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The Serpent and the King: The Dutch-Arakanese Relationship (Re-submitting)

2008-08-16T02:41:00.001Z

The Serpent and the King: The Dutch-Arakanese Relationship

by Stephan Van Galen

D.G.E. Hall, the eminent historian of Southeast Asia, in his ‘’Studies in Dutch relations with Arakan’’, was the first to point out the importance of the Dutch language sources for a study on the history of Arakan. Hall pieced together a preliminary overview of the Dutch-Arakanese relationship on the basis of the published Daghregisters or diaries of Batavia. In his history of Southeast Asia Hall even based his description of 17th century Arakan almost entirely on the Daghregister and further source publications: the Corpus Diplomaticum Neerlando-Indicum and De Jonge’’s Opkomst van het Nederlandsch gezag in Oost-Indie.

The scope of Halls description of the Arakanese-Dutch relationship could however only be limited because of the nature of these source publications.

A recent article by Prof. Sanjay Subrahmanyam, Slaves and tyrants: Dutch tribulations in seventeenth-century Mrauk-U further highlights the need for a structured overview of the Arakanese-Dutch relationship. In this article Subrahmanyam has sketched the built-up of a proto-colonial discourse around the disastrous 1649 embassy of the Dutch ambassador Hensbroeck to the Arakanese court. The daghregister of this embassy, which ended in outright-armed conflict, has been used by Subrahmanyam to characterize the relationship between ‘’European’’ and ‘’Southeast Asian’’.

In this paper I will describe Arakanese-Dutch relations from 1608, when the first contacts were established, until the end of the era of systematic contacts in 168 when the Dutch factory in Arakan was closed. This description will not only be an attempt at providing a first structured overview of the relationship, it will also aim to provide a basis for further research.

I will begin with a short overview of the available sources for a study of the Arakanese-Dutch relationship and continue with a tentative periodisation, which I will illustrate with some occurrences from these periods that can be seen as characteristic for these phases in the relationship.

This paper is based on a re-examination of the Source publications used by Hall and study of unpublished source materials from the VOC archives.

The published sources can be divided in four groups, that is:
First the Daghregister of Batavia, which covers in its published form the period from 1624 to 1682.4

Secondly the Corpus Diplomaticum Neerlando-Indicum which is a compilation of what might be called the treaties between the United East India Company and various Asian rulers, this publication covers the period from 1596 to 1799.5

Thirdly De Jonge’’s formidable Opkomst van het Nederlandsch gezag in Oost-Indie, being a somewhat haphazard but still useful compilation of primary documents from the VOC archive covering the period 1595 to 1811.6

And finally the Generale Missiven van Gouverneur-Generaal en Raden aan Heeren XVII der Verenidge Oost-Indische Compagnie being the letters sent by the Governor-General and Council from Batavia to the Board of the VOC in the Netherlands, this last publication covers the period 1610 to 1750.7

The archival material from the VOC archives at the Hague used for this paper can be roughly divided into three categories.8 The missiven, or reports sent by the head of the Dutch factory in Arakan to the Governor and Council in Batavia constitute the first category, The daghregistersinstructies to new factors the third. held by the factors of the Company the second, and The Although we have access to only a few examples of the daghregisters they are of primary importance because they consist of day-to -day observations of VOC employees on trade and politics. They provide verbatim reproductions of conversations between VOC employees and Court officials and observations on Arakanese culture. Originally there must have been a continuous collections of these daghregisters for Arakan and even for Chittagong, but the majority of the Arakan diaries and all the Chittagong diaries have supposedly been destroyed during the early years of the nineteenth century on orders of the then Governor-General Herman Daendels.9 The available daghregisters at the Algemeen Rijksarchief at the Hague have survived because they were sent to the Heeren XVII in the Netherlands to serve as background information for the Generale Missiven or the copies of the missiven sent from Arakan to Batavia.
This brings us to the bulk of the material, the missiven. As I just mentioned copies of the missiven sent from Arakan to Batavia were annually forwarded to the Netherlands to provide the Board of the VOC with the necessary information for their policy decisions. These letters refer in the first place to the commercial situation in Arakan and the results of VOC’’s investments in the Arakanese markets. They provide information on the market structure, give analyses of market forces and describe the other players on the market. But this is only part of the information contained in these letters. They also provide us with a synopsis of the information contained in the daghregister, they give an overview of the situation at the Arakanese court and if necessary they sketch Arakans relations with its neighbours-especially when these might impair the Companies trade in Arakan. The instructies lastly contain the instructions sent fro Batavia or the early seventeenth century from the Choromandel coast to factors going out to Arakan. As one might expect the first of these provide the best information on the Arakanese situation while the latter say more about the objectives of the Company itself.
As a last remark on the sources, I want to add that in some respect the following discussion will be limited because I have not been in the position yet to conduct a systematic research in the original resolutions and the uitgaande brieven van Gouverneur-Generaal en Raden. This paper thus leaves aside the directions send from Batavia to the factors in Arakan. This should however not present a substantial hindrance as a thorough reading of the missiven from Arakan and the published sources gives us a good impression of the content of the instructions sent to Arakan by the Dutch directors at Batavia.

After this lengthy digression to the source materials I will now come to a provisional periodisation of the Dutch-Arakanese relationship. A first analysis of the materials collected from the VOC archives at the Hague suggests that we may divide the period under consideration into three phases.

The first phase in the Dutch-Arakanese relationship can probably be best described as one during which both parties shared a common enemy and as a result there was room for military cooperation. I suggest that this was the case from 1608 to 1620.

The second phase can be best described as being dominated by a growing economic interdependence of the Arakanese court of Batavia. This was the period from 1625 to 1647. The last phase of systematic contact runs from 165 to 1682 when it might be argued the interests of both parties slowly diverged.

I. 1608-1620
The first contacts between the Dutch and the Arakanese took place in 1608 when the Dutch arrived in Arakan to investigate trading possibilities in the bay of Bengal.10 They arrived in Arakan just after Mong Razagri had returned from an abortive expedition to lower Burma against Philip de Brito. The Arakanese king seemed determined to find new allies in his battle with the Portuguese. The king was faced not only with a hostile Portuguese community on his Eastern, but also on his Western flank. Here Sebastiao Gopcalves Tibau was well under way in becoming a potentially bigger embarrassment of the Arakanese king then de Brito already was.11 Mong Razagri was well aware of Dutch successes in their battles with the Portuguese.12 After the Arakanese king had sent an embassy to the Dutch in Masulipatnam in 1610 to enquire whether any support was still forthcoming, it was decided by the Dutch Company to send Jacob Dirksz. Kortenhoef to Arakan, not with any definite promises on military cooperation but to inform the Arakanese of the possibilities and limitations of any cooperation.1 As you can see on the sheet Kortenhoef was followed by several other employees, not because the trade with Arakan was extremely profitable, but mainly to keep the Company informed about events in the area and to provide a base for VOC ships cruising for Portuguese prizes.14 To understand this situation we have to take into consideration that at this movement trade meant also war for the VOC, moreover, it was reckoned that with a few good prizes the Company could more than defray its operating costs in the Bay of Bengal area.15 It is in this light that we have to look at the events of 1615 which I have selected as exemplary for this phase.

In 1615 a large fleet from Goa to assist Tibau in his conflict with Mong Khamoung, the successor to Mong Razagri. The importance of the ensuing naval battles between the Portuguese on the one hand and the Arakanese and the Dutch on the other having hitherto been misinterpreted or not well understand.16

Arthur Phayre in his history of Burma comments on this event as ‘’There happened to be lying there some Dutch vessels, and they joined the Arakanese flotilla to resist the [Portuguese] attack.17 Also in G.E. Harvey’’s history of Burma and in Hall’’s history of Southeast Asia it has remained an open question just why the Dutch ships had arrived in Arakan at such a critical juncture.18

Reading the accounts as presented by these authors one might be lead to believe that the sudden arrival of the Dutch on the scene came as much as a surprise to the Arakanese as to the Portuguese. There are however three important considerations that contradict this view.

Firstly it has to be remembered that the main objective of the Portuguese expedition was to assert control over the Arakanese country trade and to keep the Dutch Company out of the coast waters of lower Burma. The Portuguese were well aware of the presence of two Dutch ships in Arakan and were actively seeking a naval engagement.19

Secondly, as we have seen, the Dutch presence in Arakan was not only aimed at commerce but also centred around military objectives, namely to secure access to the trade of the Bay of Bengal. The Dutch ships in Arakan had permission to assist the Arakanese in their conflict with Portuguese.20

And thirdly, the Arakanese not only counted on an attack from Tibau, no they had even requested and obtained Dutch support for an offensive action against Tibau.21

The arrival of the Portuguese fleet at the mouth of the Kaladan River on the rd of October 1615 could therefore not have been a total surprise to the Arakanese-Dutch alliance.22

A full scale attack finally came on the 15th of October1, leaving the allies more than a week to prepare for battle, the Portuguese commander had lost the element of surprise and was driven of the river by the combined Arakanese-Dutch forces.24 The Portuguese armada under Dom Francisco de Menezes consequently set sail to unite with Tibau’’s forces and they planned a second attack at Mrauk-U.25 This attack came on the 18th of November when the combined Portuguese forces appeared in the Kaladan river once again. This time the Allies were even more prepared. They had constructed six batteries on the Eastern bank of the river and arranged their ships in a line, surrounded with a stockade in the shallow part of the river. After a heavy cannonade from both sides the Allies broke their line and chased the Portuguese with the tide from the river.26Directly following this victory Mong Khamoung forces were attacked on the island of Cheduba by a Burmese force, a conflict that ended in a stand-off after which the Burmese were forced to retreat.27 Having thus secured his position in Arakan Mong Khamoung invited the Dutch to join him in an attack on what was left of Tibau’’s forces on Sundiva, this attack took place in January 1616. The Allies were again successful and after a 2-day battle Tibau was driven of the island.28
As we have seen the stationing of the two Dutch vessels in Arakan had been a conscious move of the Dutch and the Arakanese, totally in accordance with the objectives of both parties. It was not a mere lucky coincidence. These victories however didn’’t mean that Arakan now controlled the Bengal’’s coastal trade, as late as 1625 the Portuguese were able to disrupt the Arakan trade to a considerable extent. Moreover the control of the restored Toungoo dynasty over Lower Burma meant that also the direct trade with Ava had come to a standstill.29 Mong Khamoung control over the area from Chittagong to Cape Negrais was still constantly being questioned and tested.
Because of this instability Arakan had lost its commercial and military value to the VOC, which accordingly withdrew its personal from Mrauk-U in 1620.0

I. 162-1647
The second phase of the Arakanese-Dutch relationship started in 162 when Hendrick Lambrechts arrived at the court of the new king Thiri Thudhamma. The latter offered Lambrechts a large supply of slaves and a stone factory building, to be built on account of the king. After Jan Pietersz Goens ruthless expedition to Banda in 1622 this was welcome news in Batavia.1 Slaves would however not be the only incentive the VOC had to pursue the Arakan trade. After 1628 the wars with Mataram meant that the Company had no access to Javanese rice, this combined with the fact that plantations on Banda could not produce enough rice for their own subsistence meant that the VOC had to look elsewhere for its rice. Siam and Arakan where two obvious places to look for rice imports.2

In the years from 162 to 161 the Company was busy trying to establish a permanent factory in Arakan, when this did not meet with success the Arakan trade was left from 161 to 165 to the Batavian free-burgher.

Repeated embassies (1627 and 164) sent by the Arakanese to Batavia confirmed the importance they attached to more durable trading relations and the settlement of a permanent factory in Mrauk-U.4 That this was also felt in Batavia proves the resolution of the Governor-General and Council taken in July 164, when it was decided to ‘’embrace’’ the trade of Bengal, Pegu and Arakan.5 With the arrival of Adam van der Mandere in 165 the contacts between the Dutch and the Arakanese became more permanent.6 During this period we can discern a growing economic interdependence of the Arakanese court and Batavia. Rice exports from Arakan to Batavia increased as a result of the stability brought by the reign of Thiri Thudhamma and his successors. The Arakanese economy in this period rapidly grew and trading relations between Arakan and Atjeh, Chronomandel and Tenasserim became more intense.

The daghregisters of Van der Mandere’’s successor, Arent van der Helm presented a good picture of the state of the Arakanese-Dutch relationship. Van der Helm appears almost daily at the court of Narabadigri where he discusses freely with the nobility of Arakan on all matters of state. His good relations with the Portuguese and the King’’s treasurer at Court was on the one hand the result of the large contribution made by the VOC to the Arakanese economy, and on the other a side effect of the potential military power he had at his disposal with the frequent arrival of large ships from Batavia and occasionally Choromandel. From the daghregisters kept by Van der Helm we can conclude that his sudden departure from Arakan in 1647 was closely related to the change in Government in the last months of 1645. It seems that the Dutch factor had been an active opponent of the accession to the throne of the new king Thado Mong Tara. It is in this light that we should view the embassy of Jacob Hensbroeck in 1650. Hensbroeck hostile reception at the Arakanese court was in my view directly related to Van der Helms efforts to block Thado Mong Tara pretensions to the crown. The new king did in fact not disguise the fact that he was much disturbed that Van der helm had behaved in such a way as if he was part of the Arakanese elite.
I. 165-1682

During the third and last phase the growth of the VOC’’s trade in Bengal and its diminishing dependence on Arakanese slaves and rice meant that the interest of the Arakanese and the Dutch slowly diverged.

In 165 the contacts between Arakan and Batavia were renewed by an embassy under John Goessens.40 Goessens was able to negotiate a new contact with the young king Sandathudhamma Raza, who had been on the throne for less than a year when the embassy arrived.

A striking example of this new situation was the- often romanticized- episode of Shah Shuja.42 The VOC’’s growing dependence on its Bengal trade meant that it could not remain obvious to threats from the Mughal subahdar of Bengal. The VOC therefore discontinued its activities in Arakan in 1666 and even sent a small naval squadron to Bengal in aid of the Mughal conquest of Chittagong.4 Arakan had become only a cheap market for rice, but rice was also to be had at other places in the Bay of Bengal. Slaves on the other hand were during this period also available from a variety of sources. The only reason for the VOC to continue its factory in Arakan the rice market showed signs of collapse and the internal situation in Arakan became more and more unstable the VOC in 1682 decide to discontinue its operations in Arakan. Thus ended the era of systematic contacts between the Dutch and Arakan. As I have pointed out the nature of the Arakanese-Dutch relationship underwent several changes over time. While it started out as a military alliance to ensure that Portuguese dominance of the high seas be broken, it developed slowly to a more commercial relationship.

From the beginning of the 1620’’s a substantial trade in rice and slaves developed between Arakan and Batavia. Although it is difficult to assess the impact of this large-scale trade on the Arakanese economy it seems that trade in Arakan was growing rapidly during this period. It is therefore extremely difficult to construct a seventeenth century crisis for Arakan. Especially if we take into account the large building programmes initiated by king Narabadigri in the latter part of the century and add to this the extensive patronage of the arts, which made Arakan a cultural center of importance in the region one can only be left to conclude that from the mid 1620’’s the Arakanese economy went through a period of growth and expansion.

Only after the conquest of Chittagong a gradual decline set in when not only the Dutch Company left Arakan, other merchants did the same, and so the rice market and other markets collapsed.

(mentioned in WEEKLY MAGAZINE of the Independent News, BD)
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The Rise and Fall of the Kingdom of Mrohaung in Arakan (Re-submitting)

2008-08-16T02:30:00.001Z

The Rise and Fall of the Kingdom of Mrohaung in Arakan

by D.G.E. Hall

Arakan stretches for some 350 miles along the eastern shore of the Bay of Bengal to the south of the Chittagong division of East Bengal. It is separated from Burma by a long, deep range of mountains, the Arakan Roma, through which there are only two serviceable passes, the Ann connecting with Minbu on the west bank of the Irrawaddy, and the Taungup connecting with Prome. The Arakanese call themselves Rakhaing and their country Rakhaingpray. According to Sir Arthur Phayre, the word is a corruption of the Pali rakkhaso (Skt. rakshasa) meaning ‘’ogre’’ (Burmese bili) or guardian of the mansion of Indra on Mount Meru. Sir Henry Yule identifies the Angyre or Silverland of Ptolemy with Arakan. But Arakan produced no silver and the previously accepted views of Ptolemy’’s idea concerning the Indo-Chinese peninsula are now open to question.
The Arakanese of today are basically Burmese, though with an unmistakable Indian admixture. Although mainly Buddhist, they have been influenced by long centuries of contact with Muslim India. Their language is Burmese with some dialectical differences and an older form of pronunciation, especially noticeable in their retention of the ‘’r’’ sound, which the Burmese have changed to ‘’y’’. The Bengalis refer to them by the name Magh, a word adopted by seventeenth-century European writers and written ‘’Mugg’’. The name is also applied to a class of people belonging to Chittagong who are Buddhists but speak Bengali and are not Mongoloid. Much that is fanciful has been written about its possible etymology, but the question is as yet unsolved.

Buddhism would seem to have reached Arakan long before its arrival in the interior of Burma, and the famous Mahamuni image, brought from Arakan by the Burmese in 1785, and now to be seen in the Arakan Pagoda at Mandalay, may date from the early Christian era.

Buddhism would seem to have reached Arakan long before its arrival in the interior of Burma, and the famous Mahamuni image, brought from Arakan by the Burmese in 1785, and now to be seen in the Arakan Pagoda at Mandalay, may date from the early Christian era. Inscriptions mention a Candra dynasty, which may have been founded as early as the middle of the fourth century A.D. Its capital was called by the Indian name of Vaisali, and thirteen kings of the dynasty are said to have reigned there for a total period of 230 years. The Arakanese chronicles claim that the kingdom was founded in the year 2666 B.C., and contain lists of kings beginning that date.

The Burmese do not seem to have settled in Arakan until possibly as late as the tenth century A.D. Hence earlier dynasties are thought to have been Indian, ruling over a population similar to that of Bengal. All the capitals known to history have been in the north near modern Akyab. It was a district subject to chronic raids from hill tribes- Shans, Burmese, and Bengalis- and there were long periods when settled government can hardly have existed. But the spirit of independence was always strong, and in the business of raiding the Arakanese could usually give as much as they received. Their main activity was by sea into Bengal, and they developed great skill in sea and riverine warfare. By the middle of the sixteenth century they were the terror of the Ganges delta.

North Arakan was conquered by Anawrahta of Pagan (1044-77), but was not incorporated in his kingdom. It remained a semi-independent feudatory state under its hereditary kings. When Pagan fell in 1287 Arakan asserted its independence under the famous Mong Hti, whose reign, according to the chronicles, lasted for the fabulously long period of ninety-five years (1279-1374). His reign is also notable for the defeat of a great Bengali raid. After his death Arakan was for a considerable time one of the theatres of war in the great struggle between Ava and the Mon kingdom of Pegu. Both sides sought to gain control over it. First the Burmese, then the Mons, placed their nominees on its throne.

When in 1404 the Burmese regained control King Narameikhla fled to Bengal, where he was hospitably received by King Ahmed Shah of Gaur. During his exile he distinguished himself while assisting his host to repel in invasion, and when in 1426 Ahmed Shah died and was succeeded by Nazir Shah the new ruler provided him with a force for the recovery of his kingdom under the command of a general called in the Arakanese chronicle Wali Shah. This man, however, turned traitor, and in league with a disloyal Arakanese chieftain imprisoned Narameikhla. The king managed to escaped, and in 1430 regained his throne with the aid of a second force supplied by Nazir Shah.

He thereupon built himself a new capital named Mrauk-U in Arakanese, but usually known by its Arakanese name of Mrohaung. The date of its foundation is given as 1433. King Narameikhla held his kingdom as the vassal of Gaur, and in token of this he and his immediate successor, though Buddhists, added Mahommendan titles to their Arakanese ones and issued medallions bearing the Kalima, the Mahommendan confession of faith.

In 1434 Narameikhla was succeeded by his brother Mong Khari, also known as Ali Khan, who declared his independence of Gaur. His son Basawpru, who succeeded him in 1459, took advantage of the weakness of Barbek Shah of Gaur to seize Chittagong. He and his successors continued to use Mohammedan titles, no longer as a sign of vassaldom but as a token of their sovereignty over Chittagong, which was recognized as lying beyond the geographical borders of Arakan. Chittagong had for centuries been a bone of contention between Arakan and Bengal and had often changed hands. It was not to remain in Arakanese hands until 1666, when the Mughals recovered it permanently for India.

Basawpru was murdered in 1482 and his country entered upon a half-century of disorder and dynastic weakness. No less than eight kings came to the throne; most of them were assassinated. Then in 1531 a capable young king, Mong Bong, came to the throne and Arakan entered upon a new era. It was in his reign that the first European ships made their appearance, as raiders, and that the Portuguese free-booters (feringhi) began to settle at Chittagong. It was in his reign also that Tabinshwehti revived Burmese power, conquered the Mon kingdom of Pegu, and threatened the defences of his capital with massive earthworks and dug a deep moat, which was filled with tidal water from the river. Hence in 1544, when the inevitable Burmese attack came, although Mong Bong could not defeat the invaders in the open, the defence works of Mrohaung proved an obstacle against which even the great Tabinshwehti could not prevail when he appeared before them in 1546. While the siege was on the Raja of Tipperah raided Chittagong and Ramu with his wild tribesmen. But again victory was on the side of the Arakanese.

When Mong Bong died in 1553 he had a force of Portuguese mercenaries. His sea power, based on Chittagong, was the terror of the Ganges region, and his country was on the threshold of the greatest period of her history. But her somewhat spectacular rise was hardly due to the genius of her rulers. It coincides with a period of weakness in Bengal, when, before the gradual extension eastwards of the Mughal power, the native governments of that region were tottering. The possession of Chittagong was the key to the situation; for Mong Bong leased to the feringhi who took service under his flag the port of Dianga on the seacoast south of the mouth of the river Kurnaphuli, some twenty miles south of the modern city of Chittagong. The place soon attracted a large European and Eurasian population which drove a thriving trade with the ports of Bengal. But piracy and slave-raiding were the chief occupations of the feringhi, who gathered there in increasing numbers and before long became as great a source of embarrassment to the King of Arakan as to the Viceroy of Goa.

Matters came to a crisis during the reign of Mong Razagri (1593-1612). He was the king who employed Philip de Brito in his attack on Nanda Bayin of Pegu, thereby opening the way for the feringhi leader to make himself master of Syriam.

Matters came to a crisis during the reign of Mong Razagri (1593-1612). He was the king who employed Philip de Brito in his attack on Nanda Bayin of Pegu, thereby opening the way for the feringhi leader to make himself master of Syriam. When de Brito defeated the Arakanese flotilla sent to dislodge him from the Mon port and captured the crown prince, Mong Razagri decided that he must break the power of the Portuguese at Dianga. For that port also was coveted by de Brito; he planned to use it as a base for the conquest of Arakan. In 1607, therefore, the king sent an expedition which attacked Dianga by land and massacred its inhabitants without mercy. Six hundred Portuguese are said to have fallen.

Among those who escaped was the egregious Sebastian Gonzales Tibao. He had been engaged in the salt trade. Now with other refugees he took to piracy, and in 1609 made himself ‘’king’’ of Sandwip Island by exterminating the Afghan pirates who had made their nest there. At Sandwip he received a refugee Arakanese prince who, as Governor of Chittagong, had quarreled with his brother, King Razagri. Tibao married the prince’’s sister and when he died suddenly, probably from poison, seized all his treasure. Soon afterwards the Mughal Governor of Bengal began an attack upon the district of Noakhali, east of Ganges mouth, which had submitted to Arakan. This threw Tibao and Mong Razagri into one another’’s arms. But while his ally was conducting an unsuccessful land campaign Tibao took possession of the Arakanese fleet by luring its leaders to a conference and murdering them. Then he raided up the Lemro River to the very walls of Mrohaung, capturing the royal barge as a trophy.

When in 1612 Mong Razagri died his successor, Mong Khamoung (1612-22), decided that the power of Tibao and his ruffians must be finally broken. His first effort failed because the Raja of Tippera raided at the crucial moment and he had to withdraw his forces. Tibao, aware of his precarious position, with hostile Bengal on one side and revengeful Arakan on the other, appealed to Goa, urging the viceroy to avenge the massacre of Dianga. He suggested a joint attack on Arakan and offered to pay annual tribute to the Portuguese crown for his island ‘’kingdom’’. The viceroy sent a fleet of fourteen galliots, which arrived off the coast of Arakan at the end of the wet monsoon in 1615. Mrohaung was attacked, but partly through faulty arrangements for cooperation and partly through the help given to the Arakanese by a Dutch ship lying in the harbour the Portuguese failed to effect a landing and sailed away. Two years later Mong Khamoung captured Sandwip, wiped out the feringhi settlement and destroyed its fortifications. Tibao is said to have escaped, but is heard of no more.

The feringhi had now shot their bolt. Philip de Brito’’s escapade at Syriam had already come to its sorry end in 1613. So they made their peace with the king and settled down once more to assist him in his efforts to gain control over the southeastern parts of Bengal- ‘’the conquest of the middle land’’, as the Arakanese Chronicle euphemistically calls it. There was no conquest in the real sense, though for a time Arakan held the districts of Noakhali and Backergunge and some of the Sunderbunds delta. What chiefly took place was slave-raiding, in 1625 even captured and held for a short time. This kind of thing could never have occurred had it not been for the crisis in the Mughal Empire resulting from Shah Jahan’’s rebellion in 1612 against his father Jehangir. Year after year the feringhi armada returned to Dianga bringing thousands of Bengali slaves. Before long not a house was left inhabited on either side of the rivers between Chittagong and Dacca.

Mong Razagri’’s attampt to rid himself of the Portuguese coincided with the first Dutch trading voyage to Arakan. In 1605 they had planted factories at Masulipatam and Petapoli on the Coromandel Coast. From these two centres they began to explore the possibility of establishing trading relations with Bengal and Arakan. An invitation from King Razagri led to the dispatch of two merchants, Pieter Willemsz and Jan Gerritsz Ruyll, to Mrohaung in 1607, the year of the Dianga massacre. The king, like so many other rulers in South-East Asia, received them with delight, offered them customs-free trade in his dominions, and expressed the hope that they would assist ‘’to drive the Portuguese our’’.

He asked particularly for their help against Philip de Brito at Syriam. ‘’So would he give us to wit the aforesaid Castle in Pegu, the island of Sundiva, Chittagong, Dianga, or any other places in Bengal, as he had given the same previously to the Portuguese,’’ wrote Pieter Willemsz in his report. And he went on to represent that if the opportunity were not seized the Portuguese would ‘’determine it so well for themselves that it would be to the great detriment of the Company’’. But the Dutch wanted trade, not war, even against the Portuguese, in this region, for, with their hands full with the struggle to gain contemplate an expedition against Syriam.

The envoys returned to Masulipatam in May 1608. In September 1610 van Wesick, the Dutch chief of the Coromandel factories, decided to make a trial venture with an established factory at Mrohaung. Jacob Dirckszoon Cortenhoof went to take charge of it. The king, however, wanted the Dutch to built a fort at Dianga. In 1615, as we have already seen, they played an important part in warding off the attack of the Portuguese fleet on Mrohaung. They had, however, no desire to become involved in Mong Khamoung’’s wars, and especially in his projected operations against Tibao, because, as they put it, ‘’of the small profits, which could be made there, and the great expenses the Company must first be put to, in order to establish the king again in his kingdom, which at present is much in trouble’’. The factory was accordingly withdrawn in 1617.

But Arakan remained on the programme, and from 1623 Dutch ships were going there to buy the Bengali slaves captured by the marauding feringhi, and the surplus rice that the country produced as a result of the abundant slave labour available for cultivating the fields. Early in 1625 the Dutch planted another factory at Mrohaung, with Paulus Cramer Heyn as its Chief. It came about through an expedition under Anthonij Caen which had been despatched from Batavia in September of the previous year to attack Portuguese vessels. He was instructed to call at Mrohaung and discuss with king Thirithudamma (1622-38) the possibility of cooperation against ‘’our common enemy’’, and to conclude an agreement for the export of rice and slaves. Little came of the negotiations, although the king sent an envoy to Batavia in 1627, and as the slave did not go Well Jan Pieterszoon Coen issued orders for the factory to be closed for the second time.

Trade, however, continued. The free burghers of Batavia were allowed to have a share in it, and envoys passed frequently between Batavia and Mrohaung. The Dutch, having completely depopulated the Banda Islands and given over the land there to Company’’s servants to cultivate with slave labour, were anxious to buy all the slaves that Arakan could spare from the proceeds of the feringhi raids. So the Cornelis van Houten, the chief factor, reported that trade had been brought to a standstill by a terrible famine and pestilence. He was accordingly withdrawn and the trade again thrown open to private merchants.

Meanwhile Dianga and the feringhi had once come into the limelight. In 1630 Thirithudamma appointed a new Viceroy of Chittagong, who took so violent a dislike to the feringhi that he sent an alarmist report to Mrohaung alleging a Portuguese plot to admit the forces of the Mughal Viceroy of Dacca into Chittagong. His intention was to persuade Thirithudamma to administer to Dianga a further dose of the medicine given in 1607. As the feringhi fleet was away upon its annual slaving expedition, the inhabitants, who got wind of the scheme, deputed two envoys to hurry to the capital to persuade the king that the rumour was without foundation. They were a feringhi captain, Gonzales Tibao, a relative of the erstwhile ‘’king’’ of Sandwip, and Fra Sebastiao Manrique, an Augustinian friar of Oporto, who had recently arrived in Dianga as its vicar under the jurisdiction of the archbishopric of Goa. years later, after his return home to Portugal, Manrique told the story of his travels in detailed memoirs, which are of exceptional interest and value.

The mission was successful. The king called off a large expedition he was preparing for the punishment of Dianga. He also gave permission for the construction of a Catholic church in the suburb of Daingri-pet, on the western side of the capital, where the Portuguese mercenaries of the royal guard lived. The outspoken friar, who did not fear to adjure the king to abandon his false religious beliefs and become a Christian, was treated as an honoured guest. He was shown the loot taken from Pegu in 1599 and was greatly impressed by the white elephant. Nanda Bayin’’s daughter, who had been carried off to Mrohaung and married to King Razagri, received him and related the story of her sufferings with deep emotion. Early in 1631, after a stay of six months, Manrique returned to Dianga.

In the following year Shah Jahan, now the Great Mughal, decided to wipe out the Portuguese settlement at Hugli. He suspected it of being implicated in the intolerable slave-raids of the Dianga free-booters. His religious fervour also had been deeply stirred by the abduction in 1629 by the feringhi of the wife of a high official near Dacca and her subsequent conversion to Catholicism by Fra Manrique. The town put up a desperate resistance, but without timely help could not possibly hold out. Some of the defenders cut their way out, boarded their ships and got away to Saugar Island, just outside the river mouth, where they proceeded to establish themselves. At the same time they sent a Jesuit, Father Cabral, to ask King Thirithudamma for help. News of the seige, however, had already reached him long before Cabral’’s arrival, and he had ordered the feringhi armada of Dianga to make a surprise attack upon the Mughal fleet in the Hugli River. The armada was held up by bad weather, and when at last it was able to sail it arrived too late to save the city. It managed, however, to follow up the Mughal fleet and destroy it. Then it fell back on Saugar to await reinforcements.

In launching this attack the king appears to have had a double object. He aimed at preventing the Mughals from attempting the capture of Chittagong; he naturally expected this to be their next objective after taking Hugli. He hoped also that a decisive victory over the Mughal fleet would enable him to persuade the Viceroy of Goa to join forces with him in an invasion of Bengal. The viceroy was indeed willing to discuss matters, and in 1633 deputed Gaspar de Mesquita to proceed to Mrohaung for this purpose, with Fra Manrique as his adviser. The negotiations, however, came to nothing. The king’’s grandiose scheme for the conquest of Bengal had to be dropped.

The Goanese envoy sailed away, but Manrique had to remain behind. The king liked him. Moreover, he knew too many state secrets to be allowed to return at once to Dianga. Not until two years later, in 1635, was he permitted to depart. His book tells of further strange adventures while at Mrohaung. He gives also a vivid description of Thirithudamma’’s coronation, which was not celebrated until 1635 because of a prophecy that he would die within a year of it. Before it took place barbarous propitiatory sacrifices were made to avert this fate. But three years later his chief queen procured his murder and placed her lover on the throne. He was King Narapatigri (1638-45).

Manrique makes no mention of Thirithudamma’’s relations with the Dutch. In 1633 he had sent two envoys to Batavia to invite them to reopen their factory. They were engaged upon the blockade of Malacca and needed the food supplies that could be obtained from Arakan.

Manrique makes no mention of Thirithudamma’’s relations with the Dutch. In 1633 he had sent two envoys to Batavia to invite them to reopen their factory. They were engaged upon the blockade of Malacca and needed the food supplies that could be obtained from Arakan. Two Dutch ships, therefore, with cargoes of goods for sale escorted the Arakanese envoys home, and in 1635 Adam van der Mandere reopened the factory. At first trade went well. But soon difficulties arose. The king wanted a military alliance, and when he heard that Mughal ambassadors had been received at Batavia he sent an angry letter to warn the governor-general that the Mughals were his enemies. Moreover, van der Mandere’’s relations with the king were bad. The king established a royal monopoly over rice, and when van der Mandere objected to the price and attempted to buy his supplies in the open market serious trouble resulted.

Van der Mandere’’s conduct was considered undignified by Governor-General Anthony van Diemen and his books were found to have been carelessly kept. He was accordingly transferred elsewhere, and van Diemen directed that in future ‘’men of good bearing and not slovens’’ should be appointed to Mrohaung. The next Chief, Arent Jansen van den Helm, got on extremely well with the usurper Narapatigri as a result of lavish presents of wine and spirits, which the latter much appreciated. But in 1643 the king’’s health broke down and he lost control over affairs. Then an incident occurred which caused the Dutch to close the factory once more. A frigate belonging to a Dutch free burgher, bound for Chittagong with a valuable cargo of piece-goods, was decoyed into Mrohaung harbour, its cargo confiscated and its captain and crew imprisoned. When efforts for their release failed and several of them died in prison the Dutch broke off relations. For eight years the factory was empty, and the Dutch subjected Arakanese shipping to severe reprisals.

Narapatigri’’s nephew Thado, who succeeded him in 1645, was a nonentity and reigned for only seven years. But his son Sandathudamma, who came to the throne in 1652 and reigned for thirty-two years, became famous as one of the best of the Arakanese monarchs. Although he was quite young at the time of his accession, it soon became known at Batavia that he had a more enlightened attitude towards trade than his predecessors. And as the directors of the V.O.C. were urging Batavia to reopen trade with Arakan, a Dutch envoy, Joan Goessens, left in October 1652 with a long list of stipulations for negotiations with the new king. Agreement seems to have been easily reached, and the terms, embodied in the form of a treaty, were accepted by both parties in 1653. Its main provisions were to the effect that the Dutch were to enjoy customs-free trade under royal licence and be exempt from the necessity of buying and selling through the king’’s agents. Goessens was much impressed by the riches and splendour of the Court. There can be no doubt of the prosperity of the kingdom at this time.

The Dutch factory, thus reopened in 1653, carried on successfully until 1665, when it was again closed, this time for a political reason. Shah Shuja, the second son of the Great Mughal Shah Jahan, had been appointed Viceroy of Bengal in 1639. In 1657, when the emperor fell so seriously ill that there were premature rumours of his death, a struggle for power began between his sons. It was won by Aurangzeb, who deposed his father in 1658 and became emperor himself. Shah Shuja refused to accept this arrangement but was defeated by Aurangzeb’’s general Mir Jumla, and after failing to hold Bengal fled from Dacca to Chittagong, together with his family and a bodyguard of some 500 faithful followers. Sandathudamma granted him permission to continue his journey to Mrohaung on condition that his followers surrendered their arms. He arrived there on 26 August 1660 and was favourably received by the king, who assigned him a residence near the city on the right bank of the Wathi Creek at the root of Bahbudaung Hill. He asked for ships to convey him and his people to Mecca and was promised that they would be supplied.

But the promise remained unfulfilled and the fugitive prince soon found his situation intolerable. Repeated demands for his surrender came from his fleet off Dianga and sent up reinforcements. A state of alarm developed and a rumour spread that Mir Jumla had taken Dianga. Moreover, the king asked for one of Shah Shuja’’s daughters in mirriage and his request was indignantly rejected. Thus were bad relations fomented; deliberately, suggests Phayre, in order that Sandathudamma might have a specious cause for quarrel, since he was only too conscious of the contempt in which the haughty Mughal held him and was greedy to get possession of the rich hoard of treasure the other had brought with him.

