Burma (Myanmar) Jihad in historical perspective.
My source used for this essay is Dr. Aye Chan's research at Japan's Kanda University of International Studies, in his review of British correspondence between the years 1947 and 1975. As well as his later original research papers and articles on this conflict.
This is a very complicated subject, that has little if any historical context accompanying contemporary articles or commentary on the truly disturbing accusations arising from this long-term conflict.
I am completely against the targeting of civilian populations on either side to achieve political or religious agendas not conforming to international laws and the norms of civil conflict resolution.
What is a legitimate defense of indigenous cultural and religious traditions?
What steps can a civilian, military, political leadership take to secure the long-term security of its people and their traditions in the face of an organized operation to obliterate its very existence through an international theocratic campaign of Jihad?
Records of the diplomatic exchanges of the national archives of the British Commonwealth make clear that a jihad was declared in the 1940s against the nation as well as the Buddhists of the borderlands of Burma (Myanmar) East Pakistan (Bangladesh)
An insurgent enclave of sedition was purposely set up to advance the goals of theocratic interests in East Pakistan ( later Bangladesh) along the border region separating Burma and East Pakistan. I believe it was the same general tactic employed to great effect, to frustrate and then attempt to overturn the Jewish effort to reconstitute their homeland in the middle east. Just as the word or designation, "Palestinian" has no real historical context relating to Arabs. Linguistic research suggests the same with the word, "Rohingya" as unconnected to any indigenous population group related to a specific geographic area, and is instead connected with the religious concept or word, "Mohammedans" in the Rakhine Languages (Arakanese). Evidence strongly suggests the "Rohingya" Muslims are in reality Bengali Muslims, simply cynically designated as persecuted stateless victims to further a narrative to an uninformed world community to advance an Islamic agenda. The parallels with the Israeli, Palestinian conflict are utterly stunning in the similarities.
“A Comparative Vocabulary of Some of the Languages Spoken in the Burma Empire in 1799 ″ by Francis Buchanan – which mentioned Rohingya is the native of Arakan and their language with comparing others languages. U Haty Lwin Oo pointed out the pronunciations – Sun, Mon and earth – which is similar to recent Rohingya languages. He also appointed out with report that Rohingya means Mohammedans (Islam religious). After seeing the references book, Dr. Aye Chan said Rohingya mean Rakhine and after again seeing languages he again said the Rohingya language is Rakhine Languages (Arakanese).”... http://kaladanpress.org/index.php/news/328-news-2013/march-2013/4139-rohingya-means-rakhine-dr-aye-chan.html
From Amnesty international
The State Peace and Development Council (SPDC)
rejects the existence of a separate ethnic group called "Rohingya"
The vast majority of Rohingyas are not believed to possess Myanmar citizenship. Moreover they are not recognised as one of the 135 ‘national races’ by the Myanmar government: In actual fact, although there are (135) national races living in Myanmar today, the so-called Rohingya people is not one of them. Historically, there has never been a ‘Rohingya’ race in Myanmar. The very name Rohingya is a creation of a group of insurgents in the Rakhine State..(page 5)
https://www.amnesty.org/download/Documents/92000/asa160052004en.pdf
From Oxford University
In the late 1950s, Muslim leaders and students in North Arakan (officially known as Rakhine State since 1989) began to use the term Rohingya to assert a distinct ethnoreligious identity for the region’s Muslim community, as distinct from its majority Buddhist population, to which the term Rakhine usually refers.1 In the early 1960s, Muslim authors of Rohingya pamphlets were keenly aware of how novel their chosen appellation was for the Burmese public at the time. The use of the name spread widely in the international media after riots in Rakhine State in 2012, when Rohingyas became widely known internationally as a state-oppressed Muslim minority.2 The term Rohingya embodies an ongoing process of identity formation that has unified Muslim communities in the North Arakan region with a similar cultural profile, but a diverse historical background; at the same time, Myanmar officials reject Rohingya as an ethnic denomination, as they reject the legitimacy of the postcolonial Rohingya movement of political emancipation, aiming at the creation of an autonomous Muslim area in North Arakan.3
http://asianhistory.oxfordre.com/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780190277727.001.0001/acrefore-9780190277727-e-115
This east Asian conflict was funded and encouraged to frustrate any resolution not aligning with the goals of the religious fanatics fanning the flames of intolerance within the Ummah (theocratic Islamic community) inhabiting the area, as well as those outside forces seeking to gain political/religious, influence in the region under dispute.
