Latest News
United States Announces New Humanitarian Assistance at the Launch of the Joint Response Plan for Bangladesh
Today in Geneva, the United States announced $60 million in humanitarian assistance at the launch of the 2019 UN Joint Response Plan for Bangladesh. This funding will help address the emergency needs of more than 900,000 refugees in Bangladesh, most of whom are...
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A message from Nurul Islam, Chairman of the Arakan Rohingya National Organisation (ARNO) on the occasion of the Rohingya National Day
“Bismillah, ar-Rahman, ar-Rahim”
“In The Name of Allah, The most Beneficent, the Most Merciful”
Dear Rohingya brothers and sisters,
Assalamo Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa barkatuh!
3rd January is the Rohingya National Day, a very important day for our people. It is indeed a great privilege and honour for me to send a message of congratulations to all Rohingya brothers and sisters, at home and abroad, on this auspicious occasion.
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The Rohingya Crisis: What to Watch for in 2019
Daniel Sullivan January 2, 2019 This piece was originally published in Fair Observer. Bangladesh and the UN must continue to work together to improve the conditions for nearly 1 million Rohingya refugees. The year 2018 was a dire and desperate year for the...
read morePress release – Norway must take action over atrocities uncovered at Telenor tower in Alethankyaw
Norway must take action over atrocities uncovered at
Telenor tower in Alethankyaw
On November 22, 2018, the Rohingya news agency Kaladan Press Network released a report “the Killing Fields of Alethankyaw,” which exposed atrocities by Burmese government security forces at the Telenor telecommunication tower premises in Alethankyaw village, southern Maungdaw, in August 2017. Snipers climbed the tower to shoot at fleeing men, women and children, and villagers’ bodies were deposited under the tower.
On November 29, 2018, Telenor responded to the report with a statement on its website, saying they were “initiating dialogue with relevant authorities to express our concern and seek further facts on the matter.”
read moreARNO
Press Release
A message from Nurul Islam, Chairman of the Arakan Rohingya National Organisation (ARNO) on the occasion of the Rohingya National Day
“Bismillah, ar-Rahman, ar-Rahim”
“In The Name of Allah, The most Beneficent, the Most Merciful”
Dear Rohingya brothers and sisters,
Assalamo Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa barkatuh!
3rd January is the Rohingya National Day, a very important day for our people. It is indeed a great privilege and honour for me to send a message of congratulations to all Rohingya brothers and sisters, at home and abroad, on this auspicious occasion.
Reports
The Myth of ‘Bengali Migration’ to Arakan Debunked
By Dr. Habib Siddiqui Abstract Genocidal crimes don’t happen in vacuum and require groundwork from the racist and bigoted elements to state and non-state actors to prepare the support base and mobilize the dominant group to perpetrate such heinous crimes. For decades,...
The Rohingya Crisis: What to Watch for in 2019
Daniel Sullivan January 2, 2019 This piece was originally published in Fair Observer. Bangladesh and the UN must continue to work together to improve the conditions for nearly 1 million Rohingya refugees. The year 2018 was a dire and desperate year for the...
Rohingya Library
All ABOUT ROHINGYA
Press Release
A message from Nurul Islam, Chairman of the Arakan Rohingya National Organisation (ARNO) on the occasion of the Rohingya National Day
“Bismillah, ar-Rahman, ar-Rahim”
“In The Name of Allah, The most Beneficent, the Most Merciful”
Dear Rohingya brothers and sisters,
Assalamo Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa barkatuh!
3rd January is the Rohingya National Day, a very important day for our people. It is indeed a great privilege and honour for me to send a message of congratulations to all Rohingya brothers and sisters, at home and abroad, on this auspicious occasion.
Press release – Norway must take action over atrocities uncovered at Telenor tower in Alethankyaw
Norway must take action over atrocities uncovered at
Telenor tower in Alethankyaw
On November 22, 2018, the Rohingya news agency Kaladan Press Network released a report “the Killing Fields of Alethankyaw,” which exposed atrocities by Burmese government security forces at the Telenor telecommunication tower premises in Alethankyaw village, southern Maungdaw, in August 2017. Snipers climbed the tower to shoot at fleeing men, women and children, and villagers’ bodies were deposited under the tower.
On November 29, 2018, Telenor responded to the report with a statement on its website, saying they were “initiating dialogue with relevant authorities to express our concern and seek further facts on the matter.”
Joint Statement: U.N. must fully fund new independent mechanism to get to work
17th December 2018 – London – The U.N. Human Rights Council’s mandate to establish a new independent mechanism in September was a landmark moment for our fight for accountability for the crimes committed against the Burmese people, including the Rohingya. Ensuring the...
