08-27-2017, 10:44 PM
*** 28-Aug-17 World View -- Violence between Buddhists and Muslims in Myanmar/Burma escalates dramatically
This morning's key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com
****
**** Violence between Buddhists and Muslims in Myanmar/Burma escalates dramatically
****
![[Image: g170827b.jpg]](http://Media.GenerationalDynamics.com/ww2010/g170827b.jpg)
Bangladesh border guards at the border between Myanmar and Bangladesh, to prevent Rohingyas from crossing. There are already 400,000 Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. (AFP)
Violence between Burma's (Myanmar's) mostly Buddhist army and Muslim
ethnic Rohingyas in Rakhine State has sharply escalated in the last
four days, to the point where it's feared that it may have reached a
dangerous turning point.
Starting in 2011, Buddhists have been attacking Muslims in villages
across Burma, particularly the 1.1 million ethnic Rohingyas in Rakhine
State. Mobs of Buddhists have attacked Muslims, conducting atrocities
including torture and rape, killing hundreds and forcing hundreds of
thousands to leave their homes to flee from the attacks. In some
cases, the Buddhists have burned down entire Rohingya villages to the
ground.
The current round of violence was triggered on Friday when Rohingya
insurgents carried out a series of coordinated attacks against 30
Burma police outposts and an army base. Using knives, some guns and
homemade explosives they killed at least a dozen security force
members.
The army responded with a sweep of violence against Rohingyas, causing
thousands of them to flee their villages and head for the Bangladesh
border, where they hoped to cross and reach a refugee camp. The
Foreign Ministry of Bangladesh said Saturday that "thousands of
unarmed civilians" from Rakhine state had gathered near its border and
were "making attempts to enter Bangladesh." The Burmese army shot
them as they were fleeing, including women and children, killing
dozens. However, Bangladesh already has 400,000 Rohingyas in its
refugee camps and its border guards are refusing to allow any more to
enter, and so the Rohingyas trying to flee are hiding out along the
border between the two countries. However, an estimated 2,000
Rohingyas have made the crossing since Friday.
Yesterday, Bangladesh handed over a protest note to the Myanmar envoy
in Dhaka, and called upon Myanmar country to stop any fresh flow of
Rohingyas towards Bangladesh. CNN and AFP and Daily Star (Bangladesh)
****
**** Rise of the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) militant insurgency
****
The leader of the Buddhist atrocities is Buddhist monk Ashin Wirathu,
who says that he's just trying to protect Burma from Muslims. He
calls his movement the "969" movement, where 969 is a historic
Buddhist sign, referring to the nine qualities of Buddha, the six
qualities of Buddha's teaching, and nine qualities of the Buddhist
community. 969 is supposed to promote peace and happiness, although
Wirathu's 969 movement is a vehicle promoting violence,
After three years of Buddhist atrocities directed at Rohingyas, a
radicalized group of Rohingyas formed the Arakan Rohingya Salvation
Army (ARSA).
ARSA took responsibility for attacks on 8 police posts in October of
last year. Those attacks sparked a wave of deadly "clearance
operations" by Myanmar’s army and forced some 87,000 Rohingya to flee
to Bangladesh. The UN believes that military crackdown may have
amounted to ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya.
During the past week, the United Nations Rakhine Advisory Commission,
headed by Kofi Annan, issued a final report that confirmed these
conclusions.
ARSA has also taken responsibility for the coordinated attacks on 30
police outposts and an army base that took place on Friday. Whereas
the "clearance operations" by Myanmar's army last October appeared to
be reasonably disciplined, the reports of the army's attacks on
Rohingyas in the last three days suggest that they are extremely
undisciplined and disorganized.
There are also reports of growing violence between ARSA and the
Myanmar army, including reports that ARSA militants are shooting at
Rohingyas who are trying to flee to Bangladesh.
India's government is taking a strong position in favor of Myanmar's
government, and against the Rohingyas. According to external affairs
ministry spokesman Raveesh Kumar:
> [indent]<QUOTE>"India is seriously concerned by reports of renewed
> violence and attacks by terrorists in northern Rakhine State of
> Myanmar. We are deeply saddened at the loss of lives among members
> of the Myanmar security forces.
>
> Such attacks deserve to be condemned in the strongest possible
> terms. We hope that the perpetrators of these crimes will be
> brought to justice and we extend our strong support at this
> challenging moment to the Government of the Republic of the Union
> of Myanmar."<END QUOTE>[/indent]
The clashes in Rakhine state are current turning into a mêlée that
could become a lot more serious quickly, if not now, then when the
next round of violence occurs. As the clashes between Buddhists and
Muslims continue to grow in Myanmar (Burma), other neighboring
countries are also going to be forced to choose sides. Straits Times and AFP and Reuters and Hindustan Times
Related Articles
KEYS: Generational Dynamics, Myanmar, Burma, Buddhists, Bangladesh,
Muslims, Rohingyas, Rakhine State, Ashin Wirathu, 969 Movement,
the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, ARSA,
Rakhine Advisory Commission, Kofi Annan, India, Raveesh Kumar
Permanent web link to this article
Receive daily World View columns by e-mail
Contribute to Generational Dynamics via PayPal
John J. Xenakis
100 Memorial Drive Apt 8-13A
Cambridge, MA 02142
Phone: 617-864-0010
E-mail: john@GenerationalDynamics.com
Web site: http://www.GenerationalDynamics.com
Forum: http://www.gdxforum.com/forum
Subscribe to World View: http://generationaldynamics.com/subscribe
This morning's key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com
- Violence between Buddhists and Muslims in Myanmar/Burma escalates dramatically
- Rise of the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) militant insurgency
****
**** Violence between Buddhists and Muslims in Myanmar/Burma escalates dramatically
****
Bangladesh border guards at the border between Myanmar and Bangladesh, to prevent Rohingyas from crossing. There are already 400,000 Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. (AFP)
Violence between Burma's (Myanmar's) mostly Buddhist army and Muslim
ethnic Rohingyas in Rakhine State has sharply escalated in the last
four days, to the point where it's feared that it may have reached a
dangerous turning point.