Burma's Western Border as Reported by the Diplomatic Correspondence (1947 - 1975) If one explores the diplomatic records of the British Commonwealth in the National Archives in London, two files will be found in the accession to the Southeast Asia Collection, bound with the corresponding letters between the British Embassy in Rangoon, the Foreign Office in London, the High Commissioner of the United Kingdom in Karachi, Pakistan and the Deputy High Commissioner of the United Kingdom in Dacca (Dhaka). According to the British Archival Law, these files were kept secret as government documents until 1979 and 2005 respectively. Both of them consist of the correspondences between these diplomatic missions, regarding border problems between Burma and East Pakistan (later Bangladesh ) .Burma (Myanmar) was a British colony until 1948:Arakan (Rakhine State) that shares an international boundary of 45 miles with Bangladesh today was the first Burmese province annexed to British India after the First Anglo-Burmese War (1924-26). The Naaf River serves as the emblematic border between the two countries. The aforementioned documents have shed lights on new information on the Jihadist movement of the Chittagonian residents (or so-called Rohingya) in North Arakan, the illegal cross-border migrations, and the communal violence on Burma's western frontier in the first decade of independent Burma.
On the Mujahid Rebellion in Arakan . The Mujahids of Chittagonian Muslims from North Arakan declared the jihad on Burma after the central government refused to grant a separate Muslim state in the two townships , Buthidaung and Maungdaw that lie along the East Pakistani (present-day Bangladeshi) border. The Mujahid movement was launched before Burma gained independence , and sabotaged the resettlement program for the refugees in the Buthidaung and Maungdaw Townships .
During the World War II, the Arakanese inhabitants of Buthidaung and Maungdaw were forced to leave their homes. The people of Buthidaung fled to Kyauktaw and Minbya where the Arakaneselived as the majority. The Arakanese from Maungdaw were evacuated to Dinajpur in East Bengal by the British officials. Even though the British administration was reestablished after the war, the Arakanese were unable to return to their homes: For want of funds only 277 out of about 2400 indigenous Arakanese, who were displaced from Buthidaung and Maungdaw Townships after the British evacuation in 1942, could be resettled on the sites of their original homes. There are also two thousand Arakanese Buddhist refuges brought for fear of Muslims' threatening and frightening them by firing machine guns near the villages at night. While our hands are full with internally displaced refugees we cannot take the responsibilityfor repatriation of the Muslim refugees from the Sabirnagar camp which the government of India is pressing.". ...The Muslim refugees from the camp at Subirnagar were also unable to resettle in the interior part of Akyab District at Alegyun, Apaukwa and Gobedaung. All 3,000 of them were initially sent to Akyab Island. Two Muslim Relief Committees were formed in Akyab and Buthidaung in order to provide any possible assistance to the refugees. Then a proposal to send about 1,500 refugees in small groups to the Muslim villages in Buthidaung Township as a temporary solution was accepted. The District Welfare Officer was instructed to work out the expenses for transport and building materials.2) In August 1947, the Sub-Divisional Officer of Maungdaw, U Tun Oo, was brutally murdered by the Muslims. The Commissioner of Arakan reports:..........." I have no doubt that this is a result of a long fostered communal feeling by the Muslims. The assassins who committed the murder were suspected to be employed by the Muslim Police Officers and have been organizing strong Muslim feelings and dominating the whole areas. This is a direct affront and open challenge to the lawful authority of the Burma Government by the Muslim Community of Buthidaung and Maungdaw Townships whose economic invasion of this country was fostered during the British regime. Unless this most dastardly flouting of the government is firmly and severely dealt with, this alien community will try to annex this territory or instigate Pakistan to annex it.3)"
The newly independent republic had to cope with the insurgency of Karen ethnic group rebels and the communists after celebrating the independence in 1948. Major cities were captured by the Communists and Karen rebels. Two battalions of the regular army went underground to join the communists. The rebels surrounded the Capital City, Rangoon. The Union government was scrawled in the international newspapers with the epithet of "Rangoon Government." In such a situation only a few hundred troops from the Battalion (V) were sent to the western front to fight the Mujahids. Buthidaung and Maungdaw were under the control of the government forces but the countryside around the town was out of control.Concerning the objective and strength of the Mujahids, The British Embassy in Rangoon reported the Foreign Office in Londonon February 12, 1949
" It is hard to say whether the ultimate object of the Muslims is that their separate state should remain within the Union or not, but it seems likely that even an autonomous state within the Union would necessarily be drawn towards Pakistan. The Mujahids seem also to have taken arms in about October last,although this does not exclude the possibility that some have not gone underground and are still trying to obtain their objective by agitation only . There are perhaps 500 Muslims under arms, although the total number of supporters of the movement is greater.4)
http://ci.nii.ac.jp/els/contentscinii_20170920113716.pdf?id=ART0009830506
I think I have presented the general direction of the correspondence recorded by the British, but please take the time to read the full report. Do your own research, do not believe those pushing an agenda, make up your own mind. If you learned something here, just think what can learn on your own. It's only with knowledge of the truth, that we can make informed decisions. Ignorance is always, in every case, a poor companion to reason.