Press Release: ARNO Condemns Derogatory And Racist Remarks Of Minister Thura U Aung Ko
In a funeral of Buddhist monk on 27th November, Myanmar Union Minister for Religious Affairs and Culture Thura U Aung Ko had desecrated Islam labelling it extremist religion and insulted the Muslims accusing them of marrying 3-4 wives, at a time, and producing 15-20 children. He senselessly said the Buddhists will become a minority in Myanmar within 30 to 50 years.
On December 4, when asked by reporters in a conference in Nay Pyi Taw to clarify what his remarks on Islam and Muslims meant, U Aung Ko said,
“The other major religion I have specifically meant is the religion of Bengalis who have fled from Northern Rakhine State, not the country’s Muslims. In refugee camps, Bengali youths are indoctrinated to march to Rakhine State and Myanmar. The future design of the Bengalis is to invade Myanmar as they are living in severely overcrowded conditions. Even now they are demanding territory like Safe Zone, then they will ask for No-Fly Zone. Again, full security must be guaranteed to them under the supervision of UN and OIC, not the Myanmar government. Bangladesh does not want a decrease in Bengali population in Rakhine State. Refugees are being organized to invade Rakhine State. In the UN General Assembly, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina requested international assistance for one million refugees, but it is being consumed and distributed among them…”
ARNO Statement to the 11th UN Forum on Minority Issues
30 November 2018
Madam Chairperson,
My name is Nurul Islam. I am Rohingya. I am Chairman of the Arakan Rohingya National Organisation (ARNO). I was born in Muangdaw township of Rakhine State, in a country then called Burma and now called Myanmar. From the birth of the State on January 4th, 1948, my people have been nationals of Burma now Myanmar. We were loyal participants in the national political processes, for which we had recognized Political Parties and, until 2015, we voted in elections. We have not and do not seek to separate from the Union of Myanmar. Unfortunately, my people have been subjected to systematic persecution for half a century including the steady suspension of almost all our human rights, including freedoms to marry, have children, education, movement and so much else. In addition to the violation of our human rights, we have been subjected to the effective withdrawal of our citizenship. Ultimately, we have been subjected to the destruction of our community – to genocide.
Press release – Myanmar, not Bangladesh, is responsible for failed repatriation
Press release 20, November 2018
On behalf of the Rohingya people, we would like to express regret and disgust at Myanmar’s policy of continuously blaming Bangladesh for the failure of repatriation of Rohingya refugees. As we all know, the ground reality in Arakan (Rakhine) State makes repatriation of Rohingya refugees impossible as the brutal state machinery continues their genocide of the defenceless Muslim community, a policy in place for more than half a century. The sad truth is that Myanmar government has no intention of creating condition for sustainable repatriation and is responsible for failed repatriation and deserving of blame. We strongly condemn it.
Press release – US and Security Council Members Step-up Pressure on Myanmar
Representatives for the Arakan Rohingya National Organisation (ARNO) have completed a two-week advocacy tour to the United States and United Nations, to galvanize international action to end the Rohingya genocide and ensure a sustainable, voluntary and protected return home for more than 1 million Rohingya refugees forced from Myanmar.
ARNO chairman Nurul Islam joined by Dr. Hla Myint, chair of the ARNO Foreign Relations Committee, who is also President of the Rohingya Intellectual Community Australia, and Honourable Philip Ruddock, Australia’s former Attorney General and Human Rights Envoy, on the margins of UN General Assembly week to urge the international community to step-up pressure on Myanmar’s military and civilian government, which were failing to make the necessary headway to implement UN resolutions and recommendations of the international community and world leaders, including the recommendations of the Annan Commission report. Speaking after the visit, Mr. Islam welcomed the support shown by the international community, and advocated greater urgency to ensure credible progress on the ground:
“We came to the United States and the United Nations with a clear message: In the face of genocide, there is no time to wait. Much more must be done to support the Rohingya’s calls for justice, dignity and a safe, voluntary and protected return home. Conditions on the ground are worsening—both inside Myanmar and in the refugee camps of Cox’s Bazar. Victims are increasingly impatient to see perpetrators of genocide and war criminals held to account. At the same time, Myanmar continues to waste time with sham reforms, and shows zero will to create the conditions needed to solve this crisis”.
Press Release: ARNO welcomes the Human Rights Council’s resolution on Myanmar and calls for further action towards full accountability
September 28, 2018
ARNO welcomes the UN Human Rights Council’s landmark resolution on the situation of Rohingya Muslims and other minorities in Myanmar. The Council calls for the establishment of a new impartial and independent mechanism (IIM) to collect, preserve and analyse evidence of the most serious international crimes and violations of international law committed in Myanmar since 2011. In parallel, the extension of the mandate of the Fact-Finding Mission is key to ensuring continuity of action until the IIM is established.
