Adam
The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
While many speakers that the UN General Assembly, particularly those from Muslim nations as diverse as Pakistan, Turkey and Iran, have called on the body to do more for the Muslims of the state of Rakhine in Myanmar, the people known as the Rohingya.
Yesterday, Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina went further calling for ‘safe zones’ inside Myanmar. However, the majority of her comments on foreign policy were a condemnation of Pakistan with references with the war of 1971 which saw East Pakistan breaking away and becoming the independent nation of Bangladesh.
However, few have examined what Myanmar has had to say. In general, Myanmar has been quiet on the subject, although not totally silent. One of the problems Myanmar has created for itself from the onset of the world turning its attention to the long-running Rohingya crisis, is that in an age of 24 hour news media, Myanmar has not been very adept at explaining its position.
By contrast, outside of Wahhabi and crypto-Wahhabi circles, most people have come to understand Syria’s noble position of fighting terrorism in order to preserve a multi-culture, tolerant, modern, secular, pluralistic society which lives up to the modern revolutionary ideals of Ba’athism.
This is partly because many individuals in Syria’s government are astute at speaking before international audiences and international reports. President Bashar al-Assad is eloquent and gentlemen even when discussing very difficult issues and Dr. Bashar al-Jaafari, Syria’s envoy to the UN, is scholarly and extremely well spoken in several languages, including English and his native Arabic.
In Myanmar by contrast, the public voice of leadership, Aung San Suu Kyi is largely a figurehead who has been expected to do things she has never prepared herself for. Without meaning the following as an insult, she attained her position more because of her lineage than because of any real achievements. Her period of “house arrest” was a generally placid affair compared for example to the jailing and torturing of Nelson Mandela by the racist former regime of South Africa.
So while not a classic freedom fighter like Mandela or Arafat, but also not a processional political speaker like Vladimir Putin or Bashar al-Assad, her position has largely been one of sticking to the more mundane issues she has felt comfortable speaking about ever since she emerged as the Sate Counsellor of Myanmar.
Myanmar’s real power base, the Tatmadaw (military), has likewise not been adept at PR, just as for example the Greek military regime of Colonels (1967-1974) had equally bad PR problems.
This is deeply unfortunate however, because while Myanmar is miles away from the simple fight of good versus evil that one sees in Syria, it is also not a matter of a text-boook genocide such as the one currently taking place in Yemen where expensively armed Saudi armed forces are killing and starving civilians in Yemen while adding fuel to the flames of a civil crisis which prior to the Saudi invasion was political with sectarian overtones. Saudi has made the Yemen conflict into one that is sectarian with political overtones.
Another reason that explaining the Myanmar crisis isn’t easy is because few political leaders are telling the full complex truth, though many are telling bits of truth. It must be said that while the multifaceted and long running Civil War(s) in Myanmar are not a matter of non-Muslims killing Muslims in an ethnic cleansing, civilians are dying, including Muslims. Non-Muslim civilians, including Christians are dying as well. All of this should be condemned and it in fact was condemned by Myanmar.
In this sense, the sympathy felt by Iran, Turkey, Pakistan, parts of the Arab world and particularly by the head of Chechnya Ramzan Kydarov, should not be dismissed as “propaganda”.But neither is it true that the government is intentionally targeting civilians. ONe has to ask why would the government do such a thing? There is no logical answer in this context. It is also not true that jihadist style terrorists are not emended among the Rohingya.
With these realities in mind, here are the remarks on the subject, offered by Myanmar’s Vice President Henry Van Thio, before the UN General Assembly:
Yesterday, the State Counsellor briefed the Diplomatic Corps on the government’s efforts regarding national reconciliation and peace. She highlighted the achievements in the past 18 months and challenges that remain. In touching upon the situation in Rakhine, she said that Myanmar shares the concern of the international community regarding displacement and suffering of all communities affected by the latest round of terrorist attacks.
She also stressed that “We condemn all human rights violations and unlawful violence. We are committed to the restoration of peace, stability and rule of law throughout the State. The security forces have been instructed to adhere strictly to the Code of Conduct in carrying out security operations, to exercise all due restraint, and to take full measures to avoid collateral damage and the harming of innocent civilians. Human rights violations and all other acts that impair stability and harmony and undermine the rule of law will be addressed in accordance with strict norms of justice. We feel deeply for suffering of all the people who have been caught up in the conflict.
