'No way back' in Myanmar's crucible of communal hate

Agencies
September 25, 2017

Myanmar, Sept 25: Hindus once sold food to Rohingyas, spoke the same language and even cut the hair of their Muslim neighbours. But co-existence among the collage of ethnicities in Myanmar's Rakhine state has been ruptured -- perhaps irreversibly -- by the bloodshed of the last month.

Violence has periodically cut through the western state, where communal rivalries have been sharpened by British colonial meddling, chicanery by Myanmar's army and a fierce dispute over who does -- and does not -- belong in Rakhine.

But the events of August 25, when raids by Rohingya militants unleashed a swirl of violence across the north, have sunk Rakhine to new depths of hate.

"All of our family died in the village... we will not go back," said Chaw Shaw Chaw Thee, one of the hundreds of displaced Hindus seeking shelter in the state capital Sittwe.

The 20-year-old said she lost 23 family members as Rohingya militants swarmed the clutch of Hindu villages in Kha Maung Seik, near the Bangladesh border.

On Sunday the army said 28 badly-decomposed bodies of Hindu men, women and children had been pulled from two mass graves in the same area.

It was not immediately clear if they belonged to Chaw Shaw Chaw Thee's family. Heavily pregnant when she fled, she gave birth at a disused football stadium in Sittwe, where hundreds of traumatised Hindus now sleep on grubby mats in the overcrowded concourse.

An army lockdown has made it impossible to independently verify what happened in the villages of northern Rakhine, an area dominated by Rohingya Muslims who are a minority elsewhere in the mainly Buddhist country.

But allegations, carved along ethnic lines, are spinning out as conspiracy and competing for identity claims override empathy between former neighbours.

Hindus, who make up less than one percent of Rakhine's population, accuse Rohingya of massacring them, burning their homes and kidnapping women for marriage.

Meanwhile, the Rohingya, some 430,000 of whom have fled to Bangladesh, trade accusations with ethnic Rakhine Buddhists of grisly mob attacks and army "clearance operations" that have emptied their villages.

Small ethnic groups such as the Mro, Thet and Diagnet have also been caught up in the killings and chaos of the last month.

"We were barbers for Muslims, our women sold things in Muslim villages, I had Muslim friends, we had no problems," said Kyaw Kyaw Naing, a 34-year-old Hindu who can dance across linguistic divides in Hindi, Rakhine, Burmese and Rohingya.

Community ties in what is also Myanmar's poorest state have now unravelled. "We want to go back, but we will not if the Muslims are there."

Last week Myanmar's leader Aung san Suu Kyi told the international community that Rohingya refugees were welcome back if they were properly "verified".

But delivering on that promise will be almost impossible in a country where the status of the Rohingya is incendiary.

The Rohingya say they are a distinct ethnic group whose roots stretch back centuries.

Myanmar's powerful military insists they are "Bengalis" who were first brought to the country by British colonisers and have continued to pour in illegally ever since.

"It can't be solved in the short-term... to be stable and harmonious could take decades," Oo Hla Saw, a lawmaker for the Arakan National Party, which represents Rakhine Buddhists, told AFP.

Rakhine's history is bitterly contested and flecked by rivalries. Once a proud a Buddhist kingdom with a deep Muslim influence from trade and settlement, Rakhine's demographics were overhauled by British colonial administrators.

They shunted in large numbers of Hindu Indians and Bengali Muslims as farm hands to an area already populated by a soup of ethnicities including the Rohingya and Rakhine.

The Japanese invasion during World War II saw Rakhine clash with Rohingya, who were perceived to have been favoured by the retreating British.

Since 1962 the military has kindled anti-Rohingya sentiment, painting itself as the protector of the Buddhist faith from conquest by Islam.

Three major campaigns -- in 1978, the early 90s and now -- have driven Rohingya from Myanmar in huge numbers.

The army, which ran the country for 50 years and still has its hands on key levers of power, has also gradually rubbed out the group's legal status.

A 1982 law stripped Rohingya of citizenship, subjecting them to suffocating controls on everything from where they can travel to how many children they can have.

"The army wants to clear the Muslim community from Rakhine state," says Kyaw Min, a Rohingya and former MP, who has had his citizenship revoked.

"The intention is to drive down the Rohingya population. They have achieved that in the south of Rakhine, now they are targeting the north." Repression has fed Rohingya militancy, according to analysts.

Last month a government-backed commission on Rakhine's troubles, led by former UN chief Kofi Annan, urged "all communities to move beyond entrenched historical narratives".

But a few hours after its report was published, the militants attacked, sparking a ferocious military response that the UN believes amounts to "ethnic cleansing".

The report also urged the government to boost the economy to uplift a poor population and build community bonds.

Business ties and personal relations once defied communal lines, with Rohingya who could not legally own property relying on Rakhine neighbours to secure deeds for them on the sly.

Now the fearful displaced inside Rakhine say there is no way they can ever again live alongside Rohingya neighbours.

Khin Saw Nyo, 48, an ethnic Rakhine, said nearby Muslim villagers suddenly turned on her community near the Bangladesh border, forcing them to flee to the mountains.

"We will die if we go back," she told AFP from inside a monastery sheltering refugees in Sittwe, adding Rohingya militants are still preparing to strike. "They warned us to eat well... they said the next time we will not escape."

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November 5,2024

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Several videos have been circulating across social media platforms, claiming that football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo is shown reading the Quran in a mosque. Several posts have gone further to claim that Ronaldo and his wife have converted to Islam. The videos have attracted millions of views and sparked widespread speculation. 

Is Ronaldo Reciting the Quran?

