A witness from Sittwe said, "Most beggars are old women and children, and they are roaming from one house to another to ask for leftover rice."

In Sittwe, the capital of Arakan State, most ordinary people, including day laborers, have been facing hunger recently as rice prices are increasing by the day. This trouble is made worse by the fact that most day laborers are unable to find work and have no income.

"I have never seen so many beggars on the streets of Sittwe before, but now everywhere we can see the beggars with ruined plates asked for leftover food," the witness said.

A housewife from Sittwe said, "Some Muslim women near my ward are going outside their homes to look for work because they are facing hunger. Some Muslim women have asked to serve as housemaids in my home."

At the same time that food prices are increasing, the unemployment rate is increasing in Sittwe. The number of people working as rickshaw pullers to earn money has also increased in the city.

According to a local source, the number of rickshaws and other vehicles for hire in Sittwe is far greater than the number of actual travelers.

The witness said, "You can see many rickshaw pullers at the Sittwe inland water jetty when the Buthidaung-Sittwe ferry ship harbors there in the evenings. There are only around 100 passengers on the ferry, but there are over 200 rickshaw pullers looking for customers."

The competition has led to incidents of rickshaw pullers assaulting each other in their effort to win customers coming off the ferry ships harbored at the jetty.

8th August 2008

Twenty years ago, on this day of 8th August 1988, millions of Burmese people took to the streets across the country demanding an end to long military rule, restoration of democracy and human rights in Burma. But the military started brutal crackdowns and killed an estimated 3000 peaceful demonstrators nationwide.  Till today there has been no independent investigation conducted against the military for these brutal acts.

The bamboo hut is nothing fancy, but it's a world of comfort compared to the flimsy makeshift shelter she and her family have called home for the past 10 years.

One of about 12,000 Burmese Muslims living in an unofficial camp in southern Bangladesh, Shansida says she barely remembers life in the country of her birth.

New York, NY (AHN) - New individual identification cards will improve conditions for 22,500 refugees in Bangladesh, the United Nations refugee agency said on Wednesday.

"With these cards, refugees will be able to identify themselves as people legally permitted to reside in Bangladesh if they meet law enforcement officials," Pia Prytz Phiri, country representative for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said, stressing that the cards are recognized as valid identity documents by the government of Bangladesh.

                                                            London, 17 July 2008

Conference Planning Committee

First International Burmese Muslim Conference

New York

U.S.A.

Dear brothers,

Assalamo Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barkatuh

On this auspicious and historic occasion of the First International Burmese Muslim Conference of 19-20 July 2008 in New York, U.S.A., I have the honour and pleasure, on behalf of the Arakan Rohingya National Organisation (ARNO) with the Rohingya people and in my own name, to extend my warmest congratulations to you and members of the Burmese Muslims.

We firmly believe that this conference will make greater contribution to all Muslims of Burma in particular at this trying situation.

We pray to Allah (SWT) for the grand success of the conference.

With warm regards and best wishes.

Nurul Islam

President

Arakan Rohhingya National Organisation

Arakan, Burma.