Understanding needed for govt handling on Rakhine issue, border minister says
Published on Monday, 10 December 2012 04:57
The international community should show understanding and tolerate the step-by-step process of the Myanmar government in tackling problems in Rakhine state, Lt-General Thein Htay, Minister for Border Affairs, said on Saturday.
"Negotiation is essential in solving the problems during the period of 'globalisation'. We must carry out both 'inter-dialogue' and 'intra-dialogue'. In this circumstance, we would like to make a request to the international community through the diplomats to understand the real situation of our country," said the minister during a press briefing on the situation in Rakhine state at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Yangon.
"Due to the communal violence in the western Myanmar state, the number of IDPs [internally displaced persons] has reached 190,000, and the root cause of this unrest was 'underdevelopment of the region'. The government has no reason to hide the real situation, and it expects aid from international donor countries.
"We have said frequently that the problem in Rakhine state is a 'communal conflict'. We need to remove 'mistrust' and 'misunderstanding' spreading among the people in this area," said Thein Htay.
He also said that some foreign media are exaggerating the problem by saying the Myanmar government is committing 'genocide' in Rakhine state. However, the Bengalis who numbered about 250,000 in 1980 have increased to 1 million in 2012.
Regarding the possible airing of a programme on the Rakhine issue by al-Jazeera TV, the minister said that all Bengalis or all Rakhine people do not commit the violence. The crisis is only between the mobs from both communities. Whenever such a problem occurs, they use the media for 'political inspiration'. The government will respond to this problem only if it is necessary to do so.
Police chief Kyaw Kyaw Tun said at the event that the Myanmar Police Force is still investigating the evidence on alleged incitement to violence by some organisations. They will reveal the findings to the public.
Khin Ye, Minister for Immigration and Population, said that it is necessary for citizen Bengalis to report before travelling because authorities cannot easily identify them as Myanmar is located between two large countries with 1.2 billion and 1.3 billion population, and beside a country with four times more population than Myanmar despite having only one-third the area of Myanmar.
"Giving citizenship and being a citizen is related to the sovereignty of a country. Therefore, those who cannot be easily identified in appearance as our citizen will need permission for travelling in the country,"' he said.
The Ministry for Border Affairs said that the number of deaths in Rakhine State in June was 89 and in October 111, while the number of injured persons in June was 124 and in October 431. The number of houses damaged in June was 5,338 and in October 5,351.
The number of high-level persons' trip to Rakhine state was 18 times from early June to December 4.
Source: http://www.news.myanmaronlinecentre.com/2012/12/10/understanding-needed-for-govt-handling-on-rakhine-issue-border-minister-says/
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