“The Boat People”
Author: Ko Win Than Aung
“Refugee – noun – a person who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution, or natural disaster.” – UNHCR
Purposed of leaving the their country for new life should NOT be
entitled Refugee at all. If the person intentionally left the country
without passport/papers for an new life, he only becomes an illegal
immigrant, he should not be considered at all as a refugee even how long
he lived in new country. These type of economic refugees should be
denied by International leaders, even UNHCR. To start a new life, they
should come through the front door, not the back door though.
There were 16.7 million refugees worldwide at the end of 2013, 11.7 million under the mandate of UNHCR, around 1.2 million more than at the end of 2012. Within those numbers, there are so called “refugees” who intentionally left for new life in the hope to get better living standard, they were not leaving in order to escape war, persecution or natural disaster.
The “Rohingya” name pop out not long ago, but ridiculously they wanna claim themselves as new ethnic of Myanmar. In fact, The “Rohingya” word is not mentioned in any dating back to Arakan (now Rakhine) Kingdom years, not long before the 1950 as well. In fact, there was no historical report about fighting for Burma Independent movement at all. The ‘Rohingya’ was totally unknown to the British administration of Burma.
In WWII, British India caused that Burma/India border were merged, that caused Western border of Myanmar were freely opened. The people who lived Chittagong of Bangladesh got opportunities to travel and work in Western of Myanmar.
The Partition of India gave East Chittagong Bangladeshi people ideas that they could take advantage on Western part of Burma as well. There was 1971 Bangladesh genocide, the Urdu-speakers was considered “Non-Bengalis” that time. That worries for Chittagong Bangladesh, they wouldn’t be considered
as Bangladeshi.
From 1946 a separatist, jihadist uprising had gripped Arakan and in support of their political objectives, the ‘Rohingya’ myth was created after .
At Uprising of jihadist Chittagong Bangladesh (now Bengali Muslims) chanted “Pakistan Zindabad” while killing Rakhine Citizen. Mujahideen took advantage and encroached Rakhine land at WWII. There were mass killing of Rakhine people and hundreds of villages were burned down in 1942. On 28 March 1942, Bangladeshi Muslims from Northern Arakan massacred around 20,000 Buddhists in Buthidaung and Maungdaw townships. At the same period, around 5,000 Muslims in Minbya and Mrauk-U Townships were also killed by the Arakanese Buddhists.
However, Myanmar government intervened the Mujahideen movement by the time of 1962. The Myanmar Government banned all Bangladeshi illegal immigrants who are already in Rakhine state not to travel all states of Myanmar. The economic illegal immigrants stuck at Rakhine state, mostly Maungdaw township, Buthidaung and Rathedaung Townships of Northern Rakhine State.
Due to poverty of Bangladesh, the economic immigrants from Bangladesh never stop coming to Western part of Burma. More than 26 million live under the poverty line in Bangladesh, they live on less than $1.25 a day. Beside, the Government are not willing do anything for them.
On the other hands, Myanmar Government was totally corrupted and the Junta was notoriously threatening to all ethnic groups in Myanmar. The Shan, Kachin, Kayar, Kayin, Chin, Rakhine ethnic groups are suffered and they become refugees in Thailand and Malaysia. Real ethnic groups of Myanmar got opportunities to settle down in third countries after suffering.
When UNHCR focuses on Myanmar for ethnic crisis, Bangladeshi were approached and got aids by UNHCR as well, the people who didn’t make $1.25 a day got the opportunity to live with UN aids in Burma is scored, as long as they fabricate with fake stories to convince UNHCR staffs of their so called people beaten up by Junta and harsh treatment of Myanmar Government. In order to convince UNHCR, they had pretended they were one of ethnic, “Rohingya”, which never existed in History of Burma.
