IMAGES ASIA: REPORT ON THE SITUATION FOR MUSLIMS IN BURMA May 1997 From: sitthipong I M A G E S A S I A ------------------------------------------------ PART 2: REPORT ON THE SITUATION FOR MUSLIMS IN BURMA * In other mosques also, the army officials came and asked the Muslims not to stay overnight, but in each case the army officials' requests were denied. * By March 24, 1997 in Rangoon, mosques in the following areas had already been attacked: 1. Kanbe 2. No. 7 Quarter in South Okkalapa township 3. Wartan street 4. Ayethakar quarters at Ahlone township 5. At Mayangone junction 6. Near Pazundaung Post Office 7. At 48th street * Muslim sources in Rangoon state that up to this point, neither monks identified as belonging to specific monasteries nor civilians had participated in these attacks. Almost all of the attacks occurred only after 10:00 at night, usually between 10:00 p.m. and 4:30 a.m. rather than during the day. * Such well-known monasteries in Rangoon as Thayattaw, Nyaungdon, Theinphyu, and Moegaung were surrounded by troops, and monks were prohibited from leaving the monastery grounds for any reason. The abbots at these monasteries summoned their monks and told them not to join in these events, saying that if they did join they should leave the monasteries forever. Senior monks from monasteries, including those from Thayattaw, claimed that no monks from their monasteries joined in the riots, and that their monks were ready to help the Muslims in guarding the mosques. They also expressed their desire to see that monks caught participating in the acts of destruction were properly tried. A senior monk at Myenigone monastery in Rangoon told the people that no real monks were participating in these attacks, and that he was ashamed about the situation. * On the 24th and 25th, the mosque near the Pazundaung Post Office was attacked for the second time. * On 25 March in Rangoon, between 10 and 15 policemen were stationed at every mosque. * Muslims also guarded their mosques. Military trucks roamed the streets. The Muslim religious school at 48th street and the religious school at Tharkaeta township in Rangoon were attacked. * In the morning, 3 food shops owned by Muslims at Mahlwagon in Rangoon were destroyed. * On 26 March 1997 in Thuwana township in Rangoon, anti-Muslim pamphlets urging people to destroy Muslim homes and abuse Muslim women were distributed by an identified group of people. * At some mosques, Buddhists joined in guarding the mosque along with Muslim people. "After several days of attacks, a common strategy employed in the attacks emerged: At night, monks riding in garbage collection cars from the City Municipal Department or trucks used to carry sand or stones to construction sites approached the mosques. They then waited for a convenient place and time for attack. If everything was in order, they would complete their attack on the mosque within 20 minutes. After exactly 20 minutes, they abruptly halted the attack and left by truck. Immediately after their departure, the army trucks arrived. "So, the conclusion of the Muslim people is that these monks are not ordinary monks, but well trained persons wearing robes. The monks arrested by SLORC were the real monks working hard for Buddhism and for the goodness of Burma. No persons wearing Buddhist robes who joined in these anti-Muslim attacks were arrested by SLORC up until this date. It was clear that no monks from the famous monasteries in Rangoon such as Thayattaw, Nyaungdone or any Buddhist people participated in these attacks." - Muslim witness to attacks in Rangoon * On March 28, 1997 at about 2:00 in the afternoon, monks from Kyaukhtatgyi Pagoda in Rangoon marched in the streets, shouting demands calling for the release of arrested monks. They were stopped immediately by army troops using armoured cars. It is believed that as many as 200 monks may have been arrested by the authorities. Other Areas: Mosques in other areas including Moulmein, Arakan State, Taungdwingyi in Magwe Division, and Pakkoku in Pegu Division, are also reported to have been attacked, however no further information is available at this time. Duplaya District, Karen State: Muslims began moving into Karen State at the time of Great Britain's annexation of Upper Burma in the 1880s. The Muslim population in Karen State numbers in the thousands, with Muslims engaging in a range of professions from farming to shop-keeping. Many Muslims in Karen State