No ethnic hatred

That was a response made by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of the National League for Democracy, when asked whether the Rohingyas should be regarded as Myanmar nationals.

It is undeniable that the word “Rohingya” appeared in the country in the 1950s. Although these so-called Rohingyas insisted that they had settled in Myanmar aeons ago, this name came to us only in the 1950s.

There is a Rakhine ethnic group called the Kaman who believe Muslims have lived in Rakhine state since ancient times. Historical records show some Hindus also migrated to Myanmar in the Rakhine Vesali period. It should be clearly understood that the Rohingyas are different from these people. However, those who have fully dominated the Buthedaung and Maungdaw areas are not included in these ancient indigenous ethnics.

Historians have remarked that the so-called Rohingyas came to Myanmar after the country became a British colony. Rather than a mass migration, they gradually drifted into the country. According to the existing law, residents who descended from races living in Myanmar before 1824 are regarded as citizens. There was no usage of “Rohingya” in the colonial period. Instead they were commonly known as the “Chittagonians”, descendants of people from the Mayu frontier area (East Pakistan in the past, now Chittagong of Bangladesh at present). This controversial issue is still being debated by academics.

In accordance with British officers’ records, local residents were displaced due to the mass infiltration of migrants from Chittagong into the Buthedaung and Maungdaw areas after Rakhine state fell under British rule. While there has been a long history of accusations by both sides, the absence of the rule of law resulted in losses for indigenous Rakhine peoples. In reviewing the 1942 or 1988 unrest, violence broke out in the areas where the Rakhine people are in the minority. They were the real losers.

Where was the starting point for the recent unrest? The riots began in the Buthedaung and Maungdaw areas, where many Rohingyas are in the majority, as well as in Sittwe and nearby villages where about half the population is Rohingya. Then, who carried out the arson attacks? According to our evidence, it is almost certain that Rakhine people did not carry out these attacks.

This violence was not a religious riot as mentioned by foreign media. While the construction of a mosque near the site of the World Trade Centre in New York was not allowed, there is a mosque located near the famous Sule Pagoda in downtown Yangon. Hindu temples and Christian churches are located side-by-side near Buddhist monasteries in Myanmar. Religious festivals are joyously celebrated in the country. Not only ethnic groups but also various religions have suffered under the brutal military regime in different eras. However, the ethnic groups did not create the problems. Buddhists are living peacefully with members of other religions.

The reports by some foreign media were extremely biased. If local media are accused of bias in reporting the side of Myanmar nationals, it can also be concluded that foreign media are siding with the Rohingyas.

Some foreign newspapers and media put the losses of the so-called Rohingyas out of proportion. Four reporters of the Eleven Media Group were covering the violence in Rakhine state, but the reports by foreign journalists were totally different from the actual events in Rakhine state and the reports of Eleven Media journalists. They should go to the scene in person to see for themselves. They even wrongly mentioned that the Rakhine state is the land of the Rohingyas. Photos of burnt Rakhine houses were just captioned as the destroyed houses of locals. Photos of Rohingyas who were holding kerosene containers, kerosene torches and various weapons were not posted; foreign media mentioned the Rakhine people who were protecting their property by holding bamboo weapons and patrolling by motorbike. If we did not have photos, people across the world would believe their lopsided reports.