To be honest, “Rohingya” issue had hijacked the freedom of all ethnic of Myanmar. They had waited this chances whenever the country is in transition. Their advocates gain access to so many political, social and academic platforms to promote their sole agenda. Meanwhile, Myanmar government unethically approached them as well, issue “White card” as temporary identity card and forced them to vote for their Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) at Election. On the other hand, Global Muslims (grassroots to imams) gang up against the people of Myanmar (all over internet and media). Speaking of “Rohingya”, there is no ethnic name in Myanmar, If you have ethnic, you must have own language, they don’t have Rohingya language, they speak only as Chittagong Bengali, breath as Chittagong Bengali, they are only recognized as Bengali in Myanmar, nothing more than that. They are not really stateless, their motherland is Bangladesh.
Bangladesh (East Pakistan) have been forcing people into refugees notoriously after 1978 till today, (Biharis) Urdu speakers of Bangladeshi became stateless and as well these so call “Rohingya” Chittagong Bengali aka Economic Immigrants.
By staying in refugees camp in Bangladesh or getting aids from UNHCR office in Myanmar couldn’t make them satisfied. In Myanmar, they cannot travel only in Rakhine state. They later learned about resettlement program of UNHCR. But UNHCR in Myanmar didn’t have any resettlement program for them. However, Malaysia and Thailand provide the refugee to resettlement in third countries.
Getting into Myanmar is easy, little bit of bribery helps them to get inside of Myanmar easily. Or just cross over the river where there is no border guard. However, getting to Malaysia is hard for them. Smugglers convinced Bangladeshi how they could earn $1000 in a month in Malaysia. Indeed the Bangladeshi who made to Malaysia, could get a better living. Thus, Bangladeshi are deliberately paying smugglers about US$200 to $250 to travel to Malaysia to become economic Refugees. The people who move in this manner place their lives at risk though, but this is the only way they could effort to travel. If they got lucky, they will get a chance to get resettlement in third countries instantly.
Any Refugees coming to Malaysia/Thailand are usually sent to countries like Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, New Zealand, Norway, and the United States for resettlement. However, Thailand route has long wait time to get to third countries. Their best destination is the Malaysia. There is already 42,230 Rohingya under UNHCR protection in Malaysia. That is the main motivation for them to get to there, and it is the cheapest way for traveling to Malaysia if they are not very lucky, they usually end up in Thailand, wait for more years to get the resettlement or travel again to Malaysia.
After arriving to Malaysia, they filed asylum (application) at UNHCR for refugee status, UNHCR aid these refugees, and provide monthly allowances for them until they get settlement in third countries. Anyhow, they could easily go back without problems if they don’t get refugee status (but they are not willing to go back, even without refugee card, they could earn money) or if they have money, they usually buy refugee status in Malaysia. Some smuggler applied UNHCR card for selling the Refugees status in Malaysia. They usually pay Malaysia RM-3,500 for the card. UNHCR aware about those fraudulent activities, but they kept on silences.
The economic refugees are traveling again and again to Malaysia until international leaders push pressure to Bangladesh. Sooner or later, you will see another boats come out from Bangladesh, and claims they are from Myanmar since the topic is hot. In that case, Myanmar government is easy to blame. They have been doing for decade. This time they got caught by authorities (Thai, Malaysia, Indonesia) who got enough of their problems (too many crimes cases with Rohingya in Thai, Malaysia), and push back to sea.
The people are sneaking into other countries without papers by boats, they left the Bangladesh, they have only 2 points in these immigration – first is try to get UNHCR status or get a chance to work at any country, because they don’t get enough to make living in Bangladesh. Bangladesh have been overcrowded you can view the Dhaka video – https://www.facebook.com/Rmbds/videos/1245958078756125/, they cannot make up living at there, some of Bangladeshi even sell their organs just little as $5000 well.
The finding new life is their goals, but money was big problems for them, if they don’t have money, they cross the river to migrant to Western part of Myanmar. Once they get money for the boat fees, they paid smugglers for travel. Beside, UNHCR give allowances to live conformably in KL under its protection, that allowance could easily cover the rent or foods. they are not living in Camp at all in KL. If they work in Malaysia, they could earn money and send out to their relatives to Bangladesh. Getting passport without education couldn’t go far than that. That is easy way for them to get to third country as well new life.