Starting in 2011, Buddhists have been attacking Muslims in villages
across Burma, particularly the 1.1 million ethnic Rohingyas in Rakhine
State. Mobs of Buddhists have attacked Muslims, conducting atrocities
including torture and rape, killing hundreds and forcing hundreds of
thousands to leave their homes to flee from the attacks. In some
cases, the Buddhists have burned down entire Rohingya villages to the
ground.
The current round of violence was triggered on Friday when Rohingya
insurgents carried out a series of coordinated attacks against 30
Burma police outposts and an army base. Using knives, some guns and
homemade explosives they killed at least a dozen security force
members.
The army responded with a sweep of violence against Rohingyas, causing
thousands of them to flee their villages and head for the Bangladesh
border, where they hoped to cross and reach a refugee camp. The
Foreign Ministry of Bangladesh said Saturday that "thousands of
unarmed civilians" from Rakhine state had gathered near its border and
were "making attempts to enter Bangladesh." The Burmese army shot
them as they were fleeing, including women and children, killing
dozens. However, Bangladesh already has 400,000 Rohingyas in its
refugee camps and its border guards are refusing to allow any more to
enter, and so the Rohingyas trying to flee are hiding out along the
border between the two countries. However, an estimated 2,000
Rohingyas have made the crossing since Friday.
Yesterday, Bangladesh handed over a protest note to the Myanmar envoy
in Dhaka, and called upon Myanmar country to stop any fresh flow of
Rohingyas towards Bangladesh. CNN and AFP and Daily Star (Bangladesh)
****
**** Rise of the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) militant insurgency
****
The leader of the Buddhist atrocities is Buddhist monk Ashin Wirathu,
who says that he's just trying to protect Burma from Muslims. He
calls his movement the "969" movement, where 969 is a historic
Buddhist sign, referring to the nine qualities of Buddha, the six
qualities of Buddha's teaching, and nine qualities of the Buddhist
community. 969 is supposed to promote peace and happiness, although
Wirathu's 969 movement is a vehicle promoting violence,
After three years of Buddhist atrocities directed at Rohingyas, a
radicalized group of Rohingyas formed the Arakan Rohingya Salvation
Army (ARSA).
ARSA took responsibility for attacks on 8 police posts in October of
last year. Those attacks sparked a wave of deadly "clearance
operations" by Myanmar’s army and forced some 87,000 Rohingya to flee
to Bangladesh. The UN believes that military crackdown may have
amounted to ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya.
During the past week, the United Nations Rakhine Advisory Commission,
headed by Kofi Annan, issued a final report that confirmed these
conclusions.
ARSA has also taken responsibility for the coordinated attacks on 30
police outposts and an army base that took place on Friday. Whereas
the "clearance operations" by Myanmar's army last October appeared to
be reasonably disciplined, the reports of the army's attacks on
Rohingyas in the last three days suggest that they are extremely
undisciplined and disorganized.
There are also reports of growing violence between ARSA and the
Myanmar army, including reports that ARSA militants are shooting at
Rohingyas who are trying to flee to Bangladesh.
India's government is taking a strong position in favor of Myanmar's
government, and against the Rohingyas. According to external affairs
ministry spokesman Raveesh Kumar:
> [indent]<QUOTE>"India is seriously concerned by reports of renewed
> violence and attacks by terrorists in northern Rakhine State of
> Myanmar. We are deeply saddened at the loss of lives among members
> of the Myanmar security forces.
>
> Such attacks deserve to be condemned in the strongest possible
> terms. We hope that the perpetrators of these crimes will be
> brought to justice and we extend our strong support at this
> challenging moment to the Government of the Republic of the Union
> of Myanmar."<END QUOTE>[/indent]
The clashes in Rakhine state are current turning into a mêlée that
could become a lot more serious quickly, if not now, then when the
next round of violence occurs. As the clashes between Buddhists and
Muslims continue to grow in Myanmar (Burma), other neighboring
countries are also going to be forced to choose sides. Straits Times and AFP and Reuters and Hindustan Times
Related Articles
- Devastating UN report on Burma shows scale of ghastly atrocities by Buddhists targeting Muslim Rohingyas (04-Feb-2017)
- UN: Burma (Myanmar) committing 'ethnic cleansing' of Rohingyas (29-Nov-2016)
- Meiktila, Burma, violence has echoes of Kristallnacht (05-Apr-2013)
- Generational history of Burma (Myanmar) (26-Sep-2007)
KEYS: Generational Dynamics, Myanmar, Burma, Buddhists, Bangladesh,
Muslims, Rohingyas, Rakhine State, Ashin Wirathu, 969 Movement,
the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, ARSA,
Rakhine Advisory Commission, Kofi Annan, India, Raveesh Kumar
Permanent web link to this article
Receive daily World View columns by e-mail
Contribute to Generational Dynamics via PayPal
John J. Xenakis
100 Memorial Drive Apt 8-13A
Cambridge, MA 02142
Phone: 617-864-0010
E-mail: john@GenerationalDynamics.com
Web site: http://www.GenerationalDynamics.com
Forum: http://www.gdxforum.com/forum
Subscribe to World View: http://generationaldynamics.com/subscribe
