelessness, may have had the beginning at Burma's independence in 1948.

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Burma and Bangladesh: A Strategy to Combat Statelessness

01. Burma presently has an estimated total of 800,000 stateless persons, to whom commonly referred by international community as Rohingyas. The Rohingyas are mainly the descendants of Bengali/Chittagonian labour migrants from neighbouring Bangladesh who had settled in Arakan after the 1824 British annexation of that province. After Burma gained her independence from Britain in 1948, an unknown number of settlers from the Chittagong area continued to enter as migrants. Such undocumented entry appears to continued until 1961 when the local Mujahid rebellion was suppressed.

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