refer to themselves in Karen as "Pwakanyaw Thu" or "Black Karen" and consider Karen State as their homeland. Although the Muslims tend to live in separate areas within Karen villages, relations between Muslims and Buddhists and Christians have generally been good. In Karen State, the SLORC has also tried to stir up anti-Muslim feelings. In August 1996, a letter came from Dammaya town to some people in Kyaikdon, Karen State encouraging fighting between Muslims and Buddhists. According to one informant who saw the letter, it was written in good Burmese and was unsigned. The villagers believed that SLORC officials had written it and that the Democratic Kayin Buddhist Army (DKBA), which has been working closely with the SLORC, had been distributing copies. In the February 1997 SLORC offensive against the Karen National Union (KNU), the SLORC attacked the Muslim community directly. SLORC soldiers razed mosques and destroyed copies of the Koran, ordered conversions to Buddhism, and drove Muslims out of Karen State. Following is a partial list of villages where mosques were destroyed. Each mosque has a special coffin for carrying the dead. These were destroyed in all of the named villages, and in most cases the mosque's copies of the Koran was also either burned or shredded. VILLAGES WHERE MOSQUES WERE DESTROYED BY THE SLORC: Kyaikdon: The inside of the mosque and the Muslim school destroyed, Muslims expelled unless they became Buddhist Gaw Bay: Mosque destroyed Naw Bu: Mosque destroyed and all the villagers were expelled Day Nga Yin: Mosque destroyed Kyaung Don: Mosque destroyed, villagers allowed to stay Kaninbu: Mosque and the Muslim school destroyed Pa Glaw Ni: All valuables inside the mosque looted and placed in the village's Buddhist temple The wooden mosque was then dismantled SLORC soldiers made it known that they were targeting Muslims and threatened to kill any Muslims that they saw. There have also been confirmed reports of SLORC troops killing Muslims. In Kyo Ta village, SLORC soldiers blindfolded 2 male Muslim villagers and cut their necks. In Ti Dah Blu village, 2 Muslim villagers were also killed. Muslims from Karen State face a precarious future. Up to ten thousand people from Duplaya district have left Karen State in order to escape the human rights abuses perpetrated by the Burmese military. An anti-Muslim campaign has forced thousands of the Muslim population from Duplaya District into Thailand. In this area, they have been told that they cannot become citizens of Burma unless they profess Buddhism as their religion. Many have been ordered to leave Karen State and to return to India, although they have no connections to that country today. For these people, leaving their homes was the last resort. None wanted to leave their homes for refugee camps in Thailand. They fled because of ill-treatment and fear of further abuse. They also fled to protect their families. The pain and upheaval that these Muslim people have experienced should not be underestimated. The following are excerpts from interviews with Muslim refugees from Karen State. NAME: NUSA AGE: 33 SEX: MALE FAMILY: WIFE AND 2 CHILDREN VILLAGE: KYAIKDON PROFESSION: SHOP OWNER ETHNICITY: BLACK KAREN RELIGION: MUSLIM After hearing that the SLORC troops were approaching Kyaikdon, Nusa and several other families fled. He explained: Destruction of the mosque When we arrived at Kyaikdon we tied up the bullocks and went to the well in the mosque compound to get water. The soldiers at the entrance warned us that we could not enter the mosque itself, and that we should get the water as quickly as possible. In the meantime, a SLORC column entered the village. When they saw us, they hurled rude abuse at us like: 'You sons of bitches!' and so on. I was getting water at the well in front of the mosque when some soldiers brought out the Koran and I saw them ripping it up. The soldiers said: 'Don't watch! Just get your water,' pointing their gun at me. I wanted to cry but I couldn't. They threw the pieces of Koran on the street. When the Muslim women on the street saw this, they cried and felt such pain. The SLORC soldiers said, 'Don't cry! This is not a Muslim country! This is a Buddhist country! Go away!' Expulsion from the village An officer from the 202 TOC (Tactical Operation Command), 22nd LID (Light Infantry Division) told me: 'Muslims cannot stay. If you are Muslim you must leave.' Another one said: 'Muslims cannot stay here, you must