Shah Shuja, realizing his peril, made a desperate attempt to escape from the country. But his plans miscarried, and when the populace set upon his followers the latter ran amok and set fire to a large part of the city before they were rounded up and massacred. That was in December 1660. It was given out that he had attempted to seize the palace. The king, it was said, had only been dissuaded by his mother from having him killed. She argued that killing princes was a dangerous spot for which his own subjects might acquire a taste. But on 7 February 1661 Shah Shuja’’s residence was attacked and there was another massacre. Shah Shuja was never seen again. It was rumoured that he had fled to the hills with his sons but had been caught and put to death. Not until months afterwards did Gerrit van Voorburg, the Chief of the Dutch factory, discover what had happened. His report is summarized in the Daghregister thus:
‘’The prince Chasousa, of whom in the previous Arakan advices of 22 February last it was said that he was a fugitive, and had not been found either alive or dead, is believed, though with no certainty, to have perished in the first fury, but his body was made unrecognizable by the grandees in order the better to be able to deck their persons with the costly jewels which he wore. His three sons together with his wives and daughters have been taken; the wives and daughters have been brought into the king’’s palace, and the sons, after being imprisoned for some time, have been released and permitted to live in a little house. Every day the gold and silver, which the Arakanese have taken, are brought into the king’’s treasury to be melted down.’’ /p>

As soon as the Viceroy of Bengal heard, through the Dutch factory at Dacca, of Shah Shuja’’s murder he commandeered a Dutch ship to carry an envoy to Mrohaung with a peremptory demand for the surrender of his children. It was refused, and the king protested to Batavia against the use of a Dutch ship by a Mughal envoy. As the threat of war increased, so did the Dutch position as neutrals become correspondingly more uncomfortable. In July 1663 a desperate attempt to rescue the three captive princes failed. Thereupon the king burnt his boats by having them beheaded and slaughtering a large number of Bengalis and Moslems at the capital. Early in the next year the feringhi fleet sailed up the river towards Dacca, put to flight a Mughal flotilla of 260 vessels, destroying more than half of them, and carried away hundreds of people into slavery.

The time was now past when that sort of thing could go on with impunity. Shayista Khan, Aurangzed’’s maternal uncle, had just been appointed Viceroy of Bengal and was determined to burn out the pirate nest at Dianga. He called on the Dutch for assistance and threatened them with expulsion from all their Bengal factories if they refused. At the same time the King of Arakan, who was preparing yet another great raid on Bengal, ordered them to lend their ships for service with his armada. Luckily for them, a storm shattered his fleet before it sailed, and while he was repairing the demage the Dutch ships got away. When at last it did sail it carried out an even more devastating raid than the previous one.

In July 1665 the Council of the Indies at Batavia held a special meeting at which secret orders were passed for the abandonment of the Mrohaung factory. The king was cleverly hoodwinked, and on a dark night in November the factors hurriedly loaded everything that could be carried away on four ships and decamped. At the mouth of the river they were overtaken by a special messenger bearing a letter from the king for delivery to the governor-general. Why, he asked, were the Dutch so much afraid of the Viceroy of Bengal? It would be easier for him to build the Tower of Babel than conquer Arakan.

But the feringhi navy was to raid Bengal no more. Shayista Khan, who had built and equipped a new fleet, had already seized Sandwip Island as a base for an attack upon Dianga. What would have happened had the feringhi decided to fight it out it is hard to say, for they were more than a match for the Bengal navy. But at the crucial movement they quarrelled with the Arakanese, and when Shayista Khan seized the opportunity to invite them to change sides most of them did so. Then early in 1666 he assailed Dianga by land and sea. In February he defeated the Arakanese fleet in a fierce fight. Dianga surrendered, and the whole of the Chittagong district down to the River Naaf was annexed to the Mughal Empire.

Shorn of its powerful fleet the Arakan kingdom declined rapidly after 1666. Some years later the Dutch returned and reopened their factory, but we know little about it. The Daghregister for 1682 contains a letter from Governor-General Cornelis Speelman to King Sandathudamma announcing that owing to the lack of trade the factory was to be ‘’reduced’’. A resident factor would no longer remain there after the business of collecting outstanding debts had been completed. He hoped, however, to send one or two ships annually for the purchase rice.

When Sandathudamma died in 1684 the country became a prey to internal disorder. As Harvey puts it: ‘’the profits of piracy had gone but the piratical instinct remained, rendering government impossible.’’ Many of Shah Shuja’’s followers had been taken into the royal service as Archers of the Guard. Their numbers were maintained by a constant supply of recruits from north India. In 1685 they murdered Thirithuriya, Sandathudamma’’s son and successor, plundered the treasury, and placed his brother Waradhammaraza on the throne. When he was unable to give them their promised pay they mutinied and set the palace fire. Then they roamed about the country doing as they pleased. After some time they came to terms with the king, and he returned to his capital. But in 1692 they deposed him and placed his brother Muni Thudhamma Raza on the throne, only to murder him some two years later and place another brother on the throne.

So things went on until 1710. In that year an Arakanese chieftain Maha Danda Bo, with the support of a band of devoted men, overcame the Archers and deported them to Remree island, where their descendants still live, speaking Arakanese and retaining their Mahomedan religion. Maha Danda Bo became king Sandawizaya and reigned until 1731. But he spent little of his time on constructive work and much of it in raiding neighbours. He made war on the Raja of Tippera and collected booty and prisoners. He took advantage of the weakness of the Toungoo dynasty’’s hold on central Burma to cross the mountains and raid Prome and Malun. The decline of the Mughal power after the death of Aurangzeb in 1707 tempted him to push his authority towards the north and raid Sandwip Island. But nothing came of all these efforts, and when he was murdered in 1731 the country relapsed into chaos.

Fourteen more kings came to the throne before King Bodawpaya’’s armies entered the kingdom and deposed the last king Thamada in 1785. Long before the event Arakanese chieftains were fleeing to the Court of Ava and urging Burmese intervention. When at last it came it brought such evils that half the population of Arakan fled into the Chittagong district and a situation was created that again challenged the security of Bengal, this time with consequences of far greater moment. For it was one of the main causes of the first Anglo-Burmese war of 1824-6.

(mentioned in the Independent News, BD)
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Arakan: The Mrauk U Period (re-submitting)

2008-08-15T11:53:00.002Z

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Arakan: The Mrauk U Period

by Dr. Jacques P. Leider

Though Arakan1 has remained up to a very recent date a very poorly studied area of Southeast Asia, historians agree that the coastal Kingdom of Arakan developed during the 17th century into a thriving commercial entrepot that had its place in the trade network of the Bay of Bengal (Lieberman 1980:204 Subrahmanyam 1997:208)2. But little interest has been paid to the political and military background of Arakan's rise during the 16th and early 17th century3. While the reasons for this lack of interest can only be hinted at, a look at an Arakan-related bibliography shows indeed the paucity of scientific or academic materials on the country. The only overview of Arakanese history can be found in Arthur P. Phayer's History of Burma published in 1983, a book in which, meritoriously, Arakanese history still gets a fair share in the general history of Burma4. Mainly based on a single Arakanese chronicle that was written around 1842 at the initiative of Phayre himself, the Na Man rajawan5, Phayer's text reflects the Western reading of a traditional Burmese literacy form, an oriental chronicle seen through the eyes of an educated and interested mid-19th century Brithsh colonial officer. Phayer singled out what he deemed fit to p****as straight facts and put it into the mould of a Western-style dynastic history. In the end, much interpretation of the author is passed over to the reader as a matter of fact. Little attention was paid to the geographical and historical context and much of the textual richness of the original document was sacrificed. All this should be born in mind as Phayre has remained a major reference tool for most people who are unfamiliar with the original sources.
If we examine what has been written on, or in connection with Arakanese history, it looks more like an incongruous collage than a mosaic of elements completing each other. A various range of books and articles have brought about a certain number of simplifications or clichés that can only be accounted for in the reduced perspectives of their authors. There is thus an obvious interest in dealing briefly with the historiographical literature on Arakan to approach the history in its geographical context and some of the problems of research. Some conclusions from this review can lead us to a better understanding of the field of studies concerned with Arakan's past and the challenges awaiting the researcher.
In a second part, the political and military history of Arakan from the 15th to the end of the 17th century will be presented diachronically. This synopsis, based on Burmese, Arakanese, Portuguese and Persian sources, is a critical attempt to pull together in coherent picture the episodic appearances of Arakan in the older literature; it also pays due attention to its local and wider socio-economic context as construed in contemporary studies on the Indian Ocean and Southeast Asia. The second part will show that the kingdom of Arakan had its own autonomous history, that should be understood in its proper geo-political and cultural context. Arakan in the 16th and 17th centuries does not fit into the conceptual framework of dynastic cycles that has been outlined for neighboring Burma. This paper challenges Harvey's statement that "Arakan has a separate history" that is "the same in king" [than Burma's] (Harvey 1967:137). A consistent approach of Arakan's history must moreover transgress the all too well established and rigorously defined cultural areas of study and research, such as South Asia and Southeast Asia and contemporary political borders. Northeast India, East Bangladesh and Western Myanmar form a last geographical zone of mountains, valleys and alluvial plains characterized by a great ethnic diversity. They share the experience of a past (and maybe a present) peripheral situation when related to the development of the greater political centres on their eastern and western sides (mainly in our context, the eastward expansion of the Irrawaddy kingdoms and the eastward expansion of the Mogul empire). This experience can also be recontextualised in a langue duree perspective with the expansion of Islam and lamic culture moving towards the east and the consolidation and increasing impact of a centralizing kingdom in the upper Irrawaddy valley.
The whole area was repeatedly a destination port for refugees from India's North and West Buddhists who lost the support of predominantly Hindu ruling elites and came under the pressure of Muslim progress, Afghan Muslims fleeing the Mogul conquerors) and a barrier for ethnic expansion from the east (the farthest expansion of the Tai (Tai-Ahom settling in Assam) and the Tibeto-Burmans (e.g. Arakanese settling in Eastern Bengal). In political terms (keeping the major political centre-oriented perspective), the area had only a limited importance; but conquest by great powers (i.e. the Moguls from India or the kings of Burma) was discouraged and for a long time kept at bay, as the hope of controlling effectively the land faded away with the rising heights, the dense jungle or the intricate waterways. One can illustrate this point with the dragging Mogul wars against the Ahom or the approximately 90 years that it took to extend Mogul control over the whole of Bengal [from the 1976 victories in Western and central Bengal to the conquest of Chittagong (in southeastern Bengal) in 1666].
With the first and second part outlining the sources and the history of Araksn's kingship in the early modern period, one may wonder if this is an attempt to put another, lesser known centre on the map of continental Southeast Asia. It actually is. But this does not only mean switching the headlight to a minor political and economic center worth to be recognized as such. It leads inevitably to a whole lot of yet little explored questions linked to the relations between Arakan and Bengal or Myanmar. How did Arakan resist attempts at conquest in the 16th 17th centuries? Why did it fail in defending Chittagong in 1666 a year which marks the onset of its decline and why did it fall like a rotten fruit into Burmese hands in 1785? I consider that Arakan's development was sensibly different from the political development in the Irrawaddy valley during the early modern period. This paper supports the view that a study of Arakanese political institutions and the country's integration into the socio-economic network of the Bay of Bengal provide answers to the above questions. Where the historian makes himself at home on the periphery, he faces both an inward and an outward perspective. On one hand there is the all pervasive question of how does the periphery respond to the challenge of higher' centres in terms of defending itself (military resources, alliances, diplomacy). On the other hand, there is the question of the periphery's own structural balance which is based on creating and maintaining resources. Logically the third part will thus proceed with an analysis of various aspects of the administration, the trade connections in relation to the socio-political background and the nature of the political development that characterized Arakan's rise during the Mrauk U period.
Those who consider that the varying degree of centralization is the crucial question of Southeast Asia's historical development, might feel that the insistence on peripheral developments is blurring their main point of interest. The study of the periphery compels indeed a more complex view as it calls for an examination of the diversity of local conditions. Shifting our attention from the centre to the periphery, the analytical framework of political and economic centralization needs to be complemented by a better understanding of related and interacting networks based on a study of local and regional history.
(To be continued)

(mentioned in the Independent News, BD)
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by Dr. Jacques P. Leider
Historians of Southeast Asia have maneuvered themselves into a blind alley while sticking too much to the 20th century concept of Southeast Asia and its nation states that emerged from the colonial period. The challenge of studying especially early modern history calls for a more flexible answer in terms of geographical and ethnic boundaries and the concept of autonomous history comes as a natural companion to the discovery of regional and local history. This does not just mean a shifting of perspectives and this is not just giving more credit to some minor centres on a map of hierarchically structured political and economic centres. It literally enriches our perception and deepens our meaning of the historical map of Southeast Asia.
Arakan's Past in Historical Writing
The deplorable state of historical research on Arakan is best illustrated by the fact that there is neither any manuscript or printed collection of epigraphic sources of the Mrauk U period nor any catalogue or detailed description of religious monuments, temples, pagodas or mosques. In this paper, I will deal mainly with manuscript or printed literary and historiographical sources. The main source for the study of Arakan's history are Arakanese historiographical compilations which contain texts belonging to different literary genres (poetry, annals, narratives, eulogies)6; the only chronicle presenting a coherent narrative like U Kala's Maharajawan is the above mentioned Na Man rajawan, of which only a few manuscript copies are still existing. Burmese, Persian and Tripura chronicles as well as Bengali literary sources vastly contribute to our information on Arakan's history as they report how the Mon or Burmese kings of the Irrawaddy valley, the political rivals in southeastern Bengal (sultans of Bengal or kings of Tripura), and the Mogul government (through its subadars of Bengal) interfered with Arakan's master. Some slightly better known printed French, Portuguese and Dutch sources have in fact been little exploited. Recently scholars have unraveled new source material in England, Portugal and the Netherlands which is directly or indirectly relevant for the study of Arakan.
The major grief with the modern historiography on Arakan has been the selective choice of source materials by historians dealing with the country. Actually the work of historians reflects not only their own eclectic use of sources, it mirrors the chronicles in their selectivity. Progress of research and academic interest have evolved mainly along traditional borderlines of culture and nation. What we can read in English or Burmese on Arakan's history is generally based on the Arakanese and Burmese palm leaf sources and historians have not shown much interest in Arakan's involvement in southeastern Bengal's past. Bengali historians, on the other hand, have based their articles mainly on Bengali and Persian sources; Phayre's or Harvey's standard histories of Burma would do as their reference tools in English to keep track of the chronology of kings and political events, but nothing is generally said about what was Arakan's place in the Burmese context. As a result, the general picture (or just the impression) of the Arakanese kingdom and its political and its political and socio-economic development was biased following the selective choice of materials consulted and as a consequence of the linguistic abilities or just the limited knowledge of historian. But more than that, Arakan's history has suffered from the centre-oriented perspectives of modern-day historian. With the exception of Arthur Phayre, the majority of Burma specialists had little or no special interest in Arakan's history as such7. As we have already mentioned, Phayre's history was based on a chronicle written by an Arakanese familiar with the country's past and the traditional, historiographical literature. Phayre presents Arakan's history in distinct chapters beside the Burmese history and differences between what the respective chronicles say on the same events or people are occasionally outlined. GE. Harvey readily subsumed Arakan's history under Burma's general history and in consequence disregarded Arakan's own political development, focusing mainly on a few episodes relating to Arakan's involvement with Burma or occasionally Bengal. In Maung Htin Aung's History of Burma, Arakan gets recognition as one among other Burmese kingdoms competing for power, but the author does not allow for a separate history and Arakan gets only attention as a military player momentarily involved with events in Burma. Harvey's and Maung Htin Aung's histories exclusively focus on the history of important Burmese political centres, such as Pagan, Ava or Pegu. Though his chapter on Arakan is less detailed than Phayre's, Harvey consulted Arakanese manuscript sources (and seemingly had a broader access to them then Phayre); Maung Htin Aung does not refer to any Arakanese sources at all. After the second world war, the tendency among historians dealing with the history of Burma was mostly to disregard Arakanese history. With one exception though: D.G.E Hall was not proficient in Burmese, but he had some interest in Arakanese history as his article on Arakanese Dutch relations shows. The little regard for Arakanese history may be stated without too many critical overtones. Not too much can be glanced from the sole reading of the Burmese chroniclers. After all, one does not necessarily need to share the view that a history of Burma has to cover the history of Arakan as well. It is actually quite a different story, , though we are evidently inside the sphere of Tibeto-Burmese ethnicity and culture and on the safe ground of a Theravadin Buddhist kingship. But while Maung Htin Aung strongly claims the Burmese identity of 16th century Arakanese ("the Arakanese remained nationalistic and proud of their Burmese origin"), it is surprising that he, as a self-proclaimed nationalist historian, pays about no attention to the historical developments in Arakan. Readers of the Journal of the Burma Research Society are familiar with the more than a dozen articles that Maurice Collis and two Arakanese authors, San Baw U and San Shwe Bu, published on diverse topics and periods of Arakanese history between 1913 and 1933. We find here some valuable contributions to what the authors called "legendary history" and what are actually oral traditions that have sometimes a counterpart in the written historiographical tradition. Though Maurice Collis was not a historian, he had a tremendous influence inside and outside of Burma on what people currently think on Arakan and its kings; his popular romance on friar Sebastian Manrique's stay in Mrauk U during Sirisudharamaraja's reign, was published as The land of the Great Image in 1943. In is article "Arakan's Place in the Civilisation of the Bay". Collis asserted, without any scientific rationale that Mrauk U's civilization in the 16th 17th century was mainly the result of turning away from a backward East and exposing itself to a civilizing Muslim world (1925: 39-40). Not much more convincingly Maung Htin Aung explained that Arakan became a "worthy rival of Pegu" because it had copied "Bayinnaung's enlightened policies with regard to commerce, religion and culture". Interestingly, Harvey strikes the balance and is so much less condescending as regards the "real aptitudes" of the Arakanese who he says, "were usually quite able to look after themselves" and "in several respects less back ward than the Burmese". Beside the fact of the cultural influences and the complex relationships that Arakan entertained with neighbouring countries. Hervey notes their competence on the sea, their use of coins and the business-like attitude of their 17th century kings (1967: 138, 140, 146) And this is indeed one of the rare positive judgements on the Arakanese kingship.
In the writings of Bengali historians, three major themes are prominent: (1) The raids of Arakanese fleets and the aggressions against southern and eastern Bengal; (2) the Bengali Muslim influence on the court of Arakan; (3) Arakan's control over chittagong. Most articles are void of any contextual approach and generally try to give a kind of synthesis based on Bengali and Persian sources. So the main criticism one can formulate concerns the neglect of any arakanese socio-cultural, economic or political background that would have provided a more sensitive approach to the (indeed horrifying) slave-raids (but the Arakanese incursions were not only slave-raids!) and to the impact of the Muslim presence at the count which varied considerably over the decades!8
Arakanese kings led war raids against Tripura and south-eastern Bengal and they even attacked the Mogul fleet in Dhaka. On the other hand, they tolerated slave-raids which were for many decades masterminded and organized by the Luso-Asian communities in the Chittagong area with the help of Arakanese manpower. Both phenomena cannot be chronologically separated and particular events are sometimes difficult to assess. The available evidence suggests that warfare played a grater part during the period between approximately 1575 and 1624, while systematic slave-raiding became more prominent after the final elimination of the political endeavours of the local Portuguese community in 1615. The dedeportation of Bengali country folk to Arakan considerably slowed down only some time after the establishment of the British administration in Chittagong (1761). While the subject of slave-raiding and Bengal wars did not interest historians focusing on Burmese history, there is generally no clear distinction in the Bengali historiography between these two related but dissimilar aspects of Arakan's aggressive policy versus Bengal. Exclusive attention is paid to slave-raids highlighted in western travelogues like Francois Bernier's or Wouter Schouten's and remembered in Bengali folk songs. Moreover the Arakanese are usually identified as pirates, a biased (and value-added) term, which makes it difficult to understand the political strategy of the Arakanese kings while reading one's way through the confusing Histoire evenamentielle of Arakan-Bengal relations. In his History of the Mughal Navy and Naval Warfares, Atul Chandra Roy writes for instance that "at the beginning of Jahangir's reign, most of the strategic naval forts in Bengal were in the possession of the Bhulyas and the Magh-Feringhi pirates".

(mentioned in the Independent News, BD)

GMA NEWS

-------------------

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Seminar for the opinion on Myanmar situation & 2010 Election of SPDC” was held continue

2008-08-15T09:25:00.000Z

Thursday, August 14, 2008 10:14 AM

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“Seminar for the opinion on Myanmar situation &
2010 Election of SPDC” was held continue”

Cox’s Bazar, 14th August, 2008: According to the sources, led by Sasanamoli, Bangladesh Branch “Seminar for the opinion on Myanmar situation & 2010 Election of SPDC” was continually held by Burmese oppositions orgs, and Individuals at building of Rakhaing Development Foundation – RDF, Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh.

Seminar was started on 8:30 AM. And mentioned programs were following ;

1. Attendants of seminar was open with saying prayer of Namo Thesa 3 times.

2.The seminar’s coordinator have declared the opening ceremony.

3. Chosen patron-U Nyanika-Alikadong Buddhist monk-was given speech

of opening seminar.

Then following org and personal were reading for their thesis:

(A) Representative of All Arakan Student & Youth Congress – AASYC was read their thesis.

(B) Mr. Pho Hla have submitted a thesis and it was read by himself.

And above mentioned their thesis were discussed cordially like round table system by other attendants, Representatives of orgs and individuals very frankly. And morning section was stopped around 11: 30 AM for the reason of Buddhist monks’ to take meal (Swem in Burmese) before 12 O’clock.

Second section or evening section was started around 1 PM

(c) U Tha Tha Maung, an individual, was submitted his thesis and read himself

(d) And U Saw Hla Aung, Representative of NUPA was submitted their party’s thesis and read himself.

And above mentioned their thesis were also discussed cordially like round table system by other attendants, Representatives of orgs and individuals very frankly and very detail.

Among the attendants U Maung Maung, GS of ANC was also participated for both days of August 13, 14. In often he has discussed for other bodies submitted thesis. But he has not given his opinion of ANC even though some of participants were requested him for ANC’s opinion thesis on the occasion of this seminar. This is all information or issues of our Arakanese umbrella ANC, very unfortunately.

The GMA news cell

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NB: Conclusion of seminar statement will be release soon.

Points of view in Myanmar political affair of 2010 election and submitting, discussion of the thesis

2008-08-15T08:25:00.001Z

Wednesday, August 13, 2008 7:07 PM

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“Points of view in Myanmar political affair of 2010 election
and submitting, discussion of the thesis”

Cox’s Bazar, 14th August, 2008: Points of view in Myanmar political affair of 2010 election and submitting, discussion of the thesis seminar was hold on 1 pm yesterday.

Seminar programs were as following:
Attendants of seminar was open with saying prayer of Namo Thesa 3 times.
3 personal Buddhist monks were elected as patrons.
Following slogans were shouted against the SPDC, Burmese military junta.

(1) We don’t need constitution of SPDC!(which was established by them on 26th May, 2008, illegally).

(2) Let’s we against for coming 2010 general election of SPDC!

(3) Let’s we, opposition forces of Burma, united !

(4) Victory with democracy revolution!

Patron was giving speech as opening seminar
IBMOI submitted thesis was read by the representative of IBMOI.

6. Sasana Moli submitted thesis was read by U Dhamadasa, the representative of

Sasana Moli.

7. ALD submitted thesis was read by Mr. Khaing San Lunn-G.S, the representative

of ALD.
IFA submitted thesis was read by Khaing Por Lunn, the representative of IFA.

According to GMA news, above mentioned submitted every thesis were cordially, frankly and very open mindedly discussed like a round table system, discussion time was 20 minutes per each upon the submitted every each thesis.

First program seminar was very cordially and successfully ends on 5:30 pm, yesterday.

The GMA news cell

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The Rice Killing Day was held in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh

2008-08-15T08:15:00.000Z

Wednesday, August 13, 2008 11:44 AM

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The Rice Killing Day was held in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh

Cox’s Bazar, 13th August, 2008: According to one of participant, the Sitwee Rice Killing day was observed at building of Rakhaing Development Foundation-RDF in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh on 8:30 AM in the morning, under the providing of IBMOI – International Burmese Monks Organization Inc(Bangladesh Branch).

Participant said that about 60 attendants including Buddhist monks and some women were participate on the occasion of that Sittwe Rice Killing memorial Day.

Accordance to as foresaid personal, participated orgs were as following:

1. Arakan League for Democracy – ALD (Exile)
2. All Arakan Students & Youth Congress – AASYC
3. National United Party of Arakan – NUPA
4. Rakhaing Women’s Union – RWU
5. Arakan National Council – ANC
6. And Individuals

Accordance to some of their statements, in Burma, Arakan region was called Dynyawaddy, which meant abundant of paddy state. They have been own sovereignty since BC 3325 to AD 1784, for 5000 years over. Mentioned in their statement that they, Arakanese have been as a so strong nation in the world and Arakan Navy forces was so famous in the Bangal Bay, also. Arakaneses’ have had no experience for starvation or scarcity of food in their history. But very unfortunately, in the result of disunity among them, Arakan failed under the intruder of Barman in 1784.
And when reached in 1967, Arakan peoples had to face starvation and scarcity of food Because of in the result Baman colonial ruled or slavery lives of Arakanese.

For starvation, authorities were asked by Arakan people to sell rice, which was available in rice stores, with appropriate price. But Arakanese people were given bullets instead of need survival rice.
Accordance to some of them, on that day 13th August, 1967 Arakan people around 400 personals were buried with alive and death one in Thay Chaung, Sittwe..

So, Arakanese say for that Day “ Unforgettable 13th August. And when reach or arrive this days, in and out of Arakanese people will hold for this memorial day as a Day of unforgettable, where there arrive or living in.

The GMA news cell
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Three Burmese soldiers arrived in Bangladesh as a fled from Burma

2008-08-15T08:07:00.002Z

“Three Burmese soldiers arrived in Bangladesh as a fled from Burma”

Date: 11-08-2008, Maung Daw: According to the firm sources, three Burmese soldiers, were flee away, from their administration camp of border security forces, Maung Daw township, Arakan region, western side of Burma, to Bangladesh.

They are;

1. Maung Than Win Ta/353584

2. Zaw Myo Htun Ta/360756

3. Thway Naing Ta/ 360757

At first they had four one named Maung Maung Hla, who was arrested and left in Maung Daw.

On one and half PM, August 5th, 2008, as foresaid Burmese soldiers were leave from their administration camp of border security, Kyi Kam Prun, Maung Daw town-ship. And on 6th August, 2008, they fled or crossed Naf river from Aung Bala quarter, Maung Daw town-ship to Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar District, Bangladesh.

According to the latest condition of them, they are seeking political refugee status under the protection of UNHCR, Dhaka branch office.

Said firm sources, conditions of ordinary soldiers in Burmese military junta, are become so worsening day by day. E.g. providing salary is not properly cover for their living cost and survival because of like every consumptions of human being survival things are sky-rocketing day by day more than before in Burma, according to a bordering trader of Burma.

And an anonymity sources said that the information is developing that more Burmese soldiers can flee for further, also.

The GMA news cell

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NB: Ta=Tat Thar, mean mentioned as ordinary soldiers, in Burmese.

Myanmarese political refugees were hold demonstration

2008-08-10T17:07:00.002Z

Myanmarese political refugees were hold demonstration

Cox’s Bazar: 24th April 2008 – Myanmarese political or urban refugees have held demonstration in front of UNHCR branch office which is locate at costal area of western side of Cox’s Bazar.

According to their in brief history, started of their recognized as urban or political refugee around 1990 after 1988 world wide known uprising in Burma. As mentioned in their statement, they have been struggling for their survival so hardly among the different faith people and populated alien state. And revealed that they have tried to resettle as a escape from suffering of like hell condition, meanly for their children future plan. But failed like long till 18 years in misery condition. Within that 18 years period of staying Bangladesh, only their two families and other four individuals were resettle while hundreds of Somali, Iraqi, Iranian, etc nationals were resettle in third countries, they have unveiled.

And even the intrusion of like 21st century, present day, hundreds of bordering/ economic refugees were resettle in third countries and for further also going on, but their, Myanmarese political or urban refugees’ resettlement cases are ignored continually by concerned personals and asylum country.

So, in attached letter in which they are requesting for consider and sympathy of visiting representatives of the Italy, the Sweden, the Netherlands and the Canada were requested by them, Myanmarese (Burmese) political refugees, to consider for their suffering in Bangladesh and for resettlement in third countries, they, Myanmarese political or urban refugees, have mentioned in their demands.

The GMA news cell
For contact mobile & phone numbers: 01199081074, 04437142255

UNHCR Chief was greeted and welcomed by Burmese Urban Refugees

2008-08-10T17:00:00.001Z

UNHCR Chief was greeted and welcomed
by Burmese Urban Refugees

Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh: On 26th May 2008, from 8: 30 AM to 2: 30 PM, around the 30 personals, including woman and children, of Burmese political (Urban) refugees have greed and welcomed for Mr. António Guterres, head of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), who is visiting to Cox’s Bazarr, Bangladesh as a two days visit.
According to them (Burmese political refugees), they have been waiting for their head to hand over for their statement (which was attached with this as an attached file). They said, they have held a big size banner in which mentioned that ;
“WARMLY WELCOME FROM MYANMARESE URBAN REFUGEES”
“PLEASE HELP US FOR RESETTLEMENT! while awaiting for their head.
Among of them (of urban refugees), two personals were chosen by them to meet with their head. And when they met they have handed over for their statement to their head, and said they have unveiled for their suffering in brief that they are facing with so hardship like in a hell, etc, according to them.
Accordance to the GMA, Burmese political refugees are living in this country Bangladesh as a scatter spreading position like in Dhaka, Chittagong, Chittagong three hill Dists, and Cox’s Bazaar, boarder town of Bangladesh – Burma, etc for majority percent of them were stopped Subsistence Allowance –SA by UNHCR, Dhaka since 1998. So, they are facing with so hardship neither provide SA nor provide resettlement and also they can’t go back for their homeland for most tyranny rule of Burmese military junta, they said, Burmese political refugees said.

The GMA news cell
For contact mobile & phone numbers: 01199081074, 04437142255

----------
UNHCR chief arrives today
To talk with govt on Rohingya issue
Staff Correspondent

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) António Guterres is scheduled to arrive in Dhaka today on a two-day visit that will highlight the need to find a lasting solution to the issue of around 27,000 Rohingya refugees living in the country.

During his first visit to Bangladesh as high commissioner, Guterres plans to discuss with the government the long-running plight of the Rohingya refugees as part of the high commissioner' s initiative to place a spotlight on the issue and to resolve some of the world's most protracted refugee situations, said a press release.

These refugees who fled Myanmar have been staying in two refugee camps--Nayapara and Kutupalong in Cox's Bazar--for more than 16 years.

Guterres will spend a day in Kutupalong Refugee Camp, home to almost 10,800 refugees, and meet refugees, visit medical and feeding centres as well as inspect new housing units that are being built for the refugees.

During the last two years, the government allowed the UN refugee agency, other UN agencies and non-governmental organisations to make many improvements there, the release said.

António Guterres, former Portuguese prime minister, has led UNHCR since June 15, 2005. The UN General Assembly had elected him for a five-year term and he is the UN refugee agency's 10th high commissioner.

As high commissioner, he heads one of the world's principal humanitarian agencies.

UNHCR has twice won the Nobel Peace Prize and it works in over 110 countries providing protection and assistance to nearly 33 million refugees and others of concern. The agency's total budget for 2008 is more than $1.6 billion.

Who are Dictators?

2008-08-10T16:51:00.001Z

Who are Dictators?

“A planet which was spill from the Sun”
“There where I become being a human like others”

“Those so-called human being I am”
“Nothing have own called property;
A spot of land!
A piece of finance!

“Due to; confiscated by Dictators, BSPP, SLORC, SPDC”

“Fled away from danger of life
“Took shelter, given asylum under the noble aim of UNHCR”

“In a alien state, while struggling”
“with compatriots, partisans”
“for restore democracy, peace in homeland”

“When those noble aim of UNHCR is being misused, mistreat by some one”

Alas! Alas! My God!
“We are confused … confused …. confused"

“Who are Dictators?
SPDC?
Or social counselor?
Or some one of UNHCR?

By
A Burmese Political Refugee

The GMA news cell
For contact mobile and phone numbers: 01199081074, 04437142255

NB: It is only mentioned people’s desire, not from product of the GMA news cell!

------------------

Yor are earnestly requested by us for contact and ask them!

The Representative
UNHCR Branch Office
H # NE (N) 8, Road No: 90
Gulshan-2, Dhaka – 1212
Bangladesh

The Representative phone no: +880-2-8826802=Extension – 101
The Deputy Representative phone no: +880-2-8826802=Extension – 102
UNHCR Branch Office of Dhaka fax no: +880-2-8826557

E-mail: bgdda@unhcr.ch, bgdda@unhcr.org

Bangladesh Legal Aim Service Trust – BLAST
( Implementing Partner of UNHCR ), e-mail: mail@blast.org.bd

Mr. Bazalar Rahman’s (mobile no: 01819274377)
The Social Counsellor
Refugee Counselling Service Unit

“A custom officer is being arrested for corruption case”

2008-08-10T16:38:00.001Z

“A custom officer is being arrested for corruption case”

Maung Daw: 5 August 08:-
Accordance to firm sources; on July 30, 2008, U Aye Win, who is being arrested - accordance with relevant documents and getting firm informations - by Special Criminal Research Forces - SCRF of SPDC of Maung Daw township, he is the head of extraordinary custom department gate of Burma & Bangladesh trade fair,.
Said sources, when SCRF have interrogated upon U Aye Win he couldn’t refuse and confessed because of firmly involved with corruption case and illegal drug affair cases.
SCRF has uncovered with firm documents that U Aye Win, who took bride money from illegal drug and alcoholics trade affair which was not permitted and included between the two countries’ trade fair agreement, sources said.
Said sources, in Arakan region, as foresaid U Aye Win who case which is a first case among the SPDC’s high rank official, on 2008.
Now, on 31 July, 08, arrestee U Aye Win and his cases files, relevant documents were sent by SCRF of Maung Daw to HQ of military tribunal court of Buthidaung, Arakan region, western side of Burma for examine his case on military tribunal court of SPDC, sources said. But some source said that it is only like a drama. Because of even Mr. Khon Sa - the king of opium - has been close friend of SPDC, as world wide known.
According to some Bangladeshis, in this way harmful drugs including Heroin, Yaba tabs are coming to Bangladesh, controllessly it is so dangerous for human being and young generations of this country, also they said.

The GMA news cell
For contact mobile and phone numbers: 01199081074, 04437142255

“Kyauk Taw township peoples are being forced labors under the oppressive of SPDC”

2008-08-10T16:21:00.001Z

“Kyauk Taw township peoples are being forced labors under the oppressive of SPDC”

Kyauk Taw: 5 August 2008: - No: 9 - HQ administration of second in-chief military command (which is exist under the command of military HQ of western Divisions, Arakan region, western side of Burma), established in Daung Taung yoe, Kyauk Tawtownship, arakan region.

On farm-lands around 80 acres, are being plundered, in very urgent condition that are being ordered by high authority of SPDC No: 9 - HQ administration of second in-chief military command to complete within 10 days. As foresaid people are struggling as un-paid force labors in mentioned confiscated farm-lands, they are around 300 peoples including females, children, old ages, from 1 August to till 10 August, 08, urgent work.

Above mentioned forces labours peoples are from (A) Tharunk Tabun (B) Lann Maday (C) Kyaunk Lone Gree (D) Daung Taung Yoe (E) And Myounk Taung villages. In this way, people can’t do for their farm-lands in season for their own survival, but for SPDC.

Sources said, not only in this rainy season but for other rest winter and summer also have to work the same way for SPCD like slaveries but under the cover of Myanmar style traditional.

The GMA news cell

For contact mobile and phone numbers: 01199081074, 04437142255

“Agree Daw Ma villagers, minority ethnicity, l000 acres lands were confiscated by SPDC”

2008-08-10T15:05:00.002Z

“Agree Daw Ma villagers, minority ethnicity, l000 acres lands were confiscated by SPDC”

Mrauk Oo: August 6, 2008: - Agree Daw Ma village, is existing in Mrauk Oo township, Arakan region, western side of Burma, it villagers are minority of Khami ethnic origin.

Sources said, as foresaid villagers have own around 1000 acres of tidy reach fir forest (local name Danit) and mangrove forests since long – long years ago. In often, Argee Daw Ma villagers and local Arakanese people said like that in often that fir water is better than beer because of it is made from nature. Mentioned peoples are surviving selling fir water, leaves and nearest man-grow forest is like also a their Aladdin lamp. Because of not only these villagers, majority percent of Burmese citizens still using to build their houses, tents, for such as cover of roof, wall, etc. And various kind of other way also useful/ using in this 21st century, as everybody known, well. In this way, as foresaid villagers and peoples are living peacefully from centuries.

But, on August 3, 2008, without given any information, a delegate of land measurement , a delegate of forest HQ and a band of police personals were arrive and some villagers were summoned then declared that as foresaid around 1000 acres of tidy reach fir forest and man-grow forest are own by government, SPDC. Then declared as a prohibited area and kept a police guard standby at boat station of Agree Daw Ma village, not for in and out to that mentioned forest area.
Said sources, Tantara chaung ( chaung=stream) is flowing around the Agree Daw Ma village. One point of Tantara chaung against side by side existing villagers are Agree Daw Ma and Pa Day village- it villagers are Rakhaing. Those mentioned villagers and living around the Tantara chaung peoples are using boats to across side by side and up and down along the Tantara chaung, also since centuries back, for the matter of their trade, social, religious, etc.

Now, as foresaid stand by police guard personals are collecting toll till 2000 Kyat from per each cross passing boat and 500 Kyat for up or down of each passing boat, sources said.

So, in the result of Agree Daw Ma villagers’ fir forest land around acres 1000 are being confiscated by as foresaid authority of SPDC, and standby police guard personals’ toll collecting problems are creating so difficulties and hardship for survival of Agree Daw Ma minority ethnic villagers, sources said.

The GMA news cell
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NB: All of you are earnestly requested by us to read Nipa palm forest instead of fir forest.

“Mike Tyson’s method is famous in No: 5 battalion of security administration, Maung Daw”

2008-08-10T09:49:00.002Z

“Mike Tyson’s method is famous in No: 5 battalion of security administration, Maung Daw”

Maung Daw: August 10, 2008: - In Burmese military, ordinary soldiers’ condition are so worse day by day because of their salary is not properly cover for their survival and living cost, according to firm sources.

