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Centre for South Asia Studies Review
Arakan: India Moves Into the Vacuum
In the wake of the surrender at Dhaka, 1971, around thirty Pakistan military personnel and some families had escaped into Arakan. An wounded Maj Gen Rahim Khan was among them. The Burmese treated them well during their stay of over a month. While Pakistan has always been grateful about this, the Burmese have not neglected to take advantage. The Burmese Embassy at Islamabad is the largest embassy Burma has. Burma also understands well that if Pakistan is the western arm of a Chinese nut-cracker around India, then she is the eastern arm. Here also Burma takes advantage from China.
Although historically there is every reason for China to view Burma as treacherous, oil and gas off-shore mollifies the Chinese. Post Tien Mien Square incident, Burrma and Pakistan were about the only allies an internationally proscribed China had. But that is history. Today China is interested in the large Chinese community living and thriving in Burma. They have even got themselves recognized as a nationality - while the Rohingyas / Arkanese Muslims remain unrecognized as citizens of Burma. Hectic Sino-Burma border trade is important to the Chinese living in the border zone. China has invested much in Burma in infrastructure building and industrial development. However, the key to the Sino-Burmese relations are the off-shore blocs that China has obtained off the Arakan coast. Pipelines were built quickly and commissioned in record time. China is also building a modern city with 5-star hotels and an airport near Ramree. Obviously these are to lure in Chinese tourists beside providing recreation to personnel working in the off-shore rigs.
India has also obtained some blocs, but lesser than the Chinese. India has invested in developing the Akyab Port. But it’s prime project is the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project. Kaladan Multi-modal Transit Transport Project - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia When operational India’s NE state of Mizoram will have access to Akyab Port through R Kaladan.
BJP govt representing rising Hindu extremism and the Buddhist extremists ruling Burma, take a common view of growing Muslim population in the sub-region. The Muslims are the detested kalla in Burmese society. The first massacre of Muslims occurred when Gen Aung San was powerful. And the massacre of Muslims have never stopped. Gen Ne Win as military commander of Arakan under the Japanese had organized the next major massacre qualifying to be dubbed the Butcher of Arakan. In recent years the Burmese and the Indians have found common cause to prevent re-emergence of a Muslim power in Arakan. The Burmese play the Muslim Rohingya vs Buddhist Rakhine card to exterminate the Arakanese Muslims. All sorts of facilities are provided to the Rakhine Moghs who are used routinely to pounce upon the Muslims. The Indians, beside being averse to the rise of another Muslim state here, realize that a free Arakan will be a boost to North Eastern freedom fighters. It is no secret that much arms move through Arakan into the NE. Indian MI’s Op Leech brought into surface India’s interest in Arakan with a bang. ‘Leech’ exposes Army’s dirty little secret | Latest News & Updates at Daily News & Analysis Kyang Raja’s killing has removed a rare visionary Mogh Rakhine leader who wanted to unite with the Muslim Rohingyas in the struggle against Burma. The infamous commander of Op Leech, Col Gerawal has interestingly been seen in the region recently. He has been brought back from retirement and lately tried to link up with Rohingya leaders at various locations. With a Burmese background the Colonel is somewhat of an Arakan expert.
5. Bangladesh and Arakan are so situated that no insurgency in Arakan can succeed without help from Bangladesh. In history Arakan was always rescued by the Bengal Army whenever invaded by the Burmese. In 1430 Bengal Sultan Jalaluddin Mohammad Shah had sent his army to restore Sultan Solaiman Shah to the throne of Arakan. Once again the Bengal Army, this time under the East India Company, went to Arakan to evict the Burmese. The First Anglo Burmese War (1823-25) was the beginning of the fall of Burma to English/British colonialism. This war saw the use of the ALI (Arakan Light Infantry) in service with the Company’s army. Also Burmese Gen Bandoola, regarded as an epic hero in Burmese history, was also killed during a battle.
In 1946-47 the Arakanese Muslim leaders had pursued the Pakistani leaders to include Muslim dominated Arakan into (East) Pakistan. But the non-Bengali political leaders and bureaucrats were apathetic. (Similar was the case with Tripura State whose Maharaja waited two weeks at Dhaka to get a response from the newly formed govt to his offer of joining (East) Pakistan. When no reply came the Maharaja went to Calcutta where his proposal was well received.) However, when Sher e Bangla Fazlul Huq was CM, E Pakistan, he had allowed Arakanese Muslims to set up training camp at Comilla Cantt.