Press Release: The ARNO supports the efforts of Solicitor Daniel Robert Taylor in pursuing efforts to prosecute Aung San Suu Kyi
September 10, 2018
The ARNO supports the efforts of Solicitor Daniel Robert Taylor in pursuing efforts to prosecute Aung San Suu Kyi for various crimes under international criminal law. The Solicitor filed a summons in March 2018 seeking to charge Aung San Suu Kyi with crimes against humanity for forcible deportation of the Rohingya of Myanmar. However, the Attorney General of Australia refused to consent to the prosecution. On October 3rd a hearing will be held regarding this matter.
Press release – ARNO welcomes the Report of the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar
The Arakan Rohingya National Organization (ARNO) welcomes the Report of the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar. The report acknowledges the continued and “systematic oppression” of the Rohingya people, the complicity of Myanmar Security forces and other actors in the continued violence that precipitated and directly caused the events of August 2017, in addition recognizes genocidal intent exists to warrant an investigation and prosecution of military officials within Myanmar.
The ARNO welcomes the recommendations made by the Mission which emphasizes the need for pursuing justice for genocide and crimes against humanity in addition calling upon state parties to engage Myanmar to change these practices which are a direct violation of international law.
Experts Writing
The Myth of ‘Bengali Migration’ to Arakan Debunked
By Dr. Habib Siddiqui Abstract Genocidal crimes don’t happen in vacuum and require groundwork from the racist and bigoted elements to state and non-state actors to prepare the support base and mobilize the dominant group to perpetrate such heinous crimes. For decades,...
Deafening silence over Rohingya issue
Harun Yahya
Despite the atrocities being committed against the Muslims of Arakan, better known as Rohingyas, the international community has so far done nothing to protect these people. The world appears to be sitting on the fence, as these people are being systematically persecuted.
This minority Muslim community in Myanmar — termed the most persecuted people living on the face of earth — has been turned into refugees in their own country. The Rohingyas are a people with no civil rights and from time to time subjected to indiscriminate violence. The world became slightly acquainted with these people following the violent attacks and acts of arson of 2012.
It’s Neo-Nazi Racism, Stupid!
Dr. Habib Siddiqui
In his book – Worse Than War – Daniel Jonah Goldhagen says that during mass murders, the murderers themselves, their supporters and those who wish to stand idly by practice linguistic camouflage. And this has been the case with the apartheid regime in Myanmar when it comes to its national project towards exterminating or purging out the Rohingyas.
Muslim influence in the kingdom of Arakan
14 November 2011
Muslim Arakanese or Rohingya are indigenous to Arakan. Having genealogical linkup with the people of Wesali or Vesali kingdom of Arakan, the Rohingya of today are a perfect example of its ancient inhabitants.
The early people in Arakan were descended from Aryans. They were Indians resembling the people of Bengal. “The area now known as North Arakan had been for many years before the 8th century the seat of Hindu dynasties. In 788 A.D. a new dynasty, known as the Chandras, founded the city of Wesali; this city became a noted trade port to which as many as a thousand ships came annually;… their territory extended as far north as Chittagong; …Wesali was an easterly Hindu kingdom of Bengal following the Mahayanist form of Buddhism and that both government and people were Indian..”[1]
ANTI-ROHINGYA CAMPAIGNS, VIOLATIONS OF HUMAN RIGHTS
20 November 2011
In recent months, series of anti-Rohingya campaigns afloat inside and outside of Burma. To the surprise of everyone, inflammatory writings are often posted on a few websites, face books and blogs that reveal deep-seated ill-will against the peace loving Rohingyas.
Muslim influence in the kingdom of Arakan
14 November 2011
Muslim Arakanese or Rohingya are indigenous to Arakan. Having genealogical linkup with the people of Wesali or Vesali kingdom of Arakan, the Rohingya of today are a perfect example of its ancient inhabitants.
Rebuttal to U Khin Maung Saw’s misinformation on Rohingya
02 November 2011
During recent years we have read series of depraved propagandas by a group of fanatics, who are restless to tarnish the image of the Rohingya people, under the pretext of so-called scholars/academics/Burmese experts preaching annihilation of the Rohingyas, a predominantly Muslim community in Arakan, Burma. One of them is U Khin Maung Saw, a Rakhine Buddhist living in Berlin, who recently wrote a foul-mouthed and blasphemous paper titled Islamization of Burma Through Chittagonian Bengalis as “Rohingya Refugees”.
