Dance of Humanity: Victimization of Rohingya Muslims on the Name Of
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
al Science tic & li P o u Akhtar, J Pol Sci Pub Aff 2019, 7:1 P b f l i o c Journal of Political Sciences & Public l DOI: 10.4172/2332-0761.1000356 A a f n f r a u i r o s J Affairs ISSN: 2332-0761 Review Article Open Access Dance of Humanity: Victimization of Rohingya Muslims on the Name of Religion Md Ehtesham Akhtar* Department of Sociology, Maulana Azad National Urdu University, Hyderabad, India *Corresponding author: Md Ehtesham Akhtar, Department of Sociology, Maulana Azad National Urdu University, Hyderabad, India, Tel: 9311718473; E-mail: [email protected] Received date: Sep 19, 2018; Accepted date: Jan 20, 2019; Published date: Jan 27, 2019 Copyright: © 2019 Akhtar ME. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Abstract Rohingya Muslims belongs to the ethnic races of Burma, living there from centuries, denied citizenship on the name of religion. Now victim of Myanmar government and most persecuted minority in the world. More than six lakhs Rohingya left Myanmar within four months. Such huge migration never witnessed in the history in a so short duration. Rohingya lacking for basic human needs. Majority of Rohingya living in a refugee camps in a densely populated country Bangladesh where he is trailing for food, cloth, medicine and shelter etc. Entire world viewing the condition of Rohingya but silent. The paper had tried to draw the attention of all piece lover of the world to think and do something positive for Rohingya on the name of humanity and pressurize Myanmar government to take his bias decision back and provide Rohingya their rights in their home land. Keywords: Rohingya; Multi-religious country; Muslims Arakan / Rakhine Geographical location Arakan region Now Rakhine state covers an area of about 20,000 Introduction sq.miles. Arakan was an independent kingdom for most of its history. Rohingya’s are known as the most persecuted minority in the world It was also ruled by Indian kingdoms and Burmese Empires. Today, the who are victim to Myanmar’s government since 1982 when they were territory forms the Rakhine State in Myanmar. The region is bordered denied citizenship and rendered them stateless. The world knows that, by the Bay of Bengal to its west, the Indian subcontinent to its north Rohingya are ethnic races of Burma, majority of them are Muslims and Burma proper to its east. The Arakan Mountains isolated the living in a Buddhist country from centuries. Rohingyas speak region from rest of Burma and once made Arakan accessible only by Rohingya and Ruaingga dialect that is distinct from other dialects sea (Wikipedia). There are seven rivers in Arakan. They are the Naf, the throughout Myanmar. Still Rohingya are not considered as an ethnic Mayu, the Kaladan, the Lemro, the Ann, the Taungup and the race of Burma out of the 135 official ethnic groups in the country. Sandoway. The four major navigable rivers are the Naf, Mayu, Kaladan and Lemro and all they are situated in the Northern Arakan. All these Majority of Rohingyas live in Rakhine state that is the poorest state four rivers are tidal and easily navigable all the year round. Akyab is of the country, full of lack of basic services and opportunities. Due to situated on the seacoast at the mouth of the Kaladan River and it is the continuous violence a large number of Rohingyas fled to neighbouring Capital of Arakan since 1826 AD. countries like India and Bangladesh living as refugees and trailing from human basic needs. Arakan is inhabited by two major ethnic races, the Rohingyas and the Rakhines (Maghs). The Rohingyas are Muslims and the Maghs are The Union of Burma is a multi-cultural and multi-religious country Buddhists. At present, the Rohingyas and the Maghs stand at almost in born on 4 January 1948, which occupies an area of about 2,61,610 sq. equal proportion. The Rohingyas are mostly concentrated in the Miles situated in Southeast Asia touching the border of India, riparian plains of Naf, Mayu and Kaladan. Arakan is the only Muslim Bangladesh, China, Laos and Thailand, strategically located near majority province among the 14 provinces of Burma. Out of the 7 the Indian Ocean shipping lanes. About 60% of the country's million Muslim population of Burma half of them are in Arakan [1]. population is non-Burmese; they are Shan, Chin, Kachin, Karen, Kayah, Mon, Pa-o, Palaung, Padaung, Naga. Lahu, Akha, Wa, Rohingya (Arakanese Muslim), Rakhine (Arakanese Buddhist) and Poor Rohingya many other indigenous races [1]. Muslims and Buddhist are living together in Burma from centuries. History shows Islam came to Burma in Arakan region before 788 They have common culture and language. Till the time before A.D during Abbasid caliphate when the capital was Baghdad. That was Britishers came to Burma both Buddhist