On one day that last week of July 08, from as foresaid battalion No: 5, sergeant Kyaw Naing’s
Wife was accused upon Daw Ma Ngay, an ordinary soldire’s wife that her chicken was stolen by Daw Ma Ngay. For the matter of that they have been quarrelling and at one point Daw Ma Ngay’s one ear was bitten and cut off by officer’s wife.

So, Daw Ma Ngay has tried to open case file at Maung Daw police station. But in-charge of Maung Daw police station has told Sergeant Kyaw Naing that to give 2 lakhs Kyat for victim Daw Ma Ngay as a compensation money. In this way, in-charge of Maung Daw police station could make compromised between them. Wounded person, ordinary soldier’s wife, Daw Ma Ngay went from Maung Daw to Sittwe general hospital to medical treatment for her injured but she didn’t get compensation money from in-charge of Maung Daw police station, accordance to firm sources.

The GMA news cell
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'Stop grabbing of land of indigenous people'

2008-08-10T09:07:00.003Z

Wednesday, March 22, 2006 9:15:04 PM

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'Stop grabbing of land of indigenous people'

According to the correspondent of The Daily Star News,

BD.Indigenous leaders yesterday urged the government to stop illegal grabbing of their land across the country and to recognise their traditional land rights.

They also demanded introduction of permanent settlement system of indigenous land where permanent ownership has not been established yet.

They placed these demands at a press conference at the National Press Club in the city yesterday jointly organised by Bangladesh Adivashi Odikhar Andolan, Bangladesh Adivashi Forum, Adivashi Jagoron Samity and Andar Manik Bhumihin Samobaya Samity.

Referring to recent land grabbing and attacks in Kaliakoire in Gazipur, Parbotipur in Dinajpur, Moulvibazar and Chittagong Hill Tracts area, the leaders said continuous grabbing of indigenous land across the country is leading ethnic minorities to the verge of destruction.

Reading out a written statement, General Secretary of Adivashi Forum Sanjeeb Drong demanded punishment of the culprits involved with the March 5 attack in Andar Manik landless village in Gazipur and to distribute the land among the landless people living there since 1981.

He also urged the government not to evict the indigenous people in the name of mining coal in Phulbari and to return land to the indigenous people of Gamaridhala in Khagrachhari district where outsiders illegally grabbed indigenous land.

Gono Forum presidium member Pankaj Bhatyacharia, Prof Mesbah Kamal of Dhaka University, the daily Amader Somoy Journalist Anwar Kabir, indigenous leader Jagodish Chandra Barman and Manindra Chandra Barman were present at the press conference.

The GMA news cell
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Shops, houses gutted in Khagrachhari

2008-08-10T08:59:00.002Z

Wednesday, March 22, 2006 5:26:24 AM

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Shops, houses gutted in Khagrachhari

According to the correspondent of The Independent News, Khagrachhari, BD.

Mar 21: Shops including 02 Baker, its show room, one workshop, one stationary shop and houses gutted in a devastating fire at the central part of Khagrachhari Bazar in the district Sunday.
Properties worth about Tk half a crore were damaged in the fire.
Five persons were injured when a crowd rushed to bring the fire under control.
The fire was originated at about 1 pm from a bakery of one Siraj Mia, owner of Lucky Bakery at the Bazar, witnesses said. Soon the fire engulfed the other shops and nearby houses. The fire brigade from Khagrachhari, after two hours of tiring and frantic efforts, brought the fire under control.
Khagrachhari Pourashava chairman Joynal Abedin visited the spot.
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JMB cadre arrested from Jamalpur

According to sources from The Independent News, Mymensight

Mar 21 : Elite force RAB arrested a suspected cadre of banned Islamic outfit JMB from Kutubpur village in Jamalpur district Monday.
The arrested was identified as Fajar Ali.
Acting on a tip off, RAB went to Kutubpur village and arrested Fajar Ali along with 6/7 books on Jihad.
He was taken to RAB-9 office in the district for interrogation.
Another report from Sylhet adds: Two persons were arrested along with 2 kgs of hemp and 54 bottles of phensidyl from a house at Kastghar area in the town Sunday. RAB sources said they arrested Jitu Mia,25 and Ramzan Ali,32 after raiding a colony and seized the drugs from their house.
The arrested had been selling drugs at Kastghar, Hawkers' Market and Banderbazar since long, the sources said.
A case was filed.

The GMA news cell
For contact mobile numbers: 01199081074, 04437142255

Adivasi Festival Begins in City

2008-08-10T08:44:00.002Z

Adivasi Festival Begins in City

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Adivasi Festival Begins in CityAdivasis still hold on to cultural heritage

According to sources from Bdnews, Dhaka, BD.Indigenous (Adivasi) people still hold on to their cultural heritage though they are the most vulnerable and marginal ones due to ethnic discrimination and exploitation, speakers said.

They were speaking at the inaugural function of a three-day 'Adivasi Festival' that began yesterday at the National Museum in the city.

Arranged by Society for Environment and Human Development (SEHD), the festival was inaugurated by Kumudini Hajong, a famous woman leader of the historic Tanka Movement at 4:00pm.

Selima Rahman, State Minister for Cultural Affairs, attended the function as chief guest while Chingku Roaza, a leading intellectual of the hill tracts, Khushi Kabir, coordinator of Nijera Kori, and professor Mahmudul Haq, director general of the National Museum, among others, spoke as special guests.

Director general of the Society Prof Sakhawat Ali presided over the function.
Speakers said Adivasi language and culture are now on the verge of extinction. The struggle to establish right to the land of the Advasis has not yet come to the end though it started during the British rule.

During the Liberation War the Adivasis sacrificed their lives for independence but they are now living as aliens in their own country.
Speakers also demanded that the government take initiative for the education of the Adivasis through their own language.

With the participation of a number of Adivasi artistes and traditional indigenous cultural programmes were performed at the festival, which will remain open from 5:00pm to 7:30 pm everyday.

As part of the festival, a seven-day photo exhibition began at city's Drik Gallery from Saturday. The exhibition will focus on the `Arannya O Arannya Shangskriti' (Hills and Hill culture) and remain open to all from 10:00am to 8:00pm.

Organisers said a total of 15 Adivasi cultural groups have come to the function to join the festival.

The GMA news cell
For contact mobile numbers: 01199081074, 04437142255

Myanmar reports first bird flu case

2006-03-13T08:55:00.000Z

Myanmar reports first bird flu case
According to The Daily Star News, BD.

Myanmar reported its first case of the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu yesterday, a day after the virus gained new ground in Europe, Asia and Africa.
Lab tests confirmed the outbreak in northern Myanmar after 112 chickens died, said Laurence Gleeson, a senior official at the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation, citing a report from the Myanmar government.
Afghanistan has detected five cases of the H5 type of bird flu virus and there is a high risk it is the deadly H5N1 strain, United Nations and Afghan officials said Monday.
Three cases of H5 bird flu were detected in the capital Kabul and two in the eastern province of Nangarhar, said Azizullah Osmani, spokesman for the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry.
"Some samples we tested yesterday are positive for H5 but to determine the sub-type the samples have been sent to Italy," Osmani said at a press conference.
Pakistan is investigating a possible second outbreak of bird flu after poultry farmers threw around 2,000 chicken carcasses on a dumping ground, officials said Monday.
The dead birds were discovered in the southern city of Hyderabad, sparking fears among the public and prompting local authorities to order extensive precautionary measures, the local mayor said.
The scare comes as Pakistan waits to learn from a British laboratory whether birds found with the H5 strain in northwestern Pakistan last month had the deadly H5N1 strain.
"We have summoned samples of the dead birds from Hyderabad to test in the laboratory," said Mohammad Afzal, spokesman for the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Livestock.

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Strict watch on Myanmar border
According to The Daily Star News, BD.

The government yesterday ordered an intensified vigil against entry of poultry birds and products from Myanmar hours after Yangon reported outbreak of avian flu in its central region.
"All district and upazila livestock officials have been asked to remain alert against entry of poultry birds and products from Myanmar into the country," Dr Salehuddin Mahmud, director general of the Livestock Services, told the news agency.
He said though Bangladesh does not import any poultry birds or products from Myanmar, the frontier vigilance has been intensified as an extra-precaution against entry of birds by chance.
Myanmar reported that it found strains of H5N1 virus in dead poultry around its central city of Mandalaya. Veterinarians said the flu had killed at least 112 birds around the city.
The government prohibited imports of chicks from several countries, including Thailand, India and Malaysia, as part of its vigilance against bird flu to save Bangladesh's growing poultry industry.

GMA-News

55 houses gutted in Bandarban

2006-03-12T08:54:00.000Z

55 houses gutted in Bandarban
Sources from The Daily Star News, Bandarban, BD.

At least 55 houses were gutted in a devastating fire at remote village Salchhara under Ruma in Bandarban, Army sources said yesterday.
Local people said the fire originated from a furnace of a house on Saturday night.
The blaze engulfed the entire village as there is no fire brigade station in the area.
Army personnel with the help of local people put the blaze under control following hectic efforts of several hours.
Members of the armed forces Ruma zone distributed 20 maunds of rice, money in cash, medicine and crockery among the victims yesterday.

Wanted JMB militants hiding in Sundarbans
Raid soon to flush out militants and dismantle their bases
According to sources from The Daily Star News, Khulna, BD.

Rapid Action Battalion (Rab), police and other law enforcing agencies are preparing to launch a special combing operation in some areas of the Sundarbans to bust hideouts of Islamic militants.
Wanted Islamist militants are hiding in the deep forest after arrest of JMB kingpins Abdur Rahman and Siddiqul Islam Bangla Bhai, according to intelligence sources.
On June 17, 2001, Koira police in Khulna arrested six Islamist militants from the Sundarbans. They were Hafez Nuruzzaman alias Pintu Molla of Jessore, Abu Zafor alias Mehedi Hasan, Mohiuddin, Arif Hossain and Mostafa Kamal of Faridpur and Syed Mohammad Alam of Kushtia. They told police during interrogation that there were several secret camps in the forest where madrasa students were trained for a Taliban-style movement in the country.
Charge sheets against the six militants were submitted to court on July 1, 2001. Charges against them were framed on December 18 in 2002. But magistrate Abdur Rahman of Koira upazila court dismissed the case on the same day. Later, the case docket was allegedly stolen from the court.
The six arrested militants also told police that Abdur Rahman and Bangla Bhai visited the camps in Sundarbans at least thrice between 2001 and 2002 to monitor military training of 20 recruited madrasa students loyal to Islami Chatra Shibir. This information was given by the six arrestes during interrogation.
Abdur Rahman and Bangla Bhai were helped by a section of officials in Koira to damage merit of several other cases. These led to establishment of JMB strongholds inside the Sundarbans, the intelligence sources said.
In 2004, police arrested 11 followers of Bangla Bhai from the Sundarbans and recovered from their possession army uniforms and some books on militancy.
In May 2001, police arrested more 17 Islamist militants from near Rupsha bridge area.
Besides, police arrested JMB suicide bombers Rubel, Faruk, Hasan and Abul Bashar on December 25, 2003 from a room of an 'abandoned' hotel in Khulna city and recovered 150 booklets on Islamist militancy, 12 powerful bombs and a huge quantity of bomb making materials. The booklets recovered from there were edited by Shaekh Abdul Halim and printed from Ad-Din Publications, Dhaka.
The booklets contained guidelines on how to launch militant movement and hit targets with bombs and arms. A diary was also recovered from the spot which contained instructions for taking training in Karat and learn strategies to carry out suicide bomb attacks.
Four suicide bombers arrested from there had told police during interrogation that the abandoned hotel in Khulna city was used as the main training centre of an Islamist militant organisation.
The area where the hotel is situated is a stronghold of Islami Chhatra Shibir, student front of ruling coalition partner Jamaat-e-Islami.
GMA-News
The intelligence sources said combing operation in the Sundrbans is deemed as urgent task now to track down the militants and extremists. They think that Bangla Bhai and Abdur Rahman had strengthened their networks in south-western districts from their bases in the Sundarbans.
The Islamist militants arrested from 2001 to 2004 and released on bail due to weak charge sheets are now being hunted by intelligence agencies, said the sources.

GMA-News

Indi, Myanmar sign deal on natural gas

2006-03-11T08:49:00.000Z

Indi, Myanmar sign deal on natural gas
According to sources from New Age News, BD.

Yangon Indian President Abdul Kalam left Myanmar Saturday after a four day trip in which he sealed a deal allowing his country to search for new ways to tap Myanmar’s natural gas reserves.
The deal marked India’s latest move in its competition with China for influence in military-ruled Myanmar, despite international condemnation of the junta’s human rights abuses and calls for the release of detained pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
Indian foreign ministry official Shyam Saran told reporters in Yangon that Kalam and Myanmar’s junta chief, Senior General Than Shwe, did not discuss the house arrest of Aung San Suu Kyi.
Most of Kalam’s visit, the first by an Indian head of state, focused on business, though he also reached two agreements on satellite imagery and education.
India has been trying to negotiate a three-billion-dollar deal to run a pipeline from Myanmar across Bangladesh to the eastern Indian city of Kolkata, but failed to make headway in the talks.
The agreement signed Thursday would also allow studies into running a much longer pipeline through northeast India, which borders Myanmar, or converting the gas to liquefied natural gas for shipping.
China and Myanmar have already signed a deal to allow China to study building a pipeline from the Arakan Coast to its Yunnan province.
The satellite deal would allow Myanmar to use Indian satellite imagery, which could be applied to agricultural projects or to survey for minerals. The third deal agreed was to improve cooperation in Buddhist studies. Kalam was headed to Mauritius for two days before returning home.

GMA-News

Is Myanmar the next Iran?

2006-03-10T08:45:00.000Z

Is Myanmar the next Iran?
Ian Bremmer

The United States and its European allies worry that if they simply accept a nuclear Iran, other states will be encouraged to pursue nuclear ambitions of their own. But that ship may already have sailed. As the world watches the twists and turns of Iran's path toward the Security Council, the military regime in Myanmar may be quietly selling its energy resources to finance the acquisition of nuclear technology.
During her Senate confirmation hearings in January 2005, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice labeled Myanmar an "outpost of tyranny." Not without reason. Since 1962, a military junta has ruled the country and carefully maintained Myanmar's isolation from the international community. A popular uprising in the late 1980s forced the regime to gamble on multiparty legislative elections. But when the opposition National League for Democracy won a landslide victory in 1990, the regime voided the result and jailed many of the NLD's leaders -- including Nobel Prize-winner Aung San Suu Kyi. A decade and a half later, Suu Kyi is again under house arrest without access to even a telephone. Most of Myanmar's more than 50 million people live in poverty -- though the government has blocked international efforts to document their plight.
Myanmar's generals, known in state-controlled media as the State Peace and Development Council, routinely harass and imprison opposition activists. Citizens have been used as slave labour. The junta's security police have been known to strafe demonstrators with gunfire. In December, an Asian human rights group issued a 124-page report on the Myanmar government's "brutal and systematic" torture of political prisoners.
To deepen the country's isolation, last November the generals began to move Myanmar's capital from the southern coastal city of Rangoon to the mountain stronghold of Pyinmana, deep in the country's interior. Perhaps the regime's oft-stated fear of a US invasion prompted the retreat from the coast. That would explain press reports that the junta has surrounded its new capital with land mines. Perhaps the regime is even more afraid of the ethnically diverse and impoverished students of Rangoon. We can't look for answers to the United Nations' envoy to Myanmar. He resigned in January after failing for nearly two years to gain entry into the country.
Despite the regime's aversion to international attention, Myanmar generated international headlines January 11 when the Korean conglomerate Daewoo announced a substantial gas find off Myanmar's northwest coast. Media reports describe the field as "massive," though Daewoo won't know just how massive until intensive exploration and testing are completed next year. The company announced that a petroleum consultant, the Ryder Scott Co., estimates that the find may produce between 2.9 trillion and 3.5 trillion cubic feet of gas, the equivalent of about 600 million barrels of crude oil. Whatever the final numbers, the discovery provides yet another reminder that Myanmar has become an important natural-gas provider for Asia's wealthiest countries.
Just as Iran's energy wealth frustrates US and European efforts to sanction Tehran, foreign competition for gas contracts will obstruct international attempts to pressure Myanmar toward democratic reform. China has profited time and again by forging commercial deals with states that are the objects of international scorn, and other energy-dependent Asian countries (India and South Korea, in particular) don't want China to monopolize Myanmar's energy reserves. These states and others will continue to chase energy deals there, including agreements to build the infrastructure needed to pipe gas or petroleum directly to their consumers and industries. Even the United States and European Union have resisted pressure to ban all investment in the country -- so energy firms Unocal and Total can join in the scramble.
The Myanmar junta knows when it approves these deals that it's giving its Asian neighbors an important stake in the regime's survival. China, a veto-wielding permanent member of the Security Council, is an especially useful provider of diplomatic cover. Energy revenues also help finance the domestic repression that keeps the opposition in check and the generals in charge.
What else might this new wealth buy? The riches generated by Myanmar's natural-gas deposits may provide the junta with enough cash to realize its long-standing ambition to purchase nuclear technology. In 2002, the Russian government approved an agreement with Myanmar to help the regime build a civilian nuclear reactor. The deal was never consummated, according to the Russian foreign ministry, because Myanmar lacked the money to pay for it. But when Russia's atomic agency announced last October that talks on the subject had resumed, Western governments reacted with alarm and dismissed official Myanmar claims that the facility is meant only for medical research and the production of radiopharmaceuticals for cancer treatment. More worrying still, the junta's long-rumored high-level contacts with North Korea may well include discussion of the transfer of nuclear technology.
Maybe the Myanmar government believes a nuclear weapon offers the ultimate insurance against a US invasion. After all, the United States invaded Iraq, which did not have nuclear weapons, but has not attacked North Korea, which does. Myanmar's fear of an American attack tells us more about the junta's paranoia than about US intentions. But the Myanmar generals cannot have been pleased when President Bush, during last month's State of the Union address, included Myanmar on a shortlist of states in which "the demands of justice and the peace of this world require freedom."
Another reason Myanmar matters for regional stability is that it adds to the growing list of irritants in US relations with China. Myanmar provides China with the use of a military base on the Indian Ocean. Sino-Myanmar trade grew by more than 10 percent between 2004 and 2005 to more than $1.1 billion. Late last year, China outmaneuvered India for an agreement to buy 6.5 trillion cubic feet of gas. As China's dependence on Myanmar's energy grows, we can expect Beijing to help the junta resist international pressure -- just as they have done for authoritarian regimes in Iran, North Korea, Sudan, and Zimbabwe. (China has invested around $300 million in Zimbabwe in return for mining concessions and direct supply of gold, diamonds, chrome, bauxite, and possibly uranium.) That will only add to Washington's diplomatic frustrations.
The United States and several other countries would like to move Myanmar onto the Security Council's formal agenda and pressure the junta into reform and greater transparency. But the more dependent Myanmar's neighbours become on the country's energy resources, the less likely it is that any international body can force change on this regime. As a similar scenario unfolds in the diplomatic battle over Iran's nuclear weapons, Myanmar's generals will be watching closely from their new mountain fortress.
Ian Bremmer is president of Eurasia Group, the global political risk consultancy, and senior fellow at the World Policy Institute.

Indi, Myanmar sign deal on natural gas

2006-03-09T08:43:00.000Z

International Women’s Day celebrated by the Rakhine Community sponsored by RDF

2006-03-09T08:33:00.000Z

International Women’s Day celebrated by the Rakhine Community sponsored by RDF.

Barishal, 9th March, 06: The 31st anniversary of the International Women’s Day was observed by the Rakine National Community at Barishal District, delta region of Bengal, about 300 miles western part of Dhaka city, Bangladesh, on Wednesday 8th March, 06.

This ceremony was organized by Daw Ma Pu Sein, in-charge of Women and Children Affairs of Arakan Labour Association in Exile--ALAE and sponsored by Rakhine Development Foundation – RDF, that the sources said.

It was started on 11:00 am at Thone-Saung –Rwa village of Barishal, where are living Rakhine community. Apart from this village, other villagers of Rakhine women and gentlemen living in another islands of delta region also attended to this ceremony.

Some responsible persons included Daw Ma Pu Sein and others attendees addressed speech about the International Women’s Day and about the currently sufferings of Rakhine women living in Bengal delta region, called Potuakhali District or Barishal of the Bangladesh. This delta region was established by Rakhine Refugee Community since 1798 A. D. after the Burmese king had occupied Arakan and slaughtered in great massacre the whole Arakan or Rakhine people since 1785 A. D..
Although the situation of the Rakhine Community was in a good position under British rule, it is bad to worse day by day, after Independence of India since 1947. All of the lands owned by Rakhine community were constructed by Rakhine refugee ancestors since 1800 A. D. are lost today in different ways, especially abusing law by the new settlers. The Rakhine women also are suffering in poverty and jobless that the attendees addressed about their situations. There are living about 4000 Rakhine populations in the three islands very separately at the delta region of Bengal.

The ceremony was successfully end at 3:00pm after the attendees were served by lunch, the sources said.

By Arakan National Council – ANC Human Rights Documentation Committee (present Dhaka)

Released from:
The Good Morning Arakan – GMA (News)

The International Women’s Day observed in Dhaka by RWU.

2006-03-08T08:28:00.000Z

The International Women’s Day observed in Dhaka by RWU.

Dhaka March 8th , 2006: Today, 31st anniversary of the International Women’s Day is observed in Dhaka organized by Rakhine Women’s Union (RWU) that the sources said.
The celebration of this ceremonial function is-known that, sponsored by Women’s League of Burma (WLB).
Daw Saw Mraza Lun, member of the presidency Board of WLB and chairperson of the Rakhine Women’s Union based in Dhaka and RWU members themselves have held the ceremony at Baptist Church of Mirpur-2 Dhaka city on 11:00am to 3:00 pm today, 8 , 3 , 2006.
The invited organization attending to this ceremony are Arakan National Council-ANC, Arakan League for Democracy-ALD (exile), All Arakan Students and Youth Congress-AASYC, The Good Morning Arakan-News- GMA, Rakhine Development Foundation-RDF and Rakhine Student of Dhaka University and Students from Kamalapur Buddha Vihar of Dhaka, and individuals.
There has celebrated by discussing about the bad situation of International Women living standard. And a role play and debate about the Women’s suffering was also held.
The ceremony was come to end at 3:00 pm after feeding lunch—that the sources said.
Among them, Mrs. Rani, personal officer of opposition Leaders of the Parliament and president of Bangladesh Awami League also attended to this ceremony, the sources said.

By Arakan National Council – ANC Human Rights Documentation Committee (present Dhaka)
Released from:
The Good Morning Arakan – GMA (News)

More gas found in Myanmar offshore

2006-03-06T08:23:00.000Z

More gas found in Myanmar offshore
According to Sources from New Age News, BD.

Natural gas deposits have been found at the Mya field in block area A-3 in western Myanmar’s Rakhine offshore area, said a report of the official newspaper New Light of Myanmar Monday.
Successful drilling of the Mya test well No. 1 at the block in the offshore area was carried out with gas burning on Sunday.
It was estimated that the Mya field contains 2 trillion cubic- feet (TCF) or 56.63 billion cubic-meters (BCM) of gas being explored by a consortium of foreign oil companies, led by South Korea’s Daewoo International Corporation.
Myanmar is planning to sell gas produced from the Mya field along with two other fields—Shwe and Shwephyu in block A-1 to neighbouring countries such as India and China through pipelines, the report said.
The exploration on the block A-3 was conducted under an agreement reached in February 2004 between the Myanmar Ministry of Energy and the consortium, in which Daewoo holds a 60-per cent stake, while South Korea Gas Corporation 10 per cent, ONGC Videsh Ltd of India 20 per cent and Gas Authority of India Ltd (GAIL) 10 per cent.
Adjacent to the block A-3, which has an area of 6,780- square- kilometre (sq- km), there lies block A-1 where two deposits of natural gas, known as the Shwe field and the Shwephyu field, had already been found by the same consortium in January 2004 and April 2005 respectively. The Shwe field holds a gas reserve of 4 to 6 TCF or 113.2 to 170 BCM, while the Shwephyu 5 TCF or 141.5 BCM. And the whole block A-1 is estimated to yield up to 14 TCF or 396.2 BCM of gas.
Meanwhile, Indian company the Essar Oil Ltd has also reached a contract with Myanmar to undertake gas exploration activities at Block A-2 in the same Rakhine offshore area and Block-L in the coastal region of Sittway.
Moreover, three more available blocks off Myanmar’s southern Tanintharyi coast are also under natural gas exploration with test wells being planned for drilling by Malaysia’s Petronas Company covering blocks M-16, M-17 and M-18 with areas of ranging from about 13,000 sq-km to 14,000 sq-km.
Recent years have seen foreign oil companies increase engagement in oil and gas exploration in Myanmar. Thailand’s PTTEP, for example, has covered a number of blocks such as M-3, M-4, M-7, M-9 and M-11 under contracts, while another consortium made up of Chinese and Singaporean companies are also engaged in oil and gas exploration in some onshore and offshore areas.
With three large offshore and 19 onshore oil and gas fields, Myanmar possesses a total of 87 trillion cubic-feet (TCF) or 2.46 trillion cubic-meters (TCM) of gas reserve and 3.2 billion barrels of recoverable crude oil reserve, official statistics show.
The figures also indicate that in the fiscal year of 2004-05, Myanmar produced 7.48 million barrels of crude oil and 10.69 billion cubic meters (BCM) of gas. Gas export during the year went to 9.5 BCM, earning over $1 billion.

GMA-News

Punishment to JMB godfathers demanded

2006-03-05T08:18:00.001Z

Punishment to JMB godfathers demanded
According to BD News, The Daily Star News, BD.

Gano Mukti O Jatiya Sampad Rakkha Sammilito Andolon yesterday demanded arrest of and exemplary punishment to the 'godfathers' of Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB).
The leaders of the Andolon at a press conference at the Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal (BSD) office placed 7-point demand, including an open trial of Shaekh Abdur Rahman after interrogation by an acceptable investigation committee, ban on communal education, cancellation of 5th, 7th and 8th amendments to the Constitution, reinstatement of Article 12 of the Constitution, sacking of two identified war criminals from the cabinet, arrest and trial of the ministers, MPs and godfathers who abetted militancy.
BSD Convenor Khalequzzaman read out the written speech at the press conference.
Leaders of BSD, Workers' Party of Bangladesh, Muktijoddha Union, Garib Mukti Andolan, 8-party , Students' Movement for resisting plundering of oil and gas and Movement for emancipation of Workers were present at the press conference.

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Hold open trial to prove JMB chief 's arrest not drama Jalil urges govt
According to Staff Correspondent, The Daily Star News, BD.

Awami League (AL) General Secretary Abdul Jalil yesterday demanded of the government to arrange an open trial of JMB chief Abdur Rahman allowing him to speak with the media and quiz the ministers and MPs who sheltered the militants to prove that his arrest was not a staged drama.
"The government staged the drama on the eve of US President George Bush's visit to India and Pakistan to mislead the international community about the rise of militants in Bangladesh under the shelter of the government," he said at a press briefing at the AL central office in the city.
"We believe that it is the duty of the government to make it clear to the nation that the arrest of Abdur Rahman was not a staged drama," Jalil added.
Referring to Saturday's press briefing of BNP Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, Jalil said, " Whatever he had said, it is crystal clear that the arrest was a staged drama by the government to distract peoples' attention from the oppositions' reform proposal on electoral process, power outage, fertiliser crisis and price hike of essentials."
Jalil, also coordinator of the 14-party opposition line-up, put forward a total of 10 questions to Mannan Bhuiyan to explain government's position on the arrest of Abdur Rahman. These included:
How could Rahman travelled different cities including the capital in last eight months along with his family without taking any camouflage when law enforcers were hunting him?
Why he was not allowed to talk to the media after surrendering to law enforcement agencies?
Why did Rahman choose Sylhet for his safe heaven and what was the role of Sylhet intelligence?
Why Rab and Police are giving different statement over the recovery of his cell phone?
Why the government is hiding the books of Golam Azam and Moududi that were found at the den of Rahman and by whose directions the name of the books were withdrawn from the seizure list?
Will the government arrest the patrons of Rahman and Bangla Bhai who tried to hide the militants saying it was a creation of media?
The press briefing was attended by AL leaders Abdur Razzak, Motia Chowdhury, Obaidul Quader, Akhtaruzzaman and Haji Mohammed Selim.

GMA-News

Grievance of Arakanese students under undisciplined Teachers and the Educational authorities in Arakan State

2006-03-04T13:35:00.000Z

Grievance of Arakanese students under undisciplined Teachers and the Educational authorities in Arakan State

Dhaka, March 4th 06: According to sources from Sittwe and Pouk-Taw townships, some school teachers of Primary level, Junior High Schools and even from High Schools Level have a good chance getting regular payment although nothing attendance for the whole year they have been in school.

Some Primary School Teachers have arranged with young educated villagers about teaching their students. Those government service school teachers---after having put the young teachers in school instead of them—are doing business outside during school educational season.

U Tin Yu—a headmaster of Toungphu village primary school has been in outside business during his on duty to school, while he handed over three villagers to teach students at school.

One Burma Naval retired man living in this village and other two educated girls were teaching the students of Toungphu village primary school but all students have paid for their education fees to those fake teachers, who were appointed by headmaster misused authorized power. The monthly payment for education fee to these teachers of the students were 300 Kyats, 400 Kyats and 500 Kyats for class I,II, and class III and for class IV respectively.

After having taken understanding with higher authorities from Educational Departments and military commanders, school teachers of Pouk-Taw township and Sittwe township have been taking advantage of a good chance getting monthly salary without attending to school for the whole years.
A female teacher of primary school from No 4 Quarter of Pouk-Taw down town, as well as U Tin Yu, having got salary from Educational Department regularly. She never comes to school except the arrival time of inspection for schools by military commanders and educational officers. Most of school teachers neglected their school attended.

Even in Sittwe town, some school teachers included female teachers after having have illegal leave--- they sold Thai Lottery tickets wandering from school to schools and township quarters wide during on duty– that the sources said.
In this way Arakan Education have been coming to down. To promote education in Arakan state, Rakhine Thaharya Association, one social welfare organization of Arakanese (Rakhine) Community has been providing scholarship to the brilliant Arakanese student but it is always less than demands.

By Arakan National Council – ANC Human Rights Documentation Committee (present Dhaka)

Released from:
The Good Morning Arakan – GMA (News)

Dhaka eyes Myanmar drug market

2006-03-04T07:45:00.000Z

Dhaka eyes Myanmar drug market
Sources from United News of Bangladesh, New Age News, BD.

Dhaka Bangladesh is planning to expand its pharmaceutical market in Myanmar as Bangladeshi medicines have already gained confidence of the neighboruing country’s physicians.
According to industry insiders, some 28 local drug manufacturers are scheduled to visit Myanmar this week to appoint their agents for facilitating the export of medicines.
During the visit, the pharmaceutical companies will also take part in a three-day single country Bangladeshi pharmaceutical products fair in Yangon, beginning on March 10.
The manufacturers would talk to prospective agents and finally appoint them to lodge application with the Myanmar government seeking export registration.
As per the existing laws of Myanmar, the appointed agents will deposit samples of the exportable products to the government.
The government after laboratory test will give registration and the particular agents will import items from the Bangladeshi manufacturers that later on will be marketed on the agent’s own mechanism, local manufacturers said.
When contacted, President of Bangladesh Oushadh Shilpa Samity Md Shafiuzzaman told UNB that Bangladesh is the second largest exporter of pharmaceutical products to Myanmar.
He said some 10-12 local companies have already got registration while some 20 others are going to apply for registration.
‘Myanmar’s pharmaceutical market is 100 per cent import-oriented. Bangladesh has great potentials to capture the market as we’re the second player in terms of export after India,’ he said.
Meanwhile, Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) will organise the first ever single-country Bangladeshi pharmaceutical exposition in Myanmar on March 10.
A total of 28 local drug manufacturers will take part in the fair setting up some 30 stalls, EPB sources said.
The participating companies include Baximco Pharma, Square Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Hudson Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Aristo Pharma, Acme Laboratories and Globe Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
On the sidelines, a seminar on diabetes will be held and a video presentation containing an inner look of the industry will be screened.
Bangladesh’s export to Myanmar was around Tk 12 crore last fiscal while the industry insiders hope that the export will cross Tk 20 crore mark in the current fiscal.

GMA-News

International border-demarcation neglected to capture smuggling boats for Burmese police’s interests

2006-03-03T13:18:00.000Z

International border-demarcation neglected to capture smuggling boats for Burmese police’s interests

Friday, March 03, 2006, Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh: Accordingly the sources from Bangladesh border area with Arakan state today that- one timber smuggling boat of Arakan state bounding for Bangladesh side in Nef-river was arrested at 2:30 pm today by the Burmese Border Police Force(Na-Sa-Ra). Timber merchants and boat-laborers escaped after jumping in Naf-river bounding to Bangladesh side, the source added.

According to a boat-oil man who escaped to Bangladesh border area said that this timber cargo-boat carrying 80 tons of timber--- bounding to Bangladesh Tek-Naf township from Tong-gup township via Sittwe port already reaches to mouth of Naf-river beyond demarcated river area of Myanmar--- is captured by Burmese Border police Force in Bangladesh river area today. But 8 persons included timber merchant and boat-owner and boat-laborer escape from arrest after jumping down into Naf-river and swimming to Tek-Naf area.
The timber boat with 80 tons timber is already brought-up to Arakan side of Burma back by polices. These police are from Ngakhoung-doe Na-Sa-Ra camp of Moungdaw township.
The prices of timber captured by Burmese Border Police (Na-Sa-Ra) today is about 240 lacs Kyats equivalent to sixteen lacs Taka.

The price of Timber, a production of Arakan Mountain range is 80000 Kyats per one ton at Tong-goup township, and it may be cost 120,000 Kyats at Sittwe Town, the capital city of Arakan state, Myanmar. And this may be surely cost about 300,000 Kyats equivalent to 20,000 Taka of Bangladesh currency if it reaches to Teknaf township of Bangladesh that boat-man says added.
Arakan timber included Teak wood are clear-cut off in Arakan state included Arakan Mountain Range—according to cutting woods under disorderly of SPDC government. Regarding the border marketing goods of legally trading between Myanmar and Bangladesh government are: wasted ironware articles, taffy packages of Snack, and cane and clothing. Rice and timber and teak wood ore ordered as contraband goods by Myanmar governments.

By Arakan National Council – ANC Human Rights Documentation Committee (present Dhaka)

Released from:
The Good Morning Arakan – GMA (News)

Deadlock: construction works of BAJ in Arakan State

2006-03-01T13:12:00.000Z

Deadlock: construction works of BAJ in Arakan State

Dhaka, February 23, 2006: It appeared that there have been more dead-lock of Burma-Asia-Japan (BAJ), an organization of development construction Burma, in Arakan state that the sources from Arakan state said.

Accordingly the sources—one of the Detachment-Junior High school of Agumow (Kone-den) village in right western side peninsular area of Rathi-daung town-ship -- northern opposite Meyu river side of Sittwe township-- was banned the permission of newly construction school by the Educational Ministry of SPDC government since 1st week of January, 2006. The construction of this new Detachment junior high school was not only sponsored in finance sector but also will be constructed practically by BAJ.

This organization, BAJ, had aided to constructed the primary schools of Magyichaung village, Pouktawbrin village, Agumaw village, Sinbike village, Donebike village and Chaintaly and Kodengouk village etc, western side of Rathidoung townk-ship since 2001 and 2002.

In this way, BAJ, now trying to aid construction for Detachment junior high school of Koneden village. There are children from four villages including Agumow village, Koneden village, Magyichaung village and Pouktawbrin village attended to this Detachment school for their junior secondary level education. But the present school and its rooms are very small for the children to take part in it.

The poor structure of this school was made of wooden pole, bamboo wall and Thatch grass roof only. So the BAJ had taken measurement for the newly school construction instead of the poor one since the last part of 2005.

The submission of BAJ project was already permitted by the state level authorities included by higher military commanders. But this proposal project has been refused by the Educational Ministry.

Accordingly a teacher meeting with us in Cox’s Bazar, the Ministry of Education authorities concerned themselves want to construct this school using expenditure money from BAJ although they banned the permission to construct by BAJ.

As well as Koneden village Detachment junior high-school, the BAJ has been prohibited for its construction an old bridge of Sittwe town.

The proposed bridge by BAJ was named Thenbenchong bridge which was located near a big restaurant along the High Commissioner Road near Kalalden river bank of eastern side of Sittwe town.

This construction project proposed BAJ was already permitted by western command commanders, Maj;Gen; Khin Moung Myint very recently. But the Construction Ministry of the SPDC government banned this project because the aid money of BAJ must be handed over to the Construction. Ministry that the authorities of this Ministry had demanded it, that the sources said.

According to the policy of the BAJ, this demand of Construction Ministry was not possible to hand-over money to the Ministry of any authorities concerned. So it reached to the point of deadlock for the BAJ.

