Who Says Buddhists Are Killing Rohingya Muslims?

Who Says Buddhists Are Killing Rohingya Muslims? Buddhists Are Simply Defending Them From Slaughter Since 1947

 on Sunday, 17 September 2017 

There's a big misconception about the violence in Burma that has caused severe casualties to both Rohingya Muslims and Burmese Buddhists. Therefore it is important that a fair assessment to this issue is done to shed light on the grey areas and enlighten those who are clueless on the subject.

The Rohingyas are a Muslim minority who migrated from Bangladesh and reside in Myanmar. The community procreated in large numbers within a very short period of time without any family planning and considerations to limited resources, because of which the native community in the area has became a minority and deprived of their own lands that were grabbed by increased population of Rohingyans.

According to Rohingyas, they are indigenous to Rakhine State, while the Burmese historians claim that they migrated to Burma from Bengal primarily during the period of British rule in Burma, and to a lesser extent, after the Burmese independence in 1948 and Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971.

General Ne Win's government, in 1982, enacted the Burmese nationality law, which denied citizenship to the Rohingyas honoring the opinion of vast majority of Burmese. (96%) The decision also came as a result as the Rohingyas were rebelling the government for several decades with the support of external forces, mainly from separatists movements and extremist groups including Al Qaeda.

The Rohingya insurgency in Western Myanmar was an insurgency in northern Rakhine State (also known as Arakan),  waged by insurgents belonging to the Rohingya ethnic minority. Most clashes have occurred in the Maungdaw District, which borders Bangladesh.

Rohingya extremists attacking Rakhine Burmese Neighborhoods.

Watch until 3 minutes and you will know who is attacking who. Rohingya extremists

attacking Rakhine Burmese Neighborhoods in town of Maung Daw. Rohingyas, illegal immigrants from Bangladesh terrorizing Rakhines, natives of Burma. The town of Maung

Daw, where Rohingya outnumber Rakines by 5 to 1. Rakhines suffered property damages, personal injuries and several deaths.r enable JavaScript if it is disabled in your browser.

 

Local mujahideen groups were rebelling government forces From 1947 to 1961, in an attempt to have the mostly Rohingya populated Mayu peninsula in northern Rakhine State secede from Myanmar, and have it be annexed by East Pakistan (present-day Bangladesh). In late 1950s they lost most of their support and surrendered to government forces.

The modern Rohingya insurgency in northern Rakhine began in 2001 although Shwe Maung, the then MP of the Rohingya-majority, rejected claims that new Islamist insurgent groups had begun operating along the Bangladeshi border.

Latest incident that got reported was in October 2016, where clashes have erupted on the Myanmar-Bangladesh border, with Rohingya insurgents linked to foreign Islamists suspected of being the perpetrators.

However Rohingyas have stayed in Burma for several generations and account for nearly 4% of Myanmar’s population.

On the other hand the incident where brutal rape and murder of a Rakhine Buddhist woman by Muslim men, followed by the killing of Rohingya Muslims (as retaliation) sparked the communal riots between Rakhine Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims. This was not exactly a one sided massacre, but a communal riot with victims from both sides.

The issue became more severe when Rohingyas started killing monks too. Often by beheading them. At least 19 such monk killings were reported within a couple of months where monks started to take the side of the native groups who were fighting the Rohingyas. 

Now the question every one of us must be asking is, why do Muslims kill Christians? Why do Muslims kill Muslims? pretty much everywhere in the world. None of the Buddhists we know did/ does / wants to kill Muslims, at least not because of any religious reasons. But in Myanmar we find low tolerance towards proselytism, this means there’s no problem with any religion you may have, as long as you stick to it and don’t attempt to convert others. The Christians have learned their lesson a long time ago although they continue to do it without being aggressive about it, the Hindus never had such ambitions, the Buddhists never engage in that, but the Muslims…Well…Well...Well

On the other hand Rohingyas communities tend to be highly conservative of inter-faith marriages where they punish and sometimes kills their women in case they marry someone outside Rohingyas. While they are ready to marry Buddhist women and convert them to Islam. This doesn’t sit well with some conservative factions of the Buddhist majority, for obvious reasons.