Thus, there will be more thousands of poor Bangladesh people will follow if Bangladesh Government didn’t recognized them as their citizen and try to push the blames on Myanmar and keep silent like it never happens. And later you may see the the numbers rising liked 999,999 so called “Rohingya” Bengali Refugees just in a few year, if they keep immigrating such way using “Rohingya” name.
These economic refugees are betting their lives for good fortunes, they are risking their lives to get to Malaysia. International Leaders will get nothing by pressuring to Myanmar or Thailand or Indonesia at all though.
There would not be a problem today if the mujahideen didn’t have the intention to occupy lands inside Myanmar during and after World War II time. They exploit the political situations in Myanmar whenever possible such as 1960s or 1988 or now at this reforms. They didn’t do the same struggle as all other ethnics people had tried. They waited for their chance and the chaos. Now the World is misled and this is their best chance for them. Playing with Minorities card can get other people sympathy. But Myanmar is not just one race, Myanmar is all about solidarity of Kachin, Kayar, Kayin, Chin, Mon, Burmar, Rakhine (Arakan) and Shan. Myanmar government should not open for illegal immigrants, they need tight border controlled as well as they should admit that they had done wrong by using white card in order to get votes. And fire those corrupted government officers who tried to cover for illegal immigrants.
If the world leaders want the real solution, all countries must put pressure on Bangladesh government to recognize their real citizens, then they will not get stateless at all. These Bengali people deserved to be Bangladesh citizen, If we keep cheering those people who are illegally traveling and risking their lives at sea, that will cause more troubles. And These economic refugees will keep doing illegal way to travel again, these problem will not stop at all.
As for the solution, Bangladesh government should stop producing the “refugees”, their irresponsibly and inhumanely manner for its nationalities have been decades. We should never encourage any people to do that manner, because they could get killed by sea or smugglers. It is time for Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia, Myanmar to step up the pressure to Bangladeshi to control their overcrowding populations. This problem will certainly not able to be solved unless Bangladesh is willing to stop ‘producing’ refugees. They need higher standards of education in healthcare and reproduction and given birth control. Over population is a world problem, and this problem will not stop by this time, it will cause more. But now, Bangladesh Government will keep on silence like these are not their people.
Photo Credit – MOI Facebook Page
http://www.phyopyae.me/index.php/2015/05/24/the-boat-people/
Author: Ko Win Than Aung
“Refugee – noun – a person who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution, or natural disaster.” – UNHCR
Boat People at Amanda Sea
There were 16.7 million refugees worldwide at the end of 2013, 11.7 million under the mandate of UNHCR, around 1.2 million more than at the end of 2012. Within those numbers, there are so called “refugees” who intentionally left for new life in the hope to get better living standard, they were not leaving in order to escape war, persecution or natural disaster.
The “Rohingya” name pop out not long ago, but ridiculously they wanna claim themselves as new ethnic of Myanmar. In fact, The “Rohingya” word is not mentioned in any dating back to Arakan (now Rakhine) Kingdom years, not long before the 1950 as well. In fact, there was no historical report about fighting for Burma Independent movement at all. The ‘Rohingya’ was totally unknown to the British administration of Burma.
In WWII, British India caused that Burma/India border were merged, that caused Western border of Myanmar were freely opened. The people who lived Chittagong of Bangladesh got opportunities to travel and work in Western of Myanmar.
The Partition of India gave East Chittagong Bangladeshi people ideas that they could take advantage on Western part of Burma as well. There was 1971 Bangladesh genocide, the Urdu-speakers was considered “Non-Bengalis” that time. That worries for Chittagong Bangladesh, they wouldn’t be considered
as Bangladeshi.
From 1946 a separatist, jihadist uprising had gripped Arakan and in support of their political objectives, the ‘Rohingya’ myth was created after .
At Uprising of jihadist Chittagong Bangladesh (now Bengali Muslims) chanted “Pakistan Zindabad” while killing Rakhine Citizen. Mujahideen took advantage and encroached Rakhine land at WWII. There were mass killing of Rakhine people and hundreds of villages were burned down in 1942. On 28 March 1942, Bangladeshi Muslims from Northern Arakan massacred around 20,000 Buddhists in Buthidaung and Maungdaw townships. At the same period, around 5,000 Muslims in Minbya and Mrauk-U Townships were also killed by the Arakanese Buddhists.
