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BETWEEN ROHINGYA AND MYANMAR

By :

Salsabila Sofia (04311740000065)


Rifqiyyatun Nafisah (04311740000073)
Ahmad Naufali Azmi ( 04311740000081)
Abdullah Husin Baredwan (04311740000089)

Lecturer :

Ratna Rintaningrum, SS., M.Ed., PhD


English Class 45

INSTITUT TEKNOLOGI SEPULUH NOPEMBER


FAKULTAS TEKNOLOGI KELAUTAN
DEPARTEMEN TEKNIK KELAUTAN
2017

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PREFACE

Thank God we pray to the presence of God Almighty who has bestowed His grace and
guidance so that we as student of Sepuluh Nopember Surabaya of Institut Technology can
finish this English paper.
The successful preparation of this paper is the hard work of our group which certainly
can’t be separated from the direction of some parties. Do not forget to thank Mem Ratna, as
our lecturer of English Language.
We sincerely hope this paper can be useful to add the readers insight into Between
Rohingya and Myanmar. We are also fully aware that in our paper there are many
shortcomings. Therefore, we expect Mem’s criticism and suggestions for the improvement of
the paper in the future.
Hopefully this paper can be understood for anyone who reads it. Finally, we apologize
if there are words that are less pleasing.

Surabaya,October 23 2017

Group 10

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TABLE OF CONTENT

PREFACE ......................................................................................................................... i

TABLE OF CONTENTS .................................................................................................. ii

1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................ 1
1.1.Background of the Study ................................................................................ 1
1.2.Problem Statements ........................................................................................
1.3.Purpose of Writing ..........................................................................................
2. ROHINGYA PEOPLE..........................................................................................
2.1.Short History About Rohingya People ...........................................................
2.2.The Recent News about Rohingya People ......................................................
3. CONFLICT OF THE ETHNIC SPIRITS .............................................................
3.1.The Cause of the Conflict of Myanmar and Rohingya ...................................
3.2.Chronology of the Rohingya Ethnic Case ......................................................
3.3.The Responsible Group on the Case of Rohingya ..........................................
3.4.International Reactions about Rohingya .........................................................
4. GROUP PERSPECTIVE ......................................................................................
5. CONCLUTION AND RECOMMENDATION ...................................................

REFERENCE ....................................................................................................................

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Chapter 1
Introduction

1.1 Introduction
The reason why we choose the topic is because the cas of moslems in Rohingya have
been there for such a long time and people cant seem to find it interesting. It,s not because of
people in the world not knowing, but people not wanting to know and not respect. In fact, there
are already many victims, but people still close their eyes and ears.

1.2 Problem Statements


1. Exactly who are the moslems in Rohingya?
2. Where is the distribution of refugees and the new condition about them?
3. What happen between moslem’s in Rohingya and the goverment?
4. How to chronology the case of ethnic spirits?
5. who is the most take effect in this case? as well as what effect it has
6. How did the international reactions of the world reacts the problem between the
moslems and Myanmar?
7. What are our opinion and what can we do to help also fix the problem as college
students?

1.3 Purpose Of Writing


 Recognizing who the Moslem of Rohingya is
 Recognizing the distribution of refugees and the new condition about them
 Recognizing what happen between moslem in Rohingya and the government
 Recognizing the ethnic spirits’ chronology
 Recognizing who the most take effect in this case is
 Recognizing the international reactions of the problem between Rohingya and
Myanmar
 Knowing our opinion and what we can do as college student about Rohingya
and Myanmar

