The establishment of Mrauk-U
Dynasty in Arakan during the 13th century saw the beginning of
Muslim migration. Muslims settled in the Arakan state beginning 1430’s. Mrauk-U (Mrohaung) Kingdom in Arakan was an
independent state, neither part of the Burmese Kingdoms in the Irrawaddy Delta
and Central Burma nor was it a part of the Bengal Sultanate and the Moguls in
the west. Muslim traders came to the area in the eighth century when the local
dynasty was seated at Wesali, not far from contemporary Mrauk-U and some of the
traders settled along the shores. More Muslim sailors made their way to the
Arakan region during the twelfth and thirteenth century. Migrants also
gradually filtered into Arakan from neighboring Muslim Bengal. Muslims who were part of Mrauk-U kingdom
identified themselves as Rohingya or natives of Arakan. The earliest use of the terminology Rohingya
was recorded from 1799 onwards in British journals. This society can be
described as a non exclusive and non homogeneous but were inclusive and had liberal relationship with other non-Muslim communities.
Going back to earlier history in
the 1430s when Mrauk-U was being invaded by forces of the Burmese kingdom at
Ava, King Narmeikhla sought help from Bengal Sultanate (Jalaluddin Muhammad Shah,
Sultan of Bengal) and he managed to expel the invaders with the help of the Muslim
army. The link between Bengal and Mrauk-U from this point solidified, to the
extent that the Mrauk-U King began to use Muslim court titles along with
traditional ones. Buddhist kings ruled Mrauk-U but Muslim officials often
played a significant role in the court. In 1784, the Burmese King Bodawpaya
conquered and incorporated the Arakan region into his kingdom of Ava in central
Burma. As a consequence of the invasion, refugees began to pour into what is
today the Cox's Bazar area of southern Chittagong. So the refugees issue
technically is a not a new one but has been there since the late 16th
century.
Eventually The British colonized
Burma in a series of three wars beginning in 1824. During their rule, the Arakan
problem declined as the British allowed for a relative degree of local
autonomy. During this period a larger population of Bengali Muslims (from
the Indian state of Bengal now Bangladesh) moved in to the region as migrant
workers which was detested by the original Arakan Muslims. The Chittagong
District borders Arakan and thus Chittagonian Muslim Bengalis were brought into
Arakan as cheap labourers, peasants and coolies by the British.
During the Japanese occupation of
Burma communal violence erupted particularly against those groups that had
benefited from British colonial rule. The Burmese nationalists attacked Karen
and Indian communities, while in Arakan, Rakhine and Rohingya villagers
attacked one another causing a displacement of Buddhist villagers to the south
and Muslims to the north. An estimate of 22,000 Rohingya are believed to have
crossed the border into Bengal during this time.
To carry out guerilla attacks
against the Japanese the British sought help from the Muslims in Arakan
promising them an independent territory when the war ended. But the British
never kept their promise and when eventually Burma gained independence in 1948,
Arakan became part of Burma and the Rohingya’s were left in a lurch dealing with
the Burmese who already had animosity with them. From then on the struggle
continued. In 1962 when General Ne Win took power, Rohingyas were officially
treated as second class citizens by revoking their political and social status.
Hence the Rohingyas became stateless. By 1978 more than 200,000 refugees poured
into Bangladesh, and then again by 1991, even bigger numbers crossed
Bangladesh.
In 1974, inspired by the rise of Islamist movements around the world, the Rohingya Patriotic Front (PFO) armed group
was formed from leftovers of earlier organized uprising that did not succeed in their quest. The PFO eventually broke up into several splinter groups, amongst which was the most fanatical was the
Rohingya Solidarity Organization (RSO) an armed group formed in 1982. The RSO further broke up in
1986, which led to the formation of Arakan Rohingya Islamic Front (ARIF) in 1998. Then this two groups formed an alliance with the Arakan Rohingya National
Organisation. But it was in 2013 saw a turning point in the arms struggle of the Rohingyas when a new but much more organized and funded outfit
called ARSA (Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army)
formerly known as Haraqah Al Yakin, was formed. The founder is Ataullah Abu
Ammar Jununi, a Rohingya born in Karachi, Pakistan, and grew up in Mecca, Saudi
Arabia. So now the connection becomes clearer and wider. I guess at this stage
you can fill in the rest. So with this new threat, the Burmese (now Myanmar) government has stepped up their actions against the Rohingyas.