However, Myanmar government intervened the Mujahideen movement by the time of 1962. The Myanmar Government banned all Bangladeshi illegal immigrants who are already in Rakhine state not to travel all states of Myanmar. The economic illegal immigrants stuck at Rakhine state, mostly Maungdaw township, Buthidaung and Rathedaung Townships of Northern Rakhine State.
Due to poverty of Bangladesh, the economic immigrants from Bangladesh never stop coming to Western part of Burma. More than 26 million live under the poverty line in Bangladesh, they live on less than $1.25 a day. Beside, the Government are not willing do anything for them.
On the other hands, Myanmar Government was totally corrupted and the Junta was notoriously threatening to all ethnic groups in Myanmar. The Shan, Kachin, Kayar, Kayin, Chin, Rakhine ethnic groups are suffered and they become refugees in Thailand and Malaysia. Real ethnic groups of Myanmar got opportunities to settle down in third countries after suffering.
When UNHCR focuses on Myanmar for ethnic crisis, Bangladeshi were approached and got aids by UNHCR as well, the people who didn’t make $1.25 a day got the opportunity to live with UN aids in Burma is scored, as long as they fabricate with fake stories to convince UNHCR staffs of their so called people beaten up by Junta and harsh treatment of Myanmar Government. In order to convince UNHCR, they had pretended they were one of ethnic, “Rohingya”, which never existed in History of Burma.
To be honest, “Rohingya” issue had hijacked the freedom of all ethnic of Myanmar. They had waited this chances whenever the country is in transition. Their advocates gain access to so many political, social and academic platforms to promote their sole agenda. Meanwhile, Myanmar government unethically approached them as well, issue “White card” as temporary identity card and forced them to vote for their Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) at Election. On the other hand, Global Muslims (grassroots to imams) gang up against the people of Myanmar (all over internet and media). Speaking of “Rohingya”, there is no ethnic name in Myanmar, If you have ethnic, you must have own language, they don’t have Rohingya language, they speak only as Chittagong Bengali, breath as Chittagong Bengali, they are only recognized as Bengali in Myanmar, nothing more than that. They are not really stateless, their motherland is Bangladesh.
Bangladesh (East Pakistan) have been forcing people into refugees notoriously after 1978 till today, (Biharis) Urdu speakers of Bangladeshi became stateless and as well these so call “Rohingya” Chittagong Bengali aka Economic Immigrants.
By staying in refugees camp in Bangladesh or getting aids from UNHCR office in Myanmar couldn’t make them satisfied. In Myanmar, they cannot travel only in Rakhine state. They later learned about resettlement program of UNHCR. But UNHCR in Myanmar didn’t have any resettlement program for them. However, Malaysia and Thailand provide the refugee to resettlement in third countries.
Getting into Myanmar is easy, little bit of bribery helps them to get inside of Myanmar easily. Or just cross over the river where there is no border guard. However, getting to Malaysia is hard for them. Smugglers convinced Bangladeshi how they could earn $1000 in a month in Malaysia. Indeed the Bangladeshi who made to Malaysia, could get a better living. Thus, Bangladeshi are deliberately paying smugglers about US$200 to $250 to travel to Malaysia to become economic Refugees. The people who move in this manner place their lives at risk though, but this is the only way they could effort to travel. If they got lucky, they will get a chance to get resettlement in third countries instantly.
Any Refugees coming to Malaysia/Thailand are usually sent to countries like Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, New Zealand, Norway, and the United States for resettlement. However, Thailand route has long wait time to get to third countries. Their best destination is the Malaysia. There is already 42,230 Rohingya under UNHCR protection in Malaysia. That is the main motivation for them to get to there, and it is the cheapest way for traveling to Malaysia if they are not very lucky, they usually end up in Thailand, wait for more years to get the resettlement or travel again to Malaysia.
