B.RAMAN
Despite the proclamation of a state of emergency in
the Rakhine State (old Arakan State) of Myanmar on the night of June 10,2012,
and the patrolling of the streets of the capital Sittwe and other Townships by
the security forces, the Thein Sein Government has not yet been able to restore
normalcy.
2. Incidents of sectarian violence between the
Buddhists and the Bengali-speaking Rohingya Muslims continue to be reported.
Though there are no reports of any new fatalities, incidents of arson with the
Muslims allegedly setting fire to the
houses of Buddhists are being reported. Muslims carrying small-arms have been
patrolling the Muslim-inhabited areas of Townships to protect the Muslims from
retaliatory attacks by the Buddhists. This reflects their lack of confidence in
the ability of the security forces to protect them.
3.Representatives of the Rohingyas have accused the
Thein Sein Government of imposing a news black-out in the State in order to
prevent news of the real state of affairs from reaching the international
community.
4.Despite their continuing support to the Thein
Sein Government’s policy of reforms, the US and the European Union countries
are concerned over the inability of the security forces to restore law and order.
5.At a time when the situation continues to cause
concern, the decision of the United Nations to withdraw all its staff numbering
over 40 from the Rakhine State has come in for criticism from Western human
rights organisations.
6. The Human Rights Watch of the US has alleged
that the situation in the State was tending to get out of control and called
for the despatch of international human rights observers to the State.
7. To the disappointment of the Rohingyas, Aung San
Suu Kyi, who met the representatives of the agitated Muslim community in
Yangon, has not chosen to visit the Rakhine State. Nor are there reports of her
taking up vigorously with the authorities the measures required for putting an
end to the sectarian violence.
8. She is going ahead with her European tour
starting on June 14, covering Switzerland, Norway, the UK, Ireland and France.
She seems confident of the stability and durability of the Government of Thein
Sein and reportedly does not anticipate any threat to it from hardline
pro-Beijing elements in the Army during her absence from the country.
9. In the past, whenever she was released from
house arrest, she had avoided going abroad due to fears that the Army, which
was then in power, might not allow her to return to the country. She
does not appear to have any such fears this time. Since 1988, she went out of
the country for the first time last month when she went to Bangkok.
10. She is not taking any of the senior leaders of
her National League for Democracy (NLD) with her. They will stay behind in
Myanmar during her absence. She is being accompanied to Europe only by two of
the younger members of the NLD.
11. Western human rights organisations have been
concerned over the continued refusal of the Bangladesh authorities to allow
entry of Rohingya women and children fleeing from the violence in the Rakhine
State. There are already about 300,000 Rohingyas in camps in the Cox’s Bazaar
area of Bangladesh for many years posing security problems to the Bangladesh
authorities. They apparently do not want to add to their number. ( 14-6-12)
( The writer is Additional Secretary (retd),
Cabinet Secretariat, Govt of India, New Delhi, and, presently, Director,
Institute For Topical Studies, Chennai, and Associate, Chennai Centre For China
Studies. E-Mail: seventyone2@gmail.com . Twitter: @SORBONNE75 )
