An ‘Evening with Rohingya People’

Written by Webmaster Kaladan Press (KPN)

Monday, 31 August 2009 09:09

London, UK: An ‘Evening with Rohingya People’ was an event organized by the London based
Burmese Rohingya community with the help of the Burma Campaign UK to share the dilemma of the
Rohingya and discuss other Burmese multi-ethnic conflict topics on August 27, at 28 Charles Square
London, said Tun Khin, the president of Burmese Rohingya Organization UK (BROUK).

The participants of an evening with Rohingya people

The master of ceremony was Zoya Phan, International Coordinator of Burma Campaign UK and the
speakers were Mr. Ziaul Gaffar alias Maung Tun Khin and the Christian Solidarity Worldwide’s (CSW)
East Asia Team Leader, Benedict Rogers.

The President of BROUK, Tun Khin explained in detail about Rohingyas unbearable suffering along
with the current multiple hardships of Rohingya people in Arakan state (inside Burma) and outside the
country.

The President also said the Rohingyas’ remarkable and ancient historical background, Rohingyas daily
doomsday scenarios, several kinds of inhuman discrimination, coercion, travel restrictions imposed
particularly on Rohingyas, which bars them from travelling from one place to another within localities,
marriage restrictions and its approval, unnecessary procrastination by the authorities concerned, the
harsh limitation of pursuance of education, health care problems, land confiscation, labour
conscription by military personal, and so on were also highlighted to show how bad the status of
refugees in Bangladesh is and how Rohingya boatpeople were inhumanly treated by Thailand’s
officials.

“The Rohingyas are among the most persecuted and oppressed of Burma’s people. It is absolutely vital
to highlight their plight, and to urge the international community and the Government of Bangladesh to
take steps to improve access to education, health care and livelihood for all Rohingya refugees,” said
Benedict Rogers, according to the CSW’s media release on August 26.
 Speakers in the event and the participant

Benedict Rogers presented first-hand evidence of details of the brutal persecution of the Rohingya
people in Burma by the country’s military regime, at the event where he strongly supported the
presentation of BROUK’s President.

Benedict Rogers explained that he had had opportunities to interview not only Rohingya refugees but
also some Rakhaine Buddhists, who have sympathized with the suffering of helpless Rohingya people
and about three Burmese border security force (Na Sa Ka) defectors who left Burma, while he visited
the Bangladesh-Burma border between August 26 and 31, 2008.

The three defectors confirmed that extortion is widely used by Na Sa Ka, and is specifically targeted at
Rohingyas. The defectors also gave accounts of forced conscription, forced labour, arbitrary arrest and
torture, according to CSW’s report following the Bangladesh-Burma visit.

From the evidence collected by the CSW during the visit of Bangladesh-Burma border, it is clear that
the SPDC is continuing to perpetrate gross violations of human rights in Arakan State, as it is doing
throughout Burma. However, while the regime is severely oppressing all its citizens, and perpetrating
crimes against humanity throughout Burma, it is overwhelmingly clear that the Rohingyas in particular
are singled out for even more extreme discrimination and oppression, and are rendered exceptionally
vulnerable by their second-class status and denial of full citizenship rights, the CSW’s report stated.
 The participants of an evening with Rohingya people

“The regime is trying to take away our identity. We will not be there in the very near future. The
disintegration of our society will take place. Our prime concern is that we must not be eliminated. This
is our land and we want to live there with full rights and dignity. We must find a way to compel the
junta to enter into a dialogue with the NLD and the ethnic nationalities. We need international help,”
one Rohingya leader said talking about the plight of Rohingya, the CSW’s report stated.

The presentation was applauded and the participants empathized with the vulnerable Rohingya people
of Arakan, Burma, BROUK’s President said.

The presentation was concluded by Mr Ben Roger answering some questions from participants.

Mark Farmener (Director of Burma Campaign UK) said BROUK is one of the most active Rohingya
organizations, working together with several ethnic groups and democracy activists. He urged the
audience to work in a practical way by creating awareness about Rohingya people and also to support
its organizational activities.

There were more than 70 participants from several ethnic groups such as Mon, Kachin, Karen, Chin,
some democracy activists in the UK, a number of UNHCR and NGO staff members, ARNO President
Mr Nurul Islam, BROUK members, and others who are deeply interested in the suffering and stateless
status of Rohingyas in Arakan.

Source: Kaladan Press Group

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