Mr. President,
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
The situation in Rakhine has been one of the top priorities of the government since it assumed office. The government has been endeavoring to restore peace and stability and to promote harmony among all communities. The Central Committee on Implementation of Peace, Stability and Development of Rakhine State, chaired by the State Counsellor herself, was established on 30 May 2016 to address the specific needs of the State. Additionally in August 2016, she set up a commission headed by Dr. Kofi Annan to advice the government on sustainable solutions to the complex situation in Rakhine.We have been striving to ensure that the Rakhine State is duly developed while
ensuring peace, stability and societal cohesion. This is no easy task. Deep mistrust developed over decades has to be slowly chiseled away.
On 24 August 2017, the Kofi Annan Commission released its final report. Our government immediately welcomed it.
We had hoped that today’s occasion would be an opportunity for us to
communicate to the world the progress that we have made towards implementing the Commission’s recommendations.It is therefore with deep regret that instead, I must primarily address you on the
current state of affairs in Rakhine State, following the recent attacks by the terrorist
group known as ARSA (the terrorist group Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army) last month.Mr. President,
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
As you are aware, within hours of the release of the Advisory Commission’s report,
a series of coordinated attacks were carried out on 30 police outposts in Northern Rakhine. The ARSA claimed responsibility for the attacks. These attacks ignited fresh violence in the region, resulting insignificant loss of life, widespread suffering and mass displacement of all communities.Those who have had to abandon their hearth and home are many – not just Muslim
and Rakhine, but also small minority groups such as Daingnet, Mro, Thet, Mramagyi
and Hindus. Most of the world has been oblivious of their existence and plight.
Let me be clear. The government of Myanmar is deeply concerned about the
present situation in Rakhine. Our deepest sympathy goes to the families of all innocent
civilians and members of the police and security forces who have lost their lives. There
is no denying that this is a problem of significant magnitude.I am happy to inform you that the situation has improved. No armed clashes have been reported since 5 September. Accordingly, we are concerned by reports that the numbers of Muslims crossing into Bangladesh remain unabated. We would need to find out the reason for this exodus. What is little known is that the great majority of the Muslim population decided to remain in their villages.
We share the need to ensure that vital humanitarian assistance is provided to all those in need.
Moreover, we acknowledge that the duty to respond to the challenges in Rakhine
State is first and foremost the duty of our national government. The situation in
Rakhine is complex. The challenges we face are significant. We have accordingly
adopted an integrated national strategy to address this problem.I am pleased to announce the launch of a committee chaired by the Union Minister
of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement to implement the recommendations of the
Advisory Commission. To ensure transparency and accountability, the Committee is
mandated to publicly issue a progress report every four months. In addition to the
Committee, we intend to establish an Advisory Board comprised of eminent persons
from both Myanmar and abroad.At present, humanitarian assistance is our first priority. We are committed to
ensuring that aid is received by all those in need, without discrimination. We have
already dedicated significant national funds and resources to humanitarian relief
operations.I am also pleased to inform you that a new government-led mechanism, established
in cooperation with the Red Cross Movement, has also started its humanitarian
assistance activities.On behalf of the government of Myanmar, I would like to express my gratitude to
all those countries who have offered to contribute towards this assistance programme.
In particular, we are grateful for the generous offers of support that we have recently
received from many of our friends across the world.At the same time, we are working hard to enhance relations with Bangladesh. The
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and the National Security Advisor visited
Bangladesh in January and July of this year. We were hoping for a visit from the Home
Minister of Bangladesh but it had to be postponed as the Minister could not come in
August. We will welcome him at any time that he is able to come and hope to take
forward our cooperation on border security matters.There has been a call for the repatriation of displaced people who have recently fled
from northern Rakhine to Bangladesh. The State Counsellor in her speech yesterday
stated that Myanmar was prepared to start the verification process at anytime. Our two
neighbors have had the experience of such a process in 1993 through the establishment
of a joint working group for implementation of repatriation process. We can develop a
process based on the experience of 1993.Mr. President
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Myanmar stands together with the rest of the world in condemning terrorism in all
its forms and manifestations. Terrorism constitutes one of the most serious threats to
international peace and security. Our position is clear. We cannot condone terrorism.
At the same time, the government is working to ensure that acts of terrorism will
not distract us from pursuing the long term strategy that is necessary to address the
complex challenges in Rakhine State today.The recommendations of the Rakhine Advisory Commission provide us with a
clear roadmap. Our implementation Committee began its work last week and in due
course we will be inviting observers to witness some of our programmes.Mr. President,
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
The recent events in Rakhine State are a painful reminder that we face difficult
challenges ahead on the long journey towards peace, prosperity and democracy.
