As violence erupted in Arakan state of Sandoway town, the ongoing persecution of Kaman Muslims has made the news yet again. Unfortunately, this is becoming an all too familiar tale. This time the Buddhist majority demonstrated their wrath after news circulated that a Muslim shopkeeper had verbally abused a Buddhist taxi driver that parked in front of his shop.
Observers have pointed out just how deeply rooted the tensions between the two communities really run. There is an increasing likelihood that small brawls will result into similar bloody riots as seen all over the country, especially in Arakan state.
The recent violence came even as Burma’s President Thein Sein arrived in the western state for the first time since the sectarian violence erupted in June of 2012. As in other cases the police and military didn’t prevent mobs from torching the homes of Kaman Muslims, or even hacking them to death. Their failures in keeping the peace have just encouraged the Rakhine mobs.
This time the Muslim villages of Thabyu Chaung, Pauktaw and Thapu Kyain were attacked. Over a period of several days at least five Muslims were killed, including a 94-year-old woman. Over 144 houses being burnt to the ground. Three mosques were destroyed and over 500 people made homeless.
On Oct.1 when the violence started, authorities had plenty of opportunities to prevent the series of attacks in Sandoway; each more brutal than the next, but they did nothing.
This was obviously a pre-mediated attack against Kaman Muslims. All of the Buddhist residents in the area were encouraged to hang religious flags in front of their houses to distinguish themselves from homes of their Muslim neighbors before the violence happened. This allowed the rampaging mobs to easily find the Muslim houses and torch them.
Some Buddhist owned homes that didn’t display the flags were also attacked.
Mobs struck again on Oct. 5, this time the violence was played out in the Muslim quarter of Kyaung Gone town, 110 km northwest of Rangoon.
At about midnight, allegations quickly spread that a Muslim man had attempted to rape a 14-year old Buddhist girl one month earlier. Five Muslim homes were destroyed and burnt by mobs. Fortunately no-one was injured.
It’s very surprising that a Muslim man would even consider raping a Buddhist girl given the heated political environment that dominates the country. Was the problem created by some authorities, or others trying to blame the Muslims to stir up trouble between Buddhists and Muslims?
To understand the problem it’s necessary to dive deeper into the reasons why the communal conflicts keep occurring.
All forms of hate speech must be controlled. The government must take urgent action to end all forms of persecutions and violence against Rohingyas, Kamans and other Burmese Muslims.
The UN and OIC; along with China, USA, UK, and France, have tried to take a diplomatic approach by encouraging both the Burma Government and Nobel Peace Laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to address the violence against Muslims and grant citizenship for the stateless Rohingya.
Hopefully the Burma Government will amend the 2008 constitution that still allows for the military to control all of the affairs of the country. It’s also necessary to scrap the 1982 Citizenship Law that has essentially stripped Rohingya of their rightful claim to citizenship.
Some believe that the commission tasked with reviewing the pro-military 2008 constitution will yield positive results by removing the obstacles that prevent solving these issues.
Hopefully the 2015 election will be free and fair allowing the country to finally achieve a real democracy.
As long as the military plays a dominant role in politics in Burma, it will be difficult for the ethnic groups to live in peace and for Rohingyas to finally be recognized as citizens of the Union.
