On Thursday, a seminar titled, “What Future for Rakhine?: End Games for the Arakanese (Rakhine, Rohingyas and Other Co-habitants)” organized by-the Forces for Renewal of Southeast Asia (FORSEA) in collaboration with the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) and, Free Rohingya Coalition (FRC)
At the conference, Ro Nay San Lwin, co-founder of Free Rohingya Coalition said, “Interestingly we are seeing many Rakhine brothers and sisters, and Rakhine media changing their attitude towards us. It gives us an opportunity to start contemplating and aspiring to a Rohingya – Rakhine reconciliation.”
Referring to the divide and oppressive policies of the Myanmar government, Lwin said: “Rohingya – Rakhine reconciliation is the opposite of what the Myanmar government wants. They don’t want these two communities to get back together.” He also accused Aung San Suu Kyi administration of still holding colonial attitudes toward the oppressed not only Rohingya but also other ethnic communities.
He focused on the long history of violence in Arakan (currently Rakhine) state under the patronization of external powers. “Even before Burma (Myanmar) gained independence from the British, Rohingya and Rakhine were divided by the machinations of foreign powers. However, we have lived peacefully side by side,” he said. “Decades of toxic political thought, speech and action created further divisions between the Rakhine and Rohingya. Most of the politicians from the Rakhine community-supported violence against us,” Lwin added.
Only the upcoming National election can tell what lies for Rohingya and Rakhine nations. At present, both ethnicity are going through the same phase- homeless with hardship life. Tatmadaw has created a division between Rakhine and Rohingya and later forced the Rohingya to flee from their homeland.