7. Sheikh Mujib had met Arakanese leader Jafar Sani asking him to lie low till the newly independent country settled down. Gen Zia had threatened to arm Rohingya refugees and send them back unless the Burmese stopped persecution and accepted the refugees back. The threat had worked. Gen Ershad let the Rohingyas train themselves in their camp and did not disturb them. When Begum Khaleda Zia came to power Bangladesh and Burma nearly went to war over the Arakan issue. But the Chinese advised Bangladesh against war. Moreover the 25 Years’ Treaty with India was still valid allowing India to get involved in case of a war. Instead of allowing them to continue as usual an inexperienced Khaleda did not appreciate the implications of cracking down on the Rohingyas shutting down camps and confiscating all weapons. The NSI Chief Nasim, sweating to be next Army Chief, went much beyond sensible limit.
BAL regime under Hasina had unleashed total persecution monitored by Adviser-Minister Suranjit Sen Gupta, reputed to be a RAW agent. As per a secret clause in the deal where the Shanti Bahini surrendered, Chittagong Hill Tracts were to be kept Rohingya free to ensure no arms flowed into NE through this area. During the current Hasina administration, Bangladesh has been criticized and blacklisted by most Muslim nations for returning the Rohingya refugees back into sure death. Today it is quite apparent that Bangladesh’s foreign and national security affairs are controlled by Delhi. India herself has several covert and overt deals with Burma covering Arakan. It is, therefore, quite obvious that there exists an unholy nexus among Bangladesh, Burma and India on Arakan and the Rohingya issue. Obviously this will be quashed when the illegally installed Hasina govt goes because this is not in the interest of Bangladesh.
Pakistan and Bangladesh are the hosts to the largest number of Rohingya refugees who total well over 2.5 mlln. Bangladesh’s stance is understandable. Having been installed with Indian help, Hasina govt is totally at their mercy. But why has Pakistan been duped into selling aircraft and arms to Burma? As the custodian of SA Muslims, Pakistan must appreciate that Arakan was the first recipient of the Message in this region. Thus the name Arakan deriving from the Arabic word rokon/beginning. With Arakan totally cleansed of Muslims, the Buddhist extremist - Hindu extremist nexus will begin ethnic cleansing of Muslims thereon. Pakistan must not allow India to operate free in the vacuum created by Bangladesh becoming inactive. Fall of Arakan will but be the beginning of the fall of Muslims from SA. On the other hand an energized Arakan can rescue Bangladesh from the clutches of Hindu extremists.
Arakan: India Moves Into the Vacuum
In the wake of the surrender at Dhaka, 1971, around thirty Pakistan military personnel and some families had escaped into Arakan. An wounded Maj Gen Rahim Khan was among them. The Burmese treated them well during their stay of over a month. While Pakistan has always been grateful about this, the Burmese have not neglected to take advantage. The Burmese Embassy at Islamabad is the largest embassy Burma has. Burma also understands well that if Pakistan is the western arm of a Chinese nut-cracker around India, then she is the eastern arm. Here also Burma takes advantage from China.
Although historically there is every reason for China to view Burma as treacherous, oil and gas off-shore mollifies the Chinese. Post Tien Mien Square incident, Burrma and Pakistan were about the only allies an internationally proscribed China had. But that is history. Today China is interested in the large Chinese community living and thriving in Burma. They have even got themselves recognized as a nationality - while the Rohingyas / Arkanese Muslims remain unrecognized as citizens of Burma. Hectic Sino-Burma border trade is important to the Chinese living in the border zone. China has invested much in Burma in infrastructure building and industrial development. However, the key to the Sino-Burmese relations are the off-shore blocs that China has obtained off the Arakan coast. Pipelines were built quickly and commissioned in record time. China is also building a modern city with 5-star hotels and an airport near Ramree. Obviously these are to lure in Chinese tourists beside providing recreation to personnel working in the off-shore rigs.
India has also obtained some blocs, but lesser than the Chinese. India has invested in developing the Akyab Port. But it’s prime project is the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project. Kaladan Multi-modal Transit Transport Project - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia When operational India’s NE state of Mizoram will have access to Akyab Port through R Kaladan.