convert to Buddhism and put an altar in your house.' The soldiers then ordered us to move our bullock carts out of the village within half an hour. When we started to move from that place, the soldiers came out and threatened us with guns. They ordered us not to pick up any of our belongings that 'had dropped' from our bullock carts. After that, we made our way back to Nam Ngen village and then went to Ywa Thit village to meet the commander of the SLORC troops. At Ywa Thit, the major told us were not allowed to stay in the village and would have to stay somewhere outside the village. Therefore we moved, with over twenty bullock carts, to the banks of a nearby stream. Extortion The next day the solders arrived and asked how many bullock carts we had with us. They then ordered the whole group of villagers to go with them, including the girls and 27 bullock carts. They also said that we would have to eat 'the meat that we cannot eat' (pork). We understood clearly what they meant, and after discussing it with the village elders, we decided to collect 150 kyats for each of the 27 bullock carts and gave the money to the soldiers. After that the soldiers bought pork and took it to the place where they were staying. We slept at the side of the stream for two nights. Kidnapping I came to the refugee camp with part of my family. On the way we heard that the Islamic teacher of Kyaikdon had been arrested there by the SLORC. The Muslim villagers had to pay 2000 kyat to the officer there to secure his release. Forced to eat pork Since I arrived here, I heard that in Azin Kyaung Paya village, the SLORC troops forced some Muslims to eat pork [this practice is contrary to the precepts of the Islam]. We have suffered so much grief at the hands of the military that I feel that if we could get some guns now, all of the people suffering here would fight back against this brutal regime. This feeling is felt deep in the hearts of our Muslim community here. We can never forgive the SLORC soldiers who destroyed our mosque and our Koran, which is the holy center of our community. NAME: WANASOO AGE: 36 SEX: MALE FAMILY: WIFE AND 2 CHILDREN VILLAGE: KYAIKDON PROFESSION: WAGE LABORER ETHNICITY: BLACK KAREN RELIGION: MUSLIM Destruction of the mosque at Kyaikdon My wife and some of the other villagers returned to the village from the place where we were hiding in the jungle. They cried with grief when they saw the ruins of our mosque. They met the SLORC soldiers near that mosque, and the SLORC soldiers said to them, 'This is not India! Within two days two bulldozers will arrive at this village to raze the mosque!' They noticed that the doors on the left side of the mosque were burned down and the marble floors made up of ceramic tiles had been pounded and destroyed by the SLORC troops. The Koran had been torn into pieces and was scattered on the public footpath in front of the mosque. The women in the group cried when they saw this. At that time, the soldiers told the people: 'This is not India! All of you Muslims must leave the mosque compound within half an hour!' >From our hiding place, we had already seen our village through a pair of binoculars. We saw that the roof of the mosque had already been destroyed, and also that all the roof framework had been completely destroyed by fire. The SLORC troops have now destroyed the mosque at Kyaikdon village twice. Once was in 1990 and the other time was this year. This time we tried to hide the Koran in a safe place in the mosque, however the soldiers found the Koran and tore it to pieces and scattered it across the road. The soldiers then killed the pigs and cooked and ate pork curry in the mosque compound [a grave insult to Muslims]. The destruction of the mosque and the holy Koran hurts like a spear piercing my heart. Even if the SLORC were to kill me along with my family, it would not hurt as much as this. This feeling is deep in our hearts and we will never forget this incident. [Another recent arrival told Wanasoo that no villagers are staying in the Muslim quarter of Kyaikdon anymore. The SLORC tried to destroy the mosque in a series of five explosions. This did not completely destroy the mosque - which is made of concrete - but crackeed the ceiling and walls] Fleeing and threats of execution According to the Karen elders who had also witnessed the destruction of the mosque, the SLORC troops were making many problems for the Muslim community, and it would be wise for