ARNO and BHRN ask Ambassador Iza Fadri to withdraw his factually wrong remarks

On 6th July 2020, The Indonesian Ambassador to Myanmar H.E. Iza Fadri made a shocking statement in RMOLACEH online news site about the Rohingya people.

A joint statement by Arakan Rohingya National Organization (ARNO) and BHRN has objected the Ambassador’s statement where he mentioned that the Rohingya did not come from Arakan/Rakhine State (Myanmar) but from Bangladesh refugee camps and that they are British time settlers.

The statement further stated, “His ( the Ambassador) reckless statement has hurt the feelings of several Rohingya genocide survivors around the world. We emphasize that despite these statements made by the Ambassador that they do not in any way reflect the official position of the Indonesian government nor that of the friendly people of Indonesia who have been generously helping the Rohingya in distress at sea.”

Rohingyas are indigenous people of Arakan. Their history goes back to the 8th century. The term Rohingya is derived from the word Rohai or Rohshangee, a terminology perverted to Rohingya. Rohai and Roshangee are terms denoting the Muslim people inhabiting in the old Arakan or Rohang or Roshang. The ancient capital of Arakan was Mrauk-U. The Rakhine Buddhists called it Maruk-Oo and the Rohingya Muslims and Europeans called it Maruk-U.