BJP govt representing rising Hindu extremism and the Buddhist extremists ruling Burma, take a common view of growing Muslim population in the sub-region. The Muslims are the detested kalla in Burmese society. The first massacre of Muslims occurred when Gen Aung San was powerful. And the massacre of Muslims have never stopped. Gen Ne Win as military commander of Arakan under the Japanese had organized the next major massacre qualifying to be dubbed the Butcher of Arakan. In recent years the Burmese and the Indians have found common cause to prevent re-emergence of a Muslim power in Arakan. The Burmese play the Muslim Rohingya vs Buddhist Rakhine card to exterminate the Arakanese Muslims. All sorts of facilities are provided to the Rakhine Moghs who are used routinely to pounce upon the Muslims. The Indians, beside being averse to the rise of another Muslim state here, realize that a free Arakan will be a boost to North Eastern freedom fighters. It is no secret that much arms move through Arakan into the NE. Indian MI’s Op Leech brought into surface India’s interest in Arakan with a bang. ‘Leech’ exposes Army’s dirty little secret | Latest News & Updates at Daily News & Analysis Kyang Raja’s killing has removed a rare visionary Mogh Rakhine leader who wanted to unite with the Muslim Rohingyas in the struggle against Burma. The infamous commander of Op Leech, Col Gerawal has interestingly been seen in the region recently. He has been brought back from retirement and lately tried to link up with Rohingya leaders at various locations. With a Burmese background the Colonel is somewhat of an Arakan expert.
5. Bangladesh and Arakan are so situated that no insurgency in Arakan can succeed without help from Bangladesh. In history Arakan was always rescued by the Bengal Army whenever invaded by the Burmese. In 1430 Bengal Sultan Jalaluddin Mohammad Shah had sent his army to restore Sultan Solaiman Shah to the throne of Arakan. Once again the Bengal Army, this time under the East India Company, went to Arakan to evict the Burmese. The First Anglo Burmese War (1823-25) was the beginning of the fall of Burma to English/British colonialism. This war saw the use of the ALI (Arakan Light Infantry) in service with the Company’s army. Also Burmese Gen Bandoola, regarded as an epic hero in Burmese history, was also killed during a battle.
In 1946-47 the Arakanese Muslim leaders had pursued the Pakistani leaders to include Muslim dominated Arakan into (East) Pakistan. But the non-Bengali political leaders and bureaucrats were apathetic. (Similar was the case with Tripura State whose Maharaja waited two weeks at Dhaka to get a response from the newly formed govt to his offer of joining (East) Pakistan. When no reply came the Maharaja went to Calcutta where his proposal was well received.) However, when Sher e Bangla Fazlul Huq was CM, E Pakistan, he had allowed Arakanese Muslims to set up training camp at Comilla Cantt.
7. Sheikh Mujib had met Arakanese leader Jafar Sani asking him to lie low till the newly independent country settled down. Gen Zia had threatened to arm Rohingya refugees and send them back unless the Burmese stopped persecution and accepted the refugees back. The threat had worked. Gen Ershad let the Rohingyas train themselves in their camp and did not disturb them. When Begum Khaleda Zia came to power Bangladesh and Burma nearly went to war over the Arakan issue. But the Chinese advised Bangladesh against war. Moreover the 25 Years’ Treaty with India was still valid allowing India to get involved in case of a war. Instead of allowing them to continue as usual an inexperienced Khaleda did not appreciate the implications of cracking down on the Rohingyas shutting down camps and confiscating all weapons. The NSI Chief Nasim, sweating to be next Army Chief, went much beyond sensible limit.
BAL regime under Hasina had unleashed total persecution monitored by Adviser-Minister Suranjit Sen Gupta, reputed to be a RAW agent. As per a secret clause in the deal where the Shanti Bahini surrendered, Chittagong Hill Tracts were to be kept Rohingya free to ensure no arms flowed into NE through this area. During the current Hasina administration, Bangladesh has been criticized and blacklisted by most Muslim nations for returning the Rohingya refugees back into sure death. Today it is quite apparent that Bangladesh’s foreign and national security affairs are controlled by Delhi. India herself has several covert and overt deals with Burma covering Arakan. It is, therefore, quite obvious that there exists an unholy nexus among Bangladesh, Burma and India on Arakan and the Rohingya issue. Obviously this will be quashed when the illegally installed Hasina govt goes because this is not in the interest of Bangladesh.
Pakistan and Bangladesh are the hosts to the largest number of Rohingya refugees who total well over 2.5 mlln. Bangladesh’s stance is understandable. Having been installed with Indian help, Hasina govt is totally at their mercy. But why has Pakistan been duped into selling aircraft and arms to Burma? As the custodian of SA Muslims, Pakistan must appreciate that Arakan was the first recipient of the Message in this region. Thus the name Arakan deriving from the Arabic word rokon/beginning. With Arakan totally cleansed of Muslims, the Buddhist extremist - Hindu extremist nexus will begin ethnic cleansing of Muslims thereon. Pakistan must not allow India to operate free in the vacuum created by Bangladesh becoming inactive. Fall of Arakan will but be the beginning of the fall of Muslims from SA. On the other hand an energized Arakan can rescue Bangladesh from the clutches of Hindu extremists.