However, please allow me to reiterate this: our commitment to peace remains as
strong and as unwavering today as it was one year ago when our State Counsellor,
DawAung San SuuKyi, first addressed you from this podium.As part of this commitment, we have made the national reconciliation and peace
process our top priority. Our vision here is clear: to achieve a democratic, federal
Union, based on the principles of freedom, justice, equal rights and self-determination.
With regard to the peace process in the country, I am pleased to inform you that in
May this year, we successfully held the second session of our Union Peace Conference.
For the first time, we were able to discuss and define key principles that will form the
basis of a federal, democratic Union. The Union Accord, consisting of thirty-seven
principles covering the political, economic, social and environmental sectors was
signed by representatives of the government, the parliament, the military, ethnic armed
organizations and political parties.Although we have made real progress, we know that the road ahead is long and
convoluted. Our democratic transition is fragile. At this important juncture in our
nation’s history, we only ask that the international community continues to support our
efforts to achieve peace, prosperity and democracy.
The remarks by Myanmar’s Vice President constitute the most throughout explanation of the government’s position to-date.
The danger however, is that the statement might be drowned out by both the well-meaning and devious voices who have taken on board, a more simplistic explanation of the crisis. India, which seeks to use its support of Myanmar towards its own economic gain, is employing an exploitative tactic which is ultimately unhelpful, especially when one accounts for the deeply discriminatory policies against minorities which has become a feature of the current Indian government.
What will therefore become necessary is for Myanmar to borrow a page from Syria’s book and internationalise the conflict on a limited basis and more importantly, on Myanmar’s own terms. The fact that Syria invited Iran, Russia and Hezbollah into the conflict to help fight terrorism, has meant that there is increasingly little room for others to get in the way. This has helped Syria preserve her sovereignty and end the crisis on terms set by Syria, not foreign actors.
Myanmar could and should work on putting together a regional peace keeping initiative (certainly not a military contingent) made up various nations. China and Russia come to mind and as a Muslim nation of South East Asia, Indonesia could also help assist, if the terms agreed to met various preconditions on all sides.
The danger for Myanmar is that if the issue is internationalised by Myanmar’s enemies, it could put Myanmar’s territorial integrity into danger. It could also lead to terrorist groups in Rakhine receiving additional arms both through a misunderstanding of their role and due to the fact that some international players, want to purposefully inflame the situation for their own perceived gains.
The statement Myanmar’s Vice President delivered before the UN is actually a very good start, but unless Myanmar continues to positively engage with her allies and the United Nations, there could be a slippery slope for a country that many seek to destabilise, not because of real sympathies with any one faction in the Civil War, but because of Myanmar’s strategic importance for China.
The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
WhaT gives? Duran providing cover for ethnic cleansing of human beings (muslims or otherwise) in Myanmar? What is going on there must be condemned unconditionally….
Don’t jump to the conclusion that our media propose. Read more widely.
Read up on this, and don’t swallow the MSM propaganda. This situation has nothing to do with religion. It is all about two pipelines transporting oil from Burma directly to China, to be financed by something other than US dollars. The conflict has been manufactured by Israel (which has provoked the initial attack allegedly by the Rohingyas against the Burmese Security Forces who retaliated. Israel provides all the weapons and ammunition, and its lackeys, the US MSM, rages about genocide. This is a pretext we need for “humanitarian intervention” – but not because the US cares about the Rohingyas, but… Read more »
Here’s an excerpt from http://www.gearoidocolmain.org/rohingya-psyops-us-covert-war-myanmar/ “The United Nations has accused the Government of Myanmar of committing ‘genocide’ against the Rohingya Muslim minority in the country’s troubled Rakhine State. In recent weeks the crisis in Myanmar has escalated, with human rights groups and NGOs publishing copious denunciations of the alleged human rights abuses and mass murder committed by the Myanmar Armed Forces, (Tatmadaw). The Myanmar government claims that they are fighting a war on terrorism against forces which seek to destabilise the state, Islamist forces in particular. They also claim that the so-called ethnic minority commonly referred to as ‘Rohingya’ are… Read more »
“…In the 19th century, the British Raj brought in Bengalis to work…”. I suppose, even after 200 years, it is now justified to massacre them?
