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Thursday, August 2, 2012

[chottala.com] Assam Muslim massacre linked to geopolitics, bigotry



Assam Muslim massacre linked to geopolitics, bigotry

A house burns at Kachugaon village in Kokrajhar district, about 230 kms from Guwahati, the capital city of Assam, an Indian state, during violent that resulted in loss of over 100 lives.
M. Shahidul Islam
 
The gory tale of slaughtering innocent Muslims in Assam is something India should be ashamed of as the world's largest democracy. The death toll is surpassing hundred, according to the latest count, while more bodies are missing or being discovered.

The constant attack on Bangladesh as a source of illegal migration is not supported by facts either. According to the 2011 census, the population of Assam stands at 3,11,69,272, of which 1,59,54,927 are males and 1,52,14,345 females. The wolf crying about illegal migration is not supported by data that shows the decadal growth of the State's population at 16.93 percent during 2001-2011, against 17.64 percent national average.

Two major phenomena explain the rioting more convincingly: Geopolitics and communalism. Geopolitically, western Assam, where the rioting is occurring, is crucial to the entire Northeast through which passes the only supply route to the whole region. Wedged between Bangladesh to the south and west, and China to the north, the region has no access to the sea closer than Calcutta, on the other side of the Shiliguri corridor, the utility of which is economically unprofitable for India as it entails 2000 km journey from Mizoram to the Calcutta seaport.

During the 1962 Indo-China war, a Chinese military advance of 80 miles or so managed to cut off Bhutan, part of West Bengal and all of North-East India. The area is constantly patrolled by the Indian Army, the Assam Rifles, the Border Security Force (BSF) and the West Bengal Police.

Bangladesh and India having no free trade agreement, all land transportation between mainland India and its north-eastern states must use this circuitous corridor. Despite there being a major broad gauge railway line in addition to the old metre gauge line which connects the region with rest of India, national Highway 31 is the main conduit between Siliguri and Guwahati, Assam's capital.

From a communal standpoint, the instances of rioting increased in frequency since 1996 following the birth of the Bodo Liberation Tigers Force (BLTF) which demanded a separate state for the Bodos, within the territories of Assam. In the four major riots between 1993 and 1998, an estimated 400 people have been killed, including Bodos, Muslim settlers and Adivasis.
Communalism is a quintessential Indian epidemic that must not be condoned any more. The current rioting is the sixth major tragedy in the Bodo belt of western Assam since 1993, and the fourth involving the Bodos and the Muslim settlers from East Bengal (now Bangladesh); the other two being between Bodos and Adivasi (tribal) Santhals of the Burmese descant. Public policies being equally responsible for fomenting these riots, the geopolitical machinations are too evident to bypass attention.

For instance, the first clashes between the Bodos and the Muslim settlers took place in October 1993, leaving some 50 dead, mostly Muslims. It happened within months of signing the Bodoland Autonomous Council (BAC) Accord on February 20, 1993, between the Government and the rebellious Bodo leaders. 
The Accord stipulated that all villages with 50 per cent Bodo population would come under the jurisdiction of a newly created Bodo Council. This 'conflict-provoking' clause was enough to lead a section of the people to target Muslim settlers and the Adivasis in areas where Bodos were minority. Through violence, Bodo minority villagers strove to eject Muslim villagers to attain majority status in each village, leading to riots.
The BAC was replaced by the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) that came into being after the signing of a Memorandum of Settlement on February 10, 2003. It was, in effect, a peace accord by which the BLTF laid down their weapons on December 6, 2003 under the leadership of Hagrama Mohilary, and, in return, Hagrama was sworn in as the Chief Executive Member (CEM) of BTC on December 7, 2003.

Comprising 35% of Assam's territory (27,700 km), the area under the BTC jurisdiction came to be known as Bodo Territorial Autonomous District (BTAD), which spreads across four contiguous districts — Kokrajhar, Baska, Udalguri and Chirang. The areas housed only 29 per cent of the Bodo population at the time of the Accord's signing. 
There was another caveat: Although tribal lands are safeguarded by Chapter X of the Assam Land and Revenue Regulation Act of 1886 - which clearly mentions that the land ownership will be only at the hands of the tribal - this exclusivity over land of the tribal was scrapped in para 3 of the Sixth Schedule of the 2003 Memorandum of Settlement to facilitate land owning in the state by other settlers from different parts of India. It is in these localities where rioting has spread lately and Muslims are being slaughtered indiscriminately. There is even fear of an indigenous Muslim insurgency gaining foothold.

That is expected too. The 1983 Nellie Massacre claimed over 3,000 lives, mostly Muslims, after the All Assam Students Union (AASU) went on a rampage targeting minorities following Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's declaration to hold elections in the state despite AASU's opposition. The AASU's foremost demand at that time was that electoral rolls be cleansed of illegal immigrants.
In 2008, further clashes between Muslims and Bodos resulted in 55 deaths, most of them Muslims, alleged to have migrated illegally from Bangladesh. Each time, illegal immigration was used as a ruse to conduct ethnic cleansing. 
This time too, BJP has alleged that illegal Bangladeshi Muslim immigrants were behind the ongoing violence in the Bodo Territorial Area District (BTAD). During a press conference in Guwahati last Thursday, BJP national general secretary and Assam in-charge, Vijay Goel, said, "The illegal Bangladeshi Muslim immigrants are behind these riots. The indigenous minority people are not involved."

If riots in Assam are attributed to illegal migrants from Bangladesh, what can explain why Hindu-Muslim riots are recurring phenomena all over India. Bangladesh or Pakistan can not be blamed for India having 2000-odd castes, eight major religions and 15-odd languages spoken in various dialects in the 22 states and nine union territories; besides a substantial number of other tribes and sects. And, what explains why in 2002 more than 1,000 people, most of them Muslims, were killed by Hindu mobs in Gujarat after a train fire killed 60 Hindus returning from a pilgrimage? 
The Gujarat riots left tens of thousands of people homeless after the rioters set fire to Muslim homes and businesses. The state government, run by the Hindu nationalist BJP, was accused of facilitating the attacks by looking other way round as the rampages went on. No convincing explanation can be offered either for the 1992 Bombay riot or the 2002 Godhra riot. Hence, blaming Bengali immigrants for the Assam riot is the worst form of communal bigotry. 
It's time that the immigrant population of Assam be treated as equal as they've moved there since the Ahoms from Burma conquered the region in 1228 and ruled for six hundred years. Moreover, Bangladesh's ties to Assam are more historic than that of mainland India.

The first significant Bengali speaking migration to Assam followed the British conquest of Assam in 1826; due to the British recruitment of Bengali officials for Assam's administration. In 1831, the Government of Bengal designated Bengali as Assam's official language and, the services of Bengalis became indispensable in the government due to local teachers not being available to impart lessons in Bengali, which was Assam's medium of instruction. It was not until 1873 that the Assamese succeeded in persuading the British to recognize Assamese as a separate language. And, by the early 1900s, East Bengali (Muslim) migrant settlers already constituted twenty percent of the border district populations in Assam. Are they still settlers?
Finally, following India's partition in 1947, the Indian and Pakistani governments established a two-year 'grace period' during which Hindus in Pakistan could settle in India and Indian Muslims could emigrate to Pakistan. Pakistanis who migrated to India during the grace period automatically became Indian citizens. That explains why Assam today has a substantial number of Hindu Bengalis too.

Ignoring those facts, communalism has gone unchecked all over India, and, Assam bore the main brunt of this chauvinism. In the 25 years since the Nellie massacre, the anger against illegal migrants from Bangladesh played out over and over again, often fanned by communal politicians.
The current rioting sprang from an incident of May 29 in Kokrajhar, whereupon the All-Bodoland Minority Students Union (ABMSU) had called for a shutdown following a declaration by the BTC that a part of forest land used as an idgah maidan was an illegal encroachment. The tension between the BTC and the ABMSU took an ugly turn on July 6 once a Muslim man was shot dead in the Muslim neighbourhood of Kokrajhar. Since when Muslims lost their right to pray in India or in any other country?

As expected, clashes between the two communities continued on and off since, spinning out of control on July 19 when a leader of the Assam Minority Student Union and another one from the ABMSU were shot by unidentified gunmen. Next morning, few miles from Kokrajhar, four former cadres of the disbanded Bodoland Liberation Tigers were hacked to death, sparking all out counter attacks and rioting.
Look at the spins the politicians are putting to this tragedy. A letter written after the July 6 incident by a local Congress leader, Y.L. Karna, to the Assam Pradesh Congress president - with a copy to Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi - reveals Karna mentioned the July 6 incident and cautioned that communal passions were running high in the area. Yet, no one bothered to deploy troops in the vulnerable areas. Instead, Bodo Council chief Hagrama Mahilary has claimed that armed Bangladeshis from across the border had come in and incited the violence. His deputy at the Council, Kampa Borgoyari, went a step further to say, "it is not a case of Bodos killing Muslims, it is a case of Muslims killing the Bodos."

Worst still, members of the security forces joined the orgy of Muslim massacre, according to reliable sources. Maulana Badruddin Ajmal, a Lok Sabha Member of Parliament (MP) and President of the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) said, 'Armed men in olive green jungle fatigues went about killing Muslim settlers.' 
A human rights group is reportedly referring these allegations to the International War Crime Tribunal.

http://www.weeklyholiday.net/Homepage/Pages/UserHome.aspx


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[chottala.com] Re: Former army chief Harun has Tk.19.82 crore in his account



Punish Destiny 2000 Limited masterminds and their patrons

by Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury

Finally the Anti Corruption Commission [ACC] in Bangladesh had lodged two separate cases against the masterminds of fraudulent Multi Level Marketing [MLM] Company, Destiny Tree Plantation Limited and Destiny Multipurpose Cooperative Society Limited in Bangladesh for siphoning millions of dollars of public money, which they collected through numerous fake projects, including selling of fictitious trees in the so-called tree plantation project. According to ACC sources, the masterminds of Destiny Tree Plantation Limited and Destiny Multipurpose Cooperative Society Limited made false promises of giving high profit margins to the investors through its tree plantation programs as well as its multilevel cooperative society, both of which came under the radar of country's intelligence and law enforcing agencies including the Bangladesh Bank and Anti Corruption Commission following series of complaints. It was later disclosed by Anti Corruption Commission that the masterminds of these nefarious fraudulent enterprises smuggled out huge sum of money from its bank accounts and shifted the same into private accounts of its kingpin Mohammad Rafiqul Amin and his gang. It is also learnt that, millions of dollars were smuggled out of Bangladesh by these culprits through a person named Noel G. Carey, who resides in Hong Kong. Destiny Tree Plantation Limited and Destiny Multipurpose Cooperative Society Limited mastermind Mohammad Rafiqul Amin publicly claimed to have been backed and patronized by some influential figures in the government. Though the illegal activities of Destiny Tree Plantation Limited and Destiny Multipurpose Cooperative Society Limited has already been traced by Bangladesh Bank and anti Corruption Commission, names of its patrons are yet to be traced by either of these organizations. It was earlier reported in local media that, the patrons of these fraudulent MLM enterprises were actively involved with it, thus making frantic bids is salvaging the MLM fraudsters from legal consequences.

Destiny Group comprising Destiny 2000 Limited, Destiny Tree Plantation Limited, Destiny Multipurpose Cooperative Society Limited, Best Air Limited, Diamond Builders Limited, Destiny SAASCCO Properties Limited, Destiny Bank Limited, Diamond Builders Limited, Destiny Medical College & Hospital Limited, Destiny Shopping Center Limited, Alpona Chhayachitra etc were engaged in massive fraudulent activities including collecting fund from the innocent people by giving them false hopes of high interest levels. It was already warned by local media especially after the collapse of Unipay2U that the masterminds of Destiny Group would simply flee the country by cheating millions of people, thus stealing billions of Taka. When the local media were active against questioned activities of Destiny Group, some unscrupulous people, mostly connected to the ruling elites were pimping in favor of these fraudulent Multi Level Market [MLM] enterprises and were lobbying in their favor. Destiny Group even managed to buy voices of some of the reputed members of the civil society in Bangladesh, who were regularly attending various functions of this organization and were pimping in their favor.

It may be mentioned here that, Destiny Tree Plantation Limited alone has collected few billion Taka from the locals be selling approximately 60 million trees in their non-existent projects. According to specific information from the local press, the exact number of existing trees of Destiny Tree Plantation Limited won't be even more than three hundred thousand, while the fraudulent MLM company has already collected cash from the investors by making forward sale of 60 millions trees, with the commitment of returning their investment with almost three hundred percent profit margin on completion of the "investment package". Millions of people put their money into this fake project with the hope of earning good sum of profit. And now, as anticipated, those millions of people will simply lose their investment, which will surely become a huge headache for the ruling party especially during this time, when its tenure is at the last tail of five years. It may be mentioned here that, during the current tenure of Bangladesh Awami League, more than 3.5 million people turned paupers at the share markets, whose money were stolen by some of the nefarious businessmen, who are connected to the ruling party. In the same style, these ruling party-backed culprits stole billions of Taka from the people, when Bangladesh Awami League formed government in 1996. At the same time, during the current tenure of Bangladesh Awami League, innocent investors were cheated by another MLM company named Unipay2U, where ruling party elites were holding stakes. Similarly, at Destiny Group, their looting of billions of Taka were backed, protected and even patronized by some influential figures in the government. Proper investigation and scrutinizing the documents of all the existing and proposed enterprises of Destiny Group will divulge the identity of those influential figures, who has been fabulously benefitted from the MLM fraud racket.

Though Anti Corruption Commission has filed two separate cases against the masterminds of Destiny Group, there is rumor spread by Destiny Group masterminds claiming, all such charges will ultimately turn into mere eye wash, as they [Destiny Group] firmly claim to have been enjoying the "silent support" from the ruling elites as well as the members of the Special Family in Bangladesh. It is even firmly claimed by them that the freeze on bank accounts of Destiny Group enterprises will soon be lifted at the directives of ruling elites as well as the members of the Special Family. Meanwhile, it is also rumored that the top figures in the government have instructed various intelligence agencies in Bangladesh to investigate the activities of Destiny Group as well as other dubious MLM enterprises in order to save innocent people from being cheated by them. Being instructed, the intelligence agencies are already conducting comprehensive investigation onto activities of Destiny Group and other MLM companies, while they also are collecting data and evidences on alliance or connection of any influential figure in the government or ruling elites with these fraudulent MLM enterprises.

The ruling party is at the last tale of its tenure, which will end in October 2013. Though there is doubt about holding of the next general election in Bangladesh, it is strongly hoped by all quarters that the major political forces in the country will ultimately reach into a formula, which will clear all obstacles and doubts in holding the election right on schedule. In this case, the current government has just 13 months to end its current tenure. On completion of the tenure, Bangladesh Awami League will need to go back to the voters of the country in getting their fresher mandate in returning to power. But, various intelligence reports as well as root-level reports received by the major political parties show the fast decline in popularity of Bangladesh Awami League throughout the country. In such case, no one can assure that the ruling party will return to power through the election in 2013 if that takes place in free, fair and neutral manner. If that will be the fact, for sure, the patrons of Unipay2U, Destiny Group and looters of the stock markets will surely face stern legal consequences, as the next government may not swallow the responsibility of their misdeeds by sparing them. Now it is a question of time as to whether the culprits of the share market scam or MLM scams will be punished during the current government or the next government. But it is for sure, that they will not be able skipping legal consequences at all.
http://www.weeklyblitz.net/2463/punish-destiny-2000-limited-masterminds-and-their

On Thu, Aug 2, 2012 at 8:58 AM, Isha Khan <bdmailer@gmail.com> wrote:


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Zoglul Husain <zoglul@hotmail.co.uk>
Date: Thu, Aug 2, 2012 at 12:29 AM
Subject: RE: Former army chief Harun has Tk.19.82 crore in his account
To: Isha Khan <bdmailer@gmail.com>


Yes, Gen Harun was appointed CoAS (24 December 2000 to 16 June 2002) by a BAL govt, but then Gen Moeen was appointed by a BNP govt by superseding many deserving ones. Also yes, Gen Harun was not a sector commander in 1971.
 
The Weekly Blitz ran a series of investigative reports (probably more than a dozen) on the alleged corruption saga. I am referring to the following two quotes from two of these reports:
 
"It may be mentioned here that, Lt. Gen [Retired] Harun-Ar-Rashid though was never a commander in any of the sectors during the war of liberation in 1971, became the secretary general of Sector Commander's Forum simply by using Destiny Group's huge financial donations to it." (The Weekly Blitz, 30 April 2012, 'ACC-NBR yet to touch a number of Destiny Group enterprises' by News Desk)

"Since the current government came in power, a number of MLM companies including Unipay2U, GGN etc have already disappeared by looting huge amount of money from the people. Similar catastrophe is also anticipated by the people concerned as the largest MLM Company in Bangladesh, Destiny 2000 Limited and its affiliate concerns have already looted a few billion dollars from the small investors with fake profit hopes. It is also alleged that influential figures in the ruling party are directly and indirectly connected with this fraud racket. One of the ex-chiefs of Bangladesh Army, General Harun Ur Rashid heads this fictitious and fraudulent enterprise along with a bunch of criminals. It was also learnt from dependable sources that most of the money collected by this fraudulent MLM Company was already smuggled out to various countries. Though the government has already been made aware of such illegal activities and smuggling of billions of dollars, there is no sign of any action against these fraudsters." (The Weekly Blitz, 6 March 2012, 'Murder of the Saudi diplomat and the saga of a failed government' by Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury)

  

Date: Wed, 1 Aug 2012 20:21:47 +0600
Subject: Re: Former army chief Harun has Tk.19.82 crore in his account
From: bdmailer@gmail.com
To:

People say General Harun was appointed army chief by AL govt and he was the member-secretary of sector commanders' forum although he was not a sector commander in 1971....

On Wed, Aug 1, 2012 at 10:47 AM, Isha Khan <bdmailer@gmail.com> wrote:
Destiny corruption: Former army chief Harun has Tk.19.82 crore in his account



http://www.amadershomoy2.com/content/2012/08/01/news0559.htm





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[chottala.com] বিবিসি’র হাø 0;্ডটক: জনগণ চ&# 2494;ইলে ওকে



বিবিসি’র হার্ডটক: জনগণ চাইলে ওকে
শুক্রবার, ০৩ আগস্ট ২০১২
 
নিজস্ব প্রতিনিধি: গত ৩০শে জুলাই বিবিসির হার্ডটকে স্টিফেন সাকুরের মুখোমুখি হন প্রধানমন্ত্রী শেখ হাসিনা। ক্যাম্ব্রিজ ও হার্ভার্ড পড়ুয়া সাকুর এ সময় তাকে ও বেগম খালেদা জিয়ার উদ্দেশে মন্তব্য করেন, বাংলাদেশীদের অনেকে মনে করেন নতুন প্রজন্মের জন্য পথ করে দেয়ার সময় এসেছে। আগামী নির্বাচনে প্রতিদ্বন্দ্বিতা করা থেকে উভয়ে সরে দাঁড়িয়ে নতুনদের জন্য পথ খুলে দেয়া প্রসঙ্গে প্রধানমন্ত্রী বলেছেন, ‘কতিপয় লোকের কথায়’ নয়, যদি জনগণ চায় তাহলে ‘ওকে।’ অর্থাৎ, তিনি নেতৃত্ব ত্যাগের ইঙ্গিত দেন। তবে তিনি নিশ্চিত করতে পারেননি, ইতিপূর্বে উচ্চারিত ও তার বহুল আলোচিত মন্তব্য ‘গরিবের রক্তচোষা’ বলতে তিনি ড. মুহাম্মদ ইউনূসকে বুঝিয়েছিলেন কিনা। নিজেই প্রশ্ন তুলে তিনি বাদানুবাদে গেলেও শেষ পর্যন্ত তিনি দোদুল্যমান থেকেছেন। অন্যদিকে প্রধানমন্ত্রী দৃঢ়তার সঙ্গে দাবি করেছেন, ‘বেগম খালেদা জিয়া ও তার সন্তানদের বিরুদ্ধে তার সরকার একটিও দুর্নীতির মামলা দায়ের করেনি।’ তার ভাষায়, ‘সব মামলাই বিগত তত্ত্বাবধায়ক সরকারের আমলে দায়ের করা।’ বিএনপি অবশ্য দাবি করেছে, প্রধানমন্ত্রী অসত্য বলেছেন। কারণ, বর্তমান সরকারের আমলে বেগম জিয়ার বিরুদ্ধে জিয়া অরফানেজ ও জিয়া চ্যারিটেবল ট্রাস্ট মামলা দায়ের করা হয়েছে। এই দু’টি মামলা বর্তমানে একটি অভিযোগ গঠন ও অন্যটি অভিযোগ আমলে নেয়ার পর্যায়ে রয়েছে। তারেক রহমানকে জিয়া অরফানেজ ও জিয়া চ্যারিটেবল ট্রাস্ট ছাড়াও মানি লন্ডারিং- এই তিনটি নতুন মামলা এবং আরাফাত রহমানকে একটি দুর্নীতি মামলায় অভিযুক্ত করা হয়েছে।

বিবিসি: বড় একটা বিজয় নিয়ে আপনার সরকার গঠনের পর আশা করা হয়েছিল যে, বাংলাদেশের প্রচলিত সংঘাতের রাজনীতি পরিহার করে ঐক্যের রাজনীতির দিকে অগ্রসর হবে। কিন্তু মনে হচ্ছে আপনি সংঘাতের পথ ধরেই চলছেন। বিরোধীদলীয় নেতা বেগম খালেদা জিয়ার বিরুদ্ধে আপনি দুর্নীতির মামলা করেছেন। তার ছেলের বিরুদ্ধে করেছেন। তার আরেক ছেলেকে বিদেশ থেকে ফিরিয়ে আনতে উদ্যোগী হয়েছেন। বেগম খালেদা জিয়া ক্ষমতায় থাকতে আপনাকে তাড়া করেছিলেন। এখন আপনি তাকে তাড়া করছেন বলে প্রতীয়মান হচ্ছে।
প্রধানমন্ত্রী: এটা আপনার ভুল ধারণা। তার এবং তার ছেলের বিরুদ্ধে যেসব দুর্নীতির মামলা হয়েছে তা বিগত তত্ত্বাবধায়ক সরকার দায়ের করেছিল। আমরা তাদের বিরুদ্ধে কোন মামলা করিনি।
বিবিসি: মনে হচ্ছে বিরোধটা ব্যক্তিগত।
প্রধানমন্ত্রী: না, এটাও আপনার ভুল ধারণা। আমরা সংবিধান ও আইনের শাসনে বিশ্বাস করি। দুই পক্ষের মধ্যে আদর্শগত ফারাক রয়েছে। তারা মিলিটারি ডিক্টেটরের পার্টি।
বিবিসি: তাহলে সাম্প্রতিক মার্কিন মানবাধিকার রিপোর্টে বাংলাদেশে ব্যাপক মাত্রার মানবাধিকার লঙ্ঘনের অভিযোগ কেন তুলে ধরা হয়েছে। বলা হয়েছে, বিচারবহির্ভূত হত্যাকাণ্ড ও নিুষ্ঠুর নির্যাতন চালাচ্ছে আইন প্রয়োগকারী সংস্থাগুলো।
প্রধানমন্ত্রী: এটা আমার পূর্বসূরির আমলের ঘটনা।
বিবিসি: না, এটা তো সাম্প্রতিক। তারা বলছে, যে এর সপক্ষে তাদের কাছে সাক্ষ্য-প্রমাণ রয়েছে।
প্রধানমন্ত্রী: না এটা ঠিক নয়। এটা চলছে না। তবে সেইসময়ে যতো মারা গেছে, তার চেয়ে এখন সংখ্যা কমে গেছে। শুধু তাই নয়, আমরা যুক্তরাজ্য ও যুক্তরাষ্ট্রের সহায়তায় র‌্যাবকে মানবাধিকার প্রশিক্ষণ দিয়েছি। যখন যেখানে কোন লংঘনের ঘটনা ঘটে সঙ্গে সঙ্গে আমরা ব্যবস্থা নিয়ে থাকি।
বিবিসি: মার্কিন রিপোর্ট বলছে, এ বছরেই ২২ ব্যক্তি নিখোঁজ হয়েছে। শ্রমিক নেতা আমিনুল ইসলাম নির্যাতনের শিকার হয়েছিলেন। এরপর তিনি অদৃশ্য হয়ে যান, পরে তার লাশ মেলে।
প্রধানমন্ত্রী: এটা সত্য নয়। আচ্ছা বলুন তো প্রতি বছর লন্ডন থেকে কত লোক অদৃশ্য হয়ে যায়?
বিবিসি: আপনি কাদের কথা বলছেন? আমিনুলের মতো রাজনৈতিক বন্দি বা কর্মীদের কথা বলছেন?
প্রধানমন্ত্রী: আমি জানি না যে, আমিনুল আদৌ রাজনৈতিক কর্মী ছিলেন কিনা। তবে তার মৃত দেহ অন্য কেউ নয়, আমাদের পুলিশ বিভাগই উদ্ধার করেছে।
বিবিসি: তাকে কি হত্যা করা হয়নি?
প্রধানমন্ত্রী: আমরা তা জানি না। এর আগে আমরা তার কখনও নাম শুনিনি। অদৃশ্য হয়ে যাওয়ার পরে শুনেছি যে তিনি বিগ লিডার ছিলেন।
বিবিসি: র‌্যাব সম্পর্কে অপনি বিরোধী দলে থাকতে সমালোচনা করেছিলেন। কিন্তু এখন তো র‌্যাবকে ডেথ স্কোয়াড বলা হচ্ছে।
প্রধানমন্ত্রী: না এটা সত্য নয়। ২০০৪ সালে র‌্যাব করেছিল বিএনপি। তারা র‌্যাবকে দিয়ে মানুষ হত্যা করিয়েছিল। আমিই একমাত্র সেসময় তার বিরোধিতা করেছিলাম। আপনাকে সংখ্যা দেখতে হবে। আমরা কখনও র‌্যাবকে এসব কাজ করাতে উৎসাহিত করিনি।
বিবিসি: আপনি দেশের প্রধানমন্ত্রী আপনার জানা থাকার কথা-
প্রধানমন্ত্রী: শুনুন। এটা যখন একবার শুরু হয় তখন থামাতে সময় লাগে। তা রাতারাতি বন্ধ করা যায় না। আমরা তো মাত্র সাড়ে তিন বছর ক্ষমতায়। আমরা খুবই সতর্ক। এখন এ বিষয়ে আপনি আমার কাছে প্রশ্ন তুলছেন।
বিবিসি: দেখুন, আপনার পররাষ্ট্রমন্ত্রীর এ বিষয়ে একটি প্রসিদ্ধ মন্তব্য রয়েছে। তিনি বলেছিলেন, বিচারবহির্ভূত হত্যাকাণ্ডের বিষয়ে তার সরকোরের জিরো টলারেন্স নীতি বহাল থাকবে। আপনি এখন তা মানতে চাইছেন না।
প্রধানমন্ত্রী: অবশ্যই মানছি। জিরো টলারেন্স নীতিতে বিশ্বাস করি।
বিবিসি: কিন্তু আপনার দেশের মানুষ তো প্রশ্ন তুলেছে। সরকারি কর্মকর্তাদের মৌলিক সততা কঠিনভাবে প্রশ্নবিদ্ধ হয়ে পড়েছে। আপনি কি আপনার সরকারে এর কোন ব্যত্যয় দেখছেন না?
প্রধানমন্ত্রী: বাংলাদেশ দীর্ঘকাল সমারিক ও সেনাসমির্থত সরকার দিয়ে পরিচালিত হয়েছে। বিগত বিএনপি সরকারও দুর্নীতিতে মদদ দিয়েছে। অপনি কি এটা রাতারাতি বদলে ফেলতে পারবেন? না আপনি তা পারবেন না। আমার সরকার দুর্নীতিতে জড়িত নয়। কখনও ছিল না। যদি দুর্নীতিকে প্রশ্রয় দিতাম তাহলে এত উন্নতি কিভাবে করতে পারলাম। বিশ্বব্যাপী এত মন্দার মধ্যে কিভাবে জিডিপি ৬ ভাগে উন্নীত করতে পারলাম। বিদ্যুৎ ও খাদ্য উৎপাদন বাড়ালাম।
বিবিসি: আচ্ছা তাহলে বিশ্বব্যাংক কেন আপনার সরকোরের উপর আস্থা হারালো। দুর্নীতির তদন্তে আপনার সরকারের সহায়তায় তারা সন্তুষ্ট হতে পারেনি।
প্রধানমন্ত্রী: এটা তারা আকস্মিকভাবে করেছে। অথচ তারা কোন বড় প্রমাণ দিতে পারেনি।
বিবিসি: আপনি কি প্রত্যাখ্যান করছেন যে, পদ্মা সেতু প্রকল্পের ঠিকাদারি নিয়োগ নিয়ে কোন প্রকারের দুর্নীতি হয়নি?
প্রধানমন্ত্রী: অবশ্যই কোন দুর্নীতি হয়নি।
বিবিসি: তাহলে বলুন তো, যদি কোন অনিয়মই না হবে তাহলে আপনার সরকারের একজন শীর্ষ মন্ত্রী কেন পদত্যাগ করলেন?
প্রধানমন্ত্রী: মানুষ তার সম্পর্কে অভিযোগ তোলায় তিনি পদত্যাগ করেছেন। সাহস না থাকলে তিনি তো পদত্যাগ করতেন না।
বিবিসি: তাহলে আপনি কেন বিশ্বব্যাংকের দেয়া চিঠিপত্র প্রকাশ করছেন না। অব্যাহতভাবে সেই দাবি নাকচ করে চলেছেন। আর সেটা প্রকাশ করলে মানুষ বিশ্বব্যাংকের অবস্থাটা বুঝতে পারতেন।
প্রধানমন্ত্রী: আপনি সেটা প্রকাশ করতে পারেন না। কারণ সেটা প্রকাশে নিষেধাজ্ঞা রয়েছে।
বিবিসি: বিশ্বব্যাংক তো প্রকাশ করতে বলেছে।
প্রধানমন্ত্রী: আমার প্রশ্ন তাহলে বিশ্বব্যাংক কেন প্রকাশ করছে না?
বিবিসি: কারণ রাষ্ট্রগুলোর সঙ্গে তাদের একটা চুক্তি রয়েছে। তারা চিঠির কথা-
প্রধানমন্ত্রী: চিঠি বড় কথা নয়। আপনাকে উল্লেখযোগ্য প্রমাণ দিতে হবে। শুধু চিঠি কোন দুর্নীতির প্রমাণ হতে পারে না। তাছাড়া দুদক তদন্ত করছে। তারা বিশ্বব্যাংকের কাছে সব কাগজপত্র দিতে বলেছিল। কিন্তু বিশ্বব্যাংক তা দিতে রাজি হয়নি। আমার প্রশ্ন হচ্ছে তারা কেন প্রমাণ দেয়ার প্রস্তাব প্রত্যাখ্যান করছে? তারা একবার আমাকে দুটি চিঠি দিল। পড়ে দেখি দু’টিই আমার পূর্বসূরির আমলের।
বিবিসি: প্রধানমন্ত্রী আমাকে প্রশ্নটি এভাবে করতে দিন, বাংলাদেশের মানুষের জন্য এটা একটা লজ্জার বিষয়, তাদের অনেকেই চরম দারিদ্র্যের মধ্যে বাস করেন, বিশ্বব্যাংকের সঙ্গে আপনার সম্পর্ক খুব টক হয়ে গেছে। একইসঙ্গে আপনার দেশের সবচেয়ে শ্রদ্ধাভাজনদের অন্যতম নোবেল জয়ী ড. মুহাম্মদ ইউনূসের সঙ্গে আপনার সম্পর্কও যে অত্যন্ত তেতো হয়েছে সেটাও বাংলাদেশীদের জন্য একটা লজ্জা বলেই প্রতীয়মান হচ্ছে। আপনি কেন তাকে গরিবের রক্তচোষা বলেছিলেন?
প্রধানমন্ত্রী: আপনি বাংলাদেশে যান। নিজের চোখে দেখুন। তখন উপলব্ধি করতে পারবেন। আপনি কিভাবে তার নাম নিলেন? আমি কিন্তু কেউ একজন (সামওয়ান) বলেছিলাম। তাহলে কেন আপনার মনে তার নাম এসেছে? আমি কি তার নাম উল্লেখ করেছি। আমি কিন্তু তার নাম বলিনি।
বিবিসি: আমি দুঃখিত। এটা পরিষ্কার করে নিই। আপনি কি তাহলে অস্বীকার করছেন, আপনি ড. ইউনূসকে গরিবের রক্তচোষা হিসেবে দেখেন না?
প্রধানমন্ত্রী: না, আমি অস্বীকার করি না। আমি কিছুই অস্বীকার করছি না। আমি শুধু একটি প্রশ্ন রাখছি।
বিবিসি: তার মানে আপনি তাকে একজন। আপনি তাকে-
প্রধানমন্ত্রী: আমি আপনার কাছে একটি প্রশ্ন রাখছি। কেন আপনার মনে এলো যে কথাটি আমি তাকেই বলেছি। সেটিই আমার প্রশ্ন।
বিবিসি: না আমার মনে হয় আপনি আমাকে ভুল বুঝছেন। আমি বাংলাদেশী মিডিয়ায় এটা পড়েছি। বাংলাদেশী মিডিয়ার অনেকেই।
প্রধানমন্ত্রী: তারা সংখ্যায় কত হবে?
বিবিসি: এটা বিশ্বাস করা হয়, আপনি যখন গরিবের রক্তচোষা কথাটি উল্লেখ করেছেন, তখন সরাসরি ড. ইউনূসকেই বুঝিয়েছেন। আপনি যদি এখন তা প্রত্যাহার করে নিতে চান কিংবা আমাকে বলেন, আপনি তাকে বোঝাননি তাহলে সেটা তো উত্তম। আপনি তাকেই বুঝিয়েছিলেন নাকি বোঝাননি?
প্রধানমন্ত্রী: শুনুন, শুনুন। আমি আপনাকে একটা কথা বলছি। দরিদ্র লোকদের কাছ থেকে ৪০ থেকে ৪৫ ভাগ সুদ নেয়া হচ্ছে। এটা কি ন্যায্য? এটা তো ফেয়ার নয়। গরিব মানুষের কাছে থেকে যদি ৩৫ থেকে ৪৫ ভাগ সুদ নেয়া হয়ে থাকে, তাহলে তারা কিভাবে ঋণের সুবিধা পাবে?
বিবিসি: সারা পৃথিবী তাকে শ্রদ্ধা করছে। তিনি দরিদ্র মানুষের বন্ধু হিসেবে নন্দিত হচ্ছেন। কিন্তু আপনি তাকে মানতে পারছেন না।
প্রধানমন্ত্রী: আপনাকে বিষয়টি তদন্ত করতে হবে। দেখতে হবে কত লোক দারিদ্র্যমুক্ত হয়েছে। তার গ্রামে গিয়ে খবর নিন। গরিবের সংখ্যা কমিয়েছে তো আমার সরকার। ৩ বছরে শতকরা ১০ ভাগ দারিদ্র্য হ্রাস পেয়েছে।
বিবিসি: ২০০৭ সালে ড. মুহাম্মদ ইউনূস একটি রাজনৈতিক দল খুলেছিলেন। কিন্তু আপনি সেটা মেনে নিতে পারেননি। এবং সেকারণেই-
প্রধানমন্ত্রী: ওই সময়ে আমি কাস্টডিতে ছিলাম। আমি তো জেলে ছিলাম। তাকে জিজ্ঞেস করুন, তিনি এমন একজন ‘বিগ পার্সন’, উনি কেন ব্যর্থ হয়েছিলেন। সব সুযোগ সুবিধাই তো তার ছিল। গ্রামীণ ব্যাংকের এমডির পদ থেকে আমি তাকে অপসারণ করিনি। তিনি নিজেই নিজেকে অপসারণ করেছেন। গ্রামীণ ব্যাংক একটি সরকারি মালিকানাধীন ব্যাংক। আইনে আছে, কারও বয়স ৬০ বছর হলে তিনি এমডি পদে থাকতে পারবেন না। তার বয়স ৭০-৭১ হয়ে গিয়েছিল। তারপর বাংলাদেশ ব্যাংকের গভর্নরের বিরুদ্ধে তিনি কোর্টে গিয়েছিলেন। কোর্টে তিনি হেরে গেছেন।
বিবিসি: আপনি যখন বেগম খালেদা জিয়া ও ড. মুহাম্মদ ইউনূস সম্পর্কে কথা বলছেন, তখন তাতে বিদ্বেষ প্রকাশ পাচ্ছে এবং তাতে বোঝা যায়, বাংলাদেশ সমাজের যে ক্ষত তা সারেনি। আপনি মিলনসাধন করতে পারেননি। জাতি বিভক্ত অবস্থায় আছে।
প্রধানমন্ত্রী: আমার দেশ ঐক্যবদ্ধ। বাংলাদেশের সাধারণ নির্বাচনের ফলাফলের দিকে তাকালে আপনি এটা অনুধাবন করতে পারবেন।
বিবিসি: আপনার সরকারের বিরুদ্ধে হাজার হাজার মানুষ রাস্তায় নেমেছে। বিরোধী দল মনে করে তত্ত্বাবধায়ক সরকার ব্যবস্থা বাতিল করে দিয়ে আপনি গণতান্ত্রিক ব্যবস্থাকে মৌলিকভাবে হুমকিগ্রস্ত করেছেন এবং তারা আগামী নির্বাচনে নাও যেতে পারে।
প্রধানমন্ত্রী: অবশ্যই হুমকিগ্রস্ত হয়নি। সংবিধান এমনভাবে সংশোধন করা হয়েছে যাতে প্রত্যেকের গণতান্ত্রিক অধিকার নিশ্চিত হবে। অসাংবিধানিক ও অথরাটারিয়ান সরকার ভবিষ্যতে আসতে পারবে না।
বিবিসি: এখন আপনাকে উন্নয়নের একটি বঙ্কিম পথ সম্পর্কে অপনার দৃষ্টি আকর্ষণ করবো। সবকিছু ছাপিয়ে এটা বাংলাদেশের জন্য একটা বিরাট চ্যালেঞ্জ। আর তা হলো জলবায়ু পরিবর্তন। ৩০ মিলিয়ন মানুষ জলবায়ু পরিবর্তনের প্রভাবে ক্ষতিগ্রস্ত হবে।
প্রধানমন্ত্রী: বিশ্বের কাছ থেকে আমাদের অধিকতর সমর্থন দরকার।
বিবিসি: সকল দীর্ঘমেয়াদি লড়াই বেগম খালেদা জিয়া ও আপনার মধ্যে চলেছে, এর অবসান হওয়া দরকার। বাংলাদেশের একটা প্রজন্মগত পরিবর্তন দরকার বলে অনেক বাংলাদেশী বলে থাকেন। আপনাদের উভয়ের উচিত হবে আগামী নির্বাচনে আপনাদের উভয়ের মঞ্চ থেকে সরে দাঁড়ানো এবং নতুন নেতৃত্বকে পথ করে দেয়া।
প্রধানমন্ত্রী: এটা জনগণের উপর নির্ভর করে। যদি জনগণ বলে তাহলে ঠিক আছে। কিন্তু কিছু লোক বা স্বার্থান্বেষী মহলের কথায় নয়। কেন তারা তা বলেন?
বিবিসি: আপনি কি আবারও প্রতিদ্বন্দ্বিতায় অবতীর্ণ হবেন? আপনি কিন্তু মজার একটা কথা বলেন, কেবল ‘আমিই এটা করতে পারি।’
প্রধানমন্ত্রী: অবশ্যই। আমার দল ও জনগণ চাইলে অবশ্যই। আর হ্যাঁ, আমি না বলে আমাদের শব্দটি আমার ব্যবহার করা উচিত ছিল। (হাসি) আমি এটা জানি।


 


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Re: [chottala.com] BURMA'S ROHINGYA ORIGIN IN THE ANCIENT KINGDOM OF ARAKAN: UNDERSTANDING THE ARAB- CHANDRA SYNTHESIS



I do believe back old days   ARAKAN as Chittagong used to be known as MOGHER MULLUK, and it seems MOGH is depicted in very negative way..here is something I know as some of the MOHGs are considerd Buddhist and once upon a time Chittagong, DC residence used to be Tribal King residence..something had to happen for them to retrieve more towards  Hilly Side of Chittagong that is Hill tracts..

Yes many are Buddhist, but they are one the other side..their is two main segment of Buddhist Theravada & Mahayana..Theravada is the oldest form..Mahayana is the modified form..that is the one predominately every where else, and when I say Else China is the godfather of all...

In Chittagong the two main division of Buddhist as they have Katalganj temple now..the division arises..over a Monk that was invited from Burma should I say Dhaka Kamalapur side..of Bisuddhanada allies..his name was SARAMEDHA..he was guest for a while and traveled quite a bit in Chittagong..then difference of opinion came up between SARAMEDHA and the Host..many Monks followed SARAMEDHA over the Bishuddhananda side among was GUNOMEU..

Bishuddhanada side objected to many things..but the biggest objection was they did not want Buddhist of Chittagong to lead by a FOREIGN MONK...Only thing is SARAMEDHA was Burmese...but the Bishuddhanada side was really the Chinese..and many other oriental countries...

Every one that came to Power played favorites with  Bishuddhananda side..except for Mujib, he ruled very short while, but new dark side of kamalapur, but he also did not..played favorite with our side..

Since the split..other side has done many form of harassment, such was we were Gays and etc to many things to Lawsuit..intimidation..to the point Saramedha had to leave for Burma and never does quite get their and establish a temple close to Burma that would be towards Cox Bazar Ramu side.

To be candid it is Zia who first entered into or should I say entered into Buddhist politics..he donated by decree a piece if land in disputed DEB PAHAR area..for a temple and it is their..though he was loyal to Chinese side..he abruptly decided to dable with our side of the temple..he was guest in our temple festivity he apparently him self initiated the contact . .he said he knew of this temple form his day in Chittagong during the war and some who sought shelter their and etc...we heard in those days Bisshudhanada side out right warned Zia he was going to pay for that switch all of a sudden..

The thing is after Zias death his wife has spread her legg between both and she lead the Military to do so too..the thing is Hassina does not show up as far as I know in either side meeting it is surprising how many time JIAN TAO & JIAN BAO has visited ...Bangladesh take a guess why...

Not only that from very old days Chittagong was also very active in SURJA SEN days..they were devoted no disrespect GUPTA GHATOK see Salauddin Kader with them..so is his French backers..

Not only that Chittagong is also..very famous PORT city, well that is FIRINGI BAZAR...well that is those FERNADEZ of GAO should I say....many things come from them too...

Above all these are some of the reason GUNOMEJU and his immediate subordinate Lal Mohan Mohastobi who was once the Cheif Priest of Tribal King..were forced  out...

Just LOOK at BRANSON ( ARUN MOHAJON) of VIRGIN ATLANTIC..he was a monk too..that shot the LAL MOHAN MOSTOBIRS SON DINESH CHANDRA..he accused him being a Bastard because his mother was Burmese and father was from Bengal...

More as I go...


From: Isha Khan <bdmailer@gmail.com>
To:
Sent: Monday, July 30, 2012 9:34 PM
Subject: [chottala.com] BURMA'S ROHINGYA ORIGIN IN THE ANCIENT KINGDOM OF ARAKAN: UNDERSTANDING THE ARAB- CHANDRA SYNTHESIS

BURMA'S ROHINGYA ORIGIN IN THE ANCIENT KINGDOM OF ARAKAN:
UNDERSTANDING THE ARAB- CHANDRA SYNTHESIS (A WORKING PAPER ON ARAKAN
HISTORY)

    Abid Bahar

Abstract (Several issues has come to the surface from the present
research on DHANNAWADI and VASALI period of ancient Arakan; (1) That
DHANNAWADI and VASALI were Indian dynasties with Hindu and Mohayana
Buddhist religious followers (2) During  the Chandra rule there had
been some Arab settlements in Arakan. The language of the Chandras was
proto-Chittagonian: Sanskrit, Pali, and Arabic mixed similar to what
Buchanon Hamilton found in 1799 with Rohingyas in Burma, also that a
similar language  was spoken by the Chakmas and Thanchangras of Arakan
and Bangladesh, its written form similar to Bengali. found in the
Ananda Chandra script (3) Beginning from 957 A.D. there had been a
huge migration of Tibeto-Burman Theraveda Buddhist population into the
plains of Arakan, by defeating the Chandras  they took possession of
Arakan and the Indian look alike people retreated either toward the
Northern part of Arakan or went back to Bengal, making the event its
first Indian exodus of Arakaniese people to Bengal. (4) In our
contemporary period there has been a conscious effort among Arakan's
Rakhine crudader like historians to deny and cleanse from history, not
only the traces of Indian Hindu or Mohayana civilization but also the
traces of Muslim population and their Arab-Chandra synthesis of the
Chandras predating the Tibeto Burman Theraveda Buddhist existence. )

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

The Rohingyas people of Arakan are mostly Muslims with a small Hindu
population among them. They are racially Indo- Semitic. They are not
an ethnic group developed from one tribal group affiliation or single
racial stock. Tides of people like the the Brahmins from India,
Arabs, Moghuls, Bengalis, Turks and people from Central Asia, came
mostly as traders, worriors and prechers overland or through the sea
route to Arakan.  Many settled in Arakan, during the Indian Chandra
period, mixing with the local people formed the first neclus of the
Rohingya people in Arakan. Historically speaking, in their common
suffering in Burma, they found an identity now known to the world as
the Rohingyas of Arakan. (1) Part one of this series of articles on
Rohingya history is about the first Arab Chandra synthesis; covering
from 3rd century CE. to 1406 A.D in chronological order.

3rd Century (CE): "By the 3rd century (CE), the coastal region of Kala
Mukh (Arakan) had been settled with the colonists dominating and
coexisting warily with the indigenous people. In the sites of major
habitation Sanskrit became the written language of the ruling class,
and the religious beliefs were those prevalent at that time in
south-Asia (or Indian sub-continent). "(2)

4th to 10th century. DHANNAWADI and VASALI (Brahminical and Mohayana
Buddhist civilizations)

" As a port city, Vaishali was in contact with Samatat (the planes of
lower Bangladesh) and other parts of India and Ceylon (Sri Lanka).
Historically, these early rulers came to be known as the Chandras and
controlled the territories as far north as Chittagong. "(3)

"The Anand Chandra Inscription, which contains 65 verses (71 and a
half lines) and now sited at the Shitthaung pagoda, provides some
information about these early rulers. Interestingly, neither the name
of the kingdom or the two premier cities – Dhanyavati and Vaishali –
is mentioned. This 11-foot high monolith, unique in entire Burma, has
three of its four faces inscribed in a Nagari script, which is closely
allied to those of Bengali and north-eastern India. As noted rightly
by Noel Singer had it not been for Professor E.H. Johnston of Balliol
College, Oxford, who translated the Sanskrit script and the Indian
epigraphists before him, the contents of the Inscription which
remained inaccessible for well over a thousand years would never have
been known. (4)

"The script on the panel on the east face is believed by Johnston to
be the oldest. According to Pamela Gutman it was similar to the type
of script used in Bengal (Bangladesh) during the early 6th century CE.
As to the panel on the north face, Johnston mentioned that several
smaller inscriptions in Bengali characters had been added in the 10th
century. Gutman however felt that the principal text in this section
is of the mid-11th century CE. The panel on the west face, which is
reasonably preserved, is believed by Gutman to be of the earlier part
of the 8th century. This priceless document not only lists the
personalities of each monarch but also some of the major events of
every reign."(5)

"So who is this Ananda Chandra? In verse 64, it clearly says that he
was a descendant of the Saiva-Andhra monarchs [presumably of Banga or
Bangladesh] whose kingdom was located between the Godavari and Krishna
Rivers of Bengal, and close to the Bay of Bengal. The founder of this
new dynasty was Vajra Sakti who reigned circa 649-665 CE. His
successor was Sri Dharma Vijaya, who reigned from circa 665-701. As
noted by Singer, and much in contrast to Rakhine claims, Dharma Vijaya
was not a Theravada Buddhist, but probably a Mahayanist. The next in
line was Narendra Vijaya who reigned from circa 701 to 704 CE. The
next to rule was Sri Dharma Chandra, who reigned from 704 to 720 CE.
He was the father of Ananda Chandra who was a magnificent patron of
Mahayana Buddhism and Hindu institutions.(6)

Arakani researcher San Shwe Bu thinks the Chandras were from Hindu
dynasty but later on like in Bengal converted to Mohayana Buddhism.
According to him the king and the people both were of Indian origin.
The coins of Wasali had the image of Siva engraved on it. M.S. Collins
says, "The coins of Wasali were in pure Brahminical tradition."(7)
The Indian Chandra aristocracy called the ancient dark skinned people
of Arakan with the derogatory name the Rakkhasas (Kula). These were
the indigenous people of Arakan.

What was the language of these people? The language of the Chandras
was proto-Chittagonian: Sanskrit, Pali, and Arabic mixed. See the "The
Anand Chandra Inscription. There is no trace of Burmese or Rakhine
Mogh script on it. According to Dr. Emil Forchhammer, a Swiss
Professor of Pali at Rangoon College, and Superintendent of the newly
founded Archaeological Survey (1881): "The earliest dawn of the
history of Arakan reveals the base of the hills, which divide the
lowest courses of the Kaladan and Lemro rivers, inhabited by
sojourners from India… Their subjects are divided into the four castes
of the older Hindu communities…"(8)

788 A.D. During the reign of Arakani Indian Chandra King Mahat Sing
Daya's time recorded in the royal chronicle that several Arab ships
wracked on Ramree Island. "Survivors were sent to Arakan proper and
settled in villages." (9) Similar Arab settlements were recorded in
the other parts of southern part of Chittagong of what is now
Bangladesh.

785-957 Arab traders began to settle both in Arakan and Chittagong.
Inter mixture with the local population no doubt led to the growth of
the first Chandra-Rohingyas of Arakan. During this time, in both
Arakan and Chittagong, the influence of Sanskrit, Pali, Arabic, Persi,
combined together eventually formed the Chandra-Rohingya dialect which
is similar to the Chittagonian dialect with their slight variations.
The same dialect is also spoken by the Chakmas, and the Tanchaingyas
of Chittagong Hill Tracts. Despite their racial differences their
linguistic similarities shows they must be the citizens of ancient
Chandra kingdom.

Durinng the 9th Century there was records of Chandra invasion of
Chittagong. Hindus of Chittagong believe that the name Chittagong was
derived from the original Sanskrit name "Chatta gram" into
"Chaitigaon." However, the Arakani historians claim that the name
Chittagong was originally given by an Arakanese mongoloid king. It
says, an Arakani king eracted a pillar at Chittagong in the nineth
century A. D. with a remark "to make war is improper." Interestingly,
during this time a Chandra king (not a Mogh king) ruled Arakan.  It is
hard to believe, because there was no Rakine Mogh kingdom in Arakan
yet. At this time, Arakan was ruled by Chanda king Shoe Ratan. The
language of the king was not the Burmese Moghhi "Tsit-ta-gungin", "to
make war is improper" seems was made up later on.  "To make war
improper" seems more like the declaration of a peace treaty between
two parties than as it was originally presented as the declaration of
victory by an Arakani king. Under the circumstance of the nonexistence
of  Burmese language in Arakan at the time, instead of the Burmese
"Tsit-ta-gungin", it would seem that the Chandras's Sanskrit
expression "Shoukeet Thakom" (Choutagon, in English meaning you  live
in peace) The latter expression in Chittagonian or in Chandra-Rohingya
language seems historically more consistent. One might wonder how this
misinterpretation of a huge magnitude "Tsit-ta-gungin", "to make war
is improper" remained as truth for so long.

Many of the contemporary research on Arakan show that after the event
of 1784 Burmese invasion of Arakan, Burmese king took the Arakani
chronicles to Burma proper. To Burmanize Arakan, we know the Arakani
Sanskrit chronicles were rewritten in Burmese along with a tendentious
interpretation of events entered into the present Arakani history.

957-1430 MONGOLOID BURMESE MOGH INVASION OF ARAKAN: RISE OF THE RAKHINE MOGH

(Arakan's two solitudes: Rakhine in the South and Rohingya in the
North. Mongoloid invasion of Arakan and the beginning of "Kula"
(Chandra Rohingya) exodus to North Arakan and Chittagong.) (11)

957 A.D.  Something happened in the year 957 A.D. and historians'
record this as a significant date when Tibeto-Burman people in large
numbers entered Arakan and took its control by defeating the Chandra
Mahayanas Buddhists, imposing their Theravada Buddhism, the latter was
adopted from the Mons in the South who in their turn took it from Sri
Lanka. Similar changes didn't happen in Bengal. (10) In Bengal, most
Mahayana Buddhists were converted to Islam by Sufi mystics. With the
fall of Arakan to the Tibeto-Burmans, the Chandra Indians were either
pushed to the north of Arakan or some even left Arakan for Bengal.
Around this time, the defeated Chandra Royal family was found to
settle in Chittagong proper.The Dev Pahar, in Chittagong city named
after Dev Chandra was the site of this new Mohayana Buddhist
kingdom.(12)

In North Arakan, mostly Chandra Hindus (lower casts also known as the
Rakkhas) slowly adopted Islam converted by the already existing
Muslims of Arakan and most Buddhist elites perhaps joined the
Tibeto-Burnan Theraveda group or perhaps a defeated small number of
Buddhist adopted Islam. Arakan became on one hand Theraveda Buddhist
with largely Tibeto Burman stock, later came to be known as the "Mog/
Mug"/ Rakhines and the others were Rohingya Hindus and Muslims. Moghs
settled in the south and Muslims, Hindus of Indian look alike people
settled in the North. During the Chandra times and to its end in
Arakan, we see the traces of Arabic names such as Rambree, Sufi sites
on Myu Mountain tops, and Badre Patis in the Northern part of Arakan.

From the 11th century, clearly with the Tibeto-Burman rule, Arakan
began to have two solitudes, Rakhine Mogh and the Rohingya Muslims but
Arakan began to look East to its mongoloid Buddhist neighbors only
until the year 1430; the year Arakan's king Noromi Kla would be
deposed by Burmese invasion and he would take shelter in Gaur of
Bengal.

Revisionist History Writing and Rakhine Crusader like Activism: Ethnic
cleansing of the Arakani Indo sematic traces

A footnote to the above discussion that Rakhine ultranationalists in
their attemts to purify Arakan of Muslim traces for their only
Buddhist mongoloid race prove that the Buddhist civilization was there
for the past 3000 years, and even Buddha visited Arakan and the
Mohamuni was made in Buddha's presence. In this ethnocentric attempt,
they are not only getting rid of Muslim names from Arakan sites in
Mrohaung city and in its vicinity, in doing anti Indo semantic ethnic
cleansing, by getting rid of both Hindu traces and the Mohayana
Buddhist traces from Dhannwadi and Vasali kingdom sites in favour of
the Theraveda Rakkhapuri ultra nationalist Buddhism.

In his book, Vasali and the Indianization of Arakan, Noel Singer
notes, "Dhanyavti and Vasaishali on which stood Hindu temples, now
been taken over by Buddhists. There is a tendency to transform Hindu
gods into Buddhist deities." "Regretably, despite Rakhine
determination to eradicate Brahmanic evidence, this is unlikely to
happen for a considerable time." (13)

Their narrative about the Rohingyas (Hindu-Muslim) of Arakan by the
Rakhine xenophobes "starts with the British colonization of the
territory in 1826 after the first Anglo-Burma War of 1824-26, as if
Rohingyas had no past connection to the soil of Arakan."(14) In this
propaganda campaign, there are several Rakhine crusader like
historians; they are Kanbawza Win, Aye Chan, Maung Maung, and U Khin
Maung Saw.  One such historian is also San Tha Aung. Noel Singer
remarks: "whose vehement claims that the inhabitants of the kingdom
throughout its history were devout Theravada Buddhist, it should be
noted that Svarga, the Hindu paradise, and not a Buddhist one was
indicated in the inscription." He "investigated the document further
in the 1970's apart from his biased version his labors failed to
produce any new revelations." (15) No doubt, the works of these
tendentious Rakine historians belittling the Rohingya presence in
Arakan must have played a significant role in the present ethnic
cleansing of the Rohingya people in Arakan.

1044-77 Rise of Burmese pagan king Anwardhta in Burma proper with
Teraveda political Buddhism, "reduces North Arakan"from a kingdom to a
province of Burma.

1044-77 Rohingyas (Arakani Hindus and Muslims) left Arakan for
Chittagong. Chakma Royal history says that in this war against the
Burmese, Chakmas sided with the Bengalis (the Chandras) but were
defeated.

1287 - Mongols under Kublai Khan conquer Pagan.  Arakan revives again
as a kingdom.

1406 Burmese King Min Khaung Yaza invades Arakan and Noromi-kala the
king of Arakan along with his followers took asylum at Gaur court of
Bengal. The Sultan welcomed Noromi kla to serve as an officer in the
army.

1431  Noromi Kla was helped by the Bengal Sultan with General Wali
Khan leading 20, 000 troops to restore him to throne of Arakan, at the
same time Arakan became an autonomous province of Bengal, paying taxes
to the Sultan.

(Continues to Part 2)

ENDNOTES:

(1)Abid Bahar, "Dynamics of Ethnic Relations in Burmese Society": An
Unpublihed MA thesis, University of Windsor, Canada, 1981, p. 25, Abid
Bahar, "Mystery behind the Chakma and the Rohingya's linguistic
similarities"http://www.kaladanpress.org/v3/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1721:mystery-behind-the-chakma-and-the-rohingyas-linguistic-similarities&catid=35:rohingya&Itemid=29

(2)Habib Siddiqui, Analysis of Muslim Identity and Demography in
Arakan - parts 1 and 2
http://drhabibsiddiqui.blogspot.ca/2011/10/analysis-of-muslim-identity-and.html

(3)Ibid

(4) Ibid

(5) Ibid

(6) Ibid

(7) M.S. Collins,Burma, 1925, p.39-43.

(8) Habib Siddiqui, Analysis of Muslim Identity and Demography in
Arakan - parts 1 and 2

(9) R.B. Smart, Burma Gazetteer Akyab district, Vol. 1,  1957, p.17

(10) Purna Chandra Chowdhury, Chottagramer Ithas, 2008, p. 31

(11) Michael Smith,The Muslim Rohingyas of Burma, 1995.

(12)  Purna Chandra Chowdhury, Chottagramer Ithas, p. 31

(13) Noel Singer, Vasali and the Indianization of Arakan, 2008,
p108;San Tha Aung, Wathali, in Noel Singer, Vasali and the
Indianization of Arakan, 2008

MP U Shwe Maung's Parliamentary Speech in Burmese Parliament
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=YTUdcLAq8ag

(14)Ibid

(15)Ibid,

News Night With Talat - 25th July 2012
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtQjgIZdVt8;

Inside Story - Why is the world ignoring Myanmar's Rohingya?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=RfC0aJwZjFI;
Thousands of Muslims Massacred by Burma's Government and People
(Myanmar) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uO4leI66Ko&feature=related;Tell
Me, What is Rohingya Genocide:
http://danyawadi.wordpress.com/2012/05/21/tell-me-what-is-rohingya-genocide-in-burma-by-abid-bahar-phd/;http://danyawadi.wordpress.com/2012/07/07/religiously-motivated-racism-and-the-ongoing-rohingya-genocide-in-burma/,
http://danyawadi.wordpress.com/2012/07/07/religiously-motivated-racism-and-the-ongoing-rohingya-genocide-in-burma/

(Dr. Abid Bahar teaches in Canada)


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