By Arakan National Council – ANC Human Rights Documentation Committee (present Dhaka)

Released from:
The Good Morning Arakan – GMA (News)

One of monopolized businesses of Ein-Bouk-Wa company in Arakan State, Burma

2006-02-28T13:11:00.000Z

One of monopolized businesses of Ein-Bouk-Wa company in Arakan State, Burma

Dhaka, February 28, 2006: After having in disguised under a newly face, the Ein-Bouk-Wa company ---monopolizing in all business sections including rubber plantation fields, prawn production and rice dealing corporation in Arakan state - - have formed a new company named Golden Gate—that the sources said.
Accordingly the sources from Sittwe of Arakan state, Managing Directors of the Golden Gate company are Mr. Maung Htun Kyaw, a big boss of Trading Association of Arakan state and a closest friend of Western command commander Maj:Gen: Mr. Khin Maung Myint, and Mr. Than Shwe, owner of Shwe Thazun Hotel. Mr. Than Shwe is also famous person for his nick-name Sar Than Shwe it means Salt Than Shwe in English language. The most famous issue of Mr. Than Shwe is that he has been a good informer of Western Head Quarter command, and he had informed to MIS No.10 about the activities of Arakan Army.
The next one, who is a famous person is the son of Home Minister Maj:Gen: Mr. Maung Oo, is participating in this newly company as well as Mr. Tin Tin Maung of Kyauk-Pru town.
The sources said that this newly company, Golden Gate, has been producing Iodine Salt packages which weight is 750 gm per each package. It is sold 75 kyats per each Iodine salt package.
Furthermore, the Golden Gate has been taking monopolization upon all businesses of salt-terms and dealing concerned in Arakan state. All of the salt-term owners taking advanced money from the Golden Gate company, compulsorily have to sell the whole raw-salt to the Golden Gate company under the limited prices, 10 kyats per 1.5 kg or 1 vissa of Myanmar weight measurement system. These raw-salt are sold to the salt dealers by the Golden Gate under the rate of 39 kyats per each.
The price of ready-made salt or table-salt limited under the Golden Gate is 100 kyats per vissa or 1.5 kg that the sources said.

“We are under exploitation under the Golden Gate company and worry about the crisis of this business that although this business may lift up the interest of Ein-Bouk-Wa and Golden Gate, the salt-terms owners and customers are under pressure of the price of salt” that claimed by a salt-terms owner who recently reached to border area of Bangladesh with Arakan state.

By Arakan National Council – ANC Human Rights Documentation Committee (present Dhaka)

Released from:
The Good Morning Arakan – GMA (News)

Rangyi-Aung warship from Rangoon Naval HQ command looting in Bay of Bangal

2006-02-26T02:44:00.000Z

Rangyi-Aung warship, from Rangoon Naval HQ command --- without direction of Dynyawadhi Naval Base of Arakan state--- is now moving illegal administrative activities at the month of Kaladen river of Bay of Bengal --- that the sources said.
This warship named Rangyi Aung, has come by order from Rangoon Naval HQ command to the Bay of Bangal since 3 weeks ago has been looting the belongings of local fishing boats and cargo boats in different ways—the sources added.
The fishing boats and locally trading ships have to pay tax money to Rangyi Aung warship. This warship has collected not only tax money from local ship moving in mouth of Kaladen river and Bay of Bangal but also demanding Diesel oil, fish and fresh prawns by forced.
Usually, 3 warships made in China had moved in Bay of Bengal to take protection the coastal line since three years ago. But it had never been such incident – that the local sources said.
On account of moving along coastal line of Bay of Bangal by Rangyi Aung, there become made narrow space area between Natural Gas productive area –thirty miles in circle included Oyster reef-- in Bay of Bangal and this warship. Between this space area, no fishing boat is allowed to fishing. It makes a hard experiment more the fisher men of Arakan state. And it seems have been that the Rangoon Naval HQ command become less-confidence upon the Dynyawadhi Naval Base of Arakan state on account of 7 personals of Naval soldiers of Dynyawadhi Naval Base fled Arakan state to some where on 23rd December, 2005 that the local fishing men and Arakan people criticize about it--- the sources said.

Dated: Saturday, February 25, 2006

By Arakan National Council – ANC Human Rights Documentation Committee (present Dhaka)

Released from:
The Good Morning Arakan – GMA (News)

-----------------------
Hey-day of wine bars in Arakan and it’s social and health problems

Accordingly inside Arakan state sources, it is now appearing social and health problems brought about among wine drunkers on account of wine bars selling wine very exceedingly and free style in Arakan state. In consequence of having addicted by the disease of icterus, korsakow’s syndrome, melancholia and delirium tremens and dropsy after using wine imported from Mandalay and Rangoon by container cars to Arakan state. Forty percent of wine drunkers are addicted melancholia disease and there is a rate of monthly dying is three persons of drunkers only in Sittwe that the sources said.
There are imported wines from Mandalay to Arakan state are London, White orange, Myanmar Rum, Wiski, Mekhong and Black cat. The prices for each bottle of any kind of wines is over 800 Kyats more than Mandalay rate while only 200 Kyats per bottle of BEDC, productive alcohol of Myanmar government, in Arakan state. But at the same time there have been some higher price alcoholic bottle such as Hanesy Brandy, Red Lebel and the Johnny Walker in there Arakan state.
The price of Hanesy Brandy in Mandalay city is 40,000 Kyats and it is cost 50,000 Kyats in Sittwe. There have been 35,000 Kyats and 24,000 Kyats for Red Lable and Johnny Walker respectively of Mandalay price but 6,000 Kyats more in Sittwe than Mandalay. Those different wines mentioned above can be easily bought and drunk from whole-sale and retail price shops in any time in Arakan.
Bu Maung Chay, a cop, and Kyaw Chay, a business man, --worked togather and getting license for alcoholic auction in Ponna gyuan Township—have been distributing alcohol to the whole Township of Ponna gyuan. There may have been seen 25 wine bars included Thein Tan Restaurant and View Point Restaurant in Ponna gyuan Town, and there have been many branches wine bars in the Township areas under their license.
Like wise, Ponna gyuan township, there are over fifty wine bars in Kyauk Taw downtown including Nawarat Restaurant, Nilar Win, Taroke Ma (Ms. Chinese), Shan Lay and Yauk Fa Chay (younger brother-in-law) Restaurant that the sources said.
In Sittwe, the capital city of Arakan state, there are so many wine bars, big and small, wide and narrow, fine and ugly are enclosed to down town and out skirt of Sittwe. Among them, the followings are more busy wine bars; Kyaw Chay wine bar, Maung Ni Aung wine bar and Kyaw Ohm wine bar are from south-Rupa quarter. Palet-wa Aung Than wine bar, Maung Saw Pru wine bar, Ein-Bouk-Wa Restaurant and May-Yu Restaurant are from Kye-Bun-Gri quarter. Some wine bars have erected its sign board by name but some don’t do. But some big sign board in the size of 24ft X 6ft may be seen in the down town. London wine is very famous for its big sign board and the name of the street of area is written in the sign boards respectively. Therefore, the Municipal authorities of Sittwe no need to erect the sign boards written the name of street separately.
But, in Kyauk Taw and Ponna Gyum towns, most of wine bars owners are not willing to erect sign boards because there must be paid Ten thousands Kyats per one square feet for sign board tax collected by township Municipal authorities.
In the affair of social and health problems brought about in Arakan state is grown more. Kyaw Bu Chay aged 48, the owner of View Point wine bar, and Aung Tun Naing a school teacher both were from Ponna Gyum town, died of alcohol as well as Maung Pru Chay – aged 32 of Singu land quarter, Aung Kyi Thein aged 40 from Kyaungded land quarter of Sittwe were dead. Thein Tun Aung aged 35 from northern Sanpra quarter and Maung Thein Chay of Main Road both from sittwe are in delirium tremens disease that the sources said.

Date: Friday, February 24, 2006

By Arakan National Council – ANC Human Rights Documentation Committee (present Dhaka)

Released from:
The Good Morning Arakan – GMA (News)

Hey-day of wine bars in Arakan and it’s social and health problems

2006-02-26T02:39:00.000Z

Accordingly inside Arakan state sources, it is now appearing social and health problems brought about among wine drunkers on account of wine bars selling wine very exceedingly and free style in Arakan state. In consequence of having addicted by the disease of icterus, korsakow’s syndrome, melancholia and delirium tremens and dropsy after using wine imported from Mandalay and Rangoon by container cars to Arakan state. Forty percent of wine drunkers are addicted melancholia disease and there is a rate of monthly dying is three persons of drunkers only in Sittwe that the sources said.
There are imported wines from Mandalay to Arakan state are London, White orange, Myanmar Rum, Wiski, Mekhong and Black cat. The prices for each bottle of any kind of wines is over 800 Kyats more than Mandalay rate while only 200 Kyats per bottle of BEDC, productive alcohol of Myanmar government, in Arakan state. But at the same time there have been some higher price alcoholic bottle such as Hanesy Brandy, Red Lebel and the Johnny Walker in there Arakan state.
The price of Hanesy Brandy in Mandalay city is 40,000 Kyats and it is cost 50,000 Kyats in Sittwe. There have been 35,000 Kyats and 24,000 Kyats for Red Lable and Johnny Walker respectively of Mandalay price but 6,000 Kyats more in Sittwe than Mandalay. Those different wines mentioned above can be easily bought and drunk from whole-sale and retail price shops in any time in Arakan.
Bu Maung Chay, a cop, and Kyaw Chay, a business man, --worked togather and getting license for alcoholic auction in Ponna gyuan Township—have been distributing alcohol to the whole Township of Ponna gyuan. There may have been seen 25 wine bars included Thein Tan Restaurant and View Point Restaurant in Ponna gyuan Town, and there have been many branches wine bars in the Township areas under their license.
Like wise, Ponna gyuan township, there are over fifty wine bars in Kyauk Taw downtown including Nawarat Restaurant, Nilar Win, Taroke Ma (Ms. Chinese), Shan Lay and Yauk Fa Chay (younger brother-in-law) Restaurant that the sources said.
In Sittwe, the capital city of Arakan state, there are so many wine bars, big and small, wide and narrow, fine and ugly are enclosed to down town and out skirt of Sittwe. Among them, the followings are more busy wine bars; Kyaw Chay wine bar, Maung Ni Aung wine bar and Kyaw Ohm wine bar are from south-Rupa quarter. Palet-wa Aung Than wine bar, Maung Saw Pru wine bar, Ein-Bouk-Wa Restaurant and May-Yu Restaurant are from Kye-Bun-Gri quarter. Some wine bars have erected its sign board by name but some don’t do. But some big sign board in the size of 24ft X 6ft may be seen in the down town. London wine is very famous for its big sign board and the name of the street of area is written in the sign boards respectively. Therefore, the Municipal authorities of Sittwe no need to erect the sign boards written the name of street separately.
But, in Kyauk Taw and Ponna Gyum towns, most of wine bars owners are not willing to erect sign boards because there must be paid Ten thousands Kyats per one square feet for sign board tax collected by township Municipal authorities.
In the affair of social and health problems brought about in Arakan state is grown more. Kyaw Bu Chay aged 48, the owner of View Point wine bar, and Aung Tun Naing a school teacher both were from Ponna Gyum town, died of alcohol as well as Maung Pru Chay – aged 32 of Singu land quarter, Aung Kyi Thein aged 40 from Kyaungded land quarter of Sittwe were dead. Thein Tun Aung aged 35 from northern Sanpra quarter and Maung Thein Chay of Main Road both from sittwe are in delirium tremens disease that the sources said.

Date: Friday, February 24, 2006

By Arakan National Council – ANC Human Rights Documentation Committee (present Dhaka)

Released from:
The Good Morning Arakan – GMA (News)

Putting the squeeze on the Arakanese patients by Sittwe government hospital authorities

2006-02-26T02:27:00.000Z

Even though a signboard, in the letter of “Free Medical Treatment for the Poor”, erected in front of Sittwe government general hospital, it is only “a saying’ in practically. All medical treatment fares and the medical equipment must be bought from inside pharmacy of this hospital opened by the government medical service men.
To take an X-ray photo, it is free fare for all patients concerned while Regional Medical Officer – RMO ( doctor in-chief) of Sittwe hospital taking round his duty time. But it is not concern when he is absent, any X-ray photos must be paid costly to medical service men of this government hospital by all patients concerned. It is needed fare 2000 Kyats for electric power and to be cost 1000 Kyats for X-ray film reel and 7000 Kyats for doctor who give instruction for bandages. Total Ten thousands Kyats is needed for a patient who want to take X-ray and plaster bandage. If he chooses to the private clinic, it will be needed about fifty thousands Kyats for X-ray. One Ko Kyaw Tint of Sittwe town had been broken his right hand by accident in December, 2005, so he rushed to Sittwe hospital and paid Ten thousand Kyats to the authorities concern for his X-ray, while RMO was absence in it’s hospital.
There is a pharmacy shop, in the compound of this government hospital, owned by U Ne Win, who is a compounder of this hospital. He has given commission rate on selling pharmacy quantity to the doctors who instructed medical description to the patients and order to buy medicine from U Ne Win pharmacy shop. It is an inevitable matter of patients concerned in this Sittwe government general hospital. For example, U Hla Thu from Ponna Gyun town had had such experience. When his daughter, Ma Kywa Hla – 12 years old was admitted to attend Sittwe government general hospital by the disease of enteric-fever, U Hla Thu had to buy the essential medicines accordingly the duty officer doctor’s description. But the Blue-staff nurse Ma Than Sein and her senior doctor refused to give medical treatment to U Hla Thu’s daughter because the medicines bought by U Hla Thu were from outside pharmacy shop and he was instructed to buy medicines from U Ne Win’s pharmacy shop only. So, U Hla Thu rushed to Nawarat pharmacy shop near Sittwe college where he bought medicine and took it money in return for medicines and then he had to buy medicines from U Ne Win’s shop as the doctor’s ordered. In this way U Hla Thu’s daughter had to be allowed medical treatment legally. Although being the same description and the same medicines, the cost from U Ne Win’s shop was 24000 Kyats while it cost only 18,000 Kyats from Nawarat pharmacy.
Further more, in any ordinary delivery case, any patient must use at least 120,000 Kyats included bribery gifts to the doctors nurses and cleaners concern and buying medicines for it at Sittwe government general hospital although the signboard is written in, “FREE MEDICAL TREATMENT FOR THE POOR”, that the sources said.

Date: Thursday, February 23, 2006

By Arakan National Council – ANC Human Rights Documentation Committee (present Dhaka)

Released from:
The Good Morning Arakan – GMA (News)

The grievance of Arakanese farmers during paddy harvest season

2006-02-21T02:54:00.000Z

As the time is paddy harvesting season in Arakan (Rakhine ) region, the Burmese army battalions based in Arakan state have forcibly been buying paddy from Arakanese farmers. The peasants have to compulsorily selling paddy-- under the limiting on one Tim (20 Kilograms) per acre--lower rate than currently marketing price. Tim means weights and measures of Myanmer system, one basket of Tim equivalent to 20 kilograms.
It must be compensated 1600 Kyats Myanmar currency per acre if any farmer who is unwilling to sell his paddy to the Burmese army that, the sources said.

The Light Infantry Battalion - LIB No: 537th—taking a place as for Marketing point, the then government’s paddy dealing point in Rathidaung downtown---has bought paddy from local farmers through Ra-wa-ta chairmen after strong order released. The Ra-wa-ta chairmen have to send paddy they bought forcibly from farmers to reach the Marketing point of LIB 537th, Rathidaung. Amongst the chairmen, Aung Tun Sein of Pouk-sa villages circle and Ah Saw Chay of Mahamying villages circle are the worst in public relationship while they bought paddy from local farmers.
Although, the current marketing price of the paddy is 2200 Kyats per Tim the military pay only 1200 Kyats to farmers in the manner of exploitation. It is one hand. On the other hand, there is less of paddy production than previous year because weather was not in regular for 2005 rainy season. Apart from this, the fertilizer price was so higher than pervious year of 2004. There was 9000 Kyats per fertilizer bag in 2004 and 25000 Kyats per fertilizer bag for 2005, the rate of fertilizer price was high nearly three times than 2004. In this way, all Arakanese farmers are suffering under the depriving created by Burmese military junta.
More about detail of Aung Tun Seing and Ah Saw Chay, both are Ra-wa-ta chairmen is that, after having eaten bribery money 12 lakhs Kyats from 12 muslim families, Aung Tun Sein allowed these muslim to settle in Rakhine Buddhist village in his village circle as well as Ah Saw Chay allowed 8 muslim families
settling in his village Mahamying after eaten 8 lakhs Kyats as bribery money from those muslim that it is reported by Naing Naing (Sittwe).

Dated: February 21, 2006

By Arakan National Council – ANC Human Rights Documentation Committee (present Dhaka)

Released from:
The Good Morning Arakan – GMA (News)

Grievances of Rakhine Refugees under UNHCR, Dhaka office

2006-02-19T10:38:00.000Z

The Subsistence Allowance money (S.A. money) for under aged 18 children and the whole families of UNHCR recognized are now cut of complete with the end by UNHCR, Dhaka office since December, 2005 that the source said.
Actually the UNHCR, Dhaka office has cut of SA money for those Rakhine Refugees after those refugees were compulsorily taken a Lump-Sum money for business project in stead of monthly S.A since 1998 accordingly 1997 policy of UNHCR, Dhaka office.
It was functioned by the RCSU (Refugees Counselling Service Unit) of Ahsania Mission, an NGO based in Dhaka. Here, there was a history about RCSU since 1995.
The Dhaka UNHCR office had been an agreement with Ahsania Mission, local NGO of Bangladesh, in contrast system for 10 years till 2005 December from 1995. Under this agreement between UNHCR and Ahsania Mission, there had formed Refugee Counselling Service Unit, RCSU Dhaka office. Henceforth the Rakhine refugees had contacted to UNHCR through RCSU office only.
Without grant permission of RCSU office, nobody of Rakhine refugees can do anything; to contact to UNHCR very directly. It had made Rakhine refugees grievance since that times.
The followings are the functioning’s of RCSU and their policies;
1. The Lump-Sum money for business project of Rakhine refugees was not the same amount; some had had 30000Taka and some had 40000Taka while some refugee received only 20000Taka since 1998.
2. But no business project did have good out-come. Because refugee have no right to choose their needed business. Either we like or not, we had to receive a business RCSU office offered.
3. All families have become to face crisis in Social standard and finance matter.
4. Amongst those, some families and individuals refugees concerned have done as wood and bamboo cutters at deep jungles in far remote area of Chittagong hill tracts where the criminal gangs are hiding there and sometimes, the villagers and refugee concerned were beater and tortured by those groups. For example: Aung Soe Khaine ID No 01037 have had this experience in deep forest of Alekhodong Township of Bangladesh, Chittagong Hill Tracts.
5. For these reasons, the Rakhine refugees of UNHCR concerned have very often demanded to shift to the third country to UNHCR Dhaka office, but no reply is received from this office and be refused.
6. The most important issue of those refugees is that there is no security for them in
Bangladesh because of bomb exploded danger and terrorist problem.
7. The up-most problem is that, now all of children members of refugee families
concerned, are cut of S.A money.
8. As these Rakhine refugees are political refugees or urban refugees, they must stay in city, Dhaka or Chittagong etc; but they can not stay in there because stopped S. A money. So nearly all of Rakhine refugees living spread at Cox’s Bazar area and Chittagong Hill Tracts. But is 2005, the whole year, there Rakhine refugees concerned to UNHCR have been examined by Rapid Action Battalion- RAB and the Director General of Field Intelligence- DGFI and polices there. Ko San Won is now in jail because he holding a Burmese democratic Journal published by ABSDF and was arrested by Army personals as he is a Rakhine of Union of Burma although he is already interviewed by UNHCR and under consideration. And Min Wa ID No ( 01152 ) is in Bandarban jail after arrested by DGFI accused as illegal smugglers.
9. These crises more effected upon those Rakhine Refugees after the Bangladesh government closely approached to the Myanmar government for the reasons of Gas pipeline project and to construct for Asia-highway between the two countries—the source said.
In sequence of these reasons, any refugees applied to UNHCR, Dhaka office cannot be recognized in 2004 and 2005. All of applicants for legal status to UNHCR were students and democratic activists of Arakan State. Amongst them of rejected persons were rather famous democratic activists in Arakan state. Some families also rejected were suffering in grave concern.
Therefore, the Rakhine refugees strongly need to depart to the third countries like as about 200 families and individuals of Somali refugees had left Bangladesh to third country through UNHCR Dhaka office since 1996-97. But total 40 Rakhine refugees included families and individuals recognized by UNHCR are prohibited to depart to the Third country by Bangladesh government, the source added.

Date: Sunday, February 19, 2006

By Arakan National Council – ANC Human Rights Documentation Committee (present Dhaka)

Released from:
The Good Morning Arakan – GMA (News)

Statement on UNLD(LA) and NLD (LA) about critiques against NRP funding committee

2006-02-17T16:01:00.000Z

Statement on UNLD(LA) and NLD (LA) about critiques against NRP funding committee
Of
Arakanese Democratic patriots

We, Arakanese democratic patriots, have already supported to the statement of UNLD (LA) and NLD (LA) released on the date of 10 Feb., 2006 criticizing about the NRP funding committee that has been squeezing the whole activities of all democratic and armed forces of Burma up to change their policy.

According to the statement, we have become to know that the NRP funding committee has taken a motive in collaboration with some illegal immigrants who are trying a conspiracy to have autonomous states dividing the territory of Union of Burma giving a reason based on Democracy and Human Rights. We denounce the attitude and activities of some foreign NGOs supporting to newly name so-called Rohingya group who created so many problems in Arakan and Union of Burma.
1. The letter of NRP funding committee sending to Saw David Taw, Chair, Programmer Committee of NPR has been threatening to all revolutionary forces and democratic activists of Burma by the financial sources.
2. Furthermore, NRP funding committee has also ignored the dignity of the NCUB, National Council of Union of Burma – an umbrella organization of armed forces and democratic activists.
3. By means of forcibly gripping to recognize a name Rohingya the one, NRP funding committee has been insulting all political activities to have restoration Democracy in Burma.
4. Why does this funding committee do in the manner of making much ado about nothing on Khaing Dhu Wan who was expelled from ALP, and he was also demanded to expel from NYF as a representative of ALP?

As Khaing Dhu Wan being a member of ALP and an Arakanese, he has a full responsibility to obey of obligation of Arakanese Dignity and principal of ALP. If Khaing Dhu Wan is taken action against by his Mother party ALP, he should apologist his fault to ALP and he should participate to the national activities continually. But Khaing Dhu Wan---after supporting to some foreign NGOs he follows obediently—approaches to NRP funding committee of EBO and back to so-called Rohimga proposal, a false name deceitful by Bangali muslim living in Arakan illegally who ware exported into Arakan by the British government without agreement of Arakan people since 1870 AD. Therefore, Khaing Dhu Wan is now a traitor of Arakanese and Arakan country that we have opined upon him. Such as Khaing Dhu Wan some neo-traitors of Arakanese start to follow this path that it is to be known the whole Arakanese living in home and aboard. On the other hand, we must take action against them and, we would like to request all Burma nationalities to help us in this regard like as UNLD (LA) and NLD (LA).

1. In consistently, the functioning of NRP funding committee is towards do the National Reconciliation of Burma nationalities is pretending manner because this funding committee is doing a big problem of so-called Rohinga issue concerned. Why? We, all Burma nationalities must very immediately analyze about NRP funding committee action. The NRP funding committee should have given its respect and recognition to The Dignity of Arakanese who have founded The Great Dynyawadi Arakan country since BC 3200. As we have the responsibility to defense our country, we must try our best to take defense for our fatherland, Arakan that this funding committee should know about our prestige.
As saying NRP funding committee about the Human Rights for new-settlers so-called Rohingya, we would like to question for this reason. Do we have a National Right to defense and to drive out the intruders from Arakan land?

2. Therefore, we, all nationalities of Burma, should very immediately analyze the followings;
(a) Whether in connection with conspiracy of NRP funding committee in the matter of 1991 so-called
Rohingya refugee problem or not?
(b) Whether this funding committee is wrong doing in political conspiracy with so-called Rohinga to
loot Arakan land or not?
(c) Why does NRP funding committee interfere in the internal affairs of others from one-sided view?

3. However, it is a visible fact of NRP funding committee who has an oppressing planning to exploit in politics using financial fund to distribute to such NCUB, UNLD, WLB, and NLD (LA), DAB and NDF. Apart from this, it is also obvious that NRP funding committee is trying to play a role they need of Burma opposition groups in a chess game of Burma politics especially in so-called Rohingya issue.

8. Now, those Burma opposition groups are being threatened to cut off the fund distributed by NRP
funding committee if they continue to accept the racist policies of the ALP, RWU, AASYC and AYNG. Therefore, to resist the threatening of this funding committee, we, all nationalities of Burma opposition groups must search for only way to functioning politics freely from under pressure of NRP funding committee.

Further more, we must analyze ourselves that, should we receive the finance of NRP funding committee?

The next question is that, from whom have EBO Director and funding committee received these money, to distribute to NRP?

Therefore, we, Arakanese Democratic Patriots, earnestly request to the NCUB, UNLD, NLD, WLB and DAB leaders to examine the traces of those EBO Director and NRP funding committee what their back ground is, and it is needed to prepare in time to take protection for all nationalities of Burma.

Arakanese Democratic Patriots

Date: February 17, 2006

Released through:
The Good Morning Arakan – GMA (News)

ALP combating with Burmese Army; two Burmese soldiers killed

2006-02-17T15:54:00.000Z

Bandarban, C.H.T – Wednesday, Jan 15, 2006: About one thousand soldiers of the Burmese Army Light Infantry Battalions (LIB) No- 233rd, 234th from Buthidaung township and LIB No- 536th, 537th and 538 from Rathidaung township under Sittwe Regional Military Tactical Command led by commander Lt. Colonel Than Tun Aung has been deployed along the coastal areas facing to Bay of Bangal of Rathidaung and Maung Daw township that the local sources said.

Here, LIB No- 535th based in Rathidaung township was not participating in this regard because this battalion already reached to the utmost front line of northern Buthidaung township demarcated with southern part of Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bangladesh. One of the companies of LIB No- 535th was attacked by Arakan Liberation Party-ALP on last week of Jan, 2006 after this Burmese army company intruded beyond demarcation line of the two countries. Two Burmese soldiers were killed in this combating with ALP but no injured from ALP side-that the local sources of Bandarban District, Chittagong Hill Tracts, said.
We are taking an inquiry concerning this combating news of utmost remote areas that ALP member concerned said.
As regard the deployment of Burmese army battalions along the border with Bangladesh, the local people of both sides of two countries are giving different opinions of them.

Dated: February 17, 2006

By Arakan National Council – ANC Human Rights Documentation Committee (present Dhaka)

Released from:
The Good Morning Arakan – GMA (News)

Cutting Buddha Status’ heads

2006-02-16T06:02:00.000Z

Information from Nga Khura village of Maung Daw Township;
Cutting Buddha Status’ heads

Maung Daw- Wednesday Jan 15, 2006: According to firm sources from Maung Daw, in last week of Jan, 2006 an incident was occurred religiously at Nga Khura village (Maung Daw township, Rakhine ( Arakan ) state, western side of Burma) that Four Buddha Status were cut off in necks and other Four Status were thrown to the nearest pond by the some local Muslims.

In the reason of above mentioned case, 20 Muslims were arrested by Nasaka (boarder security forces, Arakan state, Burma). Among of 20 personal 3 personal arrestees have confessed their involving in this crime along with other 4 muslims personals who already fled to Bangladesh side crossing boarder as soon as they had heard about government’ action against the crime.

About this stupa, accordingly the source from Maung Daw, it has been reconstructed a new one---a ruined Buddhist temple in which the relics of Arhata Buddhist Bikkhus were enshrined ----by the SPDC around two years back and it was renamed as Eight Faces Zediya by military officials. Venerable U Ketu, the abbot of Mro Ma Buddhist monastery and president of Maung Daw township Sanga Council examined the incident area accompanied by government’ religious officers, the sources added.

We are seeking for further more development of this issue----

The Good Morning Arakan – GMA (News)

Harvesting time for paddy and tighten pressure of Burmese military junta in Arakan state, Burma.

2006-02-07T07:33:00.000Z

Harvesting time for paddy and tighten pressure of Burmese military junta in Arakan state, Burma.

Sittwe – 7 February, 06: Now, in winter, there is usually a season of harvesting time for paddy lands. In the Arakan state the Burmese army battalions based there have forcibily bought paddy fro the Arakan farmers. The rate of paddy price is lower than marketing rate.

Although the price of marketing rate is 1860 Kyats of Burmese currency per one Tim ( 2 and half of Tim baskets), the army personals have given only 800 Kyats to Arakan farmers.
The Burmese army personals buy paddy from the farmers in fix measurment which is limited for five Tim – baskets of paddy per acre.
Therefore, the farmers from the Mruk – U township, the Rathaydaung, the Kyauk Taw, Munnbra and Ponnagyun townships have been suffering from under the pressure of military power.
Such events consistently happens in Kyauk Pru district while local authorities have committed human rights abuses in collaboration with Burmese army officers. One village circle chairman, U Kyin Aye of Kyauk Nimaw sub-township circle, has given his presure to sell paddy for local farmers. Further more, this chairman collects taxes from farmers as paddy selling rate. He usually demands taxes for paste-fish enterprise and salted-fish fisheries.
Although the local people inform to the Kha-ya-ka chairman (district level peace and development council of Kyauk Pru district) Maj: Myo Tin to take action against chairman U Kyin Aye for his misdeeds, but it is vain.
Accordingly the confirmed sources that Maj: Myo Tint has already eaten bribe money 10 lacs Kyats of Burmese currency from chairman U Kyin Aye very recently.
Regarding these facts about it , if is only human rights abuses of the Burmese military government and local military officers in collaboration with local compradoes who are thirsty in power that the secretary of Human Rights Documentarian Committee of Arakan National Council, ANC, has given his opinion.

The Good Morning Arakan – GMA (News)
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Sittwe jail prisoners are being collected by SPDC

2006-01-31T19:37:00.000Z

Sittwe jail prisoners are being collected by SPDC
due to send for war porters in frontier area of Shan States

Sittwe, Jan 30, 2006: Accordance to firm sources from Sittwe, Rakhine state, Burma, by order of SPDC, jail authority personals including Hla Maung, a jail police officer of Sittwe jail, are collecting prisoners list till 300 in Sittwe jail, due to send and in order to use as war porters in operation of dried season offensive war against Shan State Army in the frontier areas of Shan State, Burma-Thai boarder areas.

In Burma, Shan Nation was declare as a liberated Shan States on April 17, 2005 in the result of Shan peoples are being grossly violated by SPDC in Human rights, Democracy rights, National rights, such as killed, raped, tortured, arrested, detention, persecution, land confiscation, extortion and forced labour, etc
in Shan State. On the other hand, so-called Burma governments are firmly violating against agreement of Panglong historically since 1948 to till now.

In the reason of above mentioned, SPDC is aiming totally demolishing to Federated Shan State Army in this dried season offensive, accordance to sources said.

The Good Morning Arakan - GMA(News)
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Arakan forests under the threatening

2006-01-31T19:32:00.000Z

Arakan forests under the threatening
of SPDC's smuggling business

Sittwe - Jan 31, 2006: According to firm sources from Taung Gouk, around the areas of Ma Ee Chaung, Ann Chaung, along the Arakan Roma mountain range, light infantries of No: 371, 372, 373, under the commend of western division of military junta, Arakan region, are trading timber smuggling business with Singapore, Bangladesh since long time.

They have already established big woodcutter machine in Serr Brun village, Taung Goke township, Rakhine region. By each time, 6000 tons of timbers are being carried out as smuggler goods meanly to Singapore and Bangladesh. Local people said, those smugglers miscreants of SPDC are didn't left even roots of trees around the Taung Goke township and Ann township areas. Some timbers and logs were become coals and fuels in some areas where there difficulty to carry out.

In the result of mentioned above worthless smuggling business and products, forests and ecosystem are damaging and changing day by day in Arakan region. In case of those reasons, local people's seasonal agriculture livelihood struggling are seriously side effected and facing with the danger of forests extinct.

In that way, Koum Chaung island forest, Mray Bon township, Arakan region, was disappear or totally destroyed under the above mentioned of SPDC followers' worthless or illegal smuggling business, accordance to local people.

The Good Morning Arakan - GMA(News)
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Our country Arakan(Rakhine Pray)

2006-01-29T19:36:00.000Z

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GMA-News

An Intelligence under the program of very open secret

2006-01-26T17:48:00.000Z

Cox'sbazar - Wednesday, January 25, 2006: Accordance to a villager of Dhavikhali village ( Rakhine name: Thwe Hla Aung para), Bhaichari Union, Natkyaung Chari
thana, Bandaraban Hill District; Maung Maung Than, a person from led Khine Zaw's 9 personals surrender group, who arrived at Dhavikhali village since few weeks back.

Villager said, Maung Maung Than was most wanted person for BDR, Army, RAB, etc, arms forces personals of Bangladesh, when he was in boarder areas of BD before surrender to Burmese military junta in few months back.

But now, after surrendered to Burmese military junta and returned back BD, he can move anywhere, wherever he likes with his family or alone very free and peacefully.

Seeing that result, like every body can understand that Maung Maung Than is a very
special man under the development like firm relationship of 2 B governments, that villager said.

Seeing mentioned above happening in frontier areas, southern part of Bangladesh, people are so worrying. People mean pro-democracy activists, urban refugees ( urban refugees or political refugees who can't live in urban because of stopped SA by UNHCR since 1998. And now even for their (urban refugees') dependents are being stopped everything from this month Jan, 2006.

So, Burma nationals are facing with grave situation in Bangladesh, no place where have to go and no food to eat, etc.

The Good Morning Arakan - GMA(News)
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NB: This g-mail: thegoodmorningarakan@gmail.com is used by us when yahoo mail is facing with trouble. So, we, GMA group, would like to earnestly request you that any well-wishers can contact with us through this g-mail, also.

JMB threatened to blow up Habiganj gas field on 2 Jan

2006-01-18T09:59:00.000Z

ACCORDANCE TO DEEPAK ACHARJEE, from The Independent News, BD

Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) is learnt to have threatened to blow out the Habiganj Gas Field of Bangladesh Gas Field Company Limited (BGFCL), a sister concern of the Petrobangla, on January 2 through a letter sent to the Deputy General Manager (DGM) and in-charge of the gas field.
After receiving the threat, the BGFCL Managing Director (MD) Nazrul Islam informed the Petrobangla chairman Mohammad Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan, Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Habiganj, the Energy Division and Police Super (SP) of Habiganj of the incident.
The local SP instantly ordered to deploy members of police and Ansar and other law enforcers at the gas field, sources said.
The BGFCL Managing Director (MD) Nazrul Islam said that an unidentified JMB member has threatened DGM Rafiqul Islam at the said gas field through a letter.
He quoted the letter as saying, "You and your colleagues are defaming us. We will blow out your gas field and kill you. Shift your family from here as early as possible."
As he thought, the members of the army should be deployed at different gas fields to ensure security like that witnessed at different power stations in the country.
Petrobangla chairman Mohammad Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan told this correspondent that he informed the Energy Division about the urgency to take necessary actions in this regard on January 3.
Replying to a question whether the members of the Army should be deployed or not at different gas fields, he said, " I will not tell the press about it, but the ministry will be informed."
The Energy Division informed the Home Ministry about the matter on January 5 and the Home Ministry has directed the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and concerned authorities to take necessary actions, sources added.
-------------------------
JMB suicide squad member arrested
ACCORDING TO BDNEWS, JOYPURHAT, from The Independent News sources, BD
Jan 17: Sadar thana police Tuesday arrested an Ehsar (suicide squad) member of the banned Islamic outfit Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) from Joypurhat rail station.
The arrested member was identified as Abdul Wares (25) who hails from Komor village under sadar upazila.
District Police Super Al Azad Chowdhury told the news agency that acting on tip-off police arrested the JMB member who was waiting for train to go to Rajshahi to meet the district commander.
Police have so far arrested 59 suspected JMB members from Joypurhat for their alleged involvement in the August 17 serial bomb blasts.

GMA-NEWS

SPDC denied UNHCR requested

2006-01-17T10:39:00.000Z

SPDC denied UNHCR requested
to medical treatment for Khin Nyunt's villagers

Teknaf- 17 January, 2006: According to firm sources from Maung Daw, people of Khin Nyunt's villages are suffering from diarrhea, dysentery, malaria, etc. And condition is worsening day by day for the matter of that authorities of Maung Daw township SPDC are being requested by UNHCR office of Maung Daw township for treatment to them (upon Khin Nyunt's villagers). But refused by authorities of Maung Daw township SPDC, why they don't know, sources said.

Miscreants, murderers, mostly homeless, land-less people of Khin Nyunt's villages (now already built till 35 villages along the Maung Daw township since Khin Nyunt period up-to date) were sent by SPDC from upper Burma like Mandalay, Zagine, Paygue, Mague and Rangoon divisions. Not only they were homeless, land-less but also suffering from leprosy, AIDS, etc infection diseases since from their native original.

Even side-cars, locally called name -- Thawlawgy (small size paddy field ploughering machine made from China) buffaloes, cows, etc were provided by SPDC for their survivals struggling, when they were brought from above mention their origin. But they can't manage for their survival and in often run away for their origin according to sources said.

According to sources said, SPDC has plan to build such kinds of villages till 100 villages along the Maung Daw township, Rakhine State, Burma.

In the result of mentioned above settlers, origin local people are so worrying about them as a fuel, because of they can make or create riot between the Muslim and Buddhist of local people, sources said.

The Good Morning Arakan - GMA(News)
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JMB man jailed for 15 yrs in first-ever verdict

2006-01-16T14:45:00.000Z

According to correspondent of The Daily Star News, Kishoreganj, BD.