“Despite thousands of serious allegations of rape, pillage and mass murder committed by these Bengali immigrants in Myanmar…” You are sounding too much like AfD in Germany … Just throw blanket accusations at a vulnerable group, and after that anything is allowed.
Before replying to Godfree Roberts, you probably should have read the link he provided. Your response to him shows that you either did not read it or did not understand it, if you read it.
Actually I did the report on the link and quoted a passage for that article.
Thank you very much for this link. It is difficult to find cogent information on this topic. My only criticism is that it refers to western, or US, involvement, but for some reason never mentions the agent that actually stirs the geopolitical pot, Israel. The US and NATO are merely supine tools at Israel’s disposal, yet Israel itself always remains under the radar and is rarely even mentioned, and never held accountable for anything. Doing so is being criminalized, I know. The only thing I have read so far is that both parties in the Burmese conflict are being armed… Read more »
Can you provide a link for Israel’s involvement? It sounds familiar!
Actually, more than one. But here is one – look at the last paragraph of the exerpts: The “Rohingya insurgency” in Rakhine state is hardly the organic, local response to long-standing state suppression it claims to be. The group, now known as the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) and formerly known as Harakah al-Yakin, is led by Ataullah abu Ammar Junjuni, a Pakistani national who worked as a Wahhabi imam in Saudi Arabia prior to arriving in Myanmar. According to a Reuters report from last year, the group is financed by both Pakistan and Saudi Arabia — and “a committee… Read more »
Thanks. The whole thing sounded fishy from the start…
Indeed it did. Every red flag I can think of. And when it turned out that the pictures of the slaughtered Rohingya babies were stock footage from other conflicts, that did it for me. they don’t learn from experience. Now, that the White Helmets propaganda has been debunked for what it is, they are still resorting to the same cheap tricks.
The same tricks are not working as well anymore. MSM credibility is below 20% in the US, and almost as bad throughout the West. They’re losing control of the narrative.
Still trying to remember where else I read about Israeli financing. Also found this: Excerpts: “In many respects, the issues in Myanmar are just another way for Israel and the west to distract Muslims from the plight of Palestine, the group of mostly Muslim and some Christian peoples who have suffered the longest under oppression, starvation and ethnic cleansing. Rohingya has its own ‘free army’ now, something which can only made a bad situation worse. Specially this ‘free army’ used to be known as Al-Yaqeen and is related to branches of the banned Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood movement which continues to… Read more »
and this: https://www.globalwitness.org/…/myanmar-oil-and-gas/
Here I found more, and something more specific: Israel has continued to sell weapons to Myanmar as thousands of Rohingya refugees flee the military’s violent crackdown in the Rakhine state. The weapons sold to Myanmar include over 100 tanks, weapons and boats used to police the country’s border, according to human rights groups and Burmese officials. Israeli arms companies such as TAR Ideal Concepts have also been involved in training Burmese special forces who are currently in the Rakhine state where most of the violence has taken place. Images previously posted on the arms company’s website showed its staff instructing… Read more »
Thanks. I’m building a file here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WcFhndjfVyMyTPPJBSaod9Fyf_OgOyS8T-eXBzWjJLA/edit?usp=sharing
Thank you very much. We have to put this information out there, to counter the MSM propaganda which (shockingly) is still believed verbatim by a majority of Americans.
I actually have boycotted our media ever since their promotion of the war against Saddam’s fictitious WMD. So no worries there. But in this particular case I happen to have first hand information from the region. It is ethnic cleansing of the natives.
I live near the Thai-Myanmar border where 5-10% of the population are Muslim and Thai-Muslim relations are good. There is no word here of one-sided atrocities and a general acknowledgement that ‘Saudi money’ is behind much of the problem. Beware atrocity stories, especially where resources are concerned..
I too, have numerous sources of first hand information (independent of any media or journalists) about the refugee flow into Bangladesh and the atrocities these men, women and children are fleeing from. It is heartbreaking. I do not know who is doing what in Myanmar, but please do not justify them by saying that “Despite thousands of serious allegations of rape, pillage and mass murder committed by these Bengali immigrants in Myanmar…” (as in one of your recent posts on this thread). This is a typical xenophobic excuse. All communities are very similar, with good and bad among them (exceptions… Read more »
Were you equally outraged by Syria’s “Sarin gas”? Iraq’s “WMD”?
