Derek Mitchell Confirmed as First US Ambassador

(This news article is direct from AFP/de ChannelNewsAsia.)

WASHINGTON: The US Senate on Friday confirmed President Barack Obama's nominee to be the first US ambassador to Myanmar in more than two decades, the latest step in greater engagement with a nation undergoing dramatic reforms.

Derek Mitchell, a veteran US policymaker on Asia, was confirmed by unanimous consent, capping a startling series of developments in recent months which saw the two nations normalise diplomatic relations following democratic reforms in the reclusive Southeast Asian nation.

Corrupt Army Officers Let the Bengali Riots Ignite?

(Direct translation of news articles form Narinjara News Agency site.)

Rioting Bengali-Muslims in Maungdaw.

It appears now that a corrupt army officer has allowed the Friday Memorial Prayers at Maungdaw Mosque which ignited the devastating Bengali-Muslim riots which killed hundreds and displaced hundreds of thousands in the Arrakan of Burma.

A senior UNHCR staffer Dr. Htun Aung a Bengali-Muslim with clandestine connections to the Islamic terrorists Al-Qaeda and the militant Rohingya organization ARNO bribed one Lt. Colonel Aung Gyi the local in-charge of security and administration for the Maungdaw border region and the corrupt colonel did allow the illegal gathering at the biggest mosque in Maungdaw.

At midday on June 8 the hundreds strong Bengali-Muslim mob marched out of the mosque, started the riots, and tried to burn the Myoma Buddhist Monastery and the United Guesthouse right at the commercial middle of Maungdaw town.

First Anglo-Burmese War (1824-1826) – Part 10

(Chapter X of Narrative of The Burmese War by Major John Snodgrass, British Army, the Military Secretary to the Commander of the British expeditionary force and the Assistant Political Agent in Ava.)

Actions In Front Of Rangoon, December First, 1824

Burmese General Maha Bandoola.

The day had scarcely dawned, on the 1^st of December, when hostilities commenced with a heavy fire of musketry and cannon at Kemmendine, the reduction of that place being a preliminary to any general attack on our line.

The firing continued long and animated; and from our commanding situation at the Great Pagoda, though nearly two miles distance from the scene of action, we could distinctly hear the yells and shouts of the infuriated assailants, occasionally returned by the hearty cheer of the British seamen, as they poured in their heavy broadsides upon the resolute and persevering masses.

The thick forest which separated us from the river, prevented our seeing distinctly what was going forward; and when the firing ceased, we remained for a short time in some anxiety, though in little doubt as to the result of the long and spirited assault.

At length, however, the thick canopy of smoke which lowered over the fierce and sanguinary conflict gradually dissolving, we had the pleasure of seeing the masts of our vessels lying at their old stations off the fort – a convincing proof that all had ended well on our side.

Cold War Lessons for Burma’s Democratic Transition

(This article by Polish FM Radek Sikorski is direct from THE PRAGUE POST.)

Post-authoritarian states can look to the Central Europe model.

Polish FM Radek Sikorski.

Across the Middle East, and now in Burma (Myanmar), one of the great questions of contemporary global politics has resurfaced: How can countries move from a failing authoritarianism to some form of self-sustaining pluralism? Foreign ministers everywhere, in turn, face crucial policy questions: When a country launches such a political transition, when should other countries help, and what is the best way to do so?

Happy transitions, to paraphrase Tolstoy, are all alike, but every unhappy transition is unhappy in its own way. The happy transitions across much of Central Europe following the end of the Cold War were made easier by the fact that the old communist order more or less died on its feet and surrendered power peacefully. This, along with generous support from Western Europe, the United States and others, helped to create a mood conducive to reconciliation, allowing each country to tackle in a measured, nonvengeful way the many difficult moral issues arising from the recent dark past.

Above all, perhaps, these transitions took place amid a wider network of legitimate institutions - the European Union, OSCE, NATO and the Council of Europe - championing the rule of law. This supportive context provided a roadmap for national policymakers, helping them to build democratic institutions and marginalize extremists.

CYBER WAR: Burma Vs Bangladesh!

(Following article is direct from SOFTPEDIA - 19 June 2012 14:23 GMT.)

The Bangladeshi Cyber Army has declared a cyber-war on Myanmar, accusing the country of killing innocent Muslims and its hackers of breaching Bangladeshi websites.

“We are Bangladesh Cyber Army. Recently, we have been seeing that the hackers of Myanmar are hacking our country's websites. Not only this, Myanmar is also killing the innocent Muslims of their country,” the hackers told Softpedia. 

“This injustice over the Muslims and attack on the Bangladeshi cyber space has forced us to react. In this situation, we feel the necessity of a cyber war, against racists. We defeated Indians and it's their time now,” they explained.

“Human Rights Commission and other Governments who have the ability to stop all these are sitting idle under this situation. We request them to come forward and stand against injustice.”