In the first-ever verdict on an explosives case against a JMB operative, a court here yesterday sentenced him to 15 years' rigorous imprisonment and fined Tk 2,000 or two-month jail in default.
Special Tribunal Judge Bhabani Prashad Shingha awarded the punishment to Obaidullah Sumon, 25, a member of the banned Islamist militant outfit Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), for possessing explosives and bomb-making materials.
Sumon is the first Islamist militant to be convicted since the August 17 countrywide near-simultaneous bomb blasts. He also stands accused in another case still under trial filed in connection with the August 17 terror strike.
The police arrested him on September 14 in a Gazipur den with explosives, power gel and 50 detonators. The same day Sub-Inspector Shahjahan of Nikhlee Police Station filed the case against him under the Arms and Explosives Substances Act, which was disposed off yesterday.
Later, Sumon was also shown arrested for planting a bomb in Number 32 Bus Stand area in the town on August 17.
During the hearing of the explosives case yesterday, Sumon confessed to the crime and said, "I don't want any lawyer. I will accept any verdict given by the court, as I was found with the detonator in my hands."
A total of 154 cases have been filed so far in connection with the August 17 orchestrated bomb blasts in 63 districts.
Another 42 cases had been filed in connection with the subsequent bomb attacks and incidents of JMB den busting until December 26, according to government figures.
A total of 642 people have been arrested to date in connection with 196 of the cases. Of the arrestees, 102 are still under investigation and the police have charged 478 others in 92 cases. Twelve of the cases are currently undergoing trial in various courts.

GMA-NEWS

Hell of nine personals surrendered group

2006-01-16T14:36:00.000Z

Teknaf - Jan 16, 2006: According to firm sources from Maung Daw, nine personals surrendered spilt group of NUPA including Khine Zaw are being suspected by SPDC.

So, only Khine Zaw was given only one month permission for visit as a vacation time, and other are remaining under the uncertain condition even though they were surrender since few months back.

Some of their family members, including Khine Zaw's family members, are still left in Bangladesh and who (some personals of remain CPB and spilt NUPA) are involving from BD side also not successfully carry out this operation, yet, sources said.

According to sources, these nine personals surrendered group may go to jail in the result of they are being suspected by SPDC.

Few months back, Khine Zaw's headed nine personals spilt group of NUPA had to surrender in Maung Daw township in the result of have been hunting down by Bangladesh Defense Rifle - BDR and Rapid Action Battalion - RAB in frontier areas of BD.

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A Rakhine villager was die

2006-01-14T07:40:00.000Z

A Rakhine villager was die

Dhaka - Jan 13, 2006: Accordance to firm sources, around 15 December, 2005, a Rakhine villager, around 40 years old, was die in Tensite police station, Bandaraban District, Chittagong hill tract, BD.

According to mentioned sources, around 10 Dec 2005, a Rakhine villager from Kyauk Fya village (Mawdoke Gri area, under the Tensite police station, Bandaraban District, Chittagong hill tract, BD), was arrested by BDR personals and brought to Tensite police station. And then asked, interrogated for members, arms and camps of Arakan Liberation Party - ALP.

Later 5 days that around 15 December, 2005, Kyauk Fya villagers and arrested person's relatives had to know that he was die in Tansite police-station.

Kyauk Fya village (Mawdoke Gri area) is locates in frontier area of Bangla-Burma boarder. That's why, along the frontier areas of 2B boarder areas are so hot spot under the operation of BDR and very recently even Army personals. Mean reasons are Arakan Gas pipeline and getting development relationship of Dhaka-Rangoon.

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Special issue on Rakhine Vesali period

2006-01-14T07:28:00.000Z

Dear All,
In often, we, GMA-news group, would like to submit about some important part of Aakan history for you and any other observers.

At first, please taste focus on some important part of Vesali era from Rakhine Magazine, Volume 7, published in 1995.

Thanks for patience.

With regards,

GMA-News group

------------------
Rakhine Magazine

1995, published, Volume: 7

English section

Contents
Page No:
Editor’s Note 142

Tai-Candra The Fouder of The Splendid Vesali 143
Oung Hla Thein

Vesali 146
Dr. Saw Tun Aung

Some Stupas From Ponnagyun Area 151
Ah Lonn Maung

The Story of The First Vasali 152

Court Counsellor Dhamma Zeya 156
- Tun Shwe Khin (M.A)
- (Translated by Lonn Aung Khine)

Editor’s note
Special issue on Rakhine Vesali period is an attempt by our Magazine committee to focus the importance and achievements of a time hidden in myths and legends. Half a century ago, Vesali is confused with Vaisali of India which is renowned in Buddhist literature. Even though it is less known to the general public, the historians and researchers who have studied it have a consensus- Vesali is great.
Who have made research and recorded the history and other aspects of the city which ridicules the beauty and splendor of the abode ‘of devas’? It is true that former native historians and literary figures recorded it. A king of contemporary period- Ananda Candra- have accomplished a great contribution by inscribing the facts and figures of his potentialities and those of his predecessors on the stone pillar, populary known as Ananda Candra Pillar, which is at present at Shitthaung Temple in Mrauk-Oo.
For centuries, the story and glory of the city had been subsided- or rather neglected. In the first half of he twentieth century, some touches on the subject were made by natives and foreigners alike. U San Shwe BU, an archaeologists, worked bard to bring to light the history of Rakhine including Vesali. Those who made special efforts to decipher the puzzle were U Oo Tha Tun, U Aung Tha Oo and U San Tha Aung. The deceased pandit wrote some articles on it and offered helping hand to many researchers. U Aung Tha Oo published a concise book on the subject entitled ‘Rakhine Cultures (Vesali Period) in 1966. In lectures and speeches he disclosed certain interesting points on it. The present writer had an opportunity to attend a lecture delivered by him. It was held in Arts Assembly Hall; Yangoon University in 1967. In his speech, he gave a long explanation on ‘Rakhine Coins’ including those of Vesali. Another great contributor on the subject was U San Tha Aung. His work- Buddhist Art of Ancient Arakan- is an masterpiece on its since it covers the whole of the Vesali period, emphasizing the artistic achievement of Buddhism in ancient Rakhineland.
Among the foreigners who tookinsight interest were were Dr. E.H Johnson and Dr. Sincar. Dr. Johnson was the first to decipher the Ananda Candra stone incriptions fully. Dr. Sincar tried to assign the reigns of the king of the period, one notable researcher was Dr. Pamela Gutman of Australia whose Ph.D thesis, Ancient Arakan, brought to light to a period enshrouded in legends.
In 1980s, Archaeological Department excavated the selected sites of the ruins city of Vesali and some of the findings were already reported through the newspaper and magazines to the reading public. The writers were authorities on the subject such as U Myint Aung and U Nyunt Han of the Department.
A new generation of the native researchers have sprung up to extend the scope of the field and depth of it. In their books and articles, they presented new findings such as stupas, stone inscriptions, bells, coins, religious images, pagodas, literary works and other artifacts discovered from different parts of he land or else not recorded.
Our special issue, we earnestly hope, will be a new addition on the subject so far, so wide and so arguable.
----------------

TAI-CANDRA- THE FOUNDER OF THE SPLENDID VESALI
By Oung Hla Thein
In the first millennium of the Christian era, there rose in the liticral Rkhineland, a spsendid city called Vesali(Waythali in Rakhine) contemporary to the Gupta Empire of India in the west and the Pru Kingdom of Myanmar in the east. Vesali is also known as the Candra Kingdom due to its monarchs whose names end in the title of Candra or Chandra. The traditional founder of this famous dynasty was Tai-Candra. The authenticity of this king is attested by an inscription, which calls this City-Builder-King Dven Candra which, many scholars doubtlessly believe indentical to Tai of Chronicles.
Of Tai Candras, we have full accounts by chronicles almost all of which have till now remained unpublised. Deciphered in 1940s by the renown Sanskrit scholar Dr. Johnson, the Anandacandra inscription has also thrown much light on this warrior king. Among the rare records in Rakhine and stands high a manuscript composed in verse dated 1119 of Rakhine Era corresponding to 1757 AD. These sources and other oral history formed the kernel in presenting tradition have formed the kernel in presenting this king in this article.
Tai (or Taing after Phayre’s spelling) was the son of Thuria Ketu, the 25th ruler of Dynyawadi City founded by King Sanda Thuria, who is reputed to have introduced Buddhism to Rakhineland, Ketu was a might king but far from happiness for many years because he had no son to succeed him. His ling wish to father a son became finally fulfilled in his 22nd year of reign. After many prayer, his 29 year old chief queen bore him a lovely son child’s name, Maha Candra (Maha Can in Sanskrit). At the age of 9, the young Candra was married to a beautiful princess, and appointed heir apparent. It was a child-marriage but in line with the once-popular custom for ny services of the land. For 23 years he lived in other house, assisting his age father many years in his government and himself imbued with the art of polity.
At the age of about 30, Candra was assigned by his old father to repair the Mahamuni, the most sacred shine in ancient Rakhine. Some chronicles claim that it was in that very that Candra got the most miraculous spear called Ariadama (victorious spear) bestowed by a fairy. Some other chronicles confirm that Candra obtained the wounderful spear in the late 327 A.D. after building the city of Vesali. The first assamption appears reasonable in view of the Anandacandra Inscription, which says that the king Devn (Tai) conquered many kings, before he build the city history narrates us that Candra was deft with the new weapon and mastered spearmanship. While the shrine was placed under renovation, king Ketu died and Tai Candra ascended the throne of Dynyawadi. Unlike his ancestors, who asumed the title of Thuria (Suria), he bore a new title of Candra which his successors adopted. The date of the accession of Tai was assigned to 249 Rakhine Era(some claim 151 R.E) before the reformation of 560 RE in 638 A.D. the date of the present Rakhine calender. Thus, the date 249 RE of lod calendar corresponds to 326 A.D. This date acclaims support from archaeological evidence based mainly on an inscription which suggests that the accession of Dves was possibly in 350 or 370 A.D. The rival date 327 or 350 or 370 is 788 AD advocated by Nga May and Phayre. But it lacks archaeological support. In the year of accession, Maha Tai Candra subdued all his enemies, and consolidated his realm, hence his name Tai, a term derived from the Sanskrit DAM meaning “to conquer of subdue. The 8th century inscription of Ananda Candra mentions this king “DVEN probably derived from “DAM”. The inscription also claims that tae king conquered 10; kings and then built a compact city. Building of the beautiful city agree with the chronicles. But local records have a mention of temporary capital of Kenthonesont before there rose the beautiful city. The decision of shifting his capital from Dynyawadi has a long story to narrate fully.
The history of the Pharabaw Pagoda at Mrouk-Oo tells us that Tai was educated at Nalanda, Magadha of India. It was a practice of good Kshatiya kings to send their first sons to Nalanda or Taxila for education. At the time when Tai was in India, his host land was moving ahead to find her brilliant leader in Chadragupta. Perhaps the victory of Chandragupta had excited prince from Rakhine to become a grate warrior king Doubtlessly, Tai had gained much experience and knowledge on his return to homeland.
On the accession of throne, Tai found out that his capital has been no longer promising. The geographical change at the locality of his city favoured his decision to shift city. The Kaladan, its alluvial and swampy delta southwards, making Dynyawadi city more difficult to have access to the sea than before. At that time, the rise of Gupta Empire in India had timely demanded the Rakhine’s overseas trade extended in many folds. As Rakhine’s trade was mainly mantime, it badly needed good port nearer to the sea.
In view of this facts, Tai is believed to have moved his capital from his ancestral home-Dynyawadi which means the city of bounty rice. But he was unlucky with the first choice-Kanthonesont, which means literally Three-Tank-Site or the Tank with three concentric ponds. Six-month-long life in the new site proved unfavourable for the newly fouded settlement claimed many lives within seven months. It is probable that the blame lies on the hasty decision for a work that demanded through consultation. Histories have their blame on the Devil. But according to the record of the History of the localities dated 1119 RE, loss of lives was to blame an epidemic cholera that broke out because of unhealthy water tanks. Feared with the sudden catastrophe, the king consuled his ministers about the transfer of his new city. Now the king was lucky to find his new advisor in one minister named Kovidha who is said to have returned from India after a span of years pursuing astrology. Then came the bold decision of the king to move the city further south. It was Kason, the second month in the Rakhine calender and the most auspicious time of the year. When Tai founded his new capital at Vesali on the Rann Creek not very far away from then actuary of the Kaladan. The locality is bounded by a mountain range in the east and the Rann Creek in the west. Wide expense of alluvial lands occupied the other two sides. Some small creeks crisis-cross the landscape. A small range lies apart from the high mountain range. At the command of Tai, his subordinate kings transformed this locality into a very beautiful city within 27 weeks. The inscription mention us that the after conquering 101 kings, “built a compact city furnished with walls and moat ‘to become a city’ which laughed at the beauty of Paradise”.
According to the chronicles and local history, the choice of this magnificent city was done by the celestial gods. The story was a popular narration for every great feat that needed great care and skill. The Kernel of this choice is probable that the king had the most brilliant engineer in his realm to build arch a splendid city to wonder every onlooker, Oval in shape taken after the hide-cushion of hermit, the city layout was set in accord with the tradition; the sacred image- house to the north of palace, the city-gate on the east side, and the creamtion ground to the southeast of the Golden House. A large reservior for all the members of the palace was dug out at the western foothills of a small range inside the city walls. On the Rann Creak a few furlongs to the northwest of the city there was constructed a stone—pier-Kyoukhlayga in Rakhine-for which the city itself was well-known throughout the history. The pier proved a good port, drawing many mercantile vessels for trade every year. The enronicles record that on the day when the city was competed about ten thousand ships arrived at Vesali for trade in the weak of seven showers of jewelles. This story means that overseas trade flourished soon after the birth of Vesali. With the booming of trade, the king won more fame and respect of his vassals.
Mrotaynanntay Thamine of the History of Citied and Palaces has recorded the achievements of Tai Candra almost in full account. After founding the city, the king expanded the arable land throughout his kingdom and let the harvest increase rapidly with the help of reserviors and cannals which he build. Like today, the chief grain of that period was also Paddy, which was very important for both local consumption and foreign trade. Because he had experienced great pain at the sight of death of many people due to poor health, at Kanthonesont, his attention was given more to improve the health of the rural population. He wanted every village to have its native physician ready at hand to attend the sick. So he summoned a villager from each village to his capital and had them trained at the royal cost to become good physicians. Local history has it that the king built his herbal garden in the Zaw Gyi valley at his capital. The intention was to obtain rare herbs that were to be imported. To ease the trade, he standardised the measurements of his land and the greatest achievements of all was the circulation of silver cons. The coin bears on one side a crouching bull, the symbol of his birth on a Saturday and on the reverse the design of his golden crown flanked atop by the symbols of sun and moon to denote the races the north of his capital. In order to promote the fame of the shrine, he housed the most sacred image in a temple built of stone. Then he offered the image a golden spire(some claim it to be crown), that worthed much. He erected there three stone sculptures- Saka, Brahma and Earth-goddness- to guard the shrine supernaturally. This construction became the most attraction of the visitors throughout the history.
Chronicles express the proweas of Tai in many ways. He is said to have possessed a white elephant called Mon mation. It was a pride for every king of ancient times to own a white elephant. In course of time he came to obtain twelve other white elephants. This narration is likely uneant that he had twelve subordinate kings to alone many vassals after conquering his enemies. Tai was not only a talent warrior but also a popular administerer. The great help to his administration was rendered by a minister called Damazite. The word Damazite is corrupted form of Dhammazeya, which in Pali means justice. The Damazite was also called Praysoegri meaning ruler of the land. It was that Praysoegri was the chief minister and he ruled the land while the king reigned.
The founder king of Vesali flourished a long reign of 57 years during which he laid firmly the foundation for a powerful kingdom that it later time extended its away to the eastern Bengal for won the present of a princess from the king of Tamralipit in west Bengal. As regards the Tai’s flourishment, the inscription claim to be 55years, two years less than the chronicles record. After his death, his son ascended the throne. But for the named of the successor chronicles and inscription differ from each other. The former names him Thuriya while the latter records him as Raza.
Oung Hla Thein

NB: An apologist
In previous mentioned article, TAI-CANDRA- THE FOUNDER OF THE SPLENDID VESALI, we have left references mistakenly.
For that article references were as following:

References
Children, Robert Caesar: A Dictionary of The Pali Language London(1909)
: History of the Locali ties (A rare MS in old Rakhine Verses)
: Mahamuni Thwann Saktaw (MS)
Nga Mayr, Pyathirsara Razawon (A MS in Rakhine dated RE 1204 Pandi, Rev; Net Dynyawadi History (In Myanmar)
Sandamala, Rev; New Rakhine History Vol 1(In Myanmar)
Williams, Sir Ned: A Sanskrit-English Dictionary (New Edition)
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Thanks for taking patience.

GMA-NEWS (GROUP)
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Vesali
By Dr. Saw Tun Aung
We have read about the excavation of ancient Vesali by the archaeological department in the Myanmar newspaper issued in the second week of December 1979. A good news indeed!
Where is Vesali? When did it flourish? How great was it? What results would be found if it were excavated? The people surely want to know about the above questions.
Vesali is situated in Rakhine State. It’s location is five miles north of Mrauk-U. It had been a famous city for six hundred years which started from 350 A.D. to 957 A.D; before Bagan period and contemporary with Srikistra. The archaeological evidences which have been found up to date indicate the high standard of Vesali civilization. In those days, Vesali would be one of the most developed countries in the world.
Silver coins were used in the monetary system throughout the Vesali period. Various, denominations and designations of Vesali coins have been found across Rakhineland far and wide. As tested by spectrogram the silver content of these coins is ninety-nine per cent. In addition to those coins, stupas, crowned and uncrowned Buddha images, bells and lamps made of bronze and of excellent work manship have also been found in and around Vesali city and its vicinity.
A copper plate land grant was found at the entrance of the city forty-five years ago. It measures 41x26 square centimeter and weights sixteen pounds. Letters had been neatly inscribed on that plate. Now it is kept in the department of archaeology. Not only that, stone slabs inscribed with the “Yedhamar verse” came out from the ruined caityas in numerous numbers. These stone slabs were inscribed with the modified Brahmi letters in both Sanskrit and Pali languages. The paleographical assignment of the scripts is between fifth and eight century A. D. Some researchers argued that those letters should be called “Gupta alphabets”. However, Vesali was an independent kingdom and was not influenced by Gupta kings though the two kingdoms flourished simultaneously. It is true that Vesali alphabets look like those of the Gupta. But one may easily notice the local variations. Hence, those scripts should be named “Vesali Alphabets” are less known. No one can deny that those letters originated from the Brahmi alphabets. During this period, no Nagari and other. Indians letters existed. Therefore it cannot be called Nagari letters either.
The Sites of Ancient Rakhine Cities
In Rakhineland, most of the ancient cities were situated on the ridge between this Gispanadi (Kaladan) river and Ainzananadi (Lemro) river. Before A. D. 1000, the cities were built on the western side of the mountain range beside the ridge. In the period between A. D. 1000 and A. D. 1430, the cities shifted toward the eastern side of the ridge, by the bank of Ainzananadi. Mrauk-U (A. D. 1430-1784) the last capital city of Rakhine Kingdom, straddled the southern end of the ridge. One can reach Mrauk-U, after traveling forty-five miles from Sittwe, along Gispanadi and turning east near Ponnagyun along Theinganadi.
Rakhine Candra Dynesty
According to Rakhine chronicles, the powerful nine Candra kings ruled Rakhineland from the Court of Vesali. The famous Rakhine poet Badu Mong Nyo presented about them in the classical poem “Rakhine Princess E-Chin”.
Ananda Candra Inscriptions.
The names of nine kings in the chronicles do not tally with those of the Vesali coins. The titles of the kings named on the occesions of coronation ceremony inscribed on the coins can be found on the Ananda Candra inscriptions, the western face of the pillar at Shaitthaung Temple in Mrau-U. That pillar is erected by the stairs near the entrance of the Temple. On that inscriptions the list of the kings who ruled the ancient Rakhineland up to 729 A. D. were inscribed. On the list, twenty-two kings of Vesali court were recorded. Nevertheless, the detailed list of kings after 729 A. D. till the downfall of Vesali had not been known. That list might be found on the northern face of the Shitthaung pillar which are badly cut. However, the coin struck by king Sri Sighagana Candra that appeared partially on that surface has already been discovered.
The pillar like the Shaitthaung is a rare one even the world over. On three surfaces of he pillar, the leters of sixth, eight and tenth centuries were inscribed. This type of pillar on which the letters were inscribed within the regular gap of two hundred years respectively, is not only rare but also valuable. The remaining surfaces has no inscribed letters. King Mong Bar Gri who moved that stone pillar from the ancient city of Vesal to Mrauk-U and erected at the entrance of the Shaitthaung temple might probably have attemped to fill that vacant surface. His desire was not fulfilled as he had been engaged in external was efforts.
The City Plan of Vesali
On the aerial photo, the city plan, palace site and walls can clearly be seen. On the west of Vesali, there there is Rann creek, a tributory of Kaladan river. On the east, there is a mountain range which seperated between the Kaladan and Lemro river. The form of the city plan is an irregular square shape with curves and tapered lower parts. The walls of the north and south sides are straight while those of south and west are curved. The widest distance from north to south of the wall is about 10,000 feet and the distance from east to west of the city wall is 6500 feet. A small tributary of Rann still runs across the city. The above walls encircled the city (palace city) surrounded by walls as well as moat. The palace site is situated within the inner city. The hill on which the palace was erected is 1500 wide from north to south and 1000 feet wide from east to west.
For water supply, there are numerous wells as well as a large lake take in front of the city. When Vesali prospered, people might probably live in the outer city. They used to cultivate crops within that area.
The Great Buddha Image of Vesali City
Like Dynyawadi, an ancient Rakhine city earlier than Vesali situated six miles east of Kyauktaw town where there was Mahamuni Image (now, in Mandalay) in the north-eastern side of the palace site, Vesali also has a large stone image on the hillock north of the palace site. This hill is situated close to the Sanghayana (Buddhist Synod) hill to the west of it. According to Rakhine chronicles, Vesali Buddha. Image was constructed by the Queen of Maha Taing Candra, the founder of Vesali dynasty. That Vesali stone image was sculpted out of the large, single block of stone. Transporting, lifting and plating that kind of heavy, big stone to the top of the hill was a miracle. Nowadays, certain Buddhist monks have replaced the eyes of the image with articles imported from abroad. They also modified the hair above the forehead without knowing the value of the antiquity. In ancient Rakhine images, the eyes were not opened, but half-shut, like those of Mahamuni Image.
In 1956, the abbot of the monastery near the image discovered a stone slab inscribing “Yedhama Verse”, the letters being before sixth century A. D. and language Pali.
The Stone Stairs City of Vesali
The large stone stairs existed, in the north-west portion of Vesali, at the bank of Rann creek. The remains of that stairs can still be see now. Since the villagers had taken away some blocks of its upper portion, now one can find those of the lower part at ebb-tide.
Because of that stone stairs, the city of Vesali has been known as “Vesali, the city of the stone stairs.” In these days Vesali flourished as a seaport where sea-going vessels from various countries called at for trade and travel.
The Standard of Civilization
Various denominations of coins in which were inscribed the kings titles and bull figures indicated the level of civilization. The minting of coins which had been used as exchanging medium since fourth century A. D. shows that the civilizations of Vesali was one of the highest in the world.
Many archaeological evidences such as images, cites, lamps, bells made of gold, silver, copper and bronze and stone sculptures discovered inside and outside the city also prove the high cultural standard. As one observe those artifacts one will definitely conclude that the art of the metal casting had developed to a great extent in those days. The evidences also show that Vesalians inscribed letters on hard matters such as stones and metals. The use of Sanskrit letters prove that Sanskrit literature flourished in Vesali.
Commonly-used stone rays, pot, gold rings, ear-ring, bracelets were also discovered from Vesali and its vicinity. Without artistic skill, the above-mentioned handicrafts cannot be made. The kind of stone used to carve out figures are hard ones. To carry and lift such heavy of steep hill is not an easy job. So, it is believed that Vesali people used some kind of machine to carry out the task.
Religion
“Yedhamma Verse”, the cream of Buddhism, were inscribed on all of the stone stupas. We can say so because a lot of stone slabs inscribing “Yedhamma verse” have been discovered from the ruined stone stupas of Vesali and its neighborhood.
The transliteration of the Yedhamma verse is as follows:
“Among all the laws, the cause is the origin. Buddha has pointed out the conditions (i.e Effects) arising from the cause. He has also instructed their cessation (to attain Nirvana). This is the doctrine of the great Sramana (i.e Buddha).”
That Yedhamma verse is the basic doctrine of Buddhism. It explains the “Four Noble Truths”. The goal of the four noble truth is the cessation of the pain and sorrow and finally attain Nirvana.
Ancient Buddhists used that verse for the following reasons:
1. One can know the basic facts of Buddhism with a few words.
2. It enlighten Shin Saripputa and Shin Moggalana.
3. If learned people noticed that verse they would understand the detailed meanings and know how to follow the way to attain Nirvana.
The Rakhine Buddhists of those periods, when Yedhamma verse were inscribed (the fourth to eighth century A. D.) followed the path of Buddhism which was based upon the teachings of Buddha. That is the reason why they used to call Buddha as a great monk (Maha Scramna). It proves that ancient Vesalians were not the Late Mahayanites as some authorities claimed.
There is another proof besides that verse. On the inscribed stone slab that was discovered from the piles of bricks near a drainage of the south-east corner of Weithali village of ancient Vesali site, the following prayer for the construction of the stupas have been found.
“Should all the creatures be able to remove three dirts (i.e. greed, hatred, delusion) unable to cross the ocean noisy with the sound of “passion waves”, finally reach the stone of Nirvana happily.”
According to the paleographic determination, the stone slab was estimated to be inscribed about 700 A. D. The meaning of the words of the above sentences is similar to the stanza 183 of Dhammapada. The fact also proves that the type of Buddhism of Vesali is not of Late Mahayana one.
In Late Mahayana teachings, there are many gods, goddesses and Bodhisattyas and they are being worshipped by inscribing and praying with some verses like Mantra, Tantra, Yantra, etc. to attain wealth and happiness.
The Vesalians accomplished the following:
1. The constructed cites and stupas (Yedhamma verse were inscribed on stone slabs. For example, Niti Candra and Vira Candra inscriptions).
2. They made many Buddha image. (Numerous number of stone and bronze images).
3. They built monasteries and donated the lands to the monks. (Copper plate land grant).
4. They shared the meritorious deeds to the parents and all the creatures. (Inscribed letters of bronze bells and cities constructions).
5. They prayed and worshipped using lamps. (Various bronze lamps).
All above evidences highlight that Vesalians were followers of Theravada Buddhist faith, definitely not of Late Mahayana.
Some broken Hindu sculptures were also found in Vesali, but the numbers are remarkably less than those of Buddhism. The Buddhist Vesali kings were much tolerable with regard to other religious such as Hinduism in their country.
Ancient Vesali in Disrepair
Most of the antiques of ancient Vesali were destroyed by vandalists. Because of their thoughtless, dishonest practices, countless numbers of broken stones and bricks lay scattered all over the area. The stupas, images, stone stairs, city walls and palace site are all in ruins. All those valuable artifacts are lying on the ground in disrepair. However, Vesali which is not like other Rakhine cities such as Sanbawak, Khrait, Parein and Laungkrat which were eaten away by the Ainzanandi (Lemro river) course precious ancient material evidences would surely be existed underground. If it is excavated systematically, certainly invaluable material evidences will come out to prove its identity.
Law of Impermance rules Vesali
According to Dr. Johnson and Dr. Sircar, Vesali city was founded in 320 or 350 A. D. The primary evidences they referred were Anandacandra inscriptions and the coins struck by the kings of that period. Rakhine chronicles stated that Vesali ended in A. D. 957.
Vesali flourished simultaneously with Srikistra and its civilization endured for about six hundred yers, earlier than that of Bagan. Now, Vesali lies in a state of disrepair. The Law of Impermance rules the city. However, evidences of a great civilization has come out from the underground now and again to prove its former splendor and greatness.

Reference:
San Tha Aung: “Vesali”, Rakhine Tanzaung Magazine,
Vol. XVI (1980).
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SOME STUPAS FROM PONNAGYUN AREA
By Ah Lonn Maung

Present-day Ponnagyun township is bounded b Pauktaw and Mrauk-Oo township in the east Kyauktaw in the north, Buthidaung and Rathedaung in the west and Sittwe in the south. Its area covers nearly five hundred square miles. The town is located close to the western bank of the Gispanadi (Kaladan) river about sixteen miles to the north of Sittwe.
Even though Ponnagyun town was an addition during the British days (founded in 1905) the area has long recorded history. The famous pagoda, Uraittaung Zedi, was first constructed by King Suriya Sakka of Dynyawady period. During the Vesali period such temporary capitals as Kanthonsont and Thabeiktaung were founded along the Yoe-chaung creek, a tributary of Gispanadi, in Ponnagyun township. It was during the Vesali period that stupas (inscribed or not) were made and worshipped in large numbers throughout ancient Rakhineland.
As far as stupas are concerned many an articles have been appeared in local magazines and pamphlets. I would like to add some discovered from Ponnagyun area. In August, 1992, two stupas were found out from Kunntaung; a small range in middle of Ponnagyun town. Both stupas are similar in size and structure. The first one has a square basement which is eight and a half inches wide and eight inches wide. Two squares were lined out on each face. Above it is a small band in circular form. The shape of traditional Rakhine mungala drum more than one food high rests upon it. There is a band around it exactly in the middle. It is about two inches high. The whole band is demarcated into six sections in each of which a flower with four petals or sculptured. A figure of a fish intersects one flower to the other. Above the shape of the drum is a band smaller than the previous two. A circular of beads is decorated on top of it. The remaining parts were cut off.
The stupas is for most part similar to the first one but the upper pan from half the drum has been broken off. The broke part has been missing. Both are kept in safe custody in Ponnagyun town.
The third one which I accidentally found is in the precinct of the monastery of Kyauk-seik, a village about three miles north of Ponnagyun. As I went to the village on duty for road construction work, I was informed and guided to- the site by an acquaitance of me. That stupas, the upper part above the drum-shape os broken off; lies half-buried in the ground to the south-east of the monastery.
The fourth one which came to my notice lies on a hill range called Silapihti on which northern hilltop stands Uraitthaung Pagoda magnificently. The stupa is kept inside on ornamentally decorated half-walled chamber on the hill near the U Nyarnsakka monastery situated half way along the range. It is the biggest so far I found in Ponnagyun area. The stupa measures about three feets, four inches in height. The base platform is in square form measuring about one foot, five inches. Its height is one foot and one inch. Above it is a cube which is rectangular in shape. Above it is a terrace in the form of a band and above it is the cylindrical drum decorated with a band in the middle. The top of the cylinder is hemispherical. It looks like an inverted bowl or bell. The part above the cylinder seems to be broken off. At present, the presence of U Nyarnasakka saradaw at the site was inscribed on three sides of the platform and the whole body was gilded.
No scripts were inscribed on all above mentioned stupas. Stupas, as a rule, were the products of the Vesali period whether inscribed or not. The stupas which the present writer present here are very similar in size and structure of the stupas presented by the authorities of subject. More than that the sites from which they were discovered are ancient religious areas. That is why the present writer strongly believe that those stupas discovered from Ponnagyun area are artifacts of Vesali period of ancient Rakhineland.
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THE STORY OF THE FIRST VESALI
By Oung Hla Thein

According to the Rakhine Chronicles, there rose in ancient Rakhine and two cities that bear the same name- Vesali or Waythali as we Rakhines call. The first Vesali throve in the very earlier period many centuries before the second was founded in the early millennium of the Christian Era. The first Vesali is also known as Bhilusa Waythali of literally Waythali that Bhilus devastated to bring its end. Bhilu is a chronicle term for Rakshasas or cannibals.
Of the first Vesali, these survives no complete text is a single chronicles. As the Rakhine has many chronicles and annals to relate their long past from different points of view, one needs to scrutinize, if possible, all of them to have a complete text on a subject or an event. Here also history of the first Vesali demands no exception.
The Coacise History of Rakhine or Razawon Akouk in Rakhine, an ancient palm-leaf manuscript, claims that Vesali(i.e. the first one) was founded by Puraga, the second son of Tharazeinda the Uttaramadura king of Mijimadesa long long before Marayu the Founder of Dynyawadi City came into the scene of Rakhine history. The old MS further says that Vesali flourished contemporary to Dwarawadi founded by Ulaga, the uncle of Tharazeinda, in the southern Rakhine, now Thandway (formerly Sandoway). Both Puraga and Ulaga were descendants of an Indian people whose capital was Patna (or Patali putra). The two settlements in Rakhine existed side by side for many years without interruption. Perhaps the people of Vesali were agriculturists and peace-lovers. The name of Vesali itself denotes the settlements of farmers in Sanskrit. The Kaladan valley or the largest lowland to the east of Chittagong, where they settled down was and is still alluvial. The location of their city, according to local historians, is the eastern foothills of Longmwedong, about 15 miles north-west- north of Mrauk-U. longmwedoung is a separate range that runs about four miles north to south. Its peak is 317 feet above sea level. One mile to the east of this small range is the Wakthanto mountain barrier that runs down from the off-shoot of the Himalayas in the north until its spur lies five miles to the south of Mrauk-U. between these two ranges flows the Rann or Randa in Pali, meandering for miles to meet the mighty Kaladan river at a place some 10 miles from the sea. The exact site of this old city, according to the late historian U Oo Than Htwann, is west of Kyirabrong, a village reputed in ancient Rakhine land as a locality of warehouses for grains. Today the very spot included some ruined tanks and pagodas.
Vesali was more probably a city-state and lacked fort and moat in which those cities of Dynyawadi, Kyoukhlaga (also called the Second Vesali) and Mrauk-U took pride. The site has been still poor in stoical remains to testify its authenticity.
As regards its early rulers after Puraga, chronicles keep silent for many years. The last king happened to be an unlucky monarch who left no heir-son but a year-old princes for his throne. The name of this king is still unknown to us. But his daughter has variant na, es-Thunandri, Thireindra and Thinandri. The death of the king caused his ministers to select another chief to rule over themselves. Meanwhile weak and was overpowered by Wathudeva and his brothers who came from India in pursuit of victory. It is likely that they evaded Vesali which lies between India and Thandoway. The victory of Wathudeva and his brothers at the newly-conquered city of Dwarawadi was short-lived. They themselves are to blame for their own failure after their hardly-won victory. They neglected the administration and spent their time enjoying the sweet of the office mostly. They turned revelers at the seaside probably at the present day Ngapali Beach. Soon their amusement led them to quarrel themselves, making their reign weaker and weaker. Finally the royal family was expelled. They chose to move towards the Northern Kingdom, which lay adjacent to their homeland. On their way home, the king(Wathudeva) and his brothers died leaving their only sister, Ainzana, alone with Purohito the soothsayer. Now the Purohito married the lonely princess. At last they reached Vesali unscathed, which itself was badly seeking for a male-ruler. The Purohito and the princess, being elected, ruled Vesali, founding a dynasty called Brahmana. His son Brahmana Thundra married teh orphaned princess Thunandri after his father death, and ruled the land. The Brahmana was the first dynasty in Rakhineland. But Phayre (p.43) is right to say, that the Rakhine do not count their first dynasty form the Brahmana's linage. The reason that Phayre fails to mention is that Brahmana himself was not of royal bolod, Kshtriya, though his queen was of royal descendants.
The Brahmana dynasty lasted about 1945 years with 25 kings on the throne of Vesali according to the Razawon Akouk. The other chronicles such as Old Razawon, New Razawon and Razawon by Nga May among others relate this very ancient dynasty differently more or less. They say King Brahmana, after his accession of throne, founded a new city at Ngakhwethongtoung on the east bank of Kaladan and had five successors. The location of this city is still unknown to the historians. The name looks Rakhine but probably derived from some Indian words. And the narration continue to say that after the last Brahman king, there ruled in Vesali not in Ngakhwethongtoung King Tharaban and his sixteen successors, the last ruler being Brahmathiddhi or Brahmathiddat according to Razawon Akouk. Their account is meant that there rose two dynasties- Brahmanas and Tharabans- before king Maray. But they all fail to name every ruler with his flourishing years and keep silent to link the two dynasties. Unlike their accounts Razawon Akouk has given full names and flourishing years of the rulers after the first Brahmana king, claiming that they were of single-dynasty- Brahmans. Among the chronicles at my hand, the Akouk seems more reliable than any other in dealing with this period. Phonetically the term Tharaban is probably derived from Pali or Sanskrit word Saravarnna meaning excellenty caste most likely to denote the Brahman dynasty.
Despite the different accounts on the kings of this early age, all the chronicles are in accord with one fact that the king of that early Vesali is Brahmathiddhi. He reigned for 79 years according to Akouk. Regarding the whole dynasty, it appears very peaceful. Because no record of upheaval is mentioned in the chronicles. And it is assumed that ancient chronicles would not omit major events if such ones occured.
To return to the point, after peace at Vesali there came a catastrophe. A great flood caused by heavy rains and storm broke out, devastating the cultivation immensely both in highlands and lowlands. Scarcity of food was everywhere, driving many to wild. With this there appeared a savage horde led by Ngasatdan. Pakkami, Ngrakhaik, Moung Rawha, Ngapithay, Ngalakku were his brothers and Rakkhami his sister. This horde went known in history by the name of "Rakshasas" or Rakkhite Bhilus, most of the chronicles regard Ngasatdan and his followers as ogrish. But one narration says they were human. According to this account, their parents were a Chakma princess and her slave, who fell in love with each other and run away to he sources of the Kaladan River to escape the sudden anger of the Chakma chief, who had his realm in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. Chakma is a hill tribe of Rakhine and is also called Sakma or Satma which was easily misrad as "does" by ignorant historians. Likewise was the name of the slave of the Satma princess. Slave in Pali term is Banda which many misread as Bandar with sound in the end meaning "monkey". Hence the record of Ngasatdan and his brothers and sister by a tree-climbing animal, monkey and a four-footed animal, does. This misreading undoubtedly sounds quite unnatural to a history of a community. One oral history has it that the name of the Satma princess is Indamala (Indramala_. It seems that Bandas lived on game in the wild forest.
Now the separation of the parents and their off-springs came up after a natural calamity triggered by heavy rains and storm. The great floods torrentially carried the seven hill-folks downstream to the present-day Kyauktaw area, a few miles to the north-of west of Vesali. The very locality happened to be a place where many settlements had sprouted due to the alluvial soil. The seven hill folks, having known no art of cultivation perhaps in the lowlands, began to live on plundering the settlements along the Kaladan river and the foothills of the Waakthahto. It happened that their constant plundering had directly affected the tranquillity of Vesali, making the security of the city very limited day by day. Soon the citizens came to feel threatened and finally confined themselves indoors in fear of death to be brought by the wild folks. To add worst to worse, the king of Vesali became weak and incapable of subduing them. Soon the savages grew bolder to bolder and eventually began to plunder the city twice a day- in the dawn and in the dusk. This went on unchecked for many days. One days, the king Brahmathiddhi, in order to quell the savages to save face, went out of the city, with great forces. Taking this a great opportunity, Ngasatdan, leader of the savages, chased the king and had a duel fight with him. Physically inferior to the savage, the king was at last defeated and killed, surviving his queen and daughter Ruchitamala at the city.
With the death of the king, all the citizens were driven to extreme fear. Now Vesali was lucky that the savages did not move to occupy and rule over it. But the city itself had been at the mercy of them for many years.
At the time when the Vesalians began to suffer the terror of the savages, there rose another development in the upper sources of the Kaladan river. It was that a baby-boy was born to Aikzuna, a hermit and Eindamayu(Indramay), his laywoman. It happened that Aikzuna (Arjun) had been a king of India, who after renouncing the palace life moved to the more pleasant hills to seek acetic life while Eindamayu was a princess of Chakma chief who ruled in the upper sources of the Kaladan. In course of time they were destined to meet each other and get married. Soon they got a child. Then the great flood caused their separation, carrying the mother and her child downstream in an uprooted tree away from the hermit. Again the mother lost her baby. At last the infant came to the hands of Oungla a Mrun chief, who lived near the flatlands of the Kaladan. The young man became known in the latter time by the name of Marayu, the chief of Mara or Maran meaning the Rakhine. Brought up among the Mrun an ancient Rakhine tribe still living in Tripura of India, the young Marayu became a chief after his marriage with the daughter of Oungla. He is said to be skilled in archery and swordmanship. The great Echin poem says his martial art was invested by Indra or the god of the celestial world. Perhaps he became warlike and gathered all warriors of the tribe. History relates that he hated to remain still and began to extend his power over that over that flatland of the Kaladan. His first conflict came doubtlessly with the Ngasatdan's harassment on Vesali. Unlike Ngasatdan and his kinsfolk, who liked plundering, Marayu and his followers were inclined to settle down at low land which was facing the danger of the barbarian horde. The situation at last led the young Marayu to subdue the barbarians victory went to Marayu. Thus Marayu is still remembered as the savior of Vesali.
We have no details of this ancient battle between the two rivals. Marayu won the battle with Ngasatdan because he could use the weapons-Bow and arrows as well as sword while his opponent knew nothing about them and fought bare handed as all savages do until now. A stone sculpture erected at the Shitethoung Temple of Mrouk-U dedicated in 1535, depicts that Marayu shows his opponent a glowing stone set on his hand in the bright sun. the story associated to his picture relates us that while the barbarians stood amazed looking at the strange object, Marayu slew him to death. Needless to say, the power of barbarians grew weak and came to an end very soon with the death of their leader. Some believe that the savage men who could keep themselves alive, managed to flee to the south thence finally to the Indonesian archipelagos.
The savages leaving been quelling, the victorious Marayu and his group entered the devastated Vesali, which welcomed them warmly. Seeing the throne vacant, Marayu seized it and married the princess Ruchitamala to legitimze his rule over the kingdom. With his accession, a new cast, Kshatriyas (royal family), began to take root in the Rakhine history. In the very first year of his reign, Marayu left the old Vesali and founded Dynyawadi in 3325 BC, at a place some six miles to the north-west of his former capital. Some chronicles claim the date to be 2000 BC.
As regards the name of Marayu or Maroyo. Phayre assumes that it has probably been formed by chronicles from "Marama, the Arakanese form of Mrama, and yo or aro-race. Investigations among tribal community of Rakhineland by my colleagues and myself have revealed that the Mro and other tribes call Rakhine people"Maran" meaning ruling caste and that "yuk" in Mro is "chief or king of Rakhine. The story of Marayu thus claims that Rakhine came into being because of the mingling of three native communities-Chakmas, Mruns and Vesalians (or and Indo race). Some support this claim in the grounds that present Rakhine has many outstanding features of such races.
With the accession of king Marayu and the rise of Dynyawadi, the name of Vesali had gone silent for about 36 centuries until 327 AD, WHEN KING TAIN Candra chose it as his capital to make it the seat of the most splendid dynasty in ancient Rakhine.
Oung Hla Thein
Reference:
An anonymous: Razawon Akouk, MS in Rakhine
Nga May: Pyathatsara Razawon, MS In Rakhine, RE 1204
Pandi, Rev: New Dynyawadi History, in Myanmar, 1920
Phayre, Rev: History of Burma (1883)
Sandamala, Rev: New Rakhine History, Vol I, in Myanmar, 1931
U Tha Htwann, U: Memoirs.
------------------
COURT COUNSELLOR DHAMMA-ZEYA
By Tun Shwe Khin(M.A)
(Translated by Lenn Aung Khine)