So the culprit here like any
other place be it India/Pakistan, Iraq/Iran, Pakistan/Baluchistan,
Israel/Palestine and many more flashpoints in the world has the dirty hands of
the British.
So you tell me who should be
ultimately responsible for this deadlock that has caused the deaths, and more
importantly the creation of new crisis in Burma, Bangladesh, India and of
course in Malaysia.
The Rohingyas want to survive and
live. Years of persecution has hardened them, hence their ruffian like
behavior. They are what they are, a man’ made tragedy. Bangladesh which is already
plaqued with their own problems had inherited the Rohingya refugees by default.
Bangladesh does not have the capacity to manage them, what more to provide
permanent solutions. To this end, UNHCR has also its hands tied with no country
willing to accept them permanently. Hence the Rohingyas instead of rotting in
these poorly managed refugee camps, have slowly taken steps by themselves to
illegally jump ship to other countries. India was of course their logical choice
owing to proximity, and they have slowly penetrated all over India and in some
cities they have created their own illegal colonies. But since Modi came into
power, coupled with strong socio-political lobby against the Rohingya’s
proliferation, extreme measures are being taken by the Indian government to
deal with the Rohingyas, one of which is the citizenship registration exercise.
Malaysia has always hosted refugees, though she is not a signatory to the United Nations
convention on refugees and migrant rights. Since the arrival of the Vietnamese
boat people in 70’s, to the Rohingyas now in Malaysia, we have witnessed a
steady inflow of both refugees as well as illegal immigrants. One factor that
has emboldened the inflow of Muslim refugees and illegal immigrants is the fact
that Malaysia being a Muslim majority country has always been welcoming to
other Muslims, regardless of their status. That being a noble act by our fellow
brethren is highly commendable, but this has been taken advantage by these
questionable migrants to the point that it has affected the socio-economic
fabric of this country, and its national security.
Many people fail to understand
that any migrant community would work hard and persevere to improve their
socio-economic status in the country of domicile. What more the Rohingyas, all
they need is a small gap, and they would take total advantage to not only pull
themselves from their rut but also make the best of that opportunity. I guess
that is what we are seeing today, for many Malaysians, the Rohingyas are a
menace, to many businesses they are a competitor. With an exclusive and
defensive self-construct, they stand apart and exhibit a predatory behavior not
only in Malaysia but wherever they go.
Having said all of these that
does not negate the fact that they are illegal immigrants as far as Malaysia is
concerned because we do not recognize refugees.
In fact, I would even be
inclined to say that they are not our problem at all, therefore the enforcement
agencies must take all precautions to deter the landing of these illegal
immigrants, because moving from one refugee camp (Bangladesh) to another
country cannot classify them as refugees in the first place.
However, from newspaper
reports we have been made to understand that there are already thousands of
Rohingyas who are already in Malaysia, hence on humanitarian grounds they
should be managed the same way how our country along with the UNHCR and the Malaysian
Red Crescent Society managed the Vietnamese boat people. That means a proper
refugee camp with sufficient infrastructure and facilities should be built to eventually
house them. I believe this can be done with the assistance of the UNHCR and
other global agencies such as the ICRC together with private funding, until a
permanent solution or a proper repatriation is done.
Otherwise if the
government feels that the Rohingyas should be given a second chance in this
country, then let’s give them citizenship and make them Malaysians, so that
they come under the formal jurisdiction of the country.
But by prolonging their
current status, it is only going to lead to more uncertainty and chaos to all.
Ravi Varmman
1051
Subang Jaya
26042020
