The Rohingya of Arakan

Their quest for justice

A F K Jilani

Due to insecurity in Burma a few of the names are nicknamed in Chapter 23 and Chapter 24.

First edition Published by Computer composed

: : :

December 1999 Ahmed Jilani. Tahir & Haron Rashid.

Copy right reserved by author

Foreword
This comprehensive and fascinating work of historical literature by A.F.K Jilani tells the story of one of Asia's most extraordinary and little-known ethnic groups, the Rohinryas. The people called "Rohingya" established themselves in Arakan, western Burma centuries ago. Their true epic history is reminiscent of the tales of Scheherazade and Sinbad the Sailor. The triumphs and tragedies of their poetic early times are stirringly recounted in this book by Mr. Jilani. Who is well versed in the archaeology and court chronicles of Burma, Bengal and the Mughal Empire. From those adventurous beginnings, often called "glorious", the fall of the Rohingya into a dark well of persecution is then detailed of the author. While the historic victimization of the Rohigyas at the hands of Burma brutal military regime is well known due to periodic refugee crises, Mr. Jilani gives us the history of their resistance as much as their oppression. The struggles of the Rohinrya intellectual elite and ordinary farmers and fishing folk, against the military campaigns of obliteration, are well portrayed in these pages. Mr. Jilani draws on an astounding array of sources for his history of the Rohinrya people, and this makes his work especially valuable for scholars of the region. At the same time, this is the product of individual opinion, and Mr. Jilani, a frequent contributor to the lively editorial pages of Dhaka's press, gives the reader a representative sample of Rohirgya thinking on current and historical topics. Some of these opinions, and even terminology, may be controversial. But it must be remembered that in the free society to which we all aspire. Such views are to be considered, examined, and debated without fear. One hopes that the other ethnic groups of Arakan, and Burma, will in the future produce such books of reference as this one about the Rohingyas. Although this function as a specialized work of research, digest and commentary, it is also useful as a fine example of the struggle for identity and survival of a highly endangered people, Mr Jilani refers to the Orwellian nature of Burma, and indeed one of the dire efforts of the regime involves removing the Rohingyas from their history geography - and therefore identity. For that reason, this book is a valuable defiance of the evil will of Burma dictatorship. I hope that one day it will help spur a Rohingya renaissance of thought and culture (which will be to the benefit of multi-ethnic Burma), as it will grace the stacks of new free libraries in Arakan. May this book be an inspiration to all who read it.

EdithT.Mirante Director Project Maje USA

In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful!

PREFACE
We subscribe to the quest of justice, truth and virtue. We long for knowledge, peace and security. Enduring peace and security must be built not upon religious, cultural, racial, economic or political grounds but on mutual awareness and concern, for understanding brings respect. And respect prepares for affection. Affection takes to justice, true and virtuous. The dignity of man is very important for the establishment of a society enjoying justice, peace and security. There can be no dignity in poverty, sickness, deprivation, illiteracy and ignorance. Dante Alighier, in the twelve century, envisaged the establishments of the "Universal community of the human race." Dante formulated his philosophy from the ruminations of Averroes (Ibn Rushd) on doctrine of the universal intellects. Dante's idea of the "Universal community of the human race" was infect realized for centuries in Spain under Moorish rule. This period witnessed peaceful coexistence between the Jews, Christians and Muslims. The false idea of racial superiority has been responsible for subjugation, oppression and exploitation of man by man has ever let in hatred among human race only to result in disaster. It has been visible in various ways and different forms in Burma. Their ruthless hearts would not pay any heed to the fatality with which it makes human life a hell. Conscience seems to have deserted them. Aristotle set forth three rules for "successful" tyrants; "break the spirit of their subjects," "breed mutual distrust", and "make their subjects incapable of action." Consent is to become Obedience. George Orwell's book "1984" is similar to the military junta of Burma. Thought control, Brainwash, News-peak, the Ministry of truth, the Ministry of love, all of them exist today in Burma with the SPDC for the same reason to deny life. Orwell's Animal Farm" is also similar to the Military dictatorship of Burma. The junta is deliberately distorting the history of Rohingya and Arakan in order to make it appear that there was no Muslims Rohinrya in Arakan despite their more than millennia old history. They use all weapons, racial, religious, political, economic and propaganda to mislead and divide the two sister communities of Arakan. It is time that the two sister communities should be able to realize how the enemy is using them one against another, amend their wrong attitude and join hands for the restoration of their glorious past. The appreciation of the realities of Arakan must be by all people of Arakan for a peaceful and prosperous Arakan. Arakan State of present Burma is separated from Bangladesh by the Naf River, which can be crossed in half an hour by sampans and countryboats. The frontiers of both the countries in the North are