One such video shows a man reading from the Quran, with captions like "Cristiano Ronaldo Reciting Quran." Several posts, especially on TikTok and Facebook, claim that Ronaldo has not only read the Quran but has also embraced Islam along with his wife, Georgina Rodríguez. One of these TikTok posts amassed 1.7 million likes and over 58,000 shares, adding to the viral momentum of this claim.

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Ronaldo Lookalike from Iraq

Contrary to these claims, the man in the video is not Cristiano Ronaldo. The individual is Bewar Abdullah, a well-known Ronaldo lookalike originally from Iraq, who now resides in Birmingham, U.K. Abdullah has gained fame for his striking resemblance to Ronaldo and regularly posts content online imitating the footballer.

The Reality

The viral video was initially posted by Bewar Abdullah on his TikTok account (@bewarabdullah) on July 20, 2021, with the caption "Eat Mubarek🕌 (sic)." Abdullah has a large following of 1.7 million people.

Abdullah is frequently mistaken for Ronaldo due to his resemblance, and his name appears at the end of the viral video, confirming his identity.

Abdullah’s online popularity stems from his likeness to Ronaldo, and he regularly receives invitations to events and appearances due to this.

Apart from the video, there are also widespread claims that Ronaldo and his wife have converted to Islam. However, there is no credible evidence to support this. These rumors appear to have emerged from the same viral content surrounding Ronaldo’s lookalike, without any basis in fact.

Why the Confusion?

The confusion arises from Abdullah’s close resemblance to Ronaldo and the viral nature of social media posts that often mislead viewers. The presence of Ronaldo-related hashtags and captions like "#Ronaldo #CristianoRonaldo #CR7 #SaudiArabia" further fueled the speculation, making it seem more believable to the football star's global fanbase.

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November 6,2024

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On the verge of a landslide win in the U.S. election, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump delivered a powerful victory speech, calling it a "magnificent victory for the American people." Reflecting on the July 13 assassination attempt, Trump said, "God spared my life for a reason," underscoring his belief that his leadership has a higher purpose.

The 78-year-old is currently projected to secure 267 electoral votes, just three shy of the pivotal 270. His opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, trails with 224 votes. Trump hailed his campaign as the "greatest political movement of all time," vowing, "We are going to help our country heal, fix our borders, and made history for a reason tonight. I will fight for you and your family with every breath in my body."

The Democrats face a formidable Republican lead, with Trump’s team predicting an ultimate tally of 315 electoral votes. A pivotal element in Trump's success was a sweeping takeover in key battleground states. From a Democratic lead of 6-1 in these areas during the 2020 elections, the scales shifted to a 7-0 advantage for Trump, with decisive wins in Georgia, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina and leads in Arizona, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Nevada.

The significance of this Republican victory deepens as the party also takes control of the Senate and holds a commanding lead in the House of Representatives race.

Trump expressed deep gratitude to his supporters, his running mate JD Vance, wife Melanie, and his children for standing by him throughout the challenging campaign. He also extended a special thanks to Tesla CEO and tech mogul Elon Musk, a prominent Trump supporter.

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November 5,2024

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Mangaluru: The Karnataka Maritime Board (KMB) has initiated the groundwork for the much-anticipated Mangaluru Water Metro Project (MWMP). The project, which was first announced by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah during the state budget presentation, aims to introduce water-based public transport along the Gurupur and Netravathi rivers in Mangaluru.

The proposed Mangaluru Water Metro will follow in the footsteps of Kochi's successful Water Metro system, which has become a model for eco-friendly and efficient urban transport in India. The KMB will now conduct necessary feasibility studies to assess how this concept can be adapted to Mangaluru's unique geographical and urban landscape.

A 30-Kilometer Stretch Connecting 17 Key Locations
According to a senior officer from KMB, the project will span a 30-kilometer route that connects key points across the rivers and coastline. The water metro service will cover locations such as Bajal, Kulur Bridge, New Mangaluru Port, Sultan Battery, Tannirbhavi, Old Port, Hoige Bazaar, and Someshwar Temple. The service aims to link 17 important points, benefiting both daily commuters and tourists. This initiative not only seeks to reduce congestion in Mangaluru but also promises to boost tourism and recreational activities by providing an alternative mode of transport.

Focus on Eco-Friendly and Efficient Water Transport
The Mangaluru Water Metro will feature modern catamaran boats, which may be powered by electric or diesel engines. These boats will be equipped with essential amenities to ensure smooth and safe operations. The project’s emphasis on sustainability means that the boat fleet will be designed to minimize environmental impact, making water transport both eco-friendly and economically viable.

Feasibility Study to Shape Project Design
The initial feasibility report will cover several crucial aspects, including the placement of water metro stations. These locations will be chosen based on factors such as passenger demand, availability of land, connectivity to other transport modes, and sustainability. A detailed LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) survey will further aid in mapping the river routes and surrounding areas, providing precise data for the project’s planning phase.

In addition to assessing operational needs, the feasibility study will also project future demand for water metro services over the next 25 years. By exploring various scenarios, planners can ensure that the water metro is designed to accommodate both current and future user requirements.

Special Purpose Vehicle for Project Management
The report is expected to recommend creating a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to manage the project. This independent entity would help secure funding, attract investors, and ensure professional oversight, enhancing the project's credibility and long-term viability.

What is the Mangaluru Water Metro Project?
The Mangaluru Water Metro Project aims to introduce a sustainable water-based public transport system to alleviate traffic congestion in the city and promote tourism. Inspired by the Kochi Water Metro, the project will create a seamless and eco-friendly transport option along the Gurupur and Netravathi rivers, covering key points across the city’s riverside and coastal areas.

Once operational, the Mangaluru Water Metro will offer a modern, efficient, and scenic alternative to road transport, helping transform urban mobility in the city while boosting tourism and reducing environmental impact.

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