In Response to Rakhine People Protest against the BBC and demand apology: Arakan, the Epicentre of Refugee Production in the Region
By Abid Bahar
Lately, Rakhines of Arakan “Protest against the BBC and demand apology” for showing Rohingyas in the Burma map. But why apology? For showing the Rohingya homeland in Arakan? I understand that BBC knew all about the Rakhine-Rohingya problems and also that the ultranationalist Rakhine’s sucess in convincing the Burmese military to declare the Rohingyas as the noncitizens of Burma. Not surprisingly, showing the Rohingya existance in Arakan only flamed the racist fire. But the BBC was polite enough to not say openly that Arakan is the epicentre of refugee production in South Asia and South East Asia and it is the Rakhine-Moghs to blame..
A protest from a Rakhine historian against a press release on Rohingya
By Habib Siddiqui
Khin Maung Saw's thesis on trying to de-legitimatize the Rohingya history in Arakan is not new. For the last three years, as an obsessed, xenophobic Rakhine, much given to pen-pushing, and spread of hateful messages, he is known for trying his best to re-write history that would obliterate Rohingya's historicity in today's Arakan. His pseudo-history has been already refuted by others.
Ben Rogers on Burma’s problems and how to help
CSW visits Bangladesh-Burma border,
Interviews Rohingya refugees, saffron revolution monks and SPDC defectors. 09/09/2008Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) returned this week from a fact-finding visit to the Bangladesh-Burma border and is now calling on the international community to intensify...
Xenophobia: a brief analysis By Dr. Habib Siddiqui
Dissident Voice
8/12/07
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines Xenophobia as – fear and hatred of strangers or foreigners or of anything that is strange or foreign. As can be seen, for xenophobia there are two main objects of the phobia (fear). The first is a population group present within a society, which is not considered part of that society. Often they are recent immigrants, but xenophobia may be directed against a group which has been present for centuries. This form of xenophobia can draw out or facilitate hostile and violent reactions, such as mass expulsion of immigrants, or in the worst case, genocide. The second form of xenophobia is primarily cultural, and the objects of the phobia are cultural elements which are considered alien or foreign.
Rohingya History
Rohingya History
The Significance of the term “Kula” for the Rohingyas and the Burmese Muslims
In ancient times dark skinned people dotted around the coastal regions from Africa, south India, up to the Papua New Genia. Under attack from the light skinned organized band of people from the north against these dark skinned Negroids (seen not being quite human, or at best demons,) these people continued to retreat to the coastal areas and in some places under pressure slowly disappeared. In Malaysia, the majority muslim population is a crossbreeds between these dark skinned people with Indian, Arab, Negroid, and Mongoloid population.
The advent of Islam in Arakan and the Rohingyas
The advent of Islam in Arakan and the Rohingya presented at the Seminar organised by Arakan Historical Society at Chittagong Zila Parishad Hall, Chittagong, on December 31, 1995, with Co-operation Chittagong University.
Rohingya Culture
Myanmar leader says cleansing claims are ‘smear campaign’
AFP
Myanmar President denies Human Rights Watch report accusing the country of fueling ‘a campaign of ethnic cleansing’ against Rohingya Muslims
Myanmar President Thein Sein denied on Friday accusations of ethnic cleansing against Rohingya Muslims, saying the claims were part of a “smear campaign” against his government.
On a visit to Paris, Sein told France 24 television that his government was not guilty of the charges.
“Outside elements are just exaggerating, fabricating news, there is no ethnic cleansing whatsoever,” he said.
“This is a smear campaign against the government. What happened in Rakhine was not ethnic cleansing.”
In April, Human Rights Watch accused Myanmar of “a campaign of ethnic cleansing” against the Rohingya.Government Matriculation Exam Results Announced, 80 Percent Fail
Sittwe: The military government announced yesterday the results of the matriculation exam for the 2007 – 08 school year, but 80 percent of students in Arakan State failed the exam, said an education worker in Sittwe.
He said, "No more than 20 percent of students in Arakan State passed the exam, and 80 percent failed this last matriculation exam."
EWOB/AEIOU is calling for New Students for 2009
………
To the Young, Poor, Intelligent and Dedicated Youths of Burma where ever you may be:-
If you are age between 20 and 30 and do not belong to the 3 Gs please read the following:-
[Guns; you must not be a relative of Lt. Colonel and above of the Burmese army. Gold; must obsess in Gold such as going to a third country for good or a crony of a Junta. Goons; must not belong to pro-military goons organizations (Kyant-Phut/SwanArrShin) that rough ride shot over the common people.]
Rohingya Books
MYANMAR: A People Facing Buddhist Violence
Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) has a population of 48 million, 15 percent of whom are Muslims. Most of the rest are Buddhists. The Muslims live in the Arakan region of the country.
Burma’s Lost Kingdoms: Splendors Of Arakan by Pamela Gutman, A Book Reviews
Al-Jazeerah, January 13, 2006
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