The Rohingyas: Inside Myanmar’s Hidden Genocide

227 Pages·2016·3.24 MB·English

by  Azeem Ibrahim

THE ROHINGYAS
AZEEM IBRAHIM
The Rohingyas
Inside Myanmar’s Hidden Genocide
HURST & COMPANY, LONDON
First published in the United Kingdom in 2016 by
C. Hurst & Co. (Publishers) Ltd.,
41 Great Russell Street, London, WC1B 3PL
© Azeem Ibrahim, 2016
All rights reserved.
Printed in the United Kingdom
The right of Azeem Ibrahim to be identified as the author of this publication is asserted by him in
accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988.
A Cataloguing-in-Publication data record for this book is available from the British Library.
978-1-84904-623-7 paperback; 978-1-84904-7920 (ebook)
This book is printed using paper from registered sustainable and managed sources.
www.hurstpublishers.com
CONTENTS
List of Acronyms
List of Key Individuals
List of Figures and Tables
Map of Myanmar
Foreword
Introduction
1. A Short History of Burma to 1948
2. From Independence to Democracy (1948–2010)
3. The Return to Democracy (2008–2015)
4. Implications for the Rohingyas (2008–2015)
5. Genocide and International Law
6. Current Situation
7. What Can Be Done?
Conclusion
Appendices
Glossary
Notes
References
Index
LIST OF ACRONYMS
ALD Arakan League for Democracy
ANP Arakan National Party
ASEAN Association of South east Asian Nations
BCP Burmese Communist Party
BIA Burmese Independence Army
BSPP Burma Socialist Programme Party
CRPP Committee Representing the People’s Parliament
DHRP Democracy and Human Rights Party
ICC International Criminal Court
NLD National League for Democracy
NUP National Unity Party
OIC Organisation of Islamic Cooperation
RNDP Rakhine Nationalities Development Party
UNHCR United Nations High Commission for Refugees
USDP Union Solidarity and Development Party
LIST OF KEY INDIVIDUALS
Kwan Kyi Minister in the democratic government from 1948–62. Mother of Aung
San Suu Kyi
Aung San Suu Kyi Leader of the NLD
Shwe Mann USDP party chairman until 2015 when he was removed by Thein Sein
for being too close to the NLD. Ally of Than Shwe
Aye Maung Leader of the RNDP/ANP
U Nu Prime minister from independence in 1948 until the military coup in
1962 (with hiatuses)
Tin Oo Vice-chairman of the NLD since 1988; had been the military’s
commander in chief up to 1976 when he was deposed after a failed
coup
Aung San Important military leader in the independence movement, assassinated
in 1947. Father of Aung San Suu Kyi
Thein Sein Myanmar’s president since 2011, backed by the military and the USDP
Than Shwe Leader of the government from 2004–11. Widely believed to still be
influential and to control one of the major factions in the USDP
Ashin U Wirathu Major figure in the 969 Movement, sometimes called ‘Buddhism’s Bin
Laden’
Ne Win General who organised the 1962 military coup; was forced to stand
down after the 1988 popular revolt
Kyaw Zay Important military leader in the independence movement; after
independence led the military wing of the Burmese Communist Party
LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES
1. Map of Myanmar
2. Languages of Burma, 1811
3. 1990 Electoral Results
4. 2010 Electoral Results
5. Map of Rakhine State Showing Locations of Internal Refugee Camps
(2015)
6. 2014 Census Results