Famous was Court Counsellor Dhamma zeya during the regin of King Cula Candra (733-769 A.D.). According to Rakhine chronicles, he composed many literary works among which classical song of "Candra Bway" and "Hle-taw-than" are still popular in the history of Rakhine literature.
The Court Counsellor founded a country in the present Tripura State of India to the north of Rakhineland because of the political strife in the homeland. As they had to conceal their origin and belief, they have become known as 'Mrong' (concealment, in Rakhine) nationals and the region, Mrong-land. The poems and other literary works of the learned counsellor can still be found in the regions such as Bohmin region, Phalan region and Chakma region in Chittagong District, Bangladesh and Tripura State in India. As those areas were separated from Rakhineland proper for centuries and are situated far-flung from he mainland their literary style is still in ancient Rakhine form 'Candra Bway' and 'Han-swa-lay'. Boat Song are connected to the historical events of his time. The following are the extracts form historical records of Rakhine as far as the learned counsellor is concerned.
After the death of King Singa Candra, his son Cula Candra succeeded the throne of Rakhine Vesali Kingdom in 733 A.D.. His Chief Queen was Sandra Devi- his blood sister. The King was a handsome, mascuiar man complete with prowes and power religious as he was, he revered in Tri-ratna- the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha. He possessed countless numbers of troops.
On one occasion, he accompanied by ninety thousand war boats marched to the regions in the west. The rulers of the western kingdoms came to have audience with him bringing valuable presents and gifts and accepted his overlordship upon them. A large water tank was dug and an inscribed stone pillar was erected at the site presently known as Chittagong. The locality was named Chittagong because the court counsellors advised him no war effort was necessary to hold the land as the lords of his region had already subordinated themselves to suzerainty.

The story goes on:

At the age of fifty-six, he suffered a mysterious headache. Consulting the matter to his astrologers, they recounted him his fateful events in his formal existence. Their story:

"The King had been a dog in a country known as Pinsalarit Thindway. When the dog died its skull was placed at a juncture of a certain banyan tree. After years the skull was embedded into the tree. Whenever the wind blew and the branches moved, and as the skull was tightened, the King in his present existence have to suffer headache.

As the King was eager to march to pinsalarit country he sought advice from his counsellors. The counsellors warned him to cancel the trip.
"If Your Majesty makes the expedition, no more return back to the homeland", prophesized they.
Against their advice, King Cula Candra made preparations to journey to the upper reaches of the Ayeyarwady river. Before the departure, he summoned his beloved Dhief Queen Sanda Devi who was pregnant for three months and addressed: Beloved queen, as I've to make an expedition to a far-flung country, you rule the land accordingly with yourself adhering to dhana (charity), sila(morals) and bhavana (meditation). If I fail to come back home as the journey, across the seas I'll take is dangerous, choose the one who fits with this ring to be King and your spouse." So saying, he handed over his precious ruby ring to her.
After that he stepped onboard the sea-going royal barge and started the maritime journey followed by ninety thousand combat war-boats. The Chief Commander of the armada was no other than Counsellor Dhamma Zeya. The route they took, first, was along the Rakhine coast from north to sough and then, making a turn near the Cape of Negaris (Mawtin). It is said that while the rough armada was sailing near the Cape, King Cula Candra spit out the chewed quid of betal from his month. While, it was received by the princess female sea-dragon living under-water, she was thrilled as the King had been her spouse for seven times in their former existences. So she asked her father- King of the sea-dragons- to bring him under-water so as to be her consort again. The father King agreed.
Along the expolition King Cula Candra received the presents offered by King of Hanthawady and journeyed up-river along the Ayeyawady. On the way he was paid obeisance by King of Bagan and received presents tendered by him. The rulers of Moekaung, Moenbyin, Ohneaung, Moenay, Moehtway, Moelaung, etc also welcome and received him and offered gifts at their respective localities. As he set foot at Tagaung, he was cordially welcome by the King of Tagaung, surrounded by his high-raking ministers and officials deploying four branches of rough combat arms. A beautiful daughter princess of the ruler was offered as a symbol of respect to King, Cula Candra. The Vesali sovereign ruler searched and destroyed the said Banyan tree and built a pagoda at the site.

After three months of luxurious sojourn there; he came back to the homeland as he was advised by his counsellors. ON reching near the Cape of Negaris, His Majesty's rough barge and his, armada was caught in the storm and fatefully the King himself drowned. Since then, the Cape became known as 'Naga-rhit' (meaning, drowned by the Naga-sea-dragon) and later has changed into Nagaris.
The leading unit of the armada led by Counsellor Dhamma Zeya and some followers escaped unscathed. Before the group entered the city of Vesali the news reached the ears of the Queen Sanda Devi who accused the Counsellor of assassinating her husband. She refused him and his followers to enter the city Dhamma zeya, accompanied by his followers, sailed up-river of gaspanadi (Kaladan) river and founded a country known as Uttarait. He was driven away from the place by the Queen so that he had to move to the north-western direction. Afterwards, he established such settlements as Mrong-htaung (Tripura), Bohmong-htaung, Chakma-htaung, Phalan-htaung (in Bangladesh), and bias-rong (now in India).

Those are the events related to Court Counsellor Dhamma Zeya of Vesali period recorded
in the annals of ancient Rakhine historical manuscripts.

Reference:
Tun Shwe Khine - Court Counsellor Dhamma Zeya.
Rakhine Authors' ( 1991)

Present situation, southern part of Chittagong Hill Tract - CHT

2006-01-14T07:07:00.000Z

Present situation, southern part of Chittagong Hill Tract - CHT

Cox'sbazar - January 14, 2006: According to firm sources, on December 27, 2006 Buddhist monk, abbot, of Alay Khaw Daung Buddhist temple (Alay Khaw Daung is area name, under the authorized of Lama police station, southern part of CHT) was asked by Rapid Action Battalion - RAB personals under the gun point about Arakanese revolutionaries, arms and ammunition.

In Alay Khaw Daung other village like Rayzunk ( Bangali name Babu village), Rwa Thike, Rwa Haung, Ray Faw Bari Rwa, etc villages are RAB's operation going on. And a villager from Rayzunk Rwa was arrested by RAB as a result of having mark of sealed picture in his body for suspected Burmese national, accordance to sources.

On the other hand, on 27 December, 2005, four Rakhine personals were arrested at Kalabari's house ( Kalabari mean a kind of head man in a village under the rule or custom of Hill Tract people in BD) including Kalabari in Palaikey village under the authorized of Netkongsari police station, Bandaraban District, southern part of CHT. And asked meanly for Arakan revolutionaries forces, arms and ammunitions.

In BD, RAB personals are being given full authority by BD government since one year back. And under the operation of RAB and by the name of cross-fired so many personals were die.
Otherwise, hill peoples are being ordered to provide information to police station if any guest visit from anywhere. So, hill peoples are so worrying as sources said.

The Good Morning Arakan - GMA(News)
Contact number: ++ 88 011 081 074

Please visit the following links:

http://thegoodmorningarakan.blogspot.com
http://arakanlabourassociationinexile.blogspot.com

So-called Rakhine (song) presented by GMA-News group for Arakanese peoples

2006-01-13T13:10:00.000Z

A Rakhine villager was die

2006-01-13T12:49:00.000Z

A Rakhine villager was die

2006-01-13T12:33:00.000Z

Submitted An Appeal of AMA since a decade!

2006-01-12T14:55:00.000Z

Shanti Vihar,
KAMALANAGAR, CHAWNGTE
MIZORAM, INDIA.

Date: 8/4/96

To.
-------------------------- Already sealed in a circle as following:
-------------------------- ( ARAKAN MONK ASSOCIATION HEAD QUATER)
--------------------------
Respected Mr.---------------------------------------------------

A copy regarding the Arakanese affairs has been submitted to you to sympathize the Arakanese people who are losing their human rights and the rights of the nation since the subjugation of Arakan by the Burmese imperialistic King in 1784, by the British in 1826 by the Japanese during the world war-11 in 1942, again by the British in 1945 and by the Burmese in 1948 till today.

You are hereby requested to help the Arakanese people who are fighting for their independence and Sovereignty.

"THANK YOU"

With best wishes,
(Already signed)
8/4/96
(REV-KESARA BHIKHU)

(Sealed as following)
President
Central Executive Committee
Arakan Monk Association
Arakan

To
The Honourable, Prime Minister and Cabinet Ministers
Government of United Kingdom
London

Date: April 8, 1996

Subject:- TO HELP AND SPONSOR FOR INDEPENDENCE OF ARAKAN

Dear His/Her Excellencies,

With honours, let us remember back of conquest of British in the past. We were born between eight years short of ending and 18 years after withdrawal of reign of British from Burma and story of English was not known well.

However, meaning of the letters can be differentiated and studying the records of the Arakan history, we came to know that British is so sharp, talented and could institute a great Empire in the world. It is right but such an ability facilitated at abuses other peoples human rights.

As a result here, in this case process of Arakanese history is pointed out, on 24 February A.D. 1826, East India Company of English had taken over the Arakan, which was under the Burma and annexed in to British Empire. In this issued indeed, responsibility of the West India Company was to hand over Arakanese territory to the people of Arakan. But it did not stand to it's promise as said in the history.

As regarding this, the background is that movement during the period when Arakanese were taking an attempt for freedom of their Country because Burmese King U-WAING (BADONMIN) had occupied Arakan on 31st December A.D. 1784.

Please continue --------- 2 ---------------

---------------- 2---------------
Meanwhile aggressive East India Company saw that situation as a golden opportunity and it's commissioner DE CEAN encouraged Arakanese prince HRWEE BAN and his associates fighting for re-occupying of Arakan, and then co-operated with them. The expense for the war (first Indo-Burma war) was called for and people of Arakan had to offer multi-million worth of silver and gold but coined by the East India Company. When it, however could control Arakan, it's Authorities denied to guarantee of Arakan Independence. (NOW AS SLORC has refused the result of 1990 election in Burma).

The prince and party, therefore, took an idea to continue struggle for liberation. But as SAN RA PHWEE group of 16-members disclosed, complained the secret plan to East India Company and Prince HRWEE BAN, Mayor AUNG KYAW ZAN and DEWAN AUNG GYOW HRWEE were arrested and carried them to Calcutta City.
Soon after they were accused of connection with french Colony PONDICHERY from where taking away of weapons at magistrate Maconley and it sentenced them to long term imprisonment, and after that they were send to Kalinkin prison in Dacca, Bangladesh (former India).
Later, they went on hunger strike in the Jail and the Prince passed away on 41 days of hunger strike in 1837. Before death he scripted a verse on the wall of his verse on the wall of his cell with blood from his hand. Similarly other leaders scripted their verse. Now these poems have alerted Arakan generations.
"Death in struggle for independence is more honourable and noble than 100 years alive in a colonial live"

Prince HRWEE BAN

As Arakanese were angry with East India Company who deceived for money employed people as serf, used the country as a place of sacrificing. There where rebelions in the parts of state, so that curfew had been often imposed.

Please continue -------- 3 -------------

----------------- 3 ----------------------

In the mean time, in 1892 BO NGA TA group captured suddenly the police station for security in Mruk - U and a fleet of 7 double decker ships led by captain GODWIN arrived there and crushed it. On his return the goods of full of 7 ships were taken away to Calcutta of India.

Some of them comprised:-
i) Many Buddha immages made of bronze, silver and gold.
ii) A large number of copper sheets of roof of Mruk-U palace.
iii) A lot of cannons made of brass
iv) Bronze bells

Soon after those ancient articles were coined for India. But the two statues of Buddha were left because of being unable to be destroyed later those also had been handed over to Burmese without giving to real owner of people of Arakan. Now there is one at ZALWAN town in irrwaddy Division, another in BOTA HTAUNG area in Rangoon.

Again in 1948, the British Government left Burma for good having casted Arakan into so-called union of Burma, this action is against sympathy. Thus, Burma and Britain have caused trouble to Arakan a turn each and our country is going to rack and reign all around.

Now term of colonial life of Arakan have been for 210 years and scars of being oppressed in nation-wide which can be seen obviously since 1992 that we have been struggling for ending of our people colonial life. For it success, British Government is also responsible to help because Arakan was under the British Empire for one hundred and twenty two years. Hence we appeal seriously to approve our demands, they are:-
Conted ---------- 4 -----------------

i) To sponsor for freedom of Arakan.
ii) To contribute U.S. Dollar one hundred millions into our
independence fund.
iii) To aid first ten millions of it during 1995-97.

We believe that British Government with loving kindness will result to our endeavour.

Trusting yours

(already signed)
8/ 4 / 96
(RE-KESARA BHIKHU)
President
Arakan Monks Association - AMA

Date: 8 / 4 / 96

Copy to:-
1) Opposition leader of U.K. Parliament
2) Amnesty International, London
3) Asia Watch Organization, New York
4) High Commissioner UNHCR, New York
5) Representative to U.N
6) BBC, VOA, AIR and other

Address for kind Correspondence

Rev. Kesara Bhikhu
Shanti Vihara, Kamalanagar
P.O. Chawngte
Dist: Chhimtuipui
State: mizorm-India
Pin: 796770

Women JMB activists evade arrest in Tangail

2006-01-08T08:51:00.000Z

Women JMB activists evade arrest in Tangail

Police say they are collecting 'more information' on 'listed' activists

Accordance to correspondent of The Dailystar News, Tangail, BD

Female activists of banned Islamists militant outfit Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) in Tangail are still active taking the alleged lenient view of police.
A senior police official when contacted however said, "We will soon take action against active female activists of JMB in the district".

Intelligence officials also admitted that there are women JMB
activists in the district and said they will be arrested after getting "specific proof".

Most of the women JMB activists are in Rampur area in Kalihati upazila, Lawhati and Baropakhia in Delduar, Taktarchala in Mirzapur,and Nalin, Kachua and Kalian areas in Sakhipur upazila of the district. They are active in their areas, sources said.

Though police have intensified their drive against male JMB activists across the district and arrested about 50 cadres, its female activists so far remained out of the net.

The senior official seeking anonymity admitted that police were taking time to arrest female JMB activists.

But many of them (women activists) are on the list and police are collecting 'more' information to be sure about their involvement with JMB, he said.

Eleven JMB dens have so far been detected in Tangail district; 3 each in Delduar and Kalihatu upazilas, two in Sakhipur and one each in Basail, Nagarpur and in the Sadar upazila, other sources in police said.

Some sources claimed that militants are still being trained in shoals of Dhalesshari river in border areas of Delduar and Nagarpur upazilas.
At Par Dhalla village, JMB activists also exploded bombs recently as part of training, they claimed.

Some women from the shoal areas have joined the militant outfit only for money as they are very poor. They are mainly used for sending secret information.

The sources claimed that there are at least three women JMB activists from Par Dhalla but declined to disclose their names. They are evading arrest as they are women.

Another female student from Habla village in Basail upazila has been engaged with JMB for long. She is a leader and is trained in use of arms and exploding bombs like male cadres. All members of her family are also leaders of JMB ands some of them have been arrested, the sources claimed.

GMA-NEWS

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So-called Rakhine (song) presented by GMA-News group for Arakanese peoples

2006-01-08T08:45:00.000Z

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epfrGef;olvltrsm;u jidK homjzpfonf
&cdkifqdkpGmav &cdkifqdkapmftajz )2 ? ?

pmqdk - OD; ausmfat;
&dk;rnSmwH wD;0dkif;tzGJ h

rSwfcsuf ? ? aw;jcif;. toHedeftoHxm; tedrfhtjrifh tjzwftawmufudk
taocsmodvdkygu pHkprf;ESdkifygonf/ (udk,fwdkifoDqdkcol[defhjcif;a}umifh)

The Good Morning Arakan - GMA(News)
Contact number: ++ 88 011 081 074

Please visit the following links:

http://thegoodmorningarakan.blogspot.com
http://arakanlabourassociationinexile.blogspot.com

Statement of ALAE on the 58th Burma Independent Day

2006-01-06T14:54:00.000Z

jynfya&muf&cdkifhtvkyfoRm;tzGJ h
Arakan Labour Association in Exile - ALAE
58 ESpfajrmuf Armh vGwfvyfa&;ae htay:xkyfjyefa}ujimcsuf

Tae honf 58 judrfajrmuf ArmjynfvGwfvyfa&;ae h/ &cdkifjynfolrsm;twGufum; 1784 rSonf Arm/ t*Fvdyf/ *syef/ wzef t*Fvdyf aemuf 1948 rSonf ,ae hxd Armvufatmuf tp&Sdonfjzifh (5judrfajrmuf uGsefb0 odk husa&mufaomae h)/ wjcm;Arm r[kwfaom csif;/ ucsif/ &Srf;/ u&ifeD/ u&if / rGefvlrsdK;wdk ht wGufvnf; xdk enf;4if;yif Armtifyg,gxJ vdrfvnf odrf;oGif;cH&aomae h 4if;xufxl;rjcm;em;/

rnfonfhtcsdefurS jynfaxmifpkrjzpfcJhaom TjynfY 'Drdkua&pDzufawmfom;rsm;qkdaom jynfwGif; jynfy &SdArmvlrsdK;wdk htxJrSmyif yg;pyfuz,f'&Jvf/ 'Drdkua& pD rnfrSsyifajymaeapumrl vufawG hwGif 1947 yifvHk pmcsKyfY OD;atmifqef; *"day;cJh aom oD;jcm;aevdk uaeESdkifcGifhudkyif NLD . zGJ hpnf;tkyfcsKyfyHkwGifxnfh oGif;&ef rsufuG,fjyKqJ/ rodusdK;uGsefjyKqJ /

ArmtkyfcsKyfolrsm; *wdrwnf ESdyfpufvGef;jcif;a}umifh(trsdK;oRD;rsm;udk rw&m;usifhjcif;tygt0if) ,refESpf u &Srf;vGwfvyf
a&; a}ujimaom tcg CPB, NCGUB, NLD wdk hSPDC ESifhwoHwnf;xGufcJh}uonfudkvnf;tm;vHk;todyif/

wzef ordkif;taxmuftxm;t& t*Fvdyfudkyl;aygif; wdkufay;vSsif vGwfvyfa&;&jyD;aemufydkif; &cdkifjynfudk vGwfvyfa&;
ay;rnf / r[mrkedbk&m;udkjyefay;rnf[k aemifcgvm aemifcgaps; jyD;pvG,f Armwdk h*wday;cJh}u onf / vufawGhwGifum; wef;wltcGifhta&;yifray;vdk/

xdk ha}umifh Tae hY tzdESdyfcHArmrsm;/ csif;/ ucsif/ &Srf; / u,g;/ u&if / rGef vlrsdK; rsm;ESifhtxl;ojzifhrdrd&cdkif vlrsdK;wdk htm; txl;wdkufwGef; vdkufygonfrSm 'Drdkua&pDomr[kwf rnfonfht&mudkyifvdkvkd vHkavmuf aomtm;w&yfudk rwnf
aqmufESdkifrcsif; usaemfwdk hrnfonfht&mudkvnf;rvkyfESdkif Ttajcaeudka&mufatmifyxr wOD;csif; aemuf tzGJ htpnf;
/ ygwD / trsdK;om;tvdkuf aumif;atmifjudk;pm;vsuf cdkifrm aompnf;&Hk;nDnGwfrSkudkwnf aqmuf}uygpdk h[k wdkufwGef;&if; SPDCodk h atmufygawmif;qdkcsufrsm;udkawmif;qdkvdkufonf/

1/ t"rRvkyftm;ay;apcdkif;rSkrsm;rS csufcsif;&yfwef h&ef(&cdkifh*wfpfydkufvdkif;wGif t"rRvkyftm;ay;apcdkif;jcif;tygt0if)
2/ uav;ppfom;vkyfcdkif;jcif;rsm;tm; &yfwef h&ef
3/ ppfwyfrS trsdK;oRD;rsm;tm; rawmfrw&m;jyKusifhaejcif;rsm;rS csufcsif; &yfwef h&ef
4/ EdkifiHa&;tusnf;om;rsm;tm; csufcsif;v$wfay;&ef
5/ ,QKvuf&Sd usif;yaeaom twkta,miftrsdK;om;nDvmcHtm; csufcsif;&yfwef h&ef

tvkyftrSkaqmifaumfrwD
jynfya&muf&cdkifhtvkyfoRm;tzJG hALAE
'gum / b*FvmEdkifiH

ae hpGJ ? ? ZEM0g&Dv 4 &uf / 2006
--------------

rSwfcsuf ? ? jrefrmEdkifiHe,fcsJ ht*FvdyfvufatmufrS vGwfvyfa&; judk;yrf;qJ umvArmacgif;aqmif bufrS ocif wifjr/ AdkvfaZ,wdk hOD;aqmifaomtzJG hESifh&cdkifhawmfvSefa&;acgif;aqmifrsm;jzpf}uaom OD;ynmoD[/ bkHaygufomausmf/ OD;ausmfvS OD;wdk h OD;aqmifaom tzJG hwdk h ppfawGjrdK htm*sdyfawmfukef; o&ufawm bkef;}uD;ausmif;/bk&m;}uD;teD;wef;cdk;ausmif;wdk hwGif 4if;oHk;}udrfwdkifwdkifaqG;aEG;}ujyD;rS atmufyg oabmwlnDcsufudk&,lESdkifcJ h}uonf/

4if;rSm jrefrmEdkifiH e,fcsJ hvufatmufrS v$wfvyfv#if &cdkifjynftm;vGwfvyfa&;ay;&efESifh &cdkifjynfrS ,laqmifoGm;aom r[mjrwfrkedbk&m;}uD;udkvnf; jyefvnfydk hay;&ef/

4if;tcsuftvuf taxmuftxm;rsm;udk OD;ausmfvSOD; a&;om;cJ haom OD;ynmoD[bmvkyfcJ hovJ pmtkyf(4if;pmtkyfudk jynfe,faumifpDOuUXAdkvfrSL;ausmfarmifu a}umufI cGifhrjyKjcif;a}umifh w&m;0if xkyfa0jcif;rjyKcJ h odk haomftawmftoifh
jzef hcsD;jyD; jzpfaecJh) rS4if;ocifwifjra&;cJ haomzqyvacwfxkyfa0onfh vGwfvyfa&; rSwfwrf;0ifpmtkyfwGif4if;/ bHkaygufom ausmf. awmfvSefa&;c&D;0,f trSwf (1) wGif 4if; twdtus yg&dSonf/

Arakan Labour Association in Exile - ALAE
Contact number: ++ 88 011 081 074

Interview with an urban refugee, Ko Hlaing Htwe

2006-01-06T14:37:00.000Z

Interview with an urban refugee, Ko Hlaing Htwe
Dhaka - Friday, January 6, 2006

GMA: What's your name please?
My name is Hlaing Htwe

GMA: May I know your identity?
I am a Burmese national in exile and a political refugee living under the protection of UNHCR, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

GMA: May I know your ID number of UNHCR?
My UNHCR ID number is 01088.

GMA: When you were recognized by UNHCR as a political refugee?
I was recognized in 2001 as a political refugee.

GMA: What happen then?
On 2003, I was compelled to take so-called lump sum under the 1997 policy of UNHCR. Then I had to shift from Dhaka to Dabikhali village (Natchaungchari thana, Bandaraban district, Chittagong hill tract, southeastern part of Bangladesh) for settle so-called my project poultry firm.

GMA: Why you were arrested by BDR personals and when?

On 10 May, 2005, as a being Burmese national, I was arrested by BDR personals from my settle village, Dabikhali. Then they brought me jail cell inside the compound of Nakyongchari police station and asked, interrogated, persecution me under the various kind of way for Arakan revolutionaries and location of their arms.

GMA: Did you show your ID card of UNHCR and say them (BDR personals) that you
are a concern person of UNHCR?
Of course, my ID card of UNHCR was showed by me to them (BDR personals) and I told
them that I am living under the protection of UNHCR branch office, Dhaka. But I could do nothing and my UNHCR card was totally ignored by BDR personal.

GMA: Can you talk me some how detail about your victims time?

On May 10, 2005, I was arrested by Bangladesh Defense Rifle- BDR from my settle firm house for doubt concerning carnation with Arakan revolutionaries forces.

As first step, from 10 May to 12 May, 2005, I was ordered by BDR to lay flat position, then my nose hands and legs were tightening with clothes and ropes. And then my mouth was poured repeatedly by water, kicking by boots severally and batten with cane sticks several time around the my body only for asking arms and Arakanese revolutionaries, daily three times on morning, noon and evening. But I couldn't give any answer for them , BDR personal, because of I know nothing.

As a second step, from 13 May to 14 May, 2005, I was ordered to lay opposite position of above mentioned then both of legs and hands were firmly tightening together with a rope from back side then my noses were also bound with clothes. When reached my position as mention image, my mouth was bind with a rope and then draw severally from back side for broken my back bones, then as previous days I was kicked, beaten and then again my mouth was poured by water. Then they left me when I was free from sense. In that way, they (BDR personals) were interrogated and persecution me daily three time for two days, for so-called Arakan revolutionaries and arms but I couldn't provide anything for them as previous way because of nothing know.

As a third step, I was shocked till senseless three times for 15 May, 2005.

GMA. Have left anything for your jail life to talk?

Yes, 16 May to till 21 May, 2005, I had to live as a camp cleaner of that Nakyongchari police station. Then released me under the bound and given promise that I must at my firm and if I have to go any where from my firm house I must inform them as in advance, why, what purpose I have to leave or go, etc. If I left without given information for them, they must order me for arrest again.

GMA: Do you live in there, still now?
No, because of joint operation of Rapid Action Battalion -RAB & BDR is so dangerous in that areas against Burmese in exile. Now, I have already shift for another place like deep forest side since some months back. And I have heard that they, BDR personals, were order me for arrest warrant.
In the result of that I couldn't come to Dhaka for my renew card of UNHCR for like the whole year of 2005. That's why, now I am facing with difficulty when I come for my renew card for 2006 of UNHCR.

GMA: Do you think any reason about operation against in exile Burmese nationals?
In my view mean reasons are Arakan gas pipe line and getting development relationship
between Rangoon and Dhaka day by day.

GMA: Would you like to talk anything for UNHCR, if possible?

Yes, of course because of my practical has been in hell, Mr. Khine Soe's suffering ( UNHCR ID no: 01028), Maung Kyaw Moe, etc and like Mr. Min Wa, a Burmese national political refugee, is still in Bandaraban jail. As seeing this proves, we, Burmese nationals political refugees have no any security here.
Therefore, if possible through this interview with GMA-News, I would like to earnestly request to respective authorized persons of UNHCR and respective office of UNHCR, Dhaka that to resettle upon us in any third countries under the resettlement program as soon as possible.

GMA: Thanks for your patience and times, Ko Hlaing Htwe

I also the same like to you.

The Good Morning Arakan - GMA (News)
Contact number: ++ 88 011 081 074

Sittwe Arakanese people have clandestinely held for their 221st Anniversary of Arakan Black Day

2006-01-01T10:59:00.000Z

Sittwe Arakanese people have clandestinely held for their 221st Anniversary of Arakan Black Day

Sittwe - January 1, 2006: According to firm sources from Sittwe (capital city of Rakhine (Arakan ) state in Burma), on yesterday 31st December, 2005, Arakanese (Rakhie Buddhist) people have been wandering Buddhist temples including famous Big Buddhist temple ( located in central of Sittwe), U Ray Kyaw Thu temple (located northeastern side of Sittwe) and have been letting 221 candles as clandestinely held for 221st their Anniversary Downfall Day of Arakan Sovereignty.

And plain cloth Burmese military intelligence also have been wandering and watching the activities of the Arakanese people of Sittwe, according to firm sources.

Arakan had been their own sovereignty country since BC 3326 to AD 1784 like other nations in the world, accordance to Rakhine (Arakan) history.

The Good Morning Arakan - GMA (News)
Contact number: ++ 88 011 081 074

Burma flag was crushed with their feet by some Arakanese nationals in exile

2006-01-01T10:57:00.000Z

Burma flag was crushed with their feet by some Arakanese nationals in exile in front the banner of 221st Anniversary Downfall Day of Arakan Sovereignty

Dhaka - January 1, 2006: According to attendants of the commemoration of Arakan National Black Day in Grace house, Mirpur, Dhaka, BD, flag of so-called Burma was dragged and dropped down, in front of banner of 221st ANNIVERSARY OF DOWNFALL OF ARAKAN SOVEREIGNTY, by Ko Naing Naing (new generation of 8888 in exile) himself. Then at first, that flag of false union of Burma was crushed by Ko Naing Naing with himself foot and later some of his fellows, Ko Ran Ning Soe (a central committee member of ALP), Ko Khine Aung (an individual), were involve and stand on that for posted photoes as an unveil their will against false union of Burma and against present holding fraudulent national convention in Burma.

According to Naing Naing, so-called Burma country have seven states ( Rakhine (Arakan), Chin, Kachin, Shan, Karani (Kaya), Karan and Mon states, etc) and seven divisions ( Rangoon, Mague, Mandalay, Saging, Pago, Tanansary division, etc) in Burma since so-called Burma.

When like Nation Convention or other important parliament held, like every representative of divisions and states are Bama not other. He said, Ko Naing Naing said, we, above mentioned non-Burman nationals will never get (even this earth planet destroy) equal rights in this country in so-called Burma. Because of every representatives from above mentioned divisions are all Bama nationals (as usual since 1948 so-called Burma was gain independent from British colonial) and representatives of so-called states are also puppets of Burman military junta and Burman chauvinism not only at the present time attending in so-called false National Convention in Burma but also as usual since BSPP, SLORC under the mistreating of Burmanization, Naing said.

The Good Morning Arakan - GMA (News)
Contact number: ++ 88 011 081 074

Statement of ALAE on the occasion of 221st Arakan Black Day!