After arriving to Malaysia, they filed asylum (application) at UNHCR for refugee status, UNHCR aid these refugees, and provide monthly allowances for them until they get settlement in third countries. Anyhow, they could easily go back without problems if they don’t get refugee status (but they are not willing to go back, even without refugee card, they could earn money) or if they have money, they usually buy refugee status in Malaysia. Some smuggler applied UNHCR card for selling the Refugees status in Malaysia. They usually pay Malaysia RM-3,500 for the card. UNHCR aware about those fraudulent activities, but they kept on silences.
The economic refugees are traveling again and again to Malaysia until international leaders push pressure to Bangladesh. Sooner or later, you will see another boats come out from Bangladesh, and claims they are from Myanmar since the topic is hot. In that case, Myanmar government is easy to blame. They have been doing for decade. This time they got caught by authorities (Thai, Malaysia, Indonesia) who got enough of their problems (too many crimes cases with Rohingya in Thai, Malaysia), and push back to sea.
The people are sneaking into other countries without papers by boats, they left the Bangladesh, they have only 2 points in these immigration – first is try to get UNHCR status or get a chance to work at any country, because they don’t get enough to make living in Bangladesh. Bangladesh have been overcrowded you can view the Dhaka video – https://www.facebook.com/Rmbds/videos/1245958078756125/, they cannot make up living at there, some of Bangladeshi even sell their organs just little as $5000 well.
The finding new life is their goals, but money was big problems for them, if they don’t have money, they cross the river to migrant to Western part of Myanmar. Once they get money for the boat fees, they paid smugglers for travel. Beside, UNHCR give allowances to live conformably in KL under its protection, that allowance could easily cover the rent or foods. they are not living in Camp at all in KL. If they work in Malaysia, they could earn money and send out to their relatives to Bangladesh. Getting passport without education couldn’t go far than that. That is easy way for them to get to third country as well new life.
Thus, there will be more thousands of poor Bangladesh people will follow if Bangladesh Government didn’t recognized them as their citizen and try to push the blames on Myanmar and keep silent like it never happens. And later you may see the the numbers rising liked 999,999 so called “Rohingya” Bengali Refugees just in a few year, if they keep immigrating such way using “Rohingya” name.
These economic refugees are betting their lives for good fortunes, they are risking their lives to get to Malaysia. International Leaders will get nothing by pressuring to Myanmar or Thailand or Indonesia at all though.
There would not be a problem today if the mujahideen didn’t have the intention to occupy lands inside Myanmar during and after World War II time. They exploit the political situations in Myanmar whenever possible such as 1960s or 1988 or now at this reforms. They didn’t do the same struggle as all other ethnics people had tried. They waited for their chance and the chaos. Now the World is misled and this is their best chance for them. Playing with Minorities card can get other people sympathy. But Myanmar is not just one race, Myanmar is all about solidarity of Kachin, Kayar, Kayin, Chin, Mon, Burmar, Rakhine (Arakan) and Shan. Myanmar government should not open for illegal immigrants, they need tight border controlled as well as they should admit that they had done wrong by using white card in order to get votes. And fire those corrupted government officers who tried to cover for illegal immigrants.
If the world leaders want the real solution, all countries must put pressure on Bangladesh government to recognize their real citizens, then they will not get stateless at all. These Bengali people deserved to be Bangladesh citizen, If we keep cheering those people who are illegally traveling and risking their lives at sea, that will cause more troubles. And These economic refugees will keep doing illegal way to travel again, these problem will not stop at all.
As for the solution, Bangladesh government should stop producing the “refugees”, their irresponsibly and inhumanely manner for its nationalities have been decades. We should never encourage any people to do that manner, because they could get killed by sea or smugglers. It is time for Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia, Myanmar to step up the pressure to Bangladeshi to control their overcrowding populations. This problem will certainly not able to be solved unless Bangladesh is willing to stop ‘producing’ refugees. They need higher standards of education in healthcare and reproduction and given birth control. Over population is a world problem, and this problem will not stop by this time, it will cause more. But now, Bangladesh Government will keep on silence like these are not their people.
Photo Credit – MOI Facebook Page
http://www.phyopyae.me/index.php/2015/05/24/the-boat-people/
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