Kaladan Press
Dated:
Article:
“Toward Understanding
Rohingya”
(By Shau Khat alias MSK Jilani),
The name' Rohingya ' was not given by
the separatists nor fundamentalists from
The word' Rohingya
comes from' Rohang ' which was the original
and ancient name of Arakan. Today, some Arakanese-Rakhine educated people were not interesting to
really understand the word' Rohingya' and its
actual meaning.
A Rakhine
educated person has mentioned in his
writing message to a friend that he has never heard the word ' Rohingya ' and any Burmese Government did
not recognized the Rohingyas in the past. He has
also brought up various allegations against Rohingyas
and its historical background and also accused that Rohingyas
are fighting with Rakhine people and against them.
After reading their messages and
I realized that these allegations were baseless, false, fabricated and
inaccurate. Rohingyas are today fighting with the
central SPDC government for their rights of citizen and liberty as well.
It was absolutely wrong what the some educated persons were made
accusations over Rohingya ethnic group despite they
know the real facts of Rohingya origin.
As for me, I would like to ask
them if they really want to know about Arakan and its
people. Did they know what the past democratic Government's recommendation and
recognition on Rohingya people? Do they understand
the true history of Arakan? Do they ever try to
apprehend the background of Rohingya?
Historically, they must really
accept and understand that Rohingyas have been
recognized by the previous democratic government (1948-1964); even Rohingyas had the right to vote and had the right to be
elected in general elections to choose their parliamentarians in the Arakan constituencies according to
Even after the SLORC/ SPDC coming
to power in 1988, the SLORC held multi-party general election throughout the
country in May 1990, in which all Rohingyas were
allowed to vote. Four Rohingyas won parliamentary
seats from different constituencies in north Arakan.
If the Rohingyas are not recognized as citizens, why
the SLORC government allowed the Rohingyas to
participate in the election? This is a considerable factor to realize
everybody. If there is no any concrete fact behind Rohingyas,
why is it so hard to accept them?
I wish to the Rakhine
educated persons who are studying Rohingya to
become the creditable and outstanding politicians to exercise their
research work in the history of Arakan and on the Rohingya subjects with their positive views for
the advantages of all Arakanese people.
You, Rakhine
educated persons have to think many sufficient grounds as your level best
before to deny the root causes and the reality of a civil society like Rohingyas that you are now heading to disappear and
wipe-out the entire Rohingya generation from Arakan by your foolish mood and selfish acting. You
cannot disappear the entire Rohingya generation from
the history aspect by any way. Rohingyas are the
ancient people of Arakan and their original arrivals
in Arakan since A.D 800 according to Burmese history
by U Kyi. Rohingya belongs to Arakan
and Arakan belongs to Rohingya
with its sister community Rakhine people.
Nowadays, International
communities as well as world states men have already known the facts and
current situation of Rohingyas in Arakan
at all. You cannot determine yourself over Rohingya's
fate and their accurate history by branding with some contaminated colors. It
will be bad dream for those who are trying to eliminate the Rohingyas
from its mother-land of Arakan. Rohingyas had been living in mother-land of Arakan from time immemorial when Arakan
was existed.
In Arakan,
Rohingyas (Muslims) and Rakhines
(Buddhists) are two major communities. They have co-existed with peace and
amity over the centuries like twin brothers. They jointly developed their
beloved country and defended it from external aggression while maintaining
close relation with Muslim Bangal in the fields of
culture, religion, education, trade and politics. It may be mentioned that the
Burmese envied the people of Arakan particularly the
period of their greatest strength and prosperity.
Unfortunately, relation between
these two sisters’ communities began to grow bitter, at the instigation of the
third party such as British colonialists followed by Burman Thakin
leaders. The bitterness was fuelled by the program of
An astonishing number of the
Rakhines who include writers, professionals,
businessmen, students etc. have been striving hard to eliminate the Rohingya people from the soil of Arakan
by lending active cooperation and all-out support to the government, even to
the present most irresponsible, dictatorial, brutal and oppressive military
regime better known as SLORC/SPDC which has been persistently rejecting
the ethnic Rohingyas of their right to nationality
and right to have a peaceful living in their home-land of Arakan.
As of today, we can see some
lessons from most of the Rakhine politicians inside
and outside of Arakan those who are supporting
and in favor of SLORC/SPDC's conspiracy, frequently attacking
the Rohingyas and unanimously decided not
to accept them as bonafide citizen of Burma.
We, Rohingyas
should have to condemn by sending protest letter to ARAKAN NATIONAL COUNCIL
(ANC) for not include us as an ethnic group nor citizen of Arakan
in the conference held in March 1 to 6, 2004 in New Delhi, India under
supervision of ALD, exile leader, with best wishes, honorable U THA NU, he is
also a social welfare minister of NCGUB. The ANC called all representatives of
ethnic groups of Arakan except the Rohingya representation from the Muslim ethnic group. The
ANC cannot represent the whole people of Arakan nor
given the political leadership role without participation of any representative
from the Rohingya ethnic group although ANC
unanimously decided to lead the Arakan people as
declared by the recent ANC conference.
In Arakan,
there are five million populations approximately, within them half are Rohingya Muslims. If so, how ANC can lead the whole Arakan people? It is impossible that ANC can form any
government or any political representation role without Rohingyas
in Arakan.
But, today some honorable Rakhine leaders and intellectuals like Dr. Shwe Lu Maung, Dr. Aye Chan, U Mra Wa ( in real
), Dr. Khin Maung ( NUPA), Major Tun Kyaw Oo ( President of Amyothar
Party) are considered in favor of Rohingyas as
they respect the Rohingyas birth rights as well as
genuine citizen people of Arakan by making
available strong historical references, recommendations and recognition by
their through research work and comprehensive knowledge in the new
millennium of political spectrum. Even Dr. Than Tun, the Rector of Mandalay University and former professor
of history,
In conclusion, I would like to
sincerely urge to those who are misunderstanding about Rohingyas
have thoroughly consider and restudy about the
historical facts of Rohingya and its origins. ##
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