International seminar on the history of Arakan/Rakhine by Dr. Aye Chan part 1
International seminar on the history of Arakan/Rakhine by Dr. Aye Chan part 2
Kpr,
That might give us a historical history to how the "Rohingya" got to Miramar, but there is no comparison to what is going on there with them and what is going on in Isreal other than a name assigned to a people, to gain attention. There is genocide going on there of the "Rohingya". This can't be denied. I oppose this as much as I oppose what the Turks did to the Christian population. There is never an excuse for genocide.
I never suggested that Israel is, or was, dealing with Palestinians in an objectional manner.
If you read my words in the article...
That is, in fact extremely similar to what happened to the Arabs now labeled Palestinians.
Secondly, there is atrocious behavior on BOTH sides. How closely have you followed the conflict? I have followed it closely for a decade or more. Myanmar is not acting in a civilized manner in any sense of the word,(I never suggested they were anywhere in my article) yet I have read nothing to suggest any similarity with the Turkish genocide of Armenians. The Muslim insurgents have committed atrocities in their own right, many. many atrocities. Because they are not widely reported does not mean they did not occur. I went out of my way, to try not to take a side in the conflict, ( I don't have one) only to present evidence not part of the mainstream narrative of events. Many, many outside forces are prolonging the conflict for their own nefarious reasons. Just as there are bad actors prolonging the suffering of Palestinian" Arabs, historically, and still in the present, "IOC" members continue to do so, during, and after the reformation of the Jewish state.
The same is true in Myanmar. I got very little sleep last night, and it screwed up my day really bad. I'm tired and grumpy. I don't have the time right now to fully source some of my points, but I will return later to further answer some, if not all, of your concerns. Let me inquire if you will? How many hours have you spent researching and reading up on the topic? Can you name the Islamic organizations in Pakistan fueling the conflict? Can you name the local Islamic groups committing atrocities against the indigenous Buddist population? If you can not do this off the top of your head, I question your "expertise" to make such generalization that suggests, to me, a possible anti-Buddist animus. Have you taken a side? if so, why?
I have done quite a bit of research into the topic. I am aware of the ASRA (previously the Harakah al-Yaqin) operating out of the northern Rakhine State. They are funded by both the Pakistanis and Saudi Arabia but they have been deemed a terrorist organization only by Myanmar. The issue here is although there have been spotty reports of small outbreaks of violence from them ( none confirmed but that doesn't mean they didn't happen), it still does not equate to the numbers of "Rohingya" that have been killed both by the government and locals. Even the Monks are advocating for it.
I am rather shocked by your suggestion that I am anti-Buddist. For the most part, Buddist are the most peaceful people and I was horrified when the Taliban destroyed those two ancient Buddhas in Afghanistan. For that matter, I could just as easily say that you have an anti Muslim stance, given their feelings about Paganism, correct? But I will chalk it to you saying that you were in a grumpy mood.
And yes I have taken a side. I am against genocide, and although there have been acts of terrorism by the Rohingya, it does not equate to the current numbers of deaths now being reported by Doctors without Borders and I trust them, more than the current Maymar government. The mass exodus and camps are rather proof of that.
No, you could correctly say, however, I'm anti-Islam, (because I most certainly am) as that is an ideology that can be sourced and criticised. Whereas Muslims, are human beings and as such, sweeping generalizations about them cannot legitimately be made. (As a pagan, I don't have a right to live under sharia.) I'm classified as "Kafir Harbi". Same as the Yazidi of Iraq. Not a pleasant category to be in.