Christians and hindus, the 2nd and 4th largest communities, by population, are integrating just fine despite many Christian ethnicities engaging against the Buddhist Bamar (Kachin, Chin, Karen, etc), the disputes are historical, territorial and resource-based, never religious. Also, insulting religion, ANY religion, for whatever reason, is illegal in Myanmar and would land you in jail in a matter of hours. And that’s actively enforced, probably for good reason.

Rohingyas Muslims were welcomed as guests in the beginning according to historians. There was little or no problem at the beginning. Problems such as rebelling did happen later but an agreement was reached and they disarmed in early 60s. Although minor conflicts occurred among both communities, nothing serious occurred until about 5 years ago where Muslims gathered in numbers and walked the streets killing the minority natives in their areas. Which is why Burmese Buddhists started counter attacking the Muslims who were killing their brothers and sisters in Rohingyas lands. Below video is self explanatory to the fact that how Muslims gathered in hundreds to attack Minority Buddhists in  Rakhine State.

Therefore, it is critical that one needs to understand that Buddhists do not kill Muslims but the natives are responding to the rebels who are virtually on a ethnic cleansing mission is Rakhine State. If Buddhists were at fault, they should probably be attacking Christians too. At least some type of discrimination against Christians which is the 2nd largest religious community in Burma which has never happened.

It must also be noted that no one should be linking the unrest to religious war. Its a political war where natives trying to protect their life from insurgents belonging to a migrated community. Who are not only trying to procreate at a disturbing rate but also trying to convert natives to their faith forcibly by direct and indirect means. To make it worst, they are promoting Rohingyas men to marry Buddhists but has banned Rohingyas women to marry Buddhists. Its a riot the Rohingyas started by attacking Buddhists and other way round as it is evidently true to anywhere else in the world. It is Rohingyas who kill people Chanting Allahu Akbar and not a single Buddhist because Buddhists can't possibly justify killing according to their teachings. But their survival has become a priority which compel them to fight back.

Buddhists in Burma have seen Rohingyas rioting against them for more than half a century for no apparent reason except the need to create a separate Islam region in Burma with the funding that come from extremist organizations and middle east in addition to the support they have from neighboring Pakistan and Bangladesh. Its as the last resort they have opted to deal with the obvious problem they have at hand. It was simply a question for Buddhists weather they were willing to die at the Hands of Muslim separatists or  try to prevail by fighting back.

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Read more at http://www.religionmind.com/2017/09/who-says-buddhists-are-killing-rohingya.html#l0i1pEAhuiWABfGe.99

Vic to tighten terror, police shoot laws

Kaitlyn Offer

AAP / September 21st, 2017

A report has recommended clarifying Victoria Police's shoot-to-kill powers.

Bold new anti-terrorism laws would grant Victorian police greater power to shoot to kill suspects and prolong the amount of time they can be detained.

The moves are a part of sweeping reforms based on 16 recommendations from a report commissioned after June's deadly Brighton siege.

Terrorist Yacqub Khayre shot dead serviced apartment receptionist Nick Hao and wounded three police officers before being killed in a hail of bullets.

"It was a frightening, deadly and tragic event and it's one that called us to action," Premier Daniel Andrews told reporters.

The report by former chief commissioner Ken Lay and retired judge David Harper says police and protective service officers' lethal force powers should be clarified to "put beyond doubt that it applies to pre-emptive action".

"The law seemed to cover the issues necessary, but there was some difficulty in actually interpreting and understanding that it covered pre-emptive force," Mr Lay told journalists on Thursday.

"The recommendations ... ensure Victoria Police have clarity in some of the most deadly and critical operational issues that Victoria Police will ever need to deal with."

The pair also recommend a "presumption against bail and parole" for those convicted of terror offences, suspected of terrorist links or who pose such a threat.

The monitoring of offenders who do not get bail or parole will be subject to a second report expected soon.

The government accepted all 16 recommendations in principle and will begin making the reforms law.

 

 

 

This includes clarifying the shoot-to-kill powers, extending the detention time frame to four days and amending the parole and bail laws.

The report says a "nominated senior police officer" and the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission should oversee the extended preventative detention.

Mr Andrews says safeguards will be put in place to ensure the new powers are not abused.

However, "if it comes to a question of curtailing the rights of a small number of people to protect tens, perhaps hundreds of thousands, of other Victorians, then I won't hesitate to make that call".