us to leave the village for that reason. We sent one man back to our village from our hiding place to collect news about the movements of, and conditions under, the SLORC troops. He was a former KNLA soldier and had been given a traveling document by a SLORC major from Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) 205. He went back to the village and returned to our hiding place in the evening. He told us that the SLORC troops had said that they would kill all Muslims. He warned us to stay in a large group, and that we should not travel separately. He advised us to run to Kawkareik. Threats of rape and execution Two porters who escaped and arrived at Nopho told us that the SLORC soldiers said to each other that if they had a chance to meet Muslim women, they would rape them and then kill them. NAME: YI SOO SEX: MALE AGE: 36 FAMILY: WIFE AND 7 CHILDREN VILLAGE: MEH KA TEE HTAR OCCUPATION: RAISES COWS ETHNICITY: BLACK KAREN RELIGION: MUSLIM Threat of execution When I heard the SLORC was coming, I had to run with my cows and hide. I asked a Karen Buddhist friend to go to the SLORC troops and ask them what the policy is for Muslims. My friend came back and told me that it is bad news for Muslims, if the SLORC troops see any Muslims they said they will kill them. Threat of theft I got information that all the cows were being taken by the SLORC and the SLORC troops were taking all the things that belonged to Muslims. So I gave my cows to my friend to look after. NAME: KYI WIN AGE 33 SEX: MALE FAMILY: WIFE AND 3 CHILDREN VILLAGE: PA GLAW NI PROFESSION: FARMER ETHNICITY: SGAW KAREN RELIGION: CHRISTIAN Threat of execution The SLORC told the villagers [from Kyaikdon] that if they saw any Muslims to come and tell them. The SLORC came and asked us, Where are the Muslims? If we catch them we will barbecue them and eat them. Rumour of execution I heard that they had killed two of them [Muslims]. Then they came back and told the villagers to go and bury the bodies. The villagers picked up their tools to go and bury the bodies. When they arrived they could not find the dead bodies. They searched and searched but there was no trace of them. I don't know whether they were lying or telling the truth. Destruction of the mosque There was a mosque in the village, but the SLORC troops dismantled it. It was wood, and the troops told the villagers to take it, but the villagers refused. So they [the SLORC soldiers] sold the wood. The SLORC troops also burned the Koran and destroyed the Muslim coffin. NAME: ABDUL SEX: MALE AGE: 54 FAMILY: WIFE AND 9 CHILDREN VILLAGE: KYAIKDON PROFESSION: SENIOR MEMBER OF ABMU ETHNICITY: BLACK KAREN RELIGION: MUSLIM There was fighting in Kyaikdon on February 13th for one hour. The Muslim troops and the SLORC troops shot each other, then the Muslims retreated into the mountains. Destruction of the mosque The SLORC soldiers used four explosives [probably mortar shells] to destroy the mosque in Kyaikdon. I could see from a hill that it was destroyed, and the others who were there later came out and reported the details to me. Looting The SLORC took everything left in the village. They said all of it belonged to Muslims, so they took it. Excerpts of Statements from Burmese Opposition Groups Muslim Liberation Organisation of Burma (MLOB) Previously known as the Arakan Liberation Organisation, established in 1980, the MLOB adopted its current name in 1987. The MLOB states that anti-government demonstrations began in Mandalay on 17 March, after monks demanded a list of monks currently under detention from the SLORC authorities. According to the MLOB, "The SLORC is afraid that this kind of demonstration could lead to political unrest, and may even threaten their very power base. They therefore immediately circulated a story that the Mandalay monks' demonstrations were triggered by Buddhist-Muslim tension following an alleged rape case." (MLOB statement, 20 March 1997) All Burma Muslim Union (ABMU) The ABMU statement warns people not to jump to conclusions about the unrest. "A rumour was also released that a Burmese girl was insulted by a Muslim youth, was angered by a group of monks lead by the girl's uncle, who is also a monk and against the Muslims. But everyone must study the situation carefully what actually happened." (sic) The ABMU also noted that the Burmese army have destroyed mosques and confiscated religious and secular properties of Muslim in their recent offensive against