Muslims in Burma: Stateless, Homeless and Helpless !!!

As Burma’s ‘Pro-Democracy icon’ initiated her seventeen day tour of the world, the country where she departed from continued to simmer with an unremitting level of ethnic and religious tensions – most of which occurs in the west of the Country. The West of Burma is home to the Rohingya people; Muslims who are ethnically Bengali. Although the majority of Historical data proves that these people have resided there from as early as the 7th century, the Burmese government is insistent on denying so. The view held is that all of the Muslims that reside in the West of Burma migrated in the 19th century as a result of wars with the British Colonialists. This view is not only historically inaccurate, but also a gross misrepresentation of who these people are. 

As a result of these Historical fallacies, the Military Government has branded these people as illegal entrants, who in terms of policy deserve maltreatment. This attitude has undoubtedly trickled down to the grassroots of the predominantly Buddhist population of Arakan in the late 20th Century, subsequently being the root cause of the majority of tensions within this part of the country.  In a document published by Amnesty International in 2004, a whole host of oppressive measures that these Muslims are subjected to is detailed. Amnesty International mentions the following:
“The Muslim ethnic minority, who live in northern Rakhine State (Arakan) , western Myanmar, continue to suffer from several forms of restrictions and human rights violations. The Rohingyas’ freedom of movement is severely restricted and the vast majority of them have effectively been denied Myanmar citizenship. They are also subjected to various forms of extortion and arbitrary taxation; land confiscation; forced eviction and house destruction; and financial restrictions on marriage. Rohingyas continue to be used as forced labourers on roads and at military camps, although the amount of forced labour in northern Rakhine State has decreased over the last decade”.

“These practices, in addition to violating other basic human rights of the Rohingyas, are discriminatory towards the Rohingya population as they do not appear to be imposed in the same manner and at the same level on other ethnic nationalities in Rakhine State, or in the country as a whole.” (Amnes.Int – Rohingya Fundamental Rights Denied pg.3)
 

In short- specifically the Muslims in Burma have been subjected to a Constitutional level of oppression that has made it almost unbearable for them to remain in the country. Violence and abuse against them is often supported by police, if not instigated. The recent and tragic events that occurred in Rakhine State highlighted the severity of this problem, and the plight of the Muslims that reside therein.  

Recent in Violence June 2012 

The ‘official story’ that has been pushed by much of the mainstream media was that; A 27 year old Buddhist woman was raped and murdered by Muslim man/men, which led to reprisal attacks from the Buddhists; the Muslims then reacted in the same manner, creating a cycle of violence that the police and Army were forced to quell. It is only after assessing fact related information that one can begin to comprehend what actually happened just over a week ago. Even If for arguments sake one accepts that Muslims were responsible for the murder of the woman, one would also have to ask themselves whether the following actions carried out by the Buddhist Mob were proportionate: 

 Severely beating any person that they found resembling a Muslim  
 Tieing and torturing tens of Muslims
 Hacking and Stabbing Men, Women and Children with Machetes
 Cutting off limbs, skin and body parts of people who resemble Muslims
 Burning entire Villages to the Ground
 Chasing Muslims out of their homes  

Government involvement 

All of the above occurred under the watchful eye of the Armed forces and police, testimonies from a number of Muslims make it clear that the armed forced were involved in the mass maiming, torturing, exiling and killing that occurred last week. An Imam that fled to escape the bloodshed explained his ordeal to an Al-jazeera reporter stating that he was beaten with metal rods by the Burmese army, put on a boat and told not to return.

The Track record of the government in its policies toward the Muslims, combined with the testimonies such as the above suggest that the events were at most pre-meditated and organised, or at the minimum an event that was exploited and taken full advantage of by the government aiming to fulfil its political whims. It comes to no surprise that Washington has praised the manner in which the situation was ‘handled’ by the Burmese authorities. 

Response of Local ‘Muslim’ states 

From all of countries and states that failed the Muslims the most during this crisis, Bangladesh is unparalleled and un-matched. Aid agencies have estimated that an approximate figure of around thirty thousand Muslims travelled from Burma to Bangladesh only to be turned back. Despite travelling for days, with limited food stock the interior Minister felt that tending to the refugees was ‘not in the best interest of the Country’. Oh rulers of the Muslim Countries how many times will you betray Allah, His Messenger (sallalahu Alayhi Wassallam) and the Muslims? Oh rulers of the Muslim Countries when will you start to spend on those who are needy of it as oppose to that which pleases your own whims? Oh rulers of the Muslim Countries if you claim to posess the imaan that you say you have, why do you not show the Ummah of Muhammad (sallalahu Alayhi Wassallam) some compassion? This is an honest and sincere advice. Perhaps this deed may be so much in the eyes of Allah that it may cause him to guide you back to the straight path, leading to a path of repentance to him. 

Message to the Muslims  

Dear Brothers and sisters is there actually a single country on the face of this planet where Muslim Blood is not being shed?  Every country brings its own tragedies and forms of persecution. Our mind often hones in and focuses on the war zones such as Iraq and Afghanistan when we think of Muslims suffering, however the true reality of the matter is that there are so many more cases. Our blood has become so cheap and the body that is this Ummah is bleeding profusely.  

Drops of Blood have become Streams
Streams have become Rivers
Rivers have become Waterfalls
Waterfalls are becoming Oceans of Blood 

Dear Muslims of the East, Indonesia, China, Malaysia, come together under the banner of Laa-ilaaha-illalah. Let go of the banners that stagnate us and rise to protect and defend the Ummah of Muhammad (sallahu alayhi wasallam).

Allah says in Hadeeth Qudsi:
'O son of Adam, I fell ill and you visited Me not.' He will say: 'O Lord, and how should I visit You when You are the Lord of the worlds?' He will say: 'Did you not know that My servant So-and-so had fallen ill and you visited him not? Did you not know that had you visited him you would have found Me with him? O son of Adam, I asked you for food and you fed Me not.' He will say: 'O Lord, and how should I feed You when You are the Lord of the worlds?' He will say: 'Did you not know that My servant So-and-so asked you for food and you fed him not? Did you not know that had you fed him you would surely have found that (the reward for doing so) with Me? O son of Adam, I asked you to give Me to drink and you gave Me not to drink.' He will say: 'O Lord, how should I give You to drink when You are the Lord of the worlds?' He will say: 'My servant So-and-so asked you to give him to drink and you gave him not to drink. Had you given him to drink you would have surely found that with Me.' [Sahih Muslim] 

The Underline message of this Hadeeth is that you will find Allah with his slaves that need him the most, and Allah will account and reprimand us should we not attend to their needs in whatever way we can. Who from amongst us will be those that truly love Allah, His Messenger (sallalhu alayhi Wassallam) and the Believers?