2005-12-31T13:51:00.000Z

oD;Gjrdefrus,mOfaus;rSkawmfvSefa&;odk h
odk hr[kwf 221 ESpfajrmuf &cdkifhEdkifiHawmf tcsKyftcsm tm%m usqHk;onfhedef h0rf;eJzG,ftxdrf;trSwf
tcrf;tem;odk ho0%fv$mwifoGif;jcif;/
1? &cdkifqdkapmf
2? ESpfaygif;Zmavmuf udk,fhrif; udk hcsif;eef hedefcav
3? wyg;atmuf usqHk;&jcif;ta}umif;&if;
4? &cdkifh}urRm ESpf 22 1
5? vuf&Sd e,fcsJ h
6? vuf&Sd&cdkifom;wdtajcae
7? vkyfuwfoifhaom tvkyfrsm;
1? &cdkifqdkapmf
trsdK;oDv ESpfXmeudk
jynfh0r¾dKif apmifhpGrf;ESdkifI
&cdkifemr bGJhrnfvSjzifh
tEGwWonm ac:tyfpGmwnf; ?
(oSsifem*dENarmfuGef;)
2? ESpfaygif;Zmavmuf udk,fhrif; udk hcsif;eef hedefcav
BC 3325 AD 1784 xdrif;qufaygif; 250 ausmf udk hxD;udk heef;eJ hurBmhvlom;wdtv,frmvGwf
vyfaw vlrsdK;wrsdK;tjzpf edefESdkifca& &cdkifvlrsdK;?
3? wyg;atmuf usqHk;&jcif;ta}umif;&if;
AD 1638 bk&ifod&d ok"rR&mZm uG,fvGefjyD;aemufydkif;wenf;tm;jzifh Armbk&ifarmif0dkif;vufatmuf udk rusa&mufcif ESpfaygif; 146 ESpf t,ifuyif uGsefjzpfzdk hvuQ%m wpwpnf;&Hk;a&;jydKuGJvmonfudkwGd&/
,if;uGsefvuQ%monf AD 1784 odk ha&mufvmaomtcg rdrd&dk h&cdkifom;}um;xJjzpfedefaomjyoemudk
rdrd&dk hudk,fwdkifrajz&Sif;bJ wenf;tm;jzifh &efole,fcsJ h. oabmxm;trSefudk avhvmoHk;owfESdkifaomt
tajcaer&Sd jzpfum opPmazguf ioefaw / armifxGef;pH&dk hArme,fcsJ hbk&if armif0dkif;udkyifhaqmifvmc*wf
onf/ ,if;a}umifh 1784 rm &cdkifuGsefjzpf&onf /
4? Zmavmuf}umAsmav
(u) ArmudkvdkeD 1784 rS 1824 xd 40 ESpf
(c) t*FvdyfudkvdkeD 1824 rS 1942 xd 118 ESpf
(*) *syefudkvdkeD 1942 rS 1945 xd 3 ESpf
(C) t*FvdyfudkvdkeD 1945 rS 1948 xd 3 ESpf
(i) ArmudkvdkeD 1948 rS 2005 57 ESpf
pkpkaygif; 221 ESpf}umAsm/

5? vuf&Sd e,fcsJ h um;Arm
ArmudkvdkeD 1784 rS 1824 xd 40 ESpf
1948 rS 2005 *kxd 57 ESpf
pkpkaygif; 97 ESpf
&cdkifa& ESpfaygif; 5000 ausmf udk,fhrif;udk,fhcsif;eef h edefca&qdkonfhtwGuf udk,fhapmfeJ hudk,fr[kwf
rcsif;uGsefjzpfonf / Armum;e,fcsJ hjzpfonf/
6? vuf&Sd&cdkifom;wdtajcae
vuf[def hjynfwGif; jynfy&cdkifom;tajcaeum; txufuqdkca&twdkif; uGsefouf 221 ESpfxd}umvm AsmjzpfonfhtwGufa}umifh uGsefvuQ%m cdkifrmjyD;vSsif uGsefoabmuf&dk h.ed,grtwdkif; EdkifiHa&; / pD;yGg;a&; / ydkifnma&; / vlrSka&; tp&Sdonfbufaygif;pkH wGiftm;vHk;od}uonfhtwdkif; tuGJuGJ tjym;jym; zGwfa}umjym pk ArmuGsef. jcDokwftajcae/
7? vkyfuwfoifhaom tvkyfrsm;
vdktyfaomtm;w&yfudk rwnfaqmufESdkifrcsif; &cdkifom;vGwfvyfa&;r&ESdkif xdk ha}umifh vdktyfaomtm;
udkwnfaqmufzdk htwGuf vuf [def h &cdkifhtrsdK;om;aumifpD ANC ESifh wnfaqmufqJ EdkifiHwum&ckdifh trsdK;om;tzGJ htpnf;juD; WAO udktm;jznfh&Hkutytjcm;r&Sd[k av;pm;pGmwifjyvdkufygonf ? ?

zdk;vS
OuUX
jynfya&muf&cdkifhtvkyfoRm;tzJG h Arakan Labour Association in Exile - ALAE
NB:
jrefrmEdkifiHe,fcsJ ht*FvdyfvufatmufrS vGwfvyfa&; judk;yrf;qJ umv Armacgif;aqmifbufrS ocif wifjr/ AdkvfaZ,wdk hOD;aqmifaomtzJG hESifh &cdkifhawmfvSefa&;acgif;aqmifrsm;jzpf}uaom OD;ynmoD[/ bkHaygufomausmf/ OD;ausmfvSOD;wdk h OD;aqmifaom tzJG hwdk h ppfawGjrdK htm*sdyfawmfukef; o&ufawm bkef;}uD;ausmif;/ bk&m;}uD;teD;wef;cdk;ausmif;wdk hwGif4if; oHk;}udrfwdkifwdkifaqG;aEG;}ujyD;rS atmufyg oabmwlnDcsufudk &,lESdkifcJ h}uonf/
4if;rSm jrefrmEdkifiH e,fcsJ hvufatmufrS v$wfvyfv#if &cdkifjynftm; vGwfvyfa&;ay;&efESifh &cdkifjynfrS ,laqmifoGm;aom r[mjrwfrkedbk&m;}uD;udkvnf; jyefvnfydk hay;&ef/
4if;tcsuftvuf taxmuftxm;rsm;udk OD;ausmfvSOD; a&;om;cJ haom OD;ynmoD[ bmvkyfcJ hovJ pmtkyf(4if;pmtkyfudk jynfe,faumifpDOuUX AdkvfrSL;ausmfarmifu a}umufI cGifhrjyKjcif;a}umifh w&m;0ifxkyf a0jcif;rjyKcJ h odk haomf tawmftoifh jzef hcsD;jyD; jzpfaecJh) rS4if; ocif wifjr &JcJ haom zqyvacwfxkyfa0
aom vGwfvyfa&; rSwfwrf;0ifpmtkyfwGif4if;/ bHkaygufomausmf. awmfvSefa&; c&D;0,f trSwf (1) wGif 4if; twdtus yg&dSonf/
Tenf;tm;jzifh rif;om;juD;a&$bef;wdk hvufxuf &myodefowfwdk hESifhcsKyfqdkaom pmcsKyft& wjudrf ESifh
txufyg az:jyygwjudrf 2 judrf&cdkifacgif;aqmifrsm;tvdrfcHcJh&jyDjzpfonf ? (EdkifEdkif - ppfawG)
----
&cdkifqdkapmf (aw;jcif;)
&cdkifqdkapmfvvf xdkxdkrif;rm&,k
wdkif;jyKjynfjyK &cdkifhvl habmif
pdk;ydkifrif;vkyf tkyfcsKyfcsdefu pygonf /
ya0oeDb0u tajceDtwnfwus
ausmufjzL / oHwGJ / rmefatmif / ppfawG
taxmuftxm; jyp&m &uQ0He tuQ&mpHknD
armfuGef;tvDvDxdk;conf /
bmomaA'eef h pum;t&mrmruGJjym;onf
(pHxm;pHxm;avmufonf )2
ya'o&mZfacwf &cdkifjynf)2 ?
(xdkrwvD ajrmufOD;a&$jynf wacwfqef;
wacwfvef;cvD EdkifiHw0ef;rmtHhrcef;[dvD
wdkif;wyg;u OD;n$wf&onf)2
&cdkifh&Dwyfrawmf [dk;[dk;ausmfygonf
(ynmausmfrsm; ay:xGef;conf
pmqdkoSsifrsm; ay:xGef;conf )2
rif;xD;rif;bm tm%mpdk;vD
xdkwcsdefu usaemf&dk husaemf&dk h&cdkifjynf
xdkwcsdefu jidK hjidK h&cdkifjynf ?
&moDwa}um pmyDwdefaumaysmufvD
armufrmaom qENudkpD
&mxl;*k%faemufrm "e*k%fatmufrm
tpaw;cH*wfvD twWvGefuJ
udk,fhtwGufpepfudkaqmufwnf /
udk,fjzpfudk,fcH udk,fxdkufudk,fpH
udk,fcH udk,fxdkuf udk,fhtwGufpepfudkaqmufwnf
epfrGef;a&vlxku jidK h&mjzpfaw
&cdkifqdkapmfvvf &cdkifqdkapmftajc ? ?

May you satisfaction beloved father?

2005-12-31T13:42:00.000Z

May you satisfaction beloved father?

Blood ocean!

Huge mountain dead bodies!Sorrowful sight!

Grieve and painfully crying, mourning of Arakanese!

"O" beloved father" like in every year when meet with this day 31st December, we (in and out of Arakan) are suffering as in nightmare dream.

Decomposed dead bodies of your sons and daughters of Arakanese, were flooding in blood mixed reddish water of the rivers of the Mayu, Laymro, Kaladan, Kalindaung, etc.

And in land, beasts like dogs, foxes, crows, vultures, eagles, etc were eating also dead bodies of your sons and daughters who were grossly killed by Bamar colonial invaders in 1784 under the policy of the whole nation cleansing and demolishing ruled.

"Kill them! "Don't left even pregnant for the whole nation end" in that way thousands of pre-mother of Arakanese were died under the helpless condition.

"Kill babies! "Don't left even from cradles! Babies were thrown to the sky by Bamar invaders then spires, swords were provided under the falling down straight way of the babies.

In that way, thousands of innocent Arakanese babies were grossly killed even from their cradles by heartless Bamar invaders as an inhuman being acts.

Had arakanese pre-mother any guilty for Bamar invaders?

Had Arakanese babies any guilty for Bamar nation?

According to Arakanese history, from 1784 to 1788 within four years, Arakanese wer killed by Bamar invaders as followed:
* One thousand in Paung Htook Prun
* One thousand in Tharunk Ouke
* One thousand in Krunk Roe Taung
* Two thousands in San Gurr Taung
* Ten thousands Arakanese babies
* One lakh eightyu four thousands (184, 000) in Dinggy, Fararr Pour, Moung Sway, Nga Ra Kaunght, Goung Pro Taung, Parain, Paung Took, Ratana Prun, Lunkma Tawdam , Koe Say Koe Daung, Thandway (Sandwe), Ramree.

In that way, from 1784 to 1824 during 40 years over twenty lakhs ( over 20, 00, 000) Arakanese were grossly killed by Bamar invaders.On the other hand, in Taw Pan Zum villages over the one thousand Arakanese were killed by Maung Nu's soldiers mercilessly under the period of so-called Union Govt of Burma in 1952.

And also, on 13 August 1967, in Akyab (present capital city of Arakan) around 400 Arakanese were Buried with alive and dead by Ne Win's Bamar chauvinism.In that way, if we count from 1784 to up to today, two and half millions of Arakanese were killed cruelly by Bamar Chauvinism by the name with kingdom, so-called false Union Govt of Burma and under the BSPP, SLORC, SPDC, etc."O" beloved Arakan, we must see as dead bodies of huge mountain! If above mentioned all of two and half millions dead bodies of Arakanese are provided at the one place.In that way, we must se endless appearance of blood, red like in every sight every where as a blood ocean!If we pour at the one place for all of bleeding blood from above mentioned two and half millions dead bodies of Arakanese.Do you forget it "o" beloved Arakan?Should we forget about it?"O" beloved father" If arrive on today, we fell that we are hearing sounds of grippingly crying and sorrowful sight of views about the poor helpless our Arakanese conditions from the past."O" beloved father" you could born over Arakanese heroes, sons like Marayu, Mun Htee, Mun Bun and provided over 5000 years as a sovereignty Arakan Kingdom with such kind of eras like Danyawadi, Visali, Laymro, Mrauk Oo. In the result of that we could fly our Arakanese flag as tallest among the other nations and also we could proudly say that " Rakhaing Tharr Way! among the world nation families as a level of dignity."O" beloved father" even we lost lour sovereignity under the Bamar colonial in 1784, we are struggling to restore our freedom sithout generation gap up to today till over the two centuries and two decadeds. During those long period of our struggling, if I have to mention some of our important figures revolutionaries, who were, Taung Mun Gri Kyaw Htwe, who fought firstly to Bamar invaders since incursions in Arakan in 1784. And Bo Shun Byan. Then prince U Hree Ban, Day Wann Aung Kyaw Hree, Mayou Aung Kyaw Zan, etc.Some of them had left poems as precious stones for next generation of our Arakan revolutionaries.If I have to mention the translations upon their poems as what ever I can:Prince Hree Ban's last will and testament - "Radu" ( in translation)* I am a true prince Accordance to that I struggled For fatherland, my life was heartily sacrificed in kalar landAnd my old life will change.* Every living things must die one day as a natureEven though any body don't kill them.* VindictivenessThey also never live in absoluteEven though I die, my bones will speakor case one day as a noble value in our revolutionaries' rule.
"O" my next generation of revolutionaries ArakanWe must get freedom of fatherland one day.If you don't change and obeisance my true rule of revolutionary.* If human effort by hard industriousMust get even for nirvanaThis is referendum of mine.
Hree Ban's-----------------------------Daywann Gri Aung Kyaw Hree's last will and testament, "Radu"
(in translation)* "O" next generation of revolutionaries ArakanWe, three masters of you, have value and worth in some time And in some time their lives are worthlessWhen other bodies from upper hand torture them.* "O" nest generation of revolutionaries Arakan!Don't take patience if any body of you accept corrupt moneyAnd treat you by disgrace mean.* Accordance to freedom struggle histories of worldwide According with harmonium had to use both of knowledge and abilityby the way of continue efforts and trustAnd had to pour blood and sacrifice their lives for the final meanBecause of no wish to live under the other.
Aung Kyaw Hree------------------------------
Mayor Aung Kyaw Zan's last will and testament "Radu"
( in translation)* VindictivenessAung Kyaw Zan's struggleAnd also our golden land Arakan become for other so sadlyfor traitors San Hree Foay and other of his fellows' betrayedAnd ideology of dog thought that the whole life for thembut for one meal.* Even though parent, master, ancestor's already left talkthat not to accompany with villainsAnd careless mistakenly didn't obey for that have to face like present trouble for me.* If I will be human in another lifeI'd like to revenge newly for those traitors like right nowBecause of never forgivable.
Aung Kyaw Zan
"O" beloved father" even though our struggles are running in so long under the various kind of colonial, listism ( under the Bamar, British, Japanese, British and now Bamar and false socialism , false communist, false Unionist in and out of so-called Burma), We are struggling continually without generation gap for restore Arakan dignity.Early 21st centuries of nowadays, is so considerably happening for our Arakan revolution and revolutionaries' struggle according to wheel changing of present worldwide revolutionary history.Therefore, without gap our version from past, present and future of Arakan very recently, we must create an international level terminal and will try to qualify from our weakness.May you satisfaction beloved father?Khaing RomaNB: This article was submitted by me (in Rakhaing) on the occasion of Arakan National Black Day in Dhaka in 2004.

UN contribution goods are depriving by Rayaka and police in Rathaydaung township, Arakan region

2005-12-29T04:31:00.000Z

&cdkifjynf &aohawmifjrdK he,fwGif UN rSqefESifhypPnf;rsm;jzef ha0aomfvnf;
&Jom;tcsdK hESifh &,utzGJ h0ifrsm; rdrdudk,fusdK;oHk;ae

zavmif;csdwf – Edk0bFm 10 ? ? &cdkifjynfwGif cav;vli,frsm;rSm t[m&tvGefcsdK hwnfhaewJh tajctae&SdaejyD; rsdK;qufopf rsm;twGuf tvGefpdk;&drfae}u&a}umif; ukvor*~ tpD&ifcH pmwGif yg&Sdojzifh &aohawmifjrdK he,f&Sd pmoifausmif;rsm;wGif cav;oli,frsm;tm; 19 – 9 – 2005 ae h qef9odkufpD UN rSay;a0a}umif; e,fpyfodk ha&muf&Sdvmaom &aohawmifjrdK he,f avmif;acsmif;&GmrS ukefonf wOD;. ajymjycsufa}umif;od&Sd&ygonf ?

4if;ukefonfrSqufvufIajym}um;&mwGif &aohawmifjrdK he,f&Sd &,u tzGJ h0ifrsm;jzpfaom
armifoef;pdef OuUX (touf 60 ) twGif;a&;rSL;jzLarmif ( touf 45 ) tzGJ h0if armifpdef
( 60 ESpf) &,u pma&; a0vlarmif ( 50 ESpf ) wdk honf ukefwef;&Gm/ avmif;acsmif;&GESifh o&ufjyifaus;&Gmrsm;twGuf &&Sdaom ypPnf;rsm;udk &Jom; oef;pdefarmifESifh wifxGef;wdk hyl;
aygif;jyD;xifovdk rdrdudk,fwdk hudk,fusdK;twGufvkyfaea}umif;ajymjycJhygonf / tvGefqif;&J
aomolrsm;udkvnf; ig;zrf;&ef uGefwvufpD UN rSay;jyD; aemufwygwfwGif cav;rsm;t wGuf yJrsm;ay;rnfjzpfa}umif; ,QKtcg &aohawmifjrdK he,fwGif ppfpcrf; 3 ckcsI jynfolrsm;
udkESdyfpufae}uonfhtwGuf jynfolrsm; 4if;wdk h . 'g%fudkcg;pnf;cHae}u&onf /

UN rStultnDay;onfhypPnf;rsm;udkvnf; trSefwu,fvuQHr&&Sdojzifh jynfolrsm;pGm raus reyfjzpfae}ua}umif; ajymjyoGm;cJhonf / &aohawmifjrdK he,fwGif wyfpGJxm;aom ppfpcrf;rsm;rSm cr& 538 / cr& 537 / cr& 536 wdk hjzpfa}umif;ESifh tv,foHausmf&Gm ESifh usdKif;awmuf&GmwGif }uD;rm;aom tajrmufwyfpcrf;wck wyfpGJxm;a}umif;vnf; &cdkifjynf
vl htcGifhta&;apmifh}unfha&;tzGJ h. owif;ay;ydk hcsuft&od&onf ? ?

The Good Morning Arakan ( News ) - GMA
Contact number: ++ 88 011 081 074

Interview with Ko Naing Naing (ALD) about the abusing of drug in Arakan Region

2005-12-28T13:36:00.000Z

ALD b*Fvma'(&Sf)XmecGJrS &cdkifjynfwGif;rl;,pfaq;0g; jyoemESifhywfoufI xkyfjyefa}ujim
csufwapmifudk rae hu ae hpGJjzifhxkyfjyefa}ujimcJhonf/ 4if;xkyfjyefcsufudk The Good Morning Arakan owif;Xmeodk hvnf;rdwWLwapmifay;ydk hcJhygonf/ 4if;xkyfjyefcsuftay: ALD, BD XmecGJwGJ zuftwGif;a&rSl; udkEdkifEdkifESifhawGqHk ar;jref;}unfhaomtcg – udkEdkifEdkifrS atmufygtwdkif;ajym}um;cJhygonf?

GMA : udkEdkifEdkifvuf&Sd ALD BD rSmbmwm0efudkxrf;aqmifaeygovJ /
Ko Naing Naing : [kwfuJh usaemf ALD BD rSm wGJ zuftwGif;a&rSl; wm0efudk
xrf;aqmifaeygw,f /
GMA : udkEdkifEdkiftaeeJ h&cdkifa'otygt0if ArmwjynfvHk; rl;,pfaq;0g; tEW&m,feJ hjuHkawG hae&
aomfjim;vnf; SPDC uavoHaumif;[pfaejcif;tay: b,fvdkjrifygovJ ?
KNN: usaemhtaeeJ hajym&r,fqdk,if wcsdefu bdef;bk&iffavmfppf[efydkifqdkifwJh ukr`%D
Leo Express rSm usaemfum;armif;cJhwJhtcsdefwkef;u 1999 avmufuayghav etz
ppftpdk;&eJ hbdef;bk&ifawG[m pD;yGg;a&; udktusdKK;wl yl;aygif;aqmif&Gufae'gudkawG h&SdcJh&ygw,f/
tJ'DtcsdefwHk;u avmfppf[ef[m 9 rdkifrSmaejyD; / ol hnDavmfppfrif;[m vm;&SdK;jrdK hxJ
rSmae'gudkawG h&SdcJh&ygw,f /
OD;avmfppf[efeJ hawG hwJhtcsdefrSm olajymjy'gu – vuf&Sd etz tpdk;&udka':vmukaÉ
csDacs;iSg;xm;&a}umif; / vm;&SdK;wGifa&muf&Sdaeaom wyfrSL; wygrrSl;rsm;udk rmqD'D
(b,farmif;) um;wpD;pD ay;xm;a}umif; ajymjycJhjyD; / rif;,QK vm;&SdK; VIP c&D;pOfudk
ulnDaqmif&Gufay;&efcdkif;cJhygw,f/
tJ'ga}umifh SPDC eJ hbdef;bk&ifawG / bdef;bk&ifawGeJ hetz AdkvfcsKyf/AdkvfrSL;awG&J h
udk,fusdK;pD;yGg;}um;jzpfyGg;aewJh rl;,pfaq;0g;qdk;usdK;[m SPDC rjyKwfusrcsif;quf
vuf&SdaerSmygbJ ?
GMA : udkEdkifEdkiftaeeJ hrsufarSmuf&cdkifa'otajcaeudk rl;,pfaq;0g;eJ hygwfoufvdk hb,fvdk
jrifygovJ /
KNN ; vuf&Sd&cdkifjynfe,fjrdK hawmfppfawGrSm rl;,pfaq;0g;udk tvG,fwul&&SdaewJhtwGuf
rsdK;qufopfvli,fawG oHk;pGJrSKrsm;oxuf rsm;vm'gudkawG h&ygw,f / tckvdkjzpf&'g
[m rsdK;qufopfvli,fawG tpdk;&udkqef husifvdkwJhpdwfr&Sd&efESifh rsdK;cspfpdwf"gwfy
aysmufatmif wrif&,f&G,fwJhtaeeJ hwm;qD;ydwfyifjcif;/ zrf;qD;jcif; vkyf0vkyfwm
rawG h&jcif;jzpfygw,f/
rl;,pfaq;0g;wm;qD;a&;eJ hwm0efusaewJh ,pfzufqdkif&m&JawGudk,fwdkifa&mif;ae}u
vdk hygbJ /
pHkprf;vdk hod&oavmuf vGefcJhwJhwv avmufu rl;,pfaq;0g;oHk;pGJvdk h armvdyf&yg
uGuf (vrf;r}uD;ydkif;) wGif 3 a,gufaoqHk;cJhonf ( vSjzLodef; - vlysdK 39 ESpf – tz
wa,:usL; / atmifodef;&Sifodef;xDqdkifrdom;pkrSwa,guf / atmifwnf;cdk&dyfomrd
om;pkrSwa,guf ESifh armvdyfpmoifausmif;teD;rS 2 a,gufjzpfjyD;/
qiful;vrf;&yfuGuf/ aps;acsvrf; (csawmyg&m) wGif 99 rSonf 2005 / 6 ESpftwGif;
vlaygif; 20 aoqHk;cJhw,f / rsm;aomtm;jzifh AIDS a&m*geJ haoqHk;olrsm;a}umif;
od&ygw,f /
'Duae hrl;,pfaq;0g;aygufaps;[m zefqD'dkif;wvHk;udk 35000d
armfzdef; (t0gygwf) wvHk;udk 5500d/ aq;ajcmuf 1dom;udk 8000d / t"duaq;ajcmuf
a&mif;0,folrSm emZD&GmrS rat;pdef (touf45ESpf)jzpfjyD; rl;,pfrSvlESifhyl;aygif;a&mif;
0,faea}umif;od&ygw,f/
GMA : udkEdkifEdkiftaeeJ hrl;,pfaq;tEW&m,fESifhygwfoufjyD; &ckdifa'o&J htem*wftajctae
tjrifudkayghav wqdwfajymjyygtHk; /
KNN ; 'Dtwdkif;om oGm;aer,fqdk,if tem*wf&cdkifvlrsdK;awG&J h rsdK;cspfpdwfaysmufuG,fvm
jyD; pD;yGg;a&; / ynga&; / vlrSka&; tp&Sdonf &cdkifhvlrSkygwf0ef;usifwckvHk;ysufpD;jyD;
AIDS a&m*grsdK;vdk a&m*gqdk;awG rsm;oxufrsm;vmrSm ajr}uD;vufcwfrvGJygbJ/
GMA : &cdkifjynfoltygt0if ArmwjynfvHk;&SdjynfolawGudk aemufqHk;taeeJ hudkEdkifEdkifbm
awGrSmcsif / t}uHay;csifygovJ /
KNN ; jynfolawGudk usaemfajymcsif'guawmh wdkif;jynfwjynfwdk;wufa&;twGuf jynfol
awG/ txl;ojzifh tem*wfrsdK;qufopfjzpfwJhvli,fawG[m rl;,pfaq;0g;eJ huif;uGm
jyD; / rl;,pfaq;0g;udkvHk;0roHk;pGJjcif; / ynma&;udkOD;pm;ay;judk;pm;jcif;[m etz ppft
pdk;&jyKwfusa&;udk ulnD&ma&mufa}umif; jynfolawGudk ajym}um;vdkygw,f ? ?

The Good Morning Arakan (News) – GMA
------------------

Daung Min Ltd was deconstructed by SPDC

2005-12-28T13:28:00.000Z

a'gif;rif;ukr`%Dudk etzrSzsufodrf;vdkufjcif;

ppfawG - atmufwdkbm 30 ? ? r}umcifu a'gif;rif;ukr`%Dudk etzrSzsufodrf;vdkufa}umif; ppfawGrSvmaom cdkifvHkaom owif;&yfuGuft&od&onf?
a'gif;rif;ukr`%Donf jrefrmjynfY t"du 'DZ,fqDESifh pm;tHk;qDudk rav;&Sm;uwifoGif;&ef etzxHrSvdkifpif&&Sdxm;aom ukr`%D jzpfa}umif;od&Sd&onf?
a'gif;rif;ukr`%Dzsufodrf;cH&jcif; t"duta}umif;&if;rSm 4if;ukr`%D.t"du&S,f,gydkif&Sifrsm;onf&cdkifvlrsdK;rsm;jzpfaejcif;
ESifh &cdkifvlrsdK;trsm;pkudkvkyfom;rsm;tjzpf 4if;ukr`%DwGifawG h&Sd&jcif;wdk hu vuf&SdeHygwf ( 1 ) AdkvfcsKyfrSL;}uD; oef;a&$.
oruf OD;awZtm;rsufpdpyg;arSG;pl;apjcif;wdk hjzpfa}umif; tvkyfvufrJhjzpfoGm;aom a'gif;rif;ukr`%DrS tvkyfoRm;a[mif;
rsm;.ajymjycsuft&od&onf[kqdkonf?
aemufqHk;od&aom owif;t& a'gif;rif;ukr`%Dydkif oabFm 3 pif;udk etzrS yvF,fjyifwGif odrf;ydkufvdkufjyD; aemufoabFm wpD;udkppfawGwGifzrf;qD;odrf;ydkufvdkufonf[kod&Sd&onf? xdk ha}umifh tvkyfvufrJhjzpfoGm;aom tvkyfoRm;rsm;/ oabFmom;
rsm;rSmb0&yfwnfa&;txl;cufcJhoGm;jcif;a}umifh wcsdK hrSm&efukefrS ppfawGodk hb0ysufxGufcGgvm&jyD; wcsdK hrSm b*Fvma'h(&Sf)
EdkifiHodk hxGufcGgvm}u&onf[kqdkonf?
a'gif;rif;ukr`%D. tpk&S,f,gydkif&SifwOD;jzpfaom Edkb,fwJcdk&dyfomydkif&Sif OD; atmifEdkif0if;udkvnf; zrf;qD;xm;a}umif; cdkifrm aomowif;&yfuGuf. owif;ay;ydk hcsuft&od&onf?

The Good Morning Arakan News – GMA (News

Interview with Ma Khaing who have been forced labour in Prichaung dam

2005-12-28T13:21:00.000Z

jydkif;acsmif;qnfwGif t"rRvkyftm;ay;jcif;cHcJh&aom rcdkifESifhGMA awG hqHkar;jref;crf;
GMA: ESmr,f b,fvdkac:ygovJ /
rcdkifyg /
GMA: toufbavmuf&SdjyDvJ/
23 ESpfyg /
GMA: 'gqdk vkyftm;ay;&wkef;u 13 ESpfavmufaygh /
[kwfuJh usrwdk hrdom;pku txl;usyfwnf;}uawmh rdom;pk 3 a,gufteuf usrudkxnfhvdkuf
&Hkuty bmrS rwwfESdkifcJh}uygbl; rdom;pk0ifwdkif; rao&Hkwr,fvkyfrS touf&Sif&rJhtajcae rsdK;rSm /
GMA: Zm"du
ig;aqmifzuf&Gm / ausmufawmfjrdK he,fuyg/
GMA: tJ'Dqnfudk bmtwGufqnfw,fvdk hajymcJhygovJ /
aEGpyg;pdkufzdk h&,f / ykZGefarG;jrLa&;vkyfzdk h&,feJ h a&tm;vSsyfppfxkyfzdk hvdk hawmhajym'gbJ /
GMA: jzpfvmygovm; /
6 vygwf0ef;usifavmufbJ}umr,fxifw,f jyefaygufoGm;w,f /
GMA: rcdkiftazu bmvkyfvJ/
&&mtvkyfaygh r,fr,f&&r&Sdygbl; v,fxGefwJhtcsdefrSm v,fxGeftiSg;vdkufw,f / ysdK;pdkufrJhtcsdefrSm ysdK;pdkuf / aumufodrf;rJhtcsdefrm aumufodrf;tiSg;vdkuftJvdkrsdK;aygh / r,fr,f
&& odyfr&Sdygbl; odwJhtwdkif; vSsyfppfr&Sd / puf&Hk tvkyf&Hkqdk'g a0vma0;jzpfwJh usrwdk h&Jh&cdkifa' orSm usrwdk htazvdkvlpm;rsdK;trsm;}uD;bJav/
GMA: xm;ygawmh jydKif;acsmif;vkyftm;ay; pcrf;ta}umif;c% ajymjyygtHk; /
[kwfuJhjyefajymif;ajym&rSmawmif odyfpdwfraumif;ygbl; vlowfrSkawG / trsdK;oRD;awGudk ESrcsif;
rpmem t"rRrSkawG/ vlawGudk uGsefvdk wd&dw>efvdkjykusifhrSkawG&SdcJhavawmh/
tJ'Djydkif;acsmif;qnftwGuf cr& (374) a'gif;awmif,dk;pcrf;rS ausmufawmfjrdK he,f we,fvHk;uvlawGudk yxrawmh w&Gm 10 a,gufus / aemufawmh wtdrfudkwa,gufus rvdkufr&Sd&t"rRqifhac:cJhyg w,f/ tm;vHk;udk,fhp&dwfeJ hudk,faESmf / rusef;rm,if aq;zdk;0g;cu tp tm;vHk;udk,fhp&dwf/
ydkifqHwwfESdkifwJhvlawGu awmh vltiSg;xnfh}uw,fayghav wygwfudk 700d ay;}u&w,f
'Dae hvdkaiGwefbdk; puULpkwfvdkjzpfaewJh tcsdefrsdK;eJ hESdkif;pm,ifawmh tenf;qHk; 10000d ywf
0ef;usifay;&vdrfhr,fvdk hxifygw,f/
GMA: pcrf;wae hwmtawG ht}uHKav;eJeJajymjyygtHk; /
[kwfuJh reuf apmapm 4 em&Duwnf;ux&ygw,f tJ'Duae aevnf 12 rSm ,Hkcsif,Hkr,Hk
csifae 15 rdepf tcsdefay;w,f tJ'D 15 rdepftcsdefrSm csufvdk hwifrubl;pm;vdk hvJjyD;&r,f /
tJ'ga}umifh vlawGae hwdkif;vdkxRif;reyfweyf bJpm;cJh}u&w,fvdk hqdk&r,f / wcsdK hqdk tcsdef
aphyavGrSkwfawmhxRif;tdk;uqlzdk hvkyfwkef; tJawmh'Dtwdkif;xm;cJh&aygif;rsm;ygw,f / tJxRif;
iwfwJhae haygif;rsm;w,faygh&Sif vlawGb,fvdkaervJpOf;pm;}unfhaygh / tJ'Duae nae 6 em
&DtxdvHk;0rem;&bl; usrwdk hEGm;wd&dw>efvdk&kef;cJh&ygw,f/ &duQmukefvdk hrwwfESdkifwJhudef;qdkuf
xGufajy;}uawmh / tdrfrSmusefcJhwJh cav; / ouf}uD;&G,ftdkra&Smif zrf;jyD;acsmqGJvm}ujyef a&m/
GMA: txdtcdkuf Oyrm temw& toufqHk;&SHk;rSkawG&SdcJ hygovm; /
[kwfuJh&SdcJhygw,f / Oyrm – wef;pDzdk h0DpDrSKwfwJhtcsdefrsdK;awGrSm 0wJhvlawG/ t&yf&SnfwJhvl awGudk wef;rnDbl;qdkjyD;awmh &dkufw,f ESdyfpufw,f / tcsdefeJeJaemufuswJholawGudkvnf; ouf}uD;&G,ftdkracsmif a,gufsm;awGqdkzg;ckefcdkif;jcif;/ aeylxJrSm waeukefvdkuif;jrD;aumuf axmifaecdkif;jcif;/ &dkufjcif;/ rdef hr}uD;awGudktarta':jcif;rpmem t&G,feJ hrvdkufatmif em;&Guf qGJjyD;xdkifxvkyfcdkif;jcif;/ rvkyfjyef,ifvnf; &dkufESufESdyfpufawmh xdkifxvnf;vkyf jyD;a&m&SufjyD; rcsdwifuJidkajuG;}uawmh'gygbJ/
'DtvkyfawGudk AdkvfnGef hvSdkifOD;pD;jyD;awmhvkyfcJhygw,f / rdef hcav;awGudk pcrf;xJoef h&Sif;a&; vkyfr,f / xRif;csufcdkif;r,fqdkjyD;awmhac:w,f/ [dka&mufawmh t"rRjyKusifh}uw,f/ tJovdk
eJ hrdef hcav; 10 ausmf t"rRjyKusifhjcif;cHcJh&jyD;awmh / aq;0g;r&Sdjcif;/ vlrqefpGm&dkufESufjcif; 'g%fawGa}umifh vl6 a,guftoufqHk;&SHK;cJh&ygw,f?
GMA: rcdkiftaeeJ h 'Djydkif;acsmif;qnfeJ hygwfoufjyD;awmhbmawGajymcsifygao;vJ /
[kwfuJh usrodyfem;vnfvdk hr&'gwcku jydKif;acsmif;qnftawG htjuHkeJ hywfoufjyD;awmh usr wdk h&cdkifvlrsdK;awGtay:rSm ArmtkyfcsKyfolawG&J htjyKtrl[m vlvlcsif; odk hr[kwf wEdkifiHwnf;
om;csif;jyKrlwJhyHkpHrsdK;vdk husr cHpm;vdk hr&bl;jzpfaew,f / [dkaus;ydkifuGsefydkifpHepfu uGsefydkif&Sif
awGu uGsefawGtay:rSmjyKrlwJhtjyKtrlrsdK;vdkjzpfaew,f tJ'ga}umifh'Dae hArmtkyfcsKyfolawG
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The Good Morning Arakan (News) – GMA
Contact number: ++ 88 011 081 074

Interview with Ko Naing Naing, on the occasion of 126th Birth Day Anniversary of Ven. U Ottama

2005-12-28T05:53:00.000Z

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ae'gawG awG h&ygw,f / tJ'DudpPEJh ywfoufjyD; udkEdkifEdkif eJeJajymjyygvm;/

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GMA: ajymESdkifr,fqdk&iftao;pdwfqufajymygtHk;/
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qufvufpHkprf;awmh &efukef/ ykZGefawmif aps;teD; q&mawmf ysHvGefawmfrrlcif aeawmfrlcJhaom anmif wkef;ausmif;odk ha&mufoGm;cJhygw,f/ tJ'DrSm wcg pdwfraumif;zG,f&m awG h&wmu rdk;xJavxJav[m
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ol htpfudkESifh aqG;aEG;jyD; ta}umif;}um;rnfjzpfa}umif;ajymojzifh jyefvmcJ h&w,f/
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xl;jcm;csufuawmhjrefrmjynf wwd,wef; pmtkyfrSm jyXgef;xm;wJ hq&mawmfOD;OwWr&Jh twˆKywœdudky,f
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OwWryef;jcHrSmvnf; vSsyfppfrD;xGef;cGifhrjyKawmh/
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w,f/

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tHk;/

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GMA: &cdkifhtmZmeD q&mawmf OD;OwWreJ hywfoufvdk hudkEdkifEdkif aemufqHk;bmajymcsifao;ovJ

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group utxl;aus;Zl;wifygw,f/

usaemfvnf; GMA-News group utckvdkusaemhfudk q&mawmf OD;OwWr&Jh126ESpfajrmufarG;aeh
rSm q&mawmfeJ hygwfoufjyD; ar;jref;jcif;tay: odoavmufajz}um;cGifh&jcif;twGuf txl;aus;Zl;wif a}umif;ajym}um;vdkygw,f cifAsm;?

The Good Morning Arakan - GMA(News)
Contact number: ++ 88 011 081 074

Grave situation of Buddhist political refugee in Bangladesh

2005-12-27T04:02:00.000Z

Dhaka - Friday, Nov 11, 05: According to an anonymity Burmese Buddhist political refugee, in Bangladesh Buddhist political refugees were recognized by UNHCR since around 1990. At that time, Somali, Irani, Iraqi, Sri Lanker, Sieralions and Burmese, etc have been, among of them majority percent of refugees were Somali, they have been around 300 hundreds over personals.

That refugee told that when reached 1993, Burmese political refugee are become second majority stage mentioned among of them but only around 30 personals not more than that. And along 1990 to 1998, they (Burmese Buddhist refugees) have learnt that like everything have been going on smoothly including children educational in English Medium under the protection of concern authorities, when Somali nationals were around 300. Among of them around 30 Somali nationals refugees were provided with every facilities in international hostel as universities students by concern departments in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

By the way, mentioned among of them mostly of Somali, Irani, Iraqi, Sirilanken, Sieralions were gradually resettle in third countries. When reached 1998, 98% Somali were resettle in third countries and other Irani, Iraqi, etc were also nearly exhaust in Bangladesh. At the mean time other left refugees had to take so-called lump sum ( around $ 500, 400, 300, etc ) in 1998 under the 1997 policy of UNHCR.
With those small so-called lump sum, no any refugee could stand in self-reliance because lack of language skill, vocational training and lack of local people cooperation.