The Development of a Muslim Enclave in Arakan

(This paper by Dr. Aye Chan is direct from the SOAS Bulletin of Burma Research.)

Maungdaw-Butheetaung region of Arrakan.

Who are the Rohingyas? Burma gained independence from Great Britain in 1948 and this issue is a problem that Burma has had to grapple with since that time. The people who call themselves Rohingyas are the Muslims of Mayu Frontier area, present-day Buthidaung and Maungdaw Townships of Arakan (Rakhine) State, an isolated province in the western part of the country across Naaf River as boundary from Bangladesh. Arakan had been an independent kingdom before it was conquered by the Burmese in 1784.

Rohingya historians have written many treatises in which they claim for themselves an indigenous status that is traceable within Arakan State for more than a thousand years. Although it is not accepted as a fact in academia, a few volumes purporting to be history but mainly composed of fictitious stories, myths and legends have been published formerly in Burma and later in the United States, Japan and Bangladesh. These, in turn, have filtered into the international media through international organizations, including reports to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

Bengali-Muslims’ Mujahid Insurgency (1948-1954)

(This is the direct translation of part of the book Civil Insurgency In Burma.)

Armed Bengalis receiving military training.

Who and what exactly are the so-called Muslim Rohingyas the Buddhist Burmese and Yakines really love to hate? The term Rohingya was invented or coined only after the failed Bengali-Muslim insurgency widely known in Burma as the Mujahid from 1948 to 1954 in the north-western region of Arrakan in Burma.

Historically there had been constant warfare between ethnic Yakhines and Burmese going on in the Arrakan since Burmese King Anawrahta’s reign of Pagan in the 11^th century. In 1404 Burmese king Min Khaung Yaza invaded Le Mro (Le Myo) and occupied Arrakan for more than two decades.

Le Myo King Min Saw Mon fled to the Gaur in today’s Bangladesh and took refuge at the court of Bengal Sultan Azam Shah. With the help of new Bengal  Sultan Jalal Udin Khan he regained Arakan back from the Burmese 24 years later and in 1433 he established the city of Mrauk-U (Myauk-U) as the capital of unified Yakhin kingdom (the last one unfortunately for the proud Yakhines). His successors gave trade and territorial concessions to Portuguese, receiving in return, Portuguese military support.

Kangaroo in Corner of Emerging Neighbour

(This article by Australian FM Senator Bob Carr is direct from the Telegraph.)

Australian Foreign Minister Senator Bob Carr.

SEVEN Australian heroes from World War II lie among the fallen at Rangoon's War Cemetery, their graves neatly tended by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

They were mostly RAAF and mostly in their 20s, their young lives cut short. It's as moving a reminder of the high cost of war as any of our war memorials.

Australia after 1945 reinvented itself as "the lucky country". But Burma kept suffering, especially under the military dictatorship that took hold of the country in 1962.

In this country of more than 55 million people, 2400 women a year don't survive childbirth. Less than half of the country's five million children will complete five years of primary education. This generation of children will have a lower level of basic education than their parents.

Bengali-Cleansing in Maungdaw and Sittwe?

(Part of this post is a direct translation of article from the Rohingya Blogger.)

Burning Bengali Houses in Maungdaw.

There are 17 townships in the Arrakan State. Except the Bengali-free Taunggup, Ann, and Gwa townships Bengali immigrants from the extremely-crowded Bangladesh across the border inhabit the 14 townships together with the native Buddhist Yakhines.

And 90% of total populations of Butheedaung and Maungdaw townships are the Bengali Muslims after many years of cross-border illegal entries and their rabbit-like breedings.

In Sittwe the state capital and the largest city of the Arrakan State there are 33 wards altogether and the 3 wards namely Nazi, Aung Mingala, and Bu May wards are the Bengali-only wards much, much larger than any Buddhist ward.

Sittwe Burned By RPG-toting, Al-Qaeda-trained Bengalis

(This post translates the ongoing YPI and EMG updates of Bengali-Muslim riots in Sittwe.)

Yakhine Refugee Family in a Sittwe Buddhist Temple.

While the rioting Bengali Muslims have been burning and looting Maungdaw and the nearby villages Sittwe the State Capital of Arrakan State was in an uneasy state waiting for the violence to spread there as situations there were slowly turning bad.

First bad news on June 9 at 3 pm was the arrest of two Bengali Children each carrying a large can of petrol into the Sittwe Myoma Bazzar. Their intent was clearly to burn down the Bazzar but the alerted Yakhine neighborhood-watch groups caught them before they could do serious damage and two Benmgali Muslim boys were delivered unharmed to the local police station.

Burma Declares State of Emergency in Arrakan!

(This article by Thomas Fuller is direct from the New York Times.)

Rioting Bengali Muslims in Arrakan's Maungdaw Town.

