Mr. Thomas Ojae Quintana, the UN Special Envoy on Human Rights in Myanmar arrived at Rakhine State on 12 August. The residents of Sittwe and Buutheetaung Townships protested against Mr. Quintana. The ethnic people of Rakhine State are of the opinion that an earlier report on conflicts in Rakhine state submitted to the UN by Mr. Quintana was biased. Four demonstrations took place on the same day.
“The report is one sided as he has only written about violation of human rights of the Bengalis and depicted the ethnic people of Rakhine as terrorists”, said Daw Nyo Aye, the leader of Rakhine Women Network.
The protesters held signboards which referred to Mr. Quintana as the 'Agitator for Bengalis', 'The one-sided broker for Bengalis' , 'Mis-user of Human Right', etc.
U Aye Win, the Information Officer from the United Nations office in Yangon told Mizzima that Mr. Quintana thinks the protests are a positive sign.
“He sees the demonstrations in a positive light. He said that the government has the primary responsibility of reconciliation and bringing about peace. He has been here four times already and he has come this time to assess human rights of Rakhine people”, said U Aye Win.
Before going to Buutheetaung Township, Mr. Quintana met with protesters at Sittwe Port and talked to them for 15 minutes.
“He does not object to the demonstrations as everybody has right to demonstrate in a Democracy. He acknowledges that everyone is equal and has equal human rights. His report was based on his meetings with both ethnic Rakhines and Bengalis. He questioned everyone without any bias. He also approves the suggestions that the demonstrators gave him”, Daw Nyo Aye who met with Mr. Quintana narrated.
Mr. Quintana left on a speed boat after meeting with the protesters in Sittwe. He encountered another group of about 100 protesters when he reached Buutheetaung Township.
U Tun Aung Thein, the township Chairperson of the Rakhine Nationalities Development Party (RNDP) said that Mr. Quintana was confronted by 2 groups of protesters in Buutheetaung Township.
“As soon as he came out from the port, he was greeted by hundreds of people holding the signboards declaring, ‘We do not want Quintana’ ”, said U Tun Aung Thein.
“Likewise, when Mr.Quintana reached the Buutheetaung prison, there were over a hundred people demonstrating with signboards”, he explained further.
U Tun Aung Thein said that the protesters did not leave while Mr. Quintana was inspecting the Butheetaung prison. They continued protesting and the number of protesters increased to about 300 people.
“We cannot accept someone who has made one-sided speeches and reports as the Myanmar human rights representative”, said one of the protestors.
Mr. Quintana left Buutheetaung for Sittwe at 4 p.m. The Information Committee from Regional Government confirmed that Mr. Quintana and his team have reached Sittwe. They will be meeting with the regional government, Rakhine social organizations, elders of the community and Bengali leaders. They will leave for Yangon on August 13.
A UN official announcement stated that Mr. Quintana will investigate charges on people who violated human rights including government authorities. He will probe how authorities handle and take care of discriminations against Bengalis.
Mr. Quintana visited Rakhine State to make observations in July last year. He submitted a report on the condition of human rights in Myanmar to the United Nation Human Right Council in March, 2013.
An UN announcement from July 2012 stated that there are 76 refugee camps in Min Pyar, Myay Pone, Pauk taw, Myauk Oo, Kyauk Taw and Sittwe Townships. At present, 36000 refugees live in the refugee camps.