(ps) I have not looked for sources yet. I just ate dinner, and if I don't pass out from lack of sleep. I will source some under-reported atrocities committed against Buddhists.
I did not source how the majority of Muslims arrived? I never found the source I was looking for last night so I did not include it. Hint, I blame the Brits and their failing empire. I will look for that, it is interesting, and enlightening as well.
I will dispute that now. One report I remember should put that to rest. Be back in a minute.
You are aware of this group, and believe this is a small attack? That is far larger than any terrorist attack I know of against Israel. If that happened in Israel, it would be considered (Correctly) an act of war. It's about a year old, did you miss it?
No, it totally blows. And talk about another group being brutalized, the Yazidi are right there with them.
Correct! At the end of WWII, Albania had more Jews than they started with since they took them in. And My mum would have died had it not been for locals in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, both Muslim countries. I think that the brand of Islam practiced in the ME is different than that in Europe.
Well, me mum is a Brit.. Sort of, kind of, by way of the Spanish Inquisition on her father's side. But you are right. Their colonial days left a mess wherever they were, with the exceptions of the US and Australia, though it could have turned out much differently if those were mostly real Irish thugs instead of Irish fighting off the English.
And you should take care of yourself and eat dinner and take a nap. No discussion is worth melting down from.
This will be my second to the last post. I got one more to do before I sleep. I promised it up the thread. I found the source I was looking for last night. how the Muslims arrived is still more complicated than this, but it is a start.
These are just two of the groups fanning the flame of intolerance. ISIS and Al-Qaeda are both involved as well
I did a quick google for jammat e islamia Pakistan and Burma. The correct article, the one I remember will take longer to find, and sleep calls me. But they and their brother organization, Jammat e Bangladesh are two of the major international players in the conflict. This is a serious gathering of dangerous individuals with bad intentions for the Buddhists in Myanmar. I have read a few of their articles regarding their intent to shed "rivers of blood" to avenge Islamic honor. They are very open in the activities and intent, they hide nothing.
A history of misinformation.
Islamic conquest of the last of the renowned Central Asian Buddhist kingdoms, the Kingdom of Khotan of the Iranian Sakas :
Claims are not reality. This is bullshit as we both know? correct?
Sorry I missed this earlier.
I am very careful about my source material Kpr. You must have forgotten that from back in my NV days. I would never even bring that to the table as source material, much less the truth.
I used to have these discussions with Dennis McCann when he would try to defend Turkey for their genocide of the Armenians. He would try to say that the "young Turks" were not the Turks now, which of course we know is utter BS and would find some junk like this and say it was the truth. btw.. the article implies that Japan is anti-Zionism. It is not. It supports a two-state solution, which many nations do. That article couldn't even be honest about that.
When you look for a delusional unsupported claim, you find a delusional unsupported claim. That is what I was looking for. To make a point. Israel is of course not committing a genocide against the Arabs. Any source claiming that is delusional by nature!!! There are many such claims. I read America committed a genocide against the people of Iraq and Afghanistan. To me, the claim of a genocide ( a serious word and claim in itself) cannot be supported by the weight of evidence at this point in time. Atrocities are different. Atrocities are being committed against the Muslims of Myanmar. I made my feeling crystal clear when I wrote this. Or I thought I did.
That was not crystal clear. Sadly we will not know if this is an atrocity or a genocide until the bidding is done. Of course, the UN being as useful as tits on a bull, we probably will not know that for a while. But either way, there are tens of thousand displace people and many more dead then there should be.
Obviously, I did not. And this has happened and worse in Israel, like civilian stabbings and cafe and bus bombings. Why do you think the Gazans are behind a wall? But despite what some say, there is no genocide going on there.
You still can not equate 10 police officers (sad as it may be) to tens of thousands forced out and in camps, never mind what their government is admitting to.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2018/01/10/in-a-first-burmese-military-admits-soldiers-killed-rohingya-found-in-mass-grave/?utm_term=.4ebc85d949de
Kind of like what the English did to your brotheren.
I don't, I'm well aware that, is in fact, but one act, of a long time tactic of the Myanmar insurgency. It would be like believing there has been but a single suicide bombing in Israel. It's just how they roll yo!