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Chapter 2
Rohingya People

2.1 Short History about Rohingya People


Rohingya is a group of people who is inhabit in the State of Rakhine on the west coast
of Myanmar. Some of the experts claiming that Rohingya People came from Bengali or also
known as Bangladesh. At the beginning at the reign on Britain in Myanmar, they immigrate
workers from Bangladesh to Rakhine to become a farm laborer. This is the origin of the arrival
of Rohingya people.
At the beginning there are only 5% of Muslim in Myanmar on the early days of
migration which is dominated by Rohingya People. But in years, the amount of Muslim is
increasing rapidly.
From the aspect of religion, the reason why people do believe that the “Rohingya Ethnic
Cleansing” was happen because of religions problem are based on a tragedy in Britain Era,
were Britain do massacre in Rakhine, but only attack those Buddhist Rakhine. This is clearly
cause jealousy where only of one ethnic just being slaughters, but those Buddhist Rakhine is a
native in Myanmar.
Since then the Buddhist Rakhine used to dispute the rohingya, besides considered as
immigrants, the fact that they followed a minority religion, which is Islam, make them opposed
Rohingya people.
Moreover, in 1982, the government made a policy that is considered to be unfair
because the government doesn’t want to admit Rohingya people as citizen of Myanmar. After
released this policy, mass slaughter against Rohingya people constantly happens. Murder,
torture, rape, and many other crimes were against Rohingya people. So they tried to find a
better life by escaping to other countries.

3.2 The Recent News about Rohingya People


The latest problem of Rohingya refugees on this September as mentioned in
businessinsider.com are “Myanmar is committing crimes against humanity in its campaign
against Muslim insurgents in Rakhine state, …. The International Criminal Court defines
crimes against humanity as act including murder, torture, rape, and deportation “when
committed of a widespread or systematic attack directed against any civilian population, with
knowledge of the attack”. Human Rights Watch said its research, supported by analysis of

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satellite imaginery, had found crimes of deportation and forced population transfers, murder,
and attempted murder, rape, and other sexual assault and persecution.”
After the massacre of Rohingya people in this August, Rohingya people start to
evacuate themselves to other countries such as Bangladesh, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, etc,
using boat. But sadly, some of the boats are sinking because overload and they can’t survive
with the waves and storms.
The latest news about Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh said that the amount of the
refugees in their country is more than 700.000 people. It increased a lot in this year because of
the latest massacre toward them in Rakhine. The excessive amount of the refugees start to
create problems in Bangladesh authorities. Recently, Myanmar proposes Rohingya refugees
return to Bangladesh government. The latest news from Al-Jazeera, United Nation says more
than 14,000 children are at risk of dying from malnutrition in the refugee camps in Bangladesh.
In Malaysia, the government provides temporary shelter for Rohingya refugees. There
are more than 100,000 refugees in Malaysia even though Malaysia has not signed the United
Nation Refugee Convention. The Rohingya people are supposed to be treats as “illegal
migrants” but they are welcoming the refugee to come to Malaysia instead.
Thailand was ever being the number one destination for Rohingya refugee to escape,
but in 2015, some of the refugees being victims in human trafficking syndicate that led them
to be abandoned at sea. In 2017 the Prime Minister of Thailand already said that Thailand will
provide shelter like in the past.
In Indonesia, government accepting the refugee to transit for humanitarian reasons. In
early 2017, there are 959 Rohingya people that spread in all over Indonesia, from Aceh, Medan,
Makassar, until Jakarta. Mayor of Bandung city, Ridwan Kamil announce that they are
welcoming the refugee to transit in Bandung until the conflict in Myanmar dispersed. He also
take action to collect fund in digital platform Kitabisa.com, he set the target only Rp 1 billion,
but unfortunately he gain the empathy of Indonesian people so he pass the target and get Rp
1,2 billion in less than 7 days. Meanwhile, he set the deadline for 25 days.

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Chapter 3
Conflict of ethnic spirits

3.1 The Cause of the Conflicts of Myanmar and Rohingya


The Rohingyas are a predominantly Muslim community located in Myanmar's eastern
Rakhine state. They have a population of around one million people, but they are not the largest
group in this state. The Rakhine, who are Buddhists, are in the majority. The Rakhine
community as a whole feels culturally discriminated, economically exploited, and politically
sidelined by the central government, which is dominated by ethnic Burmese. In this particular
context, the Rohingyas are perceived by the Rakhine people as additional competitors for
resources and a threat to their own identity, which is the main cause of tension in the state and
has led to numerous armed conflicts between the two groups.
Furthermore, the Rakhines feel politically betrayed, as the Rohingyas do not vote for
their parties. This has created more animosities between the two ethnic groups. The
government, instead of fostering reconciliation, is supporting Rakhine Buddhist
fundamentalists in order to safeguard its interests in the resource-rich state. These factors are
the major reasons behind the rise of intercommunal, interethnic and interreligious conflicts, as
well as the worsening of Rohingyas' living conditions and socio-political rights in the state.
In short, a domestic solution to the Rohingya problem would only be possible if
Myanmar's ruling elite and decision-makers change their mindset. But the struggle over the
state's resources, benefits from development projects and the exponential rise of Buddhist
fundamentalism might not allow that change to happen.
Interreligious relations are very complex in Myanmar. Muslims, especially the
Rohingyas, are confronted with a deeply-entrenched Islamophobia in a predominantly
Buddhist society and state. The fundamentalists claim that the country's Buddhist culture and
society are under siege by Muslims, even more so when Myanmar is surrounded by many
Islamic countries, like Bangladesh, Malaysia and Indonesia. The Rohingyas are seen as a threat
to Buddhist lifestyle and faith as well as a gateway to Myanmar's Islamization.
But there is an economic aspect to the issue, too. Rakhine state is one of the country's
poorest areas, despite being rich in natural resources. The Rohingyas are thus considered an
additional economic burden on the state, as they compete for the few available jobs and
opportunities to do business. The jobs and businesses in the state are mostly occupied by the

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Burmese elite. As a result, we can say that Buddhist resentment against the Rohingyas is not
only religious; it is also political and economically driven.
The democration so far has not yielded any noteworthy improvements for the
community. Myanmar's politics proves how a democratic process can establish a majority
regime with no concern for the country's minorities. Myanmar has a political system that is
based on majority rule without any institutionalized minority protection.
However, there was much hope that democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi would change
the situation and work for a more inclusive political culture. But the Nobel laureate has
surprised political observers by maintaining a disturbing silence regarding the plight of the
Rohingyas.

3.2 Chronology of the Rohingyas Ethnic Case

1. Before October 2016 there was an attack on Rohingya ethnicity

Ethnic Rohingya live on the border with Bangladesh, it is very easy to expel Rohingya
people to leave Myanmar and settle in Bangladesh. Earlier in World War II, many Rohingya
people who also immigrated to Bangladesh and currently reside in Rohingya only 90,000
people. Many conspiracies are growing in Asia about Rohingyas, some say Muslims as
terrorists, others say Muslims do not want to go back and embrace Buddha until they are killed.
However, compared to a conspiracy, the growing fact is that the Rohingyans inhabited the
ethnic group in Myanmar.

Early last month, Myanmar police said Islamic militants attacked three guard posts on
the Bangladesh border, killing nine officers. Since then, more than a hundred people have been
killed and hundreds have been arrested by the Myanmar military. Approximately 150 thousand
people are not receiving food and medical supplies, dozens of women claim to be raped and
more than 1,200 houses were burned. About 30,000 residents have taken refuge.
The Burmese military now bans humanitarian volunteers and independent journalists
from entering conflict areas in Arakan State or better known as Rakhine inhabited by the
majority of Rohingyas. This new wave of violence marked a dramatic escalation since October
2016 when the Rohingya militia carried out smaller scale attacks.
Refugees accused Burmese security forces and radical Buddhist militants of burning
their villages. The Burmese government has argued, their security forces have just taken a

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backlash against last month's attacks on more than 20 police stations by the Rohingya militia.
Subsequent clashes later made many civilians both Islamic and Buddhist, fleeing from their
villages.

2. After October 2016 there is Great Revenge

After the militia attack in October 2016, the military carried out a vengeance operation,
and many Rohingyas allege that in the operation the security forces carried out rape, murder,
village burning and torture. The UN has called the military's counterattack against the
Rohingyas last October as a crime against humanity.

