Burma envoy raps ugly, dark Rohingya

Published: 12/02/2009 at 03:59 AM
Online news: Breakingnews

Hong Kong (AFP) - The top Burmese official in Hong Kong has described the Rohingya people as "ugly as ogres" in a letter sent to media and foreign officials after a high-profile refugee case highlighted their plight.

The country's Consul General Ye Myint Aung told heads of foreign missions in Hong Kong and local newspapers members of the Muslim ethnic group should not be described as being from Burma.

"In reality, Rohingya are neither (Burmese) people nor Myanmar's ethnic group," he wrote, in a letter seen by reporters on Wednesday. "Myanmar" is the military junta's name for Burma.

The envoy contrasted the "dark brown" Rohingya complexion with the "fair and soft" skin of people from Burma, which he said was "good looking as well".

In a letter liberally punctuated with brackets, Ye Myint Aung continued: "(My complexion is a typical genuine one of a Myanmar gentleman and you will accept that how handsome your colleague Mr Ye is.) It is quite different from what you have seen and read in the papers. (They are as ugly as ogres)."

Rights groups say the Rohingya are stateless and face religious and ethnic persecution from the Burmese military regime, forcing thousands to take to rickety boats each year in a bid to escape poverty and oppression.

But Burma's junta denies the existence of the Rohingya as an ethnic group in the mainly Buddhist country and says the migrants are Bangladeshis.

Ye Myint Aung included recent clippings from the New Light of Myanmar newspaper, a mouthpiece for the junta, stating that the Rohingya are not among Burma's ethnic groups and detailing 60 years of action against Rohingya "illegal immigrants".

Thailand's military was accused in January of towing hundreds of Rohingya out to sea in poorly equipped boats with scant food and water after they tried to flee Burma, a charge Thailand has "categorically denied".

The accusations surfaced after nearly 650 Rohingya were rescued off India and Indonesia, some saying they had been beaten by Thai soldiers. Hundreds of the boat people are still believed to be missing at sea.

Ye Myint Aung said his letter was prompted by the attention the case has attracted.

Burma's Hong Kong consulate refused to comment despite repeated telephone calls.

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Mr.True

Discussion 17 : 13/02/2009 at 04:35 PM17
The problem is some Bangali muslims who migrated from Bangaladesh to Burma want to change from Arakan (Rakhaing) buddhist land to muslim.Nothing else!This is unacceptable for any human sociaty in this world.Some people who want to help these migrants people are the people who hate Rakhaing peopel or they know nothing about Rakhaing history.
If you are not mad(crazy man or you can think what is wrong and what is true,he or she will never help these migrants people to get Arakan(Rakhaing)land.
Their lives are very higher situation if compare with bangaladesh.So they should understand gratitude of Arakanese people.How they help them.But now not only they don't understand arakanes's gratude,but also they want to arakan land too.So stupids they are.Unbelieveable.How other people want to help them.Thai navy should do like this.It was worthy for them.
The truth

Discussion 16 : 13/02/2009 at 03:42 PM16
This is Rakhine extremist propaganda to cover the truth.

http://web.soas.ac.uk/burma/3.2files/03Enclave.pdf
Aaron Gay

Discussion 15 : 13/02/2009 at 07:19 AM15
Please read this article.

http://web.soas.ac.uk/burma/3.2files/03Enclave.pdf
Arakan

Discussion 14 : 13/02/2009 at 06:46 AM14
Hi! I hear that this illegal Bengalis, who came from Bangladesh into Thailand, like loudspeakers . Surprisingly, why authorities of Bangladesh shut their mouth so far? I believe that this is a puzzle of Bangladesh.
somsak

Discussion 13 : 12/02/2009 at 06:32 PM13
is he really a diplomat? burmese government should replace him for the sake of the junta, he can't do what all grown-ups can do: hiding his real feeling.
yusuf

Discussion 12 : 12/02/2009 at 05:03 PM12
It seem to me Burmese are really racist. Because of racist attitude and insincerity to ward minorities Democratic government collapsed. U Nu tried to avoid Right of minority Shan and try to install Buddhism as religious of country. Currently, Military Junta are purely Burmese race and they are not strong because all of them are Burman Racist.

Now, Burma will never have peace until its respect minority right and religious freedom.
Rohingya are discriminated because they are Muslim, this is the only reason. There may be Bangali descendent just like Shan and Mon are Thai descendent and Chin in Burma and Chin in India.

There are some townships only Rohingya live in villages, Rural area, and Country side doing farming and fishing such as Maungdaw and Buthitaung. Are they migrant or what?
Why only few solders and civil servants are residents of those places in Arakan. Buddish people are very pious and like to build Pagoda everywhere they live, why some places are arkan, there are on Pagada?

Rohingas who assimilated with Bangali just like any other indigenous people live in border with other country look more like Burmese that those neighbor country people.
In English this land is called Arakan which is Rohingya language not Burmese or Rakhine. Is it British asked from foreigner? The truth is Mayu Distrist become part of Burma after Burma gain independent from British. Burma tried to confused people about the status of Rohingya.
not_rohingya

Discussion 11 : 12/02/2009 at 03:39 PM11
I would like to clarify that the word "Rohingya"is a latter day creation (1950s)by illegal Bengalis living inside Myanmar/Burma. "Rohingya" is and never was an ethnic race of Myanmar/Burma. They may or may not be citizens. It is more akin to Chinese and Indians living in a country to be labeled and recognized as ethnic races of the host country.
During the civil war in Bengladesh(1970's)there were 2 million refugees who took refuge in Myanmar/Burma.
Nowadays, Bengalis would cross into Myanmar to sail to other countries to bypass the treacherous Bay of Bengal.
I do not think Bengladeshis would like to be called Bengalis?
This current crisis was simply created and fabricated by the Western medias' hatred of the present military government.
The issue of Myanmar and Burma is not a related topic here so if anyone who would like clarification I would do so at another time.
I am neither a supporter or enemy of the present government. I am a student of history.
Ursus

Discussion 10 : 12/02/2009 at 02:55 PM10
Kalle, I can not agree with you. A lizzard has at least an IQ. I would rather call General Ye Myint Aung's brain less intelligent than that of an amoebe. That applies to the rest of the junta as well.
max meier

Discussion 9 : 12/02/2009 at 02:48 PM9
most of you guys are simply wrong because you dont know. the word burma was introduced by the british during colonial times. the same was rangoon etc. I travel to myanmar now about 20 years and stay there every year about half of it and I tell you very seldon I hear someone using this burma, rangoon etc. also a legacy from the british is this problem with the karen, chin and rohingyas. the british brought missionaries to the karen and chin to get them christanised with the background to use them as a sting into the buddist. its a somehow similar problem like the thai have with the moslems in the south, its not the same problem but there are similarities. rohingyas also came to myanmar during british colonial times, they are ethnic bangladeshi. this problem became more and more now because of the population explosion in bangladesh. in the last 10 years every year about half a million bangladeshi moved over the border into myanmars north west. this are the so called rohingyas. but now the problem becomes worst since much more bangladeshi move in every month and push away the others, thats the reason why they try to get away. all together this is not a myanmar problem and also not a thai problem this is a bangladeshi problem. this people simple produce too many kids and after they dont know where to go since bangladesh is already filled up completely. now they move south.
G

Discussion 8 : 12/02/2009 at 01:07 PM8
This is why I don't buy grooming/beauty products that have fair skinned models. Lets help stop this type of attitude. I urge others to do the same.

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Burma envoy raps ugly, dark Rohingya