contiguous. Burma is a Buddhist majority country and Bangladesh a Muslim state in tens of population the latter is the second largest Muslim State in the world. Both are inhabited by a considerable number of adherents of the other religion more or less concentrated along the borders. By language and literature, by habit and custom, by costume and appearance by culture and religion, the Muslims and Buddhists across their respective borders are complementary to each other of their own category with indissoluble affinities. The close proximity and congenial next-door neighborhood transcend geographical limitations and from time immemorial there had been influx of people from both sides at different periods of History. At times, the Arakanese had even penetrated up to Dhaka and their colorful canoes plied on the placid water of Buriganga. The "Magh Bazar" in Dhaka city is reminiscent of the presence of Maghs in bygone days. Many distinguished Muslims from Bengal, except for the tragic, misadventure of Shah Shuja adorned the court of Arakanese kings, captured the imagination of the indigenous people by their rectitude in life. Liberality of outlook, diffusion of love and comradeship above all by the simplicity and purity of their religion. A close cultural contact between Arakan and Bengal was first made early in the fifteenth century when Narameikhla, the king of Arakan, dispossessed by the king of Burma came to Bengal and took refuge in the court of Gour( 1404). After a sojourn of many years he was helped by Jalal Uddin, the Bengal Sultan, to regain his throne in (1430). Since then Bengali culture was enduring in the court of Arakan. The influence of Bengali attained further development when Chittagong was annexed to the Arakanese Empire. Politically Chittagong was subjugated by Arakan, but culturally it was Arakan which was greatly influenced by a strong culture and powerful language. A number of competent Bengalese were appointed to high government post. People of all ranks enjoyed the literary beauty of Bengali works. The Arakanese kings of the seventeenth century were enthusiastic patrons of Bengali language. One of the most glorious periods of Bengali literature was seventeenth century, based in Arakan. In the view of SatyendraNath Ghoshal it was a golden age of the Bengali literature. The Arakanese king adopted Bengali names such as Thiri Thu Dhama, Sanda Thu Damma in addition to their Muslim names. The Bengali immigrants in Arakan were almost all Muslims and the officials, ministers, Prime Ministers and Judges (Qazis) were mostly Muslims. "The Rohingya of Arakan and their quest for justice" is originally intended to write with a view to give light on the history of Rohingya and other indigenous races of the Union of Burma not only because of the distorted facts and machination made by some writers, who were instrumental during the reign of military rulers but also because no adequate research has been made on the back ground of this particular race. Once a distortion or hypothesis is accepted without sufficient ground or due to lack of strong argument from any side, it later becomes a history. It is, for this reason felt that such a book

on Rohingya is needed for the historians, researchers and interested quarters. It is hoped that the book would help uncover the truth and dispel misunderstanding that earlier took in those interested to know on Rohingya and Arakan. What has been happening in the [Uion of Burma under the military rule is beyond one's belief. Denying rights of ethnic minorities is well practiced. And above all, the junta has been obliterating the history of once glorious people. Historical establishments, antiques, monument sites, etc. were destroyed. The ethnicity of Rohinrya in Arakan has been questioned. The general populace in Burma has been led to believe that the Rohingyas, who resembles the Bengalese are aliens while the people have still the memory of how the Rohingyas were treated as an indigenous race, their language broadcast in the BSS and their culture promoted during of the democratic rule in Burma. In ancient Burma, Mon-Khamar, Tibeto-Burma, Thai- Chinese came from the north-east and settled down there. With the passage of time many more new races emerged out of those mixed blood. Similarly in Arakan, Rakhine and Rohingyas have been born with the arrival of the Aryan people from the northwest and their inter-marriage with the locals through the evolution of history. It is the right of a distinct group to live in their own place, uphold their culture and practice religion of their own freely. Depending on the extent of civilization and environment and in course of time, many changes take place within and around. And it is no exception in Burma. The ethnic Ta Line has become Mon, Taung Thus is now Pa-oh. Karenni is known as Kaya" Shan Taroke as Kokan, etc. It is, thus, not unfair to call the Muslims of Arakan as Rohingya as they like to be called so. In fact Rohinrya is not a new name, nor it is invented or adopted, as some Burmese ultranationalists do prefer to brand. 'Rohingya' is a historical name based on replete historical back grounds. While changes of names of cities from Akyab to Sittwe, Rangoon to Yangon, Arakan to Rakhine, Burma to Myanmar etc. have recently been made, the centuries olds name of ethnic Rohingya has however, been branded as a name created by anti-state elements in post-independent Burma. It simply gives a grim picture on the status of the Rohingya race. Thus, it is the historical duty of Rohingya to face the challenges to restore their lost glory and civilization. Many plans have been drawn and implemented by the successive military regimes of Burma to conceal the reality but history has prove that reality always resurfaces and injustice has never got its hold. Their ill designs against the Rohingyas are never accepted by the soil of Arakan and the world's eye could catch what are what and who is who. In the light of what has been stated, it is my humble desire to let the world know about the Rohingyas and Arakan, their home place with whatever limited capacity I have, out of which "The Rohingya of Arakan and their quest for justice" has got compiled for presentation to those misunderstood and for those willing to store more knowledge on this particular subject.

Acknowledgement
Although my name appears on the cover of this book, it should be regarded as a collective product, compiled by me, but based on the works of numerous writers on Arakan, Burma, Bengal, Rohingya, Rohingya refugees and so on. My work would not have been progressed, had not Haji M.A. Kalam given me continuous encouragement, most precious advice, invaluable helps, facts and figure on Rohingya's struggle, particularly the RPF (Rohinrya Patriotic Front) era and activities of the AHS (Arakan Historical Society). My sincere thanks also go to Asharaf Alam, Shuna Ali, Aman Ullah, Salim Ullah and Mr. Taher, who provided me some important materials, for this work. The name of Mr. Mumtaz Jamil should have a space here as he had helped me by advising me for distinct of the manuscript. I would like also to convey my profound thanks to Edith T. Mirante of USA who had gone through the manuscript, made valuable advice and written a precious forwarding letter for this book. I am indeed grateful to Reza Uddin, Maureen A. Thwin and particularly to Burma Project/OSI without whose help publication of this written would have been impossible.

1st Ramadan 1420 10th December I 999.

A.F.K. Jilani

DEAR ALL ROHINGYA BROTHERS, WELL-WISHERS AND VISITORS I HAVE BEEN TRYING MY BEST TO HAVE, THIS ROHINGYA HISTORY BOOK THE ROHINGYAS OF ARAKAN ONLINE. BE PATIENT I AM UP-DATING DAILY BASIS. THAKS FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING