(By Shau Khat alias MSK Jilani), USA
The name' Rohingya ' was not given by the separatists nor fundamentalists from Bangladesh after 1993-94. The word' Rohingya ' is a legitimate and recognized word during the periods of democratic rules in Burma.
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 Burma history written by the Burmese officials and historians. Do they know these facts?
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 March 28, 1942 in which about 100,000 Rohingyas were massacred and about 80,000 had to flee their sacred motherland. Due to divide and rule policy of the alien powers today, Rakhines – Rohingyas relation have become increasingly strained and they have become unfriendly and do not trust each other. It is irony that the Rakhines are always at loggerheads with the Rohingyas under the patronage of the administration. The Rakhines with the government often use every opportunity to argue or fight against Rohingyas.
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, Rangoon University makes strong recommendation on Rohingyas as Rohingya is an ethnic group and bonafide citizen of Arakan.
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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