and Muslims lived together also the fastest spreading period of Islam in the world. During Abbasid without any major and minor violence. Their life was full of period Burmese accepted Islam not only in Arakan region but all over brotherhood love and affection, both community have cooperation for the Burma. A large number of local Burmese accepted Islam. Majority each other. of Arakanies accepted Islam in comparison to other region of Burma. Situation of Burma turned when Britishers arrived and ruled with Thus Islam played an important role in the Arakanies civilization. the policy of divide and rule. The divide and rule policy converted love and affection into hatred and peace into violence. Now both J Pol Sci Pub Aff, an open access journal Volume 7 • Issue 1 • 1000356 ISSN: 2332-0761 Citation: Akhtar ME (2019) Dance of Humanity: Victimization of Rohingya Muslims on the Name of Religion. J Pol Sci Pub Aff 7: 356. doi: 10.4172/2332-0761.1000356 Page 2 of 5 communities Buddhist and Muslims have no love for each other. Both of the globe. The main hinderance in agricultural harvesting in Arakan communities see each other as an enemy. During British rule Muslims is flood that affects agricultural production. were not given even single key position in British Government. As the study shows Arakan is not rich in minerals and not in Britishers started discriminating Muslims in all sphere of rules. This industrial set up. Minerals and industries are the bone and stairs of was the period Muslims started losing their domination and position development for any nation. Government could setup industry in the In Burma intentionally Britishers kept Arakan underdeveloped. All region but racial and religious hatred did not allow [4]. Despite long kinds of development work were carried out outside Arakan state. No hatred Rohingyas are living a simple life, are strong believers and good schools and hospitals were given to Rohingya dominated region. practitioners of the exchange of goods among Rohingyas are near and Britishers put a poison in the mind of Buddhist that Rohingyas are according to Islamic teachings and shariah. foreigners they doesn't belongs to ethnic races of Burma. Still Rohingyas are suffering from that poison. Unfortunately, the same policy was adopted by previous military government and by the Political involvement present ruling government. Rohingas are politically weak due to lack of education and economy. After Independence from British in 1948, Burmese government No strong political parties and political leaders are seen among passed the union citizenship act defining which ethnic group could Rohingyas in Rakhine or outside Rakhine. The question arises why avail citizenship of Burma. According to a 2015 report by the Rohingyas are lacking from strong Political parties and political International Human Rights Clinic at Yale Law School, Rohingyas leaders? The answer of the question is that Rohingyas are surviving for were not included in the list of citizenship. The act, however, did allow food from centuries that hinders Rohingyas to think to lead Rakhine those whose families lived in Myanmar for at least two generations [5]. In starvation circumstances, no individual or group could think may apply for identity cards. Rohingya were initially given such about political affiliation or for political parties (Figure 1). identification or even citizenship under the generational provision. During that time, several Rohingya also served in Parliament [2]. After Military coup in Myanmar situation turned dramatically. All Rohingyas were given foreign identity card in place of national registration cards that restricts their rights in their home land. The foreign identity card limits their rights of jobs, education, marriage, free travel, free practice of their religion and culture. In 1982 new citizenship act was passed, again Rohingya was not considered as one of the country’s 135 ethnic groups. Rohingya have no voting rights. Since the 1970s, a number of crackdowns on the Rohingya in Rakhine State have forced hundreds of thousands to flee to neighbouring Bangladesh, as well as Malaysia, Thailand and other Southeast Asian Figure 1: Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera. countries. During such crackdowns, refugees have often reported rape, torture, arson and murder by Myanmar security forces [2]. The Picture shows the level of poverty in Rakhine. Such Socio and economic condition malnutritionist people could never think about the future of Rakhine state. They are more concerned about food and shelter. If he takes food Economic condition of Rohingyas is extremely poor not due to in the morning he is worried about the food in the evening. The world Rohingyas are incapable of earning money. They have capacity to lead could never expect from Rohingya to lead Rakhine. Such people could the nation.