The Burmese military says they will as much as possible restrain themselves but also
affirm 'have the right to defend themselves from terrorist attacks'. The UN defines Rohingyas
as a religious and linguistic minority of western Myanmar and that the Rohingyas are one of
the most persecuted or ill-treated minorities in the world.
But the origin of the Rohingyas, and how they appear in Myanmar, is a controversial
issue. Some historians say this group has come from hundreds of years ago and others say they
have just emerged as the power of identity in the last century. The Myanmar government insists
that they are newcomers to the Indian subcontinent, so the country's constitution does not
include them in indigenous groups of citizens entitled to citizenship.
They live in one of the poorest states of Myanmar, and their movement and access to
work is severely restricted. Historically, the majority of the inhabitants of Rakhine hate the
presence of Rohingyas they see as Muslims from other countries and there is widespread hatred
against Rohingyas in Myanmar. On the other hand, the Rohingyas feel that they are part of
Myanmar and claim to be persecuted by the state. Bangladesh's neighboring country has
received hundreds of thousands of refugees from Myanmar and is no longer able to
accommodate them.
Myanmar also has a long history of interethnic distrust that is left to exist, and
sometimes exploited, by the military. Although there is often no direct connection between the
various tensions of the community, the distrust of the ethnic groups is now open after freedom.
Observers say that the government is not doing enough to overcome the violence and therefore
raises the risk of further conflict.
In 1988, a new system emerged in Myanmar. Despite the military authoritarian regime
that leads, but Myanmar uses the market system. At that time there was a new law called The
Union of Myanmar Foreign Investment Law (can agan-agan search on google about the Act).

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This legal umbrella is the protection of the exploration and development sector of the oil and
natural gas sector involving foreign corporations.
In the case of Arakan this is a fight about oil and natural gas. In 2005, the Chinese gas
company signed a gas contract with the Myanmar government to manage oil exploration. From
the conflict of economic interest from the economic conflict to horizontal social conflict. The
military regime in Myanmar from the Ne Win era until now, it has involved foreign companies
such as Chevron US and Total France, whereas these two countries are on the surface raised
the issue of human rights. It seems difficult to avoid allegations of a business struggle playing
through the back door of Myanmar's military regime.
The deliberate attempts to seize land rights, denial of citizenship, mass slaughter,
expulsion, burning bans on the exercise of worship, the closure of food supply lines, and a host
of other brutal acts are at odds with humanitarian and human rights values. Discriminatory acts
against Rohingya Muslims are religious background. This can not be allowed to continue.
Persecution carried out by military means to civilians should be stopped immediately. All the
nations of the world must be responsible for the fate and future of the Rohingyas in Myanmar.
The actions of the Myanmar army can not be tolerated in any name. In fact, these
measures indicate an ethnic eradication scenario against Rohingya Muslims. It turned out that
it was not only suppressed by the military and Burmese government. The Rohingyas are also a
source of horizontal conflict between religions. Horizontal conflicts are getting heated when
religious leaders have started to intervene. At some point near the evacuation, a group of monks
issued leaflets warning Myanmar citizens not to mix with Rohingya Muslims.
While other leaflets contain plans to destroy other ethnic groups in Myanmar. More
complicatedly, when two of Myanmar's largest monk organizations, the Sittwe Young Biksu
Association and the Bra Mrauk Oo Association called for Burmese not to mix with Rohingyas.
"Rohingya Muslims are not an ethnic Burmese group. They are the root cause of violence, "said
one of the leaders of the monk, Ashin Htawara during an event in London.
The last two months of violence that befell the ethnic minorities is for him the
government of Myanmar's affairs. Let alone get protection, be treated well just have been very
lucky. Arriving on the beaches of Bangladesh, they were collected and heavily guarded by a
fully armed officer. At gunpoint they were lined up and given a packet of rice and a bottle of
drinking water.
Military soldiers using semi-automatic assault rifles commonly used in the war, then
herded them to the dock. After that they were told to go to boats far from eligible to cross the