Opposition Leader Matthew Guy said he supported the recommendations, but wanted to see a time frame on when they would be made law.

"The police need these laws to keep us safe," he told reports.

Ref:https://au.news.yahoo.com/vic/a/37170059/vic-police-to-get-clearer-shoot-kill-power/?cmp=st

New Investment Law Helps Myanmar Rebuild its Economy and Create Jobs

January 25, 2017

Consultative meeting on Myanmar Investment Law rules involving World Bank Group representatives and Myanmar business and government officials. From left to right - Charles Schneider, Senior Private Sector Specialist, WBG; U Zaw Min Win, President of the Union of Myanmar Chambers of Commerce and Industry; U Aung Naing Oo, Director General of the Directorate for Investment and Company Administration; Chris Hughes, Partner of Berwin, Leighton, Paiser (Myanmar) and WBG legal advisor; Sufian Jusoh, Legal Advisor to the WBG

World Bank Group Photo

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STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• In April 2017, Myanmar will begin implementing a new investment law designed to promote and facilitate both foreign and domestic investment in the economy and open more economic sectors to private investment.

• Liberalization of Myanmar’s investment law has been a priority across the political spectrum and resulted from extensive collaboration with civil society, the private sector, and the government.

• The law’s implementation, along with continuing macroeconomic reforms will spur significant FDI growth and job creation as with business opportunities and increased investor confidence flow from the country’s economic and political transition.

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WASHINGTON, January 23, 2017—Myanmar is in the midst of a dramatic political and economic transition. The Southeast Asian nation of 54 million has moved from military rule to democracy, from a centrally directed economy to a market-oriented economy, and is making strides from decades of conflict toward peace, though challenges remain.

Seeking to tap into the country’s enormous potential for economic growth, the government in a few months will begin implementation of a new investment law designed to stimulate and streamline domestic and foreign investment, increase investor protections, and ultimately create jobs and help diversify an economy heavily concentrated in agriculture and extractive industries.

These and other investment climate reforms either approved or under discussion, with World Bank Group support, have the potential to contribute to significant economic growth.

Decisive Legislative Action

The investment law, passed by Myanmar’s legislature and signed by President U Htin Kyaw in October 2016, was drafted by Myanmar’s Directorate of Investment and Company Administration (DICA) with the support of the International Finance Corporation (IFC). Responding to the government’s request, and under the leadership of DICA, the IFC country team assembled specialists in investment policy and promotion and worked closely with government officials, private sector stakeholders, and civil society in a process that emphasized transparency, consultation, and public engagement. The project received development partner support from Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Britain’s UKAID, and the Government of Japan.

“Given the special status of Myanmar, a country undergoing significant political transition and economic opening after years of isolation, it was important for civil society and the private sector to be fully engaged in crafting the investment law,” said T&C Senior Director Anabel Gonzalez. “By engaging key stakeholders across the political spectrum, Myanmar was able to maintain momentum for reform through a period of political transition.”

A pro-market reform program initiated by the government in 2012 sought to boost an economy producing the lowest per capita income among East Asian nations. While the policies approved in the initial reform effort helped increase in FDI, they failed to sustain the momentum.

Onerous entry and screening procedures for foreign direct investment (FDI) and domestic investment greatly prolonged the closing of deals. Investment proposals, even small ones, had to go before the Myanmar Investment Commission (MIC) for investors to benefit from protections and receive tax incentives. 

Vast Economic Potential

Myanmar has great, untapped economic potential. Bordering Bangladesh, China, India, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, and Thailand, Myanmar sits astride 40 percent of the world’s population. The neighboring economies account for about $15 trillion, or 20 percent, of global GDP. As the largest country in mainland Southeast Asia, Myanmar has one of the lowest population densities in the region, with fertile lands, significant potential for increased agricultural production, and a rich endowment of mineral wealth and natural gas.

Overdependence on one resource or sector—in this case extractives—leaves an economy vulnerable to external shocks. Nearly 80 percent of foreign investment is concentrated in Myanmar’s oil, gas, power, and telecom sectors, with manufacturing accounting for only about 7 percent. Aware of the risk, the government now wants to diversify investments, and has called on the Bank Group’s expertise for help in responding to the recent downturns in commodity prices.