BANGKOK — Myanmar on Sunday declared a state of emergency in a western state where at least 17 people have been killed this month in sectarian violence between Buddhists and Muslims.

The violence poses another obstacle to the government of President Thein Sein as he tries to open up the country after years of isolation imposed by a military junta and steer it toward democracy.

Soldiers and police officers are trying to restore order in villages where clashes between Buddhists and Muslims have left many villagers wounded and 500 homes burned on Friday and Saturday alone. Four people were wounded in clashes on Sunday, The Associated Press reported.

Rioting Bengali Muslims Killing Buddhists in Maungdaw (2)

(This post translates the ongoing YPI updates of Bengali-Muslim riots in Maungdaw.)

An Injured Buddhist in Maungdaw.

AS a direct response to the Buddhist killing of ten Bengali-Muslims in Taunggup on June 3^rd more than 1,000 Bengali-Muslims in the border town of Maungdaw started a severe riot yesterday at about one in the afternoon after their Friday midday prayers killing at least four Burmese Buddhist and injured many more.

According to a local Buddhist the Bengali-Muslims started the riots on their way back from the Friday Prayers at their Shwezar Mosque at about one but the Islamic-mob dispersed after the Security Police (lone-htain) fired several warning shots into air.

The same mob has destroyed several restaurants owned by the Buddhists and damaged the Kambawza Bank Building.

According to another local Buddhist from the First Ward over 100 Bengali-Muslims entered the Ward and tried to burn down the Buddhist houses but ran when the Security Police fired warning shots.

Rioting Bengali Muslims Killing Buddhists in Maungdaw (1)

(This post translates the ongoing Narinjara updates of Bengali-Muslim riots in Maungdaw.)

A burned-down Buddhist Monastery in Maungdaw.

AS a direct response to the Buddhist killing of ten Bengali-Muslims in Taunggup on June 3^rd more than 1,000 Bengali-Muslims in the border town of Maungdaw started a severe riot yesterday at about one in the afternoon after their Friday midday prayers killing at least four Burmese Buddhist and injured many more.

According to a local Buddhist the Bengali-Muslims started the riots on their way back from the Friday Prayers at their Shwezar Mosque at about one but the Islamic-mob dispersed after the Security Police (lone-htain) fired several warning shots into air.

The same mob has destroyed several restaurants owned by the Buddhists and damaged the Kambawza Bank Building.

Arrakan Boiling with Anti-Islamic Fever?

(This post details the ugly anti-Islamic and anti-Bengali race-riots in Arrakan triggered by a brutal rape and murder of a Burmese village-girl by three Bengali-Muslim men on May 28.)

Rape-murder Victim Khin Thida Htwe.

Following news released on the June 5^th New Light of Myanmar newspaper details the brutal rape and murder and sexual-mutilation of a Burmese village girl by three Bengali-Muslim men in the Ramree Township of the Arrakan State.

"NAY PYI TAW, 4 June- On her way from tailoring work to home, Ma Thida Htwe, 27, daughter of U Hla Tin, of Thabyechaung Village, Kyauknimaw Village-tract, Yanbye Township, was stabbed to dead by unidentified people at the mangrove near a rain tree beside the embankment road leading to Kyaukhtayan Ward of Kyauknimaw Village and Chaungwa Village at 5.15 pm on 28 May.

ASSK Faces Westminster Hall Ban in London?

(This article by Glen Owen published on June 3 is direct from the Daily Mail Online.)

ASSK and British FM William Hague.

Hague’s fury at bid to downgrade Burma’s steel butterfly: Squabble breaks out as Aung San Suu Kyi faces Westminster Hall Ban

Foreign Secretary William Hague is involved in an extraordinary row with senior parliamentary figures – after they tried to ban Aung San  Suu Kyi from addressing MPs in  Westminster Hall.

The Burmese opposition leader has been allowed to leave her native country for the first time in 24 years and accepted an invitation to visit the UK later this month. 

The trip has been overshadowed by infighting which has even included a petty squabble about whether she should receive a trumpet fanfare.

It’s Time for ASSK to Get Serious about Management

(This article by Min Zin is direct from The Foreign Policy - FP.)

This week, The New York Times covered Aung San Suu Kyi's visit to Thailand -- the first foreign trip for Burma's opposition leader in 25 years. Many people who have dealt with Suu Kyi and her political entourage over the years say that the Times report, which described a striking lack of organization in the upper ranks of the National League for Democracy (NLD), was spot-on.

Last week, Suu Kyi's staff turned down a request for a meeting from Paul Collier, one of the world's top economists. Their excuse: The Lady was busy. "Perhaps her staffers don't know who Collier is," one source in the opposition told me. "The Burmese opposition movement has missed the chance to benefit from a great mind." Meanwhile, government newspapers covered have reported that ministers and presidential advisors gave Collier plenty of time.