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ocean. With no mercy at all the soldiers did command his commander to force the refugees to
get into the boat and then return to the sea.
More saddening when Myanmar's democracy warrior and Nobel Peace Prize laureate
Aung San Suu Kyi opted for silence against Presidentin Thein Sein's policy of resolving the
Rohingya ethnic case. Currently Rohingya Muslim ethnic may be one of the most persecuted
groups in the world. Ethnic Rohingya should not exist in Myanmar and not accepted in
bangladesh. There is no choice but to ride the canoe and end up floating in the ocean. Many of
them failed to conquer the viciousness of the oceans and had to die and be buried in the ocean.
Hopefully the prayers of the persecutors can save them for the inhuman efforts of humans to
annihilate them on this earth.

3. In August 2017 there was an Attendance Attack by ARSA

The militant group calling itself the Arakan Rescuers Arakan Rohingya (ARSA),
attacked the army, police and 25 Myanmar border posts located in Rakhine on Friday, August
25, 2017. The attack again opened the old wounds of military aggression to Rakhine State
which recently stopped at February. The violence killed at least 98 people. The fighting
continues until Saturday 26 August. While military operations are still running today.

The government of Myanmar immediately evacuated at least 4,000 residents from the
state of Rakhine state due to the increasingly heated conditions. At the same time, thousands
of Rohingyas also fled to Bangladesh. They were forced to take the route because it was
abandoned by the government of Nay Pyi Taw. The heating of the situation was claimed by
the Myanmar government as a result of a rebel group of Rohingyas.
The evacuation of 4,000 Rakhine people outside Rohingya Muslims seems
discriminatory. The government of Myanmar as if to let just laid siege between the battles of
both parties. An eyewitness said, the army burned people's homes to urge militant groups out
of hiding.
Conditions are getting worse after the government accused humanitarian volunteers
colluding with ARSA militants. They argue, some biscuits from the World Food Program
(WFP) were found in one of the places suspected of militant training. A similar allegation was
made by Myanmar National Security Adviser, Thaung Tun. He said the ammonia and pipes
used by development workers were used to make bombs by ARSA militants. WFP and a
number of humanitarian agencies are asking Myanmar to prove the evidence so that it can be
traced.

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As a result of these allegations, most humanitarian organizations withdrew their staff
from Rakhine. In addition to the allegations, escalating violence has also been the reason for
the staff's withdrawal. "On the way out of Maungdaw to Buthidaung, and even on the boat, we
saw villages on fire and military helicopters on patrol. In fact, humanitarian agencies are
providing assistance to those in need. Very embarrassing, "said a foreign volunteer.
The Myanmar government insists that the clean-up action is in line with the law and
claims the burned homes are occupied by the ARSA militant group. Myanmar Welfare Minister
Win Myat Awe claimed that ARSA militants burned his home and fled.

3.3 The Responsible Group On The Case Of Rohingya

1. Ethnic Arakan

They possibly constitute 5.53% or more of Myanmar's total population, but no accurate
census figures exist. Arakanese people also live in the southeastern parts of Bangladesh,
especially in Chittagong Division and Barisal Division. A group of Arakanese descendants,
living in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh at least since the 16th century, are known as
the Marma people or Mog people. These Arakanese descendants have been living in that area
since the Arakanese kingdom's control of the Chittagong region.

Arakanese descendants spread as far north as Tripura state in India, where their presence
dates back to the ascent of the Arakanese kingdom when Tripura was ruled by Arakanese kings.
In northeast India, these Arakanese people are referred to as the Mog, while in Indian history,
the Marma (the ethnic Arakanese descendants in Bangladesh) and other Arakanese people are
referred to as the Magh people.

Rakhine or Arakan is one of the ethnic grous residing in Myanmar. This ethnic group
is in the state of Rakhine. The number of particpants include 5.53% of Myanmar’s population,
but until now there is no accurate census. The Rakhine tribe also lives in the southeastern region
of Bangladesh, mainly in Chittagong and Barisal. The history and origins of the Rakhine
Arakan tribe of Myanmar The Rakhine people have many titles, according to where they are.