Myanmar’s work on investment policy reform unfolded in the midst of political transition. A governing coalition led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi took office in April 2016. Throughout the election campaign players across the political spectrum engaged in discussion of the investment legislation, ensuring broad buy-in when the legislature took up the bill.

Extensive consultations were held with civil society and non-governmental organizations. In the first half of 2015, DICA and the World Bank Group team organized three consultations with civil society organizations in Myanmar and a fourth, in Washington, D.C., with international NGOs. These were in addition to consultations with the private sector. The draft investment law was posted on the government website and interested parties encouraged to submit comments. NGOs, donors, CSOs, private law firms, and others contributed more than 200 pages of written comments on the draft law.

“The adoption of a consultation process is an important step in Myanmar—one unheard of a few years ago—and has resulted in a better law,” Daniel Aguirre, a Yangon-based legal adviser to the International Commission of Jurists, wrote in the Myanmar Times.

Thura Ko Ko, a leading business advisor and investment fund manager in Myanmar, said the new law should help the country make progress “toward streamlining procedures and promoting equitable treatment between local and foreign investors… Moreover, I think the swift enactment of the law underlines the clear intent of the new government to continue the pro-investment and reform agenda the country has been undergoing over the past few years.”

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Street vendor selling copies of Myanmar’s new investment law, approved in October 2016 with World Bank Group support.

World Bank Group photo

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Investors Eager for Reform

FDI in Myanmar was on the rise even before the new investment law was being drafted, a trend continued during extensive public discussion and debate about the legislation. In 2013, DICA reported approved foreign investment of $1.4 billion. That jumped to $4.1 billion in 2014, doubled to just over $8 billion in 2015, and was up 18.4 percent to $9.48 billion in 2016.

As Bloomberg Markets reported last June, “Foreign investors are starting to flock to Myanmar deals.”

But FDI in Myanmar is volatile, as the most recent reports indicate a sharp downturn in the first three quarters of FY17, heightening the urgency of getting the reform implementation under way.

The government has identified manufacturing—particularly labor-intensive manufacturing—and agriculture and food processing as priority areas for economic diversification. Early indications, based on recent investment deals, suggest that industries ranging from beer and toiletries to telecommunications and high technology are among areas of investor interest.

The goal is to expand job opportunities in Myanmar and to increase the competitiveness of domestic businesses as they enter into deals with foreign investors and increase their participation in international trade.

Meeting at the White House on the eve of the legislature’s vote on the Myanmar investment legislation, State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi made the pitch directly to the press corps.

“Our country is in a position to open up to those who are interested in taking part in our economic enterprises,” she said. “With the lifting of sanctions and the new investment law, which I hope will be very attractive to many people all over the world, we think that our country is in a position to take off.”

Aiming for Impact

The Bank Group team is working with the government in three investment policy areas: improving the legal and regulatory framework; simplifying administrative procedures and establishing support mechanisms; and rationalizing investment incentives to focus government attention on the areas with the greatest potential for private sector growth.

Specific improvements resulting from the investment law are expected to include reducing the time required to obtain MIC approval from six months to three; cutting in half the number of firms required to obtain MIC approval before gaining market entry; and implementing increased investor protections against unfair treatment and expropriation of property, among others. The new law also introduces an innovative mechanism to detect and address investor grievances at an early stage to avoid escalation into open disputes requiring international arbitration.

The project’s long-term impacts flow from Bank Group support for promoting inclusive growth and jobs creation, enabling the broader population to participate in and benefit from Myanmar’s economic reform, increased access to finance for rural and micro borrowers, and support for development of key infrastructure.

Ref;http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2017/01/25/new-investment-law-helps-myanmar-rebuild-its-economy-and-create-jobs

The Opportunities and Risks of Investing in Myanmar!

The foreign investment law that Myanmar passed in 2012 set off a wave of interest in the country. However, a closer look at the opportunities and challenges of doing business in Myanmar is still necessary before turning interest into actual investment.

By Duncan Falzon, Managing Director, Global Intelligence Alliance

The law allows for 100% foreign ownership in non-restricted sectors and an increase in land lease duration. It also grants foreign investors corporate income tax exemption for three years at a minimum, and exemption from or reduction of taxes on imported capital goods and raw materials.