the KNU. Muslims living in Karen State were particularly mistreated by the Burmese army. The ABMU claims that already in December 1996, SLORC ordered Muslim villagers to move from Nabu village, Kawkareik township, Karen State, within one month. "...they don't want to see the families and any face of Kala (obscene word for Muslims) any more after the month." (sic) The ABMU further states that approximately 2,000 Muslims have sought sanctuary in Thailand since the offensive began. "Muslim s were denied to resettle and at the gun point they were chased out of the area." (ABMU statements, 4 and 20 March 1997) Rohingya Solidarity Organisation (RSO) According to the RSO, a Muslim organisation established in 1982 in Arakan State, "It is common practice of successive ruling juntas to create an issue and make the Muslim scapegoat whenever it faces strong dissension from the masses, and it did try to do the same in October, 1996 by distributing leaflets that could lead to communal riots in Burma." The RSO claims that SLORC instigated the recent anti-Muslim riots. "Although the conflicting reports are still coming in from different quarters as to the cause of the rioting, all indications have almost confirmed that the junta master-minded the communal commotion to divert the growing exasperation among the Buddhist monks in Mandalay following the killing of 16 monks and the Mahamyatmuni Buddha crisis by the SLORC." (RSO statement, 25 March 1997) All Burma Young Monks' Union (ABYMU) The ABYMU claims that the SLORC instigated the anti-Muslim unrest in order to "deflect possible criticism and disavow any role in the matter by saying that the demonstration broke out when monks became angry over the alleged rape of Buddhist woman by a Muslim man. This same kind of dissimulation was employed by the SLORC authorities in Taunggyi and Prome in 1988, when the people rose up in protest to demand their democratic rights." (ABYMU statements, 18 and 19 March 1997) National Council of the Union of Burma (NCUB) According to the NCUB, "the current political crisis within the country involving SLORC and the religious communities is being used to divert the increasing public anger towards the military regime against real issues." The NCUB also believes that there is a power struggle between Lt. Gen. Khin Nyunt (SLORC Secretary 1 and head of Military Intelligence) and General Maung Aye (Army Chief of Staff). The statement quotes one student leader as saying, "This could be a plan from a faction within the SLORC army to instigate further unrest so that the army will be called in to stop the situation from deteriorating further.... In order to control the possibility of a mass movement against them, the SLORC is diverting the people's attention away from the real issues and creating division within our communities." (NCUB statement, 24 March 1997) Daw Aung San Suu Kyi In a video-taped address to the 53rd session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, which was smuggled out of Burma, the leader of the National League for Democracy and Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi stated that she understood the unrest in Mandalay began "because of the fact that there was some damage done to this very, very famous and very, very revered image of the Buddha, the Maha Myatmuni image. And the monks were angry about this, and they thought that the authorities were in some way responsible for the -- I think it was a crack -- which had appeared in the image." While acknowledging there are certain places in Burma where tension does exist between Muslims and Buddhists, she pointed to the underlying cause of religious tension. "The real source, the real reason behind this, is I think social unrest. When there is communal strife anywhere it is due to social economic problems. Social unrest of course is related to such factors as political dissatisfaction and economic problems. So we cannot just tolerate the problems between the Buddhist monks and the Muslims, and say, well there is trouble -- there is trouble throughout the country. It is just a symptom of the general malaise that you will find in Burma today." List of Pertinent Questions that ASEAN countries should ask SLORC regarding the recent anti-Muslim disturbances (taken from "Second Letter to the Supreme Authorities of Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia, concerning the current situation for Muslims in Burma," MLOB, 28 April 1997) 1. Why didn't the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) protect mosques, houses and other Muslim property all over Burma from destruction during March and April 1997? 