2. Buddha Community

The extreme and racial movements in Myanmar regard Rohingyas as imigrants from
Bangladesh and hitherto obstructed their recognition as inhabited of Myanmar. Rohingya

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muslims also can’t enjoy as inhabited. The pressure on them increased after the 1962 cup
in Myanmar.

Extreme and radical movements have flourished among buddhist buddhists in recent
years. Accusing muslims of pursuing dominance in the country.They claim that the soft
attitude show by buddhists has encouraged muslims to take control of Myanmar and the
South Asian Region. Organisations such as Buddhist Nasionaist Grop, and Movement 969
are extreme buddhist communities in Myanmar, running islamphobia policies and calling
for a boycott of muslim businesses.

The 969 movement is the most dangerous buddhis group in Myanmar and is led by the
monk Ashin Wirathu. They are known as the number one muslim killer machine in the
country.The 969 movement has led to a racialist movement and considers muslims a
serious threat to national muslims assess movement 969 as a terrorist organization and
biksu wirathu incentive to promote hatred agaist muslims in temples. Wirathu is the abbt
of the Monastery of Masoyein Mandalay, a vast complex where he leads around 60 onks
and he widespread influence among Myanmar Buddhists.

Figures 969 is a sacred number for Buddhists, where it refers to nine buddhists
attributes, six basic doctrines, and nine commandments. Therefore, Wirathu deliberately
chose 969 to give sacred impression and spiritual aroma to his movement thus attracting
support from buddhist communities and extrememonks. Wirathu aggressively spread
hatred amongst the people of Myanmar. He instilled the fear that one day the mulsim
minority will roule the country.Wirathu always targeted the muslim community, often he
cornered the Rohingyas. He also led a demonstration urging Rohingya Muslims to be sent
to a third country. Basically Wirathu wants to form a homogenoeous buddhist society in
Myanmar and entire buddhist region of the region.

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CHAPTER 4
Group Perspective On Rohingya Case

Our opinion about the muslims in Rohingya, is that they shouldn’t be treat like that.
People of the world should care more about them. The Myanmar government treat them like
animals and burn all of their houses, while the rest of the world decided to close their ears. You
all can see, how they burn, how they kick and harass the muslims there, it is just such a shame
that people decided to close their ears. It’s a big problem in the world, racism spreads, as fast
as the wind blows, and we need to stop racism because it’s causing a problem in Myanmar. We
need to help the people there. Not only because we are muslims too, it’s because they are
humans too, they don’t have the right to be harassed like that, they deserve to live a happy life
like all of us here. We would like to make the world open up to the case in Myanmar, people
should kno, the history, the problem, and who it is involved in the case. Even Islamic people
decided not to sympathize for the muslims in Rohingya. Once again, this is not a case of only
muslims, this is a case of human beings. No one wants to see their government do that to a
certain group, it’s just not right. As a group, we have discussed what can we do as a college
students, to help the muslims in Rohingya, we already talked about what can we do actually to
help them. And we came up with something, that is to open up hearts and ear to the case in
Myanmar. For us that is the only thing that can we do right now, and donating to them of
course. But until Indonesian government wants to really help them, instead of just giving them
a place to stay, not fight the Myanmar government, we can’t do anything yet. This is the sad
part of this case, the fact that we can’t do anything yet to really help them, instead of just
gaining attention of the world. Because the media is controlled by the government, and they
don’t want their citizens sympathizing to the case of Myanmar because it’s muslims.
Discrimination of muslims have started long ago, not only in Myanmar, but in Palestine as
well, in Iraq and Iran, in India. Because people thought that muslims are terrorist. But actually
muslims isn’t terrorist, we love peace, just as the rest of the world.

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CHAPTER 5
Conclusion and Recommendation

5.1 Conclusion
5.2 Recommendations

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Refrences

https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etnis_Rakhine

http://protomalayans.blogspot.co.id/2012/05/suku-rakhine.html

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