The opportunities in Myanmar

Myanmar, branded by the International Monetary Fund as Asia’s ‘final frontier’ has a population of 60 million and a growing GDP per capita at 7 to 8% annually. The consumer market is relatively young and offers great potential for suppliers of basic goods and services. The country’s attractive geographical location connects it with China, India, Bangladesh and the ASEAN members of Thailand and Laos, providing access to a market of approximately three billion people.

The country’s abundant natural resources have attracted the most attention, with the oil, gas, and mining sectors receiving the largest amount of foreign investment. Labour is currently cheap, albeit lower skilled, and productivity gains are to be expected along with industrial reforms and the introduction of modern technologies. Such factors make intensive Burmese export-oriented manufacturing attractive.

The Burmese government has identified the four pillars of growth for development. They are telecoms, banking, energy and major infrastructure. Besides these four, other key industries include tourism and market research.

1) Telecoms

Myanmar is one of the world’s last untapped mobile markets, with less than 10% of the 60 million population currently using mobile phones. The government is stepping up its liberalisation of the telecommunications sector by allowing international firms to form joint ventures with local ICT (information and communication technology) players.

After the civilian government took power in 2011 and conducted successful reforms, the Internet has become more accessible to the Burmese people. Samsung is a market leader in Myanmar for mobile phones, tablet computers, TV sets, video players and refrigerators. Samsung, as one of the early movers, began work with two local partners and expanded its distribution in 2012.

2) Banking

The Burmese government has introduced a range of industry reforms to revitalizse the banking sector and support an influx of investment, one of which allows foreign banks to establish joint ventures with local partners.

3) Energy and Resources

The government has put out 18 onshore and 30 offshores oil blocks for tender by international oil giants. Currently, 70% of the Burmese population does not have access to electricity, and the private sector faces serious challenges in coping with the growing demand for electricity. The government is eager to improve the current situation, and a comprehensive power expansion plan has been drawn up.Daewoo Group, a South Korean conglomerate, has successfully conducted resource development investment in Myanmar. By the end of this year, Daewoo expects the natural gas it sells to China from Myanmar offshore wells to increase from 120 to 500 million cubic feet per day.

4) Tourism

Limited hotel rooms, logistical capacity and coverage, as well as an underdeveloped banking system hold back a boom in tourism. As such, the government has formulated a seven-year tourism development master plan worth US$500 million.

5) Market research

Transparency is a tricky issue in Myanmar. Reliable information is not always available from the government, nor is there sufficient or accurate trade and market information. As such, it is expected that market research and consulting firms that provide market-specific consultancy to potential investors will be in demand.

6) Major infrastructure

The underdeveloped telecom and logistics infrastructure in Myanmar has long been an operational challenge to its businesses, which direly need good ports, road and rail systems. There is pent up demand for infrastructural development.

The risks of investing in Myanmar

As it is with any new frontier market, there are risks associated with investing in Myanmar.

1) Reliance on agriculture

Although Myanmar’s economic structure is transforming, the agricultural sector still contributes to around 40% of the GDP, indicating that the economy is potentially vulnerable to natural disasters such as storms, floods and earthquakes.

2) Political risks

Political instability and ongoing religious conflicts can fundamentally impact foreign businesses’ operations in Myanmar, as seen from occasional uprisings.

3) Cost of poor infrastructural support

Those operating on the ground in Myanmar frequently experience power outages, unstable telecoms services and limited transport coverage. Foreign businesses may find that they have to make their own capital and technological investments, just in order to ensure smooth daily operations.

CASH-BASED ECONOMY

Myanmar’s economy is still substantially cash-based, with less than 20% of the population having access to any formal financial service. Businesses also have to manage their daily finances on a cash basis, and this increases risk and cost.

LACK OF SKILLED LABOR

As much as 70% to 80% of Myanmar’s workforce is employed in the agriculture sector, which still engages in traditional farming techniques.

LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS

Foreign investment in key sectors such as telecoms, banking, energy and infrastructure, are still restricted to joint ventures, making the choice of local partners crucial for foreign investors, particularly identifying the ones with the right market-specific knowledge and localisation strategies.

Ref:http://www.britcham.org.sg/static-pages/o47-feature-opportunities-risks-investing-in-myanmar