In that way, when reach in 2003, even refugees’ children educational expenses were also stopped for English medium and had to convert Bangli medium from English. Even though no problems for little students but had to totally stop their respective educational for older students under the like such sort of ill-treatment educational program of concern authority.

In previous years, Buddhist political refugees were experience arrested, tortured by authority of this country. And present days also, like always Buddhist political refugees were/ are being arrested persecution and interrogated by BDR, RAB, etc in the result of misinformation given by local people (Mr. Min War, a Buddhist political refugee recognized by UNHCR, is still in jail , authority personals are searching so hardly for Min War’s false). In this way, Buddhist political refugees are facing with so suffering in this country, like neither can live in urban because stopped SA by UNHCR since 1998 and nor live in rural because operation going on arms forces of Bangladesh by the name of against terrorists.

Even though they are suffering like in hell as mentioned in above, their concern authority are trying to stop even for their dependents SA (as mentioned in following document) which are being provided by UNHCR mean while consumption rates are ten time higher than if compare from 1990 (90 Tk have been provided for head of family and 45 Tk is being provided for per dependent by UNHCR).

So, on behalf of my fellow Buddhist political refugees, well-wishers NGOs and any third countries are requested by me very earnestly for save us from this hell. Said an anonymity Burmese Buddhist political refugee.

The Good Morning Arakan (News) - GMA

------------------

UNHCR
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Uaut Commissariat des Nations Unies pour les regugies

UNHCR
House # NE (N) 8, Road # 90. Tel: + 880-2-8826802-06
Gulshan-2, Dhaka – 1212, Bangladesh Fax: +880-2-8826557
E-mail: bgdda@unhcr.ch

Ref no: BGDDA/6684

Notice
Subject: Assistance Policy for the Mandate Refugee and the Dependants

Please be informed that in light of recent developments, UNHCR Bangladesh is reviewing its urban refugee programme to ensure better protection and programme delivery for the mandate refugees and their dependents as follows:
1. The maximum period of the subsistence allowance (SA) will be for six months starting from the date of the recognition as a refugee. The dependant (s) having derivative status accordingly will have SA also for six months. No SA will be applicable for persons who will be included in the file at the latter stage(ie. New arrival or birth).
The rate of SA will remain the same as existing one (i.e. BDT 90. 00 and BDT 45. 00 respectively for the main applicant and dependant(s) per day).
2. After having SA for a period of six months, the IC will be provided with a lump-sum amount for his/her income generation and self-reliance(SR) activities. That means the IC has to come up with a proposal within six months, so that s/he could start the SR activity following the end of the period for SA. This allowance (SA) period will not be extended unless there is a valid reason or a special circumstance.
3. The amount of the SR grant will be around BDT 20,000.00 (Twenty thousand only). Latter on, an additional amount may be provided considering prospect of the project and its viability. This provision will be effected from 1st January 2006.
4. As the lump-sum amount provided aims at the ICs be self-reliant and capable of supporting the dependant, if any, so no more SA OR other allowances (except education allowance for the school going children, need-based medical allowance-subject to certification from a designated physician) will be applicable.
5. SA that has exceeded six months (irrespective of main applicants and dependants) will be stopped from January 2006. (last month of payment will be December 2005). This will be applicable irrespective of levels of the refugees.
6. The education allowance for the school going children will be continued as per existing practice (this is also under further review).
7. The office will be providing special consideration in case of elderly persons, woman headed family, unaccompanied children, or other wise in a vulnerable situation.
8. For any clarification or further information in this regard, please contact our implementing partner, RCSU of Dhaka Ahsania Mission, House-11/A, Road –12 (New), Dhanmondi Residential Area, Dhaka – 1209, Tel: 9145103, 0189 274377. If required, they will arrange a meeting for you with the concerned official from UNHCR.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Already signed
Christopher Beng Cha Lee
Representative

Present consumtion rate of Arakan (Rakhine State)

2005-12-27T03:39:00.000Z

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1 ? taumif;pm;qef wodkuf ------------------------ 300d
2 ? &dk;&dk;qef wodkuf ------------------------ 200d
3 ? &cJaygifw&m ,ck -------------------------6000d
,cif -------------------------1500d

4 ? 'DZ,fqD -------------------------5500d
5 ? "gwfqD -------------------------3500d
6 ? &efukef-ppfawG-um;c ,cif --------------------- 7000d
,ck ---------------------12000d
7 ? awmifukwf-&efukef- um;c ,cif ------------------ 4000d
,ck -------------------- 5500d
8 ? rvdc§arc oabFmp&dkuf
ppfawG-awmifukwf - ,cif ---------------------16000d
,ck -------------------- 13600d
qDaps;}uD;I bl;oD;awmif - armifawm rvdc§arc oabFm vdkif;ydwfxm;& /

tjcm;aps;ESkef;rsm;qufvufpHkprf;qJ --------

The Good Morning Arakan ( News ) – GMA

Crisis of clean water for Sittwe people, Arkan State, Burma.

2005-12-27T03:29:00.000Z

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TuJhodk h txufuaz:jycJonfh ppfawGjrdk h&yfuGufrsm; a&jyoemeSifh &ifqdkifae}u&onfh t"duta}umif;&if;rSm ppfawGwjrdk hvHk;udk a&;jzefha0ay;onfh uefawmf}uD;ta&S hzuf wyf&if; rSl; pdkif;0if;az OD;aqmifonfh vHkxdrf;wyf&if;. &duQm pdkufysdK;a&;twGuf[kqdkum uefawmf}uD; atmufajcrS ykdufvHk;}uD;udk azmufI ykdufvdkif;oG,fum vdkavao;r&dS olwdk h. &duQmpdkuf uGif;rsm;udk a&ay;aejcif;a}umifh jzpfonf[k jrdk holjrdk hom;rsm;u qdkonf/ 4if;udpPudkvnf;jrdK h
awmfpnfyifXmeu vHk;0rajymqdk0Hh}uay/
ppfawGwGif uefawmf}uD;rS a&ay;a0onfh pHepfatmuf a&&&dSaom&yfuGufaygif; 23 &yfuGuf&ddSonf/ ,if;wdk htxJrS a&tjrJvdkvdk&&Sdaom &yfuGuf 13 &yfuGufwGif ,ckeSpf atmf*kwfv 25&uf aehrSpI a& rDwmprf;oyfwyfqifay;onf[k qdkonf/ rDwmwvHk;twGuf wtdrfudk aiG 10000d pDay;}u &onf/ ray;ol/ ray;edkifolwdk h. ykdufvdkif;udk ydwfypfchJonf[k qdkonf/ Tvkyfief;udk t"duwm0ef,l vkyfudkif&olrSm jrdk he,fpifyifom,mtwGif;a&;rSl; (tif*sifeD,m) OD;atmifoef;jzpfonf/
ppfawGjrdk holjrdk hom;rsm;twGuf uefawmf}uD;rS a&ay;a0a&;pHepfonfa&S;eSpfaygif;rsm;pGm t*Fvdyfvufxuf uyif jrdk holjrdk hom; vlOD;a& 50000 twGufom a&&G,fjyD; vkyfay;cJhjcif; jzpfonf/ ArmtkyfcskyfrSk hatmufodk ha&mufvmonfh tcsdefrSpI 4if;a&ay;a0a&; pHepfonf wdk;csJ hhwyfqifjcif; ydkufvHk;vJvS,fjcif;/ uHawmf}uD;udk rGef;rH jcif;tp&dSonf wpHkw&m vkyf aqmifjcif;r&dS/
xdk ha}umifh rdk;OD;uswGif ydkufvHk;tayguftjyJwdk hrS a&qdk;a&npfrsm; 0ifa&mufjcif;/ 'Da&}uD; aomumvwdk hwGif qm;iHa&rsm;0ifjcif;tp&dSonf qdk;usdk;w&m;rsm;a}umifh vl}uD;oli,frusef 0rf;azm 0rf;a&mifjzpfjcif;/ 0rf;avsmjcif; tp&dSonf 0ef;a&m*gwdk hjzifh eSpfpOfeSpfwdkif; jrdk hol
jrdl hom;wdk htoufaygif;rsm;pGm raooifhbJ aoqHk;ae}u&onf/
xdk ha}umifh ppfawGjrdk hrS jrdk hrdjrdk hzvdk vl}uD;vlaumif;wa,mufrS txl;pdwfraumif;zG,f owif;ay;ydk hchJonfrSm ppfawGjrdk holjrdk hom;rsm; a&aumif;a&oefh r&&dSjcif;a}umifh ESpfpOfESpfwdkif; touf aygif;rsm;pGmqHk;&kH;ae}u&onfhta}umif;udk urBmhjynfolvlxkodatmif wqdwfajymjy
ay;}uyg[kqdkonf ? ?

The Good Morning Arakan (News) – GMA
Contact us: ++ 88 011 081 074

More oppression upon the Arakanese people is for the best promotion

2005-12-27T03:09:00.000Z

“a'oppf0wfuGwf&JrSL; AdkvfrSL;csKyf oef;xGef;atmif ESifhvufa0cH jrdK he,fpnfyifwdk h.
EdSyfpufrSKatmuf &cdkifhukefonf qdkifonfwdk h.'kuQ”

ppfawG-'DZbFm-26/ 2005 // // ppfawG &lyajrmuf/ uvm;acsmif; bvl;rwHxm;teD;/ pm;aomufqdkif 13 qdkif(jzdK; xRif;qdkif/ wufae0if;xRif;qdkif ESifh okcvuBuf&nfqdkiftygt0if tjcm;pm;aomufqdkif 10qdkifudk
4if;qdkifrsm;rS xGufaom trSdKufo&dkufrsm;a}umifh bvl;rwHxm;atmuf&dS acsmif;ydwfqdk honfqdkjyD;2003 wdkif;rSL;armifOD; vufxufuyif rw&m; ydwfypfcJ honf//
armifOD; ajymif;oGm;jyD;aemuf r0Hhr&J jyefzGifh/ 0rf;wxGmta&; r[kwfw[kwf toufqufae}upOf topf a&mufvmaom a'oppf0wfuGwf&JrSL; AdkvfrSL;csKyf oef;xGef;atmifu pnfyif (jrdK he,fpnfyifom,m a&;t
zJG h) OD;pD;rSL; AdkvfrSL;jrwfpdk;udk 4if;qdkifrsm;udkqufzGifhvSsifta&;,lrnf[ktrdef hay;cJhojzifh 'kuQa&mufae }u a}umif;/

odk haomf 4if;wdk htxJrS qdkifonfwa,guf. ajymjycsuft& t"duta}umif;rSm 4if;r[kwfa}umif; a'o ppfuGwfuJ a&;rSL;a[mif;uJhodk htopfa&mufvmaom a'oppf0wfuGwf&JrSL; AdkvfrSL;csKyf oef;xGef;atmif onf pnfyifOD;pD;rSL; AdkvfrSL;jrwfpdk;ESifhaygif;jyD; pm;ayguf xGifaejcif;omjzpfa}umif;/

2004 ckwGif a'oppfuGwfuJa&;rSL;a[mif;onf pnfyifESifhaygif;jyD; Avl;rwHxm;atmufu acsmif;udkwl;&ef [kta}umif;jyum tpdk;&Am;*swfodef; 50 usyfESifh &cdkifhukr`%Dydkif&Sifrsm;rS 2odef; rS 5odef;xd aiGaumufcHjyD; ydwfpm;oGm;a}umif;/
aemufwcsuf a&a}umif;c&D;onf ukefonfrsm;twGuf ydkIqdk;onfhtcsufwcsufrSm 4if;Avl;racsmif;udk
wdrfaum aponf[k rqDrqdkifta}umif;jyum ta}umif;rod 0ifa&mufrdaom pufavS/ avmif; avS/ oAŠmefrsm;udk tcGifhaumif;,l zrf;qD;odrf;qnf;jcif; rsm;vkyfaea}umif; / acsmif;0wGifyif ausmufcs&yf em;jcif; / ukefwifukefcsjyKvkyfjcif;wdk hudk vHk;0cGifhrjyKjcif;tp&Sdonfwdk ha}umifh txufuqdkcJhonfhqdkifonf rsm; / a&a}umif;ukefonfrsm; txl;'kuQa&mufae}ua}umif;owif;&&Sdygonf?

rSwfcsuf ? ? &cdkifjynfolwdk h,Hk}unfcHpm;ae}uonfrSm wdkif;rSL; / a'o ppf0wfuGwfa&;rSL; / pnfyifAdkvfrSL; wdk huJhodk haom ArmtkyfcsKyfolt&m&Sdqdk;rsm; &cdkifjynfolrsm;tay: rsm;rsm;ESdyfpufav &mxl;ydkjuD;av/
Oyrm – rif;a*gif / jroif; / 0if;jrifh / armifOF; wdk h&cdkifjynfrS ajymif;oGm;aomtcg 0ef}uD;rsm;jzpfoGm;}ujcif; (jroif; – jynfxJa&;0ef}uD; / 0if;jrifh – twGif;a&;rSL; -2/ armifOD; vuf&SdjynfxJa&;0efjuD;tp&Sdonfwdk h jzpfoGm;}ujcif;)?
,KQkvuf&Sdwdkif;rSL; cifarmifjrifhrSmvnf; a&Shu aemifawmfrsm;twdkif; &mxl;wuf&ef &cdkifhv,fajrrsm;udkt"rR odrf;jcif;/ ol&a&GSref;.om;xkyfvkyfaom tdkiftdk'if;qm;udk twif;t"rR r0,frae& vkyfjyaejcif;? ?

(Ttxufygowif;tcsuftvufrsm;udk EdkifEdkif (ppfawG) 8888 rsdK;qufopfrS&&Sdonf)

The Good Morning Arakan-GMA(News)
Contact number: ++ 88 011 074

“Shan national leaders, U Nyo Tun and U Sai Hla Aung were shifted Rakhine State”

2005-12-25T11:50:00.000Z

Sittwe – December 25, 2005: Accordance to firm sources (from Shan national 9 leaders group including U Khon Tun Oo) U Nyo Tun, (56), was sentenced 79 years imprisonment, very recently, he was already shifted from eastern Burma to Buthidaung jail, Rakhine state, western territory Burma, according to that sources.

U Nyo Tun’s own sister Daw Htay Htay Win and her spouse Mr. Myo Swe had started their long journey to meet with her owner brother, under the providing or help of ICRE, from Shan State, eastern side of Burma to Buthidaung jail, western side of Burma through by trains, cars, air and at last by No – 1 Dhinyawadi ship and arrived December 15, 2005.

U Nyo Tun’s case was handled by advocate Daw Ma Aye Nu Sein, a most prominent advocate in Rakhine State, accordance to that source.

From that Shan 9 leaders group, U Sai Hla Aung was also already shifted to Kyauk Pru jail, Rakhine state, Burma, according to that sources.

From that group, including U Sai Nyunt Lwin and others 6 personals Shan leaders were where we couldn’t trace, yet. We, are hunting for that cases and will continue.

U Sai Nyunt Lwin who lived in 9 miles place, Insein township of Rangoon Division, he used to helped in Rakhine people’s general matters such kinds of publishing historical books, and venerable Ven. U Ottama’s pictures were publishing by small amounts, etc, as sources.

Shan national leaders, U Khon Tun Oo, U Sai Hla Aung, U Sai Nyunt Lwin and other 6 personals were charged with sedition cases by SPDC then sentenced long term imprisonment for accusing have been connection with Liberated Shan State group, who are being declared separated Shan State from Burma since few months back.

The Good Morning Arakan
Contact number: ++ 88 011 081 074

NB: This issue was received from Naing Naing (Sittwe), one of 8888 generation, as he told.

Burmesefonts

2005-12-25T08:28:00.000Z

http://burmesefonts.htm

Suffering from seriously illness of former president of CPA, U Maung Han!

2005-12-22T11:41:00.000Z

“&cdkifjynfuGefjrLepfygwD OuUXa[mif; OD;armif[ef txl;rusef;rrmjzpfedef”

“av;pm;&ygaom &amp;amp;cdkifol / &cdkifom;taygif;&dk h”
&cdkifjynfuGefjrLepfygwD OuUXa[mif; OD;armif[efonf txl;rusef;rrmjzpfedefa}umif; ol hudkoRD;&if;o
zG,fjyKpkedefonfh (acwW 'gumwGifa&mufedefaom) a':a&amp;amp;mifar ('dkif;euftrsdK;oRD;) rSwqifh udkEDkifEdkif odcJha}umif;r}umcifuajymcJhonf ?
udkAif&dk htm;vHk;od*wfawtwdkif; OD;armif[efonf &cdkifhtrsdK;om;awmfvSefa&;vrf;a}umif;xJrS &cdkifhuGefjrL
epfygwD(CPA)udk yxrOD;qHk; OD;aqmifcaom a*gif;aqmifwa,gufjzpfa}umif;ESifh ol.vkyf&nfudkif&nfESifh pdwfoabmxm; aumif;jcif;a}umifh &cdkifjynfol&dk h&cdkifjynfuGefjrLepfygwDxuf armif[efygwD[kom tod
rsm; tajymrsm;cJh}uonf /
ol hESifhywfoufI txl;0rf;eJ a}uuGJzG,f usaemfhtwGD tjuHkwckudk az:jy&rnfqdkvSsif ,Qif 10 ESpfygwf
0ef;usifavmufu edef hwedef hwGif usaemfhESifh zavmif;csdwf wedef&mwGifwGD}uaom tcg “ta0b}uD; igh
om;eJ hig rwGdapmf ESpfaygif;ESpfq,fausmfAsmjzpfvdk h igeJ hwGdzdk hvmvwfaw a'*kjyeftvm;rm igheJ hquf
oG,fa&qdkjAD;au r}umcifu ighom;udk e0w&dk howfypfvDAsmaxm/ ighom;ighyg;udk v,fzdk hrvmc autouf oDvDzdk hr[kwf” [kqdkum ol htouft&G,fudkyifraxmufESdkifbJ usaemh&SdrSm 0rf;eJyufvuf idkjuGD;vDygonf/
vufeufudkifawmfvSefa&;oRm;b0wdukd vuf&dSjydK*swfatmufursufpd a':vmatmufursufpdeJh}unfhvdk h
um;vHk;0 vufwGduszdk hr[kwf/
4if;xuf ESpfaygif;eSpf&mausmf/ rsdK;qufav;quf usGefoabmufjzpfedefa& “r”w&amp;amp;m om;oGD; uGsef*sD;xlwddudk a*gif;aqmif&a& &cdkihfvufeufudkifawmfvSefa&amp;amp;;orm; a*gif;aqmifqdkonfhtvkyfuvnf; qdkcJhaomvnfol pm;wrf;acwf/ rsufpdjzifh}unfhvdk hum; vHk;0obm0usvdrfharr[kwf/
a'*kum; avmif;*snf;&musef tvHrvSJa*vJ rdef;pmukefqDcrf; touf 80 ywf0ef;usifa&mufedefAsmjzpfaw
&cdkifhusGefjrLepfygwD OuUXa[mif; OD;armif[ef. tajctaeum; 'dkif;euftrsdK;orD; a':a&mifar rStytm;
xm;&m ewˆD tajctae?
xdk ha}umifh t0D;a&muf&amp;amp;cdkifom;rsm;/ &cdkifhtrsdK;om; vufeufudkifawmfvSefa&;udk wefzdk;xm;em;vnfolrsm; b}uD;OD; armif[ef usef;rma&;twGuf ulnDvdk}uygu b*Fvma'h(&Sf)EdkifiH&Sd &if;ESD;eD;pyf&molrsm;u wqifht ultnDyD;ESdkif}uyga}umif;? ?

avmavmq,f aumufcH&&Sdxm;aompm&if;
1? udkjrwfausmf 500Tk
2? AASYC 500 Tk

GMA-NEWS

Dhama ceremoney of Ven. Thumana, Dadlay Saradaw from Sittwe, and suffering of Buddhist Rakhine in BD”

2005-12-22T11:19:00.000Z

“ppfawGrS "gwfvnfq&mawmf OD;okre zavmif;csdwf (b*Fvma'h(&Sf) ) wGifw&m;pcrf;vma&mufzGifhvSpfjcif;”
ESifh b*Fvma'h(&Sf) &SdAk'uGufrSqdkayonf ? ?

The Good Morning Arakan - GMA ( News )

Pauk Taw township people’s suffering under the mistreating of SPDC

2005-12-22T06:41:00.000Z

Sittwey – Thursday, November 3, 05: According to firm sources from Sittwe ( capital city of Rakhine region ), under the mistreating or divided and rule of SPDC, Sittwe township water territory of Bangal bay was provided or given by authority for Master Ltd., leading by local broker or victim Aung Than as tender passed for them.
For use Bangal bay water territory for fishing, Master Ltd. are being paid by fisherman as per fishing boat 40000 Kyat for per month.

For Taung Fuu – Pway Khrit Taung water territory tender was passed by leading of Mr. Aung Than group and fishermans have to sell their fish or water resources if they get or catch for Aung Tha group at half percent low price even though have high beyond Aung Tha group.

“We have only experience in our childhood that our olders peoples were offers for river evils to get or catch fish in like 10 or 25 pyars not more than one Kyat as customs. But brokers of SPDC are so rampaging as inhuman acts upon us instead of rivers evils” one fisherman crying like that and Arakan people fishermans are suffering under the divided and rule or mistreating of SPDC since long period.

Whether they have caught fish or not but Aung Tha group are being paid by them per fisherman have to paid per month till 60000 Kyat. And passer by boat also have to pay if they cross Aung Tha’s territory.

In this way, Khey Gu river ( river of buffalo summing) tender passed for Mr. Shwe Htun Fru, local people known him as a murders, and he also treating like other.

So, from Rakhine region, some political persons are criticizing that SPDC are creating among the Rakhine people for more divided or misunderstand day by day.

The Good Morning Arakan – GMA ( News)
Contact number: ++ 88 011 081 074

Dhama ceremoney of Ven. Thumana, Dadlay Saradaw from Sittwe, and suffering of Buddhist Rakhine in BD”

Like in hell of Ponna Gyum people's suffering under the mistreating miscreants followers of SPDC

2005-12-21T15:20:00.000Z

cr& 550 wyf&if;rSl; 0if;atmif/ 'kwyf&if;rSL;nm%f0if;ESifh vufa0cH ukefonf}uD;toif;wdk h.
npfywfjcif;atmufrS ykÀm;uGsef;jynfolwdk h.tajctaeqdk;

ppfawG – Edk0bFm 16 ? ? ykÀm;uGsef;tajcpdkuf cr& 550 wyf&if;rSl; 0if;atmifonf ykÀm;uGsef;rS trnf
raz:jyvdkolwa,guf. bdk;bGm;ydkif v,f / jcH tdrf wdk hudktydkifodrf;jyD; t"rRaexdkifaeoljzpfonf/

4if;0if;atmifESifh / 'kwyf&if;rSL;nm%f 0if;wdk honf ykÀm;uGsef;jrdK hodk ha&mif;&efa&mufvmaomte,f e,ft&yf&yfrS qefrsm;udk ta}umif;trsdK;rsdK;jyzrf;qD;jyD; wzef a&SGxGef;atmif(jrdK hol}uD;&yfuGuf / atmifcif (tdk;wef;) / pdk;cef h-ausmif;wufvrf;- (rqva[mif; - ausmif;q&m OD;ausmfcdkif.om;) / armifxGef;ausmf (tdk;wef;)/ OD;zdk;odef; tp&Sdolwdk hOD;aqmifonf h ukefonf}uD;toif;qdkaom toif;odk hjyefvnfa&mif;csum a0pm;ae }u onf[k ykÀm;uGsef;rStrnfraz:vdkqeftodrf;cH&aom ukefonfwOD;rSajym}um;cJhonf/ ol qufvuf ajym}um;&mY a&mif;cscGifh&aom qefukefonfrsm;rSmvnf; r0wudk 10000d (waomif;) ay;& um/ ukefonf}uD;toif;udk5000d (ig;axmifusyf) ay;&a}umif;/ wzefqdyfurf;c tjzpf ykvdyf / p 3vHk;wdk hhudk 3 axmifrS 5 axmifxday;&a}umif;/ ,if;odk hjzifh pmuav;udk acgif;ESkwfzifESkwf tjzpfrsdK;a&mufum &dK;om; aom ukefonfrsm;rSmt&SHK; ESifhcsOf;&ifqdkifae}u&a}umif; /
Tenf;tm;jzifh txufu nSGef}um;csuftwdkif; aoG;cJGa&;pHepfudk xdxda&mufa&muftaumif txnfaz: ae}ujcif;jzpfonf[k EdkifiHa&;tawG htjuHk&Sdaomausmif;q&mwa,gufuajym}um;cJha}umif; owif;ay;ydk h cJhonf ? ?

rSwfcsuf ? ? ykÀm;uGsef;jrdK h0if0&Sd cr& 550 ppfwyfe,fajronfvnf; &cdkifjynfolrsm;.bdk;bGm;ydkifajr,g
udke0wacwfwGif t"rRodrf;ydkufxm;aome,fajrjzpfa}umif;ajym}um;cJhonf?

The Good Morning Arakan-GMA (News)
Contatct number: ++ 88 011 081 074

Arakanese women work shop held

2005-12-21T14:49:00.000Z

trsdK;orD;tay:enf;rsdK;pHkjzifht=urf;zufrSkeSifhywfoufaom tvkyf&HkaqG;aEG;yGJ
udk'gum+rdK hwGifusif;y+yD;pD;

'gum/edk0bFm 19// ? rae hu trsdK;orD;rsm;tay: enf;rsdK;pHkjzifht=urf;zufrSkeSifhywfoufaom tvkyf&HkaqG;aEG;yGJ w&yfudk(WLB)taemufzufa'owm0efcH &cdkiftrsdK;orD;tpnf;t&Hk;(RWU)rSOD;pd;+yD; 'gumjrdK h wae&mY usif;ycJha=umif;od&Sd&onf?
4if;tcrf;tem;wGif RWU OuUX apmjr&mZmvif;rS obmywdvkyfjyD; ALD),(ALAE),(ABSL),(AASYC)ESifh(RDF) tzGJ htpnf;wdk hrS yg0ifaqG;aEG;cJh}ua}umif;/
ppfawG+rdK h&lyajrmuf etztpdk;&rSzGJ hpnf;ay;xm;aomtrsdK;orD;OuUXtdrfwGifrk'def;vlowfrSkjzpfyGg;cJh+yD;/ ykÀm;uSsGef;+rdK h / ajryHkjrdK h / ijyDuGsef; wdk hYvnf;tvm;wljzpfyGg;cJh a}umif; / 4if;udpPeSifhywfoufItrsdK;orD;rsm;tzGJhcsKyf(jrefrmedkifiH)b*Fvma'h&Sf/ &cdkift rsdK;orD;tpnf;t&Hk;.OuUVapmjr&mZmvif;uajym=um;cJhonfrSm ,Qifuetzppftpdk;&.fwyfom;rsm;jyKusifhaomrk'def;rSkonf e,fpGefe,fzsm;Yom=um;od=u&+yD;,cktcgtvGefpdk;&drfp&mtajcaea&mufvmaea=umif;xdktvkyf&HkaqGaEG;yGJYajym=um;cJhonf[kod&Sd&onf?
,id;tpnf;ta0;udkwufa&mufcJhaom(Arakan Labour Association in Exile-ALAE)rStrsdK;orD;a&;&mwm0efcHwpf
OD;jzpfola':rykpdefrSajym=um;onfrSm-94 / 96 tw/Gif; olrudk,fwdkiftrf;-ausmufjzL um;vrf;azmufvkyf&mwGif t"onfESifhwlonf[kajymjycJhonf? xdktrsdK;orD;ydsKrsm;rSmtrsm;tm;jzifhrdbrsm;ta=umif;trdsK;rsdK;a=umifh(OyrmwigavSxGufcsdef (0g) aumufodrf;csdef)wdk hwGif rvdkufedkifjcif;a=umifholwdk hudk,fpm; qENrygyJvdkufygoGm;&=u&jcif;jzpfa=umif;/xdkodk htjzpf tysufrsm;udkvspfvsLrxm;yJudk,fwwfedkifoavmuf}udK;pm;+yD;ppftpdk;&udkenf;rsdK;pHkjzifhqefhusifvm;=u&eftm;vHk;aom
&cdkiftzGJ htpnf;rsm;Ytxl;wm0ef&Sda=umif;ajym=um;cJhonf[kqdkonf?
xdktvkyf&HkaqG;aEG;yGJudk 3 em&DavmufwGifpwifjyD; nae 5 cGJwGifatmifjrifpGmjyD;pD;cJha=umif;od&Sd&onf? ?

Myra Ein Zan
The Good Morning Arakan (News) – GMA
Contact number: ++ 88 011 081 074

Due to include secession rights in constitution of NLD

2005-12-21T14:34:00.000Z

Three years anniversary of Daw Suu’s memorial trip to Rakhine state
And present condition of NLD under the oppressive of SPDC

In 12 February, 1947, Pin Lone agreement, U Aung San had given or promised for secession rights due to organize hill people and to take freedom from British colonial. In the result of that agreement, so-called Burma gain freedom.
So, at the present time meanly for non-Burman people, NLD has to include that Aung San given secession rights, in their (NLD’s) constitution. Because of this mentioned rights is only one grantee for non-Burman people in so-called Burma.

Editor
The Good Morning Arakan-News(GMA)

Editorial of GMA

2005-12-21T14:24:00.000Z

at'Dwmhtmabmf
&Gufa[mif;wdk ha}uGI &Gufopfa0onf/ ta[mif;wdk hysufokef;I topftopfwdk htpm;xdk;onf/ atmif yGJqifonf/ Tum; ed,mr/ obm0/
qdkcJhaom obm0/ ed,mrudk rnfolrS ajymif;vJI r&paumif;/ cufonfum; T obm0ed,mrudkzDqefI
ArmjynfwGif vuf&Sdrsufuef;rsdK;cspf ppftkyfpkonf usm;ukyfusm;cJ tm%mudkqkwfudkifxm;onf /
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vkdayonf// //

GMA (News)
Date: Friday, December 02, 2005

Seeking an interview with an authorized person of ANC

2005-12-21T14:12:00.000Z

Seeking an interview with an authorized person of ANC
Record chatting between U Htun Saw Thein, a reporter of GMA-NEWS, and Ko Khaing Kyaw Htun, a staff of ANC were as following:

htunsawthein (11:57:23 AM): Hello!
htunsawthein (11:57:43 AM): How are you?

anc_hq (11:58:27 AM): fine and u?

htunsawthein (11:59:00 AM): May I greet you Good Morning Arakan?
htunsawthein (11:59:16 AM): I also well, thanks.
htunsawthein (12:03:25 PM): Let me greet Good Morning Arakan.

anc_hq (12:04:14 PM): yeap
anc_hq (12:04:15 PM): good

htunsawthein (12:05:21 PM): I think you are busy.

anc_hq (12:06:26 PM): a little
anc_hq (12:06:29 PM): not serious
anc_hq (12:06:51 PM): may i know who u r plz?
anc_hq (12:07:20 PM): yeap, u can say like this

htunsawthein (12:07:20 PM): I am Htun Saw Thein.
htunsawthein (12:07:42 PM): And you?

anc_hq (12:08:48 PM): where r u talking from?

htunsawthein (12:10:01 PM): If possible, may I know or ask development of ANC?
htunsawthein (12:11:20 PM): Let me request as a reporter of Good Morning Arakan News (GMA-News).

anc_hq (12:12:21 PM): yeap
anc_hq (12:12:24 PM): go on

htunsawthein (12:12:49 PM): Because our Arakan National Council is mean for us.
htunsawthein (12:14:33 PM): Let me know about coming conference of ANC.
htunsawthein (12:14:49 PM): When it going to hold?

anc_hq (12:15:40 PM): u'd better ask about ANC conference concering ANC-cc committee

htunsawthein (12:16:14 PM): Because as you know well our, Arakan, unity is so important according to present situation of what happening in so-called Burma.
htunsawthein (12:17:57 PM): If, possible, please let me know your name and what responsibility of your in ANC.
htunsawthein (12:19:50 PM): To whom, I have to ask please talk me authority person or spokeman of ANC, please.

anc_hq (12:21:28 PM): i can arrange ANC cc members if u want to talk
anc_hq (12:21:36 PM): but they r very busy now
anc_hq (12:21:58 PM): plz understand me

htunsawthein (12:23:34 PM): OK, please arrange for GMA-NEWS.
htunsawthein (12:24:27 PM): But let me know, when I will be able to discuss with him.

anc_hq (12:25:35 PM): i think they will be free the day after tomorrow

htunsawthein (12:26:22 PM): OK, thanks, I have to wait for that time.

anc_hq (12:26:45 PM): thanx for your interesting

htunsawthein (12:27:05 PM): But, if possible please provide for me a confront time.

anc_hq (12:27:08 PM): btw, u r from BD
anc_hq (12:27:13 PM): ?
anc_hq (12:27:40 PM): yeap
anc_hq (12:28:04 PM): what time will be possible for u Friday?

htunsawthein (12:28:29 PM): May I know what you meant btw in previous mentioned, please?
anc_hq (12:29:03 PM): by the way

htunsawthein (12:29:36 PM): OK, thanks.
htunsawthein (12:30:29 PM): You can mention for coming friday, when, if possible?

anc_hq (12:30:41 PM): u welcome
anc_hq (12:31:32 PM): plz tell me who do u want to meet, on Friday?
anc_hq (12:32:06 PM): so that i can pass on that news the person u want to meet

htunsawthein (12:32:26 PM): May I know your name, please and your responsibility of ANC?
anc_hq (12:33:29 PM): i am a staff of ANC

htunsawthein (12:33:46 PM): Thanks.
htunsawthein (12:34:08 PM): Your name please, if possible.

anc_hq (12:34:24 PM): Khaing Kyaw Htun

htunsawthein (12:35:21 PM): Thanks Ko Khaing Kyaw Htun for chatting with GMA-NEWS for today.

anc_hq (12:36:01 PM): so do I

htunsawthein (12:36:16 PM): If possible I would like to meet spokesperson of ANC.

anc_hq (12:36:27 PM): and don't forget to say, who u want to meet
anc_hq (12:37:28 PM): as far as i know ANC has not appointed anyone as a spokesperson

htunsawthein (12:39:20 PM): My name is Htun Saw Thein a reporter of GMA-NEWS and I would like to discuss with any authorized person of ANC, if possible.

anc_hq (12:39:55 PM): i.c

htunsawthein (12:41:43 PM): I am sorry, because I don't know too much about ANC. So, you may mention that with whom I should meet and discuss.

anc_hq (12:42:48 PM): In Delhi , there are two president of ANC namely U Tha Noe, U Thein Phay, Secretary U Mg Mg, joint-Sec U Kyaw Thein Mg, Khaing Myo Minn, Bo Aung , Pray Aye, Mg Lu Gree, U Sandawara,

anc_hq (12:43:04 PM): u can choose anyone u like to meet

htunsawthein (12:47:07 PM): Thanks for your mentioned.
htunsawthein (12:49:20 PM): If possible, I would like to discuss with U Tha Noe, president of ANC.

anc_hq (12:49:46 PM): okay
anc_hq (12:50:26 PM): i'll tell him u wanna meet

htunsawthein (12:51:24 PM): So, let me know will of concern person in advance, if possible.

anc_hq (12:51:31 PM): may i know where u r living now?
anc_hq (12:52:47 PM): u mean?

htunsawthein (1:17:58 PM): As you know well our national unity is so important. And what ANC doing at the present also so important for our Arakan.

anc_hq (1:18:47 PM): u r right

htunsawthein (1:32:28 PM): May you talk me some about present situation of ANC, as you are a staff of ANC, Ko Khaing Kyaw Htun, very frankly?
htunsawthein (1:35:17 PM): Indeed, authorized persons of ANC are aware about the present situation of Burmese military junta and so-called Burma.
htunsawthein (1:36:47 PM): So, what they, authorized persons of ANC, are doing is so important for Arakan.
anc_hq (1:37:26 PM): absolutely right

htunsawthein (1:45:57 PM): So, if possible please talk me so far you know about the ANC, as you are a staff of ANC.
anc_hq (1:51:14 PM): sorry

htunsawthein (1:56:18 PM): Only for few elements, as far you know about present situation of ANC.
htunsawthein (1:59:30 PM): Do you think ANC conference will be held within a six month time?

anc_hq (2:01:29 PM): i think ANC conference begins within 2006
htunsawthein (2:05:06 PM): Thanks, and some person of ANC has told will be within December, 2005. But what happened that plan as far you know?
anc_hq (2:08:03 PM): it dependents on financial situation

htunsawthein (2:08:57 PM): Thanks.

htunsawthein (2:11:10 PM): So, you are requested by me to inform in advance for interview with U Tha Noe, president of ANC, or his will.
htunsawthein (2:12:27 PM): Nice to meet with you and take care.

anc_hq (2:12:32 PM): sure
anc_hq (2:13:16 PM): i'll inform him but i don't know whether he accept ur offer or not
anc_hq (2:13:50 PM): plz excuse me
anc_hq (2:13:59 PM): i have much work to do

htunsawthein (2:14:07 PM): OK,

anc_hq (2:14:16 PM): so i continue on my work
anc_hq (2:14:23 PM): nice to meet u
anc_hq (2:14:26 PM): see u
anc_hq (2:14:32 PM): take care
anc_hq (2:14:32 PM): bye

htunsawthein (2:14:52 PM): Bye.

So, we, GMA-NEWS group is waiting for U Tha Noe’s , president of ANC, ready time or contact.

The Good Morning Arakan-GMA (NEWS)
Contact number: ++ 88 011 081 074