2. Who will provide protection for Burmese Muslims in the future, in case of anti-Muslim riots after the SLORC becomes a member of ASEAN? 3. Why did the SLORC army dynamite mosques, rip up and destroy copies of the Holy Quoran, and order Muslims to eat pork and convert to Buddhism in Karen State in February and March 1997? 4. Why didn't Muslims celebrate Idd Al Adha (the Feast of Sacrifice), one of the Five Pillars of Islam, in Burma on 18 April 1997? 5. For what reason have Rohingyas repeatedly fled as refugees (in 1978, 200,000, and in 1991, 300,000) into Bangladesh? Conclusions and Recommendations to the ASEAN Nations and the International Community We urge governments, organizations, and concerned individuals to: * Request clarification and a full disclosure of information about the attacks on Muslim communities, properties, and religious sites in Burma in March. * Encourage the SLORC to treat all citizens equally regardless of ethnicity or religion. In particular, the ASEAN Muslim nations - Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei - should intercede on behalf of the Burmese Muslims and demand significant improvements in the human rights conditions in the country. * Urge the SLORC to enhance regional stability by entering into genuine tri-partite dialogue with the country's democratic opposition and ethnic leaders, so that the people of Burma can finally enjoy the peace and stability for which they have been longing for so many years; and resolve internal political conflict through political means. * Recognize that, given the SLORC's inability to respond to internal security crises, ASEAN and all foreign investment inside Burma is at risk. * Urge the SLORC to refrain from committing human rights abuses such as rape, extra-judicial execution, torture, etc., and to treat people in accordance with the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights, and other United Nations human rights conventions. * Note that the SLORC and the ethnic nationality parties need to seek durable solutions to the underlying political problems in Burma. It is only when stability is realized throughout Burma that refugees, including the Muslim people who have been forced out of Burma, can return home and will feel genuinely secure. Through dialogue and compromise, Burma be made a peaceful country where civilians can live without the fear of unlawful attacks, torture, and persecution. With Burma's recent entrance to ASEAN, ASEAN countries are uniquely positioned and culturally suited to mediate such negotiations. APPENDIX -- LIST OF MONKS WHO HAVE DIED WHILE IN PRISON The list below gives the following particulars in order specified: No. Name Age Monastery Place of Birth Place of Death (Labour Camp/Jail) 1 Ashin Pyin Nya Nanda u/k Maha Nandi The Na, Payagyi (Maha Myatmuni) Dadar Oo Township, Mandalay Myitkyina Hard Labour Camp, Kachin 2 Ashin Zawana u/k Maha Nandi The Na, Payagyi (Maha Myatmuni) Dadar Oo Township, Mandalay Myitkyina Hard Labour Camp, Kachin 3 U Seindawara 40 Aleitaigyi, Payagyi (Middle Monastery, Maha Myatmuni) Taunggyi, Shan State Phar Kant Camp, Mokoung, Kachin State 4 U Teza 30 Saku Monastery Lei We, Pyimana Mokoung Jail, Kachin State 5 Ashin Teza 12 Eindawya Na Toe Gyi Township, Myingyan Shot 8-8-90, place of death unknown 6 U Ar Tha Pa 25 Payagyi (Maha Myatmuni) Pa Le, Monywa Mandalay Jail 7 U Pyin Nyaing Da 30 Payagyi (Maha Myatmuni) Matayar, Mandalay Mandalay Jail 8 U Tiloka 32 Masoyein Monastery Taung Tha village, Myingyan Par Kant Camp, Mokoung, Kachin State 9 U Zawana 36 Eindawya Taung Tha village, Myingyan Myitkyina Jail, Kachin State 10 Ashin Teza u/k Pagan Monastery Kant Balu, Sagaing Myitkyina Jail, Kachin State 11 Ashin Rewata u/k Pagan Monastery Laung Su village, Kyauk Se Myitkyina Jail, Kachin State 12 Ashin Kaw Wida u/k Pagan Monastery Put Taing village, Kyauk Se Myitkyina Jail, Kachin State 13 U Pyinya Thiri 30 Myadaung Monastery Kyet Pyin village, Mogok, Shan State Katha Jail, Mokoung, Kachin State 14 U Zaw Tika 28 Anauk Htilin Hanhai village, Mahlaing Township, Myingyan Katha Jail, Mokoung, Kachin State 15 U Dhamma Wara Thiri 51 unknown unknown Par Kant, Mokoung, Kachin State 16 Sayadaw U Tiloka (Abbot) 70 Shwephonepwint Monastery, Rangoon unknown Insein Jail, Rangoon [END REPORT]