I had and have immense sadness and empathy for the victims in Syria – whether sarin gas or not. No matter who the perpetrators are, when the big dogs fight, it is the helpless innocents who suffer (I, as a child, had experienced the horrors of a civil war). So, I am a bit saddened at the tone of may comments here that seem to have a taint of xenophobia and anti-muslim sentiment. As for Iraqi WMD, not sure where you are going with the question. As I had mentioned before, that was the moment when I had stopped reading/watching… Read more »
Perhaps Myanmar, unlike Europe, is reluctant to be overwhelmed by a typical creeping Muslim invasion.
A second surprise on Duran, which I have actually started to like – this time this bigoted commentary. The people being killed and evicted are natives.
Why am I not surprised at your position that anyone who disagrees with you is a bigot. That’s the usual response of the political agitator. The people of Myanmar lived more or less peacefully with the Rohingya until the Rohingya decided to become tools of greater Islam, and the Anglo/Zionist empire. The Buddhists of Myanmar don’t need or want the Islamic grief, and the Rohingya are becoming very unwelcome. That’s what happens when a minority ethnic group really irritates the majority ethnic group or haven’t you read enough history to know this. Have you noticed the enormous propaganda push this… Read more »
If you don’t consider broad brush statements like “allegations of rape, pillage and mass murder committed by these Bengali immigrants in Myanmar, …“, “ … a typical creeping Muslim invasion….” (taken from some of the comments here) to be bigoted, then I am in the wrong community. Additionally, when someone says “this Wahabbist insurrection” then he/she shows his/her lack of knowledge about south/east Asia. Wahabism comes from Saudi Arabia, does not represent the majority of Muslims, and traditionally is not practiced by Muslims living in that part of the world. These people (Muslim or otherwise) are as much victims of… Read more »
What if it’s true? What if your precious Rohingya Bengali immigrants are guilty as charged? Wahhabism has been violently exported by Saudi Arabia throughout the world. The Wahhabi terrorists have been active in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East; Syria, Lybia, and Iraq especially come to mind. I think Myanmar is well aware of the danger of Wahhabi terrorists. The suffering of the Rohingja may be real, but what caused the reaction of the Myanmar Buddhist community? It’s not the nature of Buddhists to pick a fight without just cause. Good luck with regime change in Myanmar, but the victim… Read more »
Regime change? Are you suggesting that? I did not. First you make racist/xenophobic comments, and when I show the evidence then you go mum and try to put words in my mouth. And you don’t seem to understand that these Rohingyas can be as much victims (of geopolitics and Wahabism) as anyone else. Do you realize that non-wahabi Mulsims have suffered 1000x more than any other ethnic and religious group in the hands of Saudi Wahabis and muslim extremists? I suppose not. I am as much against empire and Anglozioinism as anyone else. But that does mean that one has… Read more »
Once again, the use of bold lettering in the midst of a long quotation highlights the terrible, difficult-to-read typeface that is your new ‘standard’ for quotations. Why do you not learn from this and change the font?
So, is ARSA a Soros organisation?
Hoping for a Kosovo Mark II..
Is this the CIA and a Soros NGO spreading Wahhabi philosophy amongst Myanmar’s young Muslims, then arming them, and all that?
Got it ?
Objective ?? To stop China building a pipeline, see @ https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-04-11/china-opens-delayed-myanmar-oil-link-to-get-mideast-crude-faster..
remember ! It’s always shekels !!
Yup finally an more sober article, witch gives us al an more nuanced image of the issue in Myanmar/Burma. Yeah, how uh…. CONvenient and of course, CONvinsing when the lying prestitutes take an side, we all know the truth is diametrically opposite to any type of sniveling drivel the can muster, Muslims on top of it, yeah, they have to be terrorists, not all Muslims are terrorists, but all terrorists are Muslims, right Americans, whom else, huh, yeah one tribe likes t behead, the other one loves to sodomize. uISISa (Their GOD=Guns, Oil and Drugs) or ISIS (saudi backed lunatics,… Read more »
The Buddhist Burmese are wise to ruthlessly suppress this Wahabbist insurrection before it gets much traction.
Otherwise, that will be their future ?..
I have no mercy, again, this time an different angle witch even I was not aware of, all thoe I have had it in the corner of my eyes, but the MSM is as usually either dead silent or lies about everything, its no middle ground. I sincerely hope, since this case is getting uglyer by the day, that this Myanmar officials are honest, I dont expect much to be frank, because non of this latest events are new, and the hate propaganda against Islam isnt even new, but again, we are feed half of everything or story’s witch is… Read more »