A.H. Kamal

Note: Former Outstanding Student (Luyechun) of Burma, got M.B.,B.S. from IM2, stayed as a refugee but worked in Malaysia as in University Malaya and National University of Malaysia (UKM) for about 14 years. As he was holding the Bangladesh Passport he applied by could not get the PR/Red IC here. He went with his family to Australia as a tourist, immediately declaired and requested for refugee stataus. He was accepted within THREE MONTHS only and is now Australian citizen for dozen of years.

I hereby posted his good post without asking his permission.

If Burma overtakes Singapore in 20 years, Why not Arakan overtakes UAE in 10 years?

By Dr. A.H.Kamal (Alumnus of Maungdaw High School, Arakan)

DASSK has a fantasy about transforming Burma to overtake Singapore in 20 years. As a native of Arakan, I do have my own fantasy about the future of Arakan. By saying so, I do not feel embarrassment. I am an ordinary person and not responsible like the Lady who runs the country. Furthermore, my dream is several times closer to the reality than that of the Lady.

Geographically, Arakan is stand-alone state of Burma, divided by a huge mountain range Arakan Yoma to the mainland Burma. Historically, Arakan was stand-alone too until the Burmese occupation in 1774. Arakan was larger than current map at some points in the history which included part of today’s Chittagong region of Bangladesh. Demographically, Arakan was inhabited by Rakhines, Rohingyas, Mro, Khami, Daignet, Matramagri, Chins and Chakmas. But Arakan was not resided by Bamas or any other ethnics of current Burma before 1774.. Arakan had been predominantly ruled by Rakhine kings and also became vassal state (protectorate) of Bengal Sultanates for centuries before fallen to Burmese annexation. Rakhines had historical resentment on Bamas for three main reasons: massacre in 1774 by Burmese forces, dismantling and stealing away Mahamuni Buddha Image and enduring colonization until today. On top of those, all resources have been drained to the mainland leaving the territory as the second most impoverished state of the largely impoverished country of the world. The worst reality is the future: selling the whole Arakan to the foreign investors leaving nothing for the natives except conflicts, IDPs , refugees and persistent scare mongering tools of imminent Islamisation and neighboring infiltration.

To make the long story short, if Burma hands off Arakan, it has a better chance of achieving the level of UAE in a decade or two. The current climate is in a great transitional situation different from the rest of the country. However, this dream to be wishful, it relies on four major stakeholders to think critically:

1. Burmese Central Government: Hands off Arakan with ‘Confederate Status’. By doing so, there will be less bloodshed and can focus of own business in the mainland. Burmese will not easily hands off Arakan. The natives of Arakan requires to take back by any means.

2. Rakhine establishment: both AA and its political wing has every right to claim the ‘Confederate Status’ of Arakan. However, Rakhines need to abandon the xenophobic attitude and anti-Rohingya sentiment from their guts and brains. Those were ‘divide and rule’ dirty tactics of Burmese hegemonic militarism injected to the blood stream of Rakhines throughout the last two centuries. It is definitely impossible to establish a ‘Confederate Status’ of Arakan without an inclusive policy on Rohingya. Please remember the glorious days of MyoHaung@Mrauk U.

3. Rohingya establishment: abandon your remaining hope on any form of Burmese government and Burmese people. Instead of that, please find anyway to make bridge with Rakhine people. If there is a will, there must always be a way. Those are the people we used to live for centuries if not millennium. The time is not far away for Rakhines to abandon Burmese colonial legacy of racism, anti-Rohingya, anti-Islamic and Xenophobic attitudes. There is a historical demand to do so. There is also a geopolitical and diplomatic demand for Rakhines to deal with Rohingya in good faith. The time is not far away.

4. International Community: Please give a priority to ‘peace and justice’ over ‘blood tainted lucrative investment return’. Peaceful and Prosperous Arakan will make more opportunity for International investor in a long term than status quo. Please be mindful of your responsibility to the massive human suffering. Abandon the recalcitrant Burmese bloodsuckers as they do not listen to any friendly advice form you all. Please try to mend bridges between fractured communities of Arakan to move forwards. There will be a time in a near future for foreign countries and INGOs to invest in Arakan instead of feeding a million plus refuges and IDPs.

Back to the fantasy, UAE is double the size of Arakan. UAE is covered with deserts and Arakan is filled with a very green landscape. Arakan is full of resources on the land, under the land and on the coastal offshore beneath the sea. Yet is Arakan is one of the poorest land on earth battered with conflicts and humanitarian disasters. This is all due to Burmese hegemonic militarism of past and present. We cannot let Arakan to suffer in the future. In 2013, the UAE’s population was 9.2 million, of which 1.4 million are Emirati citizens and 7.8 million are expatriates. UAE stands tall on the world stage not shorter than Singapore. UAE people are enjoying with Soccer, Formula 1 car racing, and all sort of leisure activities. The day to day running of the business and administration is performed by expatriates. Win-Win situation for the host and the expatriates. The country’s 80% of population is expatriates and they are not taking over the Emeriti land and Islamic religion of the natives. The natives of Arakan could enjoy too instead of slave like situation in mainland Burma and neighbouring countries. Arkanese Buddhism will never be challenged if Arkan were to flourish like UAE. The ancient Kingdom of Mrauk U could become a major pilgrimage and tourist destination. Similarly, Kayafuti Tonki in Maungdaw ( near Nasaka Kyi Kan Pyin) could become another tourist attraction for Muslims.

Oh people of Arakan, Rakhines and Rohingya alike, please wake up. Wake up early than late. If you are still dreaming, please dream about a region on the other end of the Indian Ocean. After all this still a dream, better that that of the Ideologically Broken Lady. The End!!!

Reference

1. “Singapore is way ahead of us now… We should not wait 20 years to catch up with Singapore, I hope you will help us to catch up with Singapore,” she said.

https://www.straitstimes.com/…/myanmar-leader-aung-san…

2. In 2013, the UAE’s population was 9.2 million, of which 1.4 million are Emirati citizens and 7.8 million are expatriates.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Arab_Emirates

GOOGLE SEARCH about my posts of DREAMS for Mayu District:

Dr Ko Ko Gyi (also known as Dr. Abdul Rahman) is a prominent Burmese-born physician and activist who frequently discusses the historical and political situation of the Mayu District in Myanmar’s Rakhine (Arakan) State. [1, 2]

Connection to Mayu District

Dr Ko Ko Gyi is known for his advocacy and historical analysis regarding the Mayu District, particularly its connection to the Rohingya people.

• Political Advocacy: He has recently called for UN R2P (Responsibility to Protect) Peace Forces to enter the Mayu District to prevent what he describes as an impending Rohingya genocide. [1]
• Historical Context: In his writings, he traces the history of the Mayu Frontier District, an administrative unit established in 1961 by Prime Minister U Nu to provide a measure of autonomy to the Rohingya-majority areas of Maungdaw and Buthidaung. This district was later abolished by the military government following the 1962 coup. [1, 2]
• Writings: He often writes about ethnic and religious history, including contributions like “Indians in Burmese History”, which explore the long-standing presence of various communities in the region. [1]

Professional Background

• Medical Career: Beyond his activism, he is a doctor who practiced in Malaysia for several years, providing medical care to marginalized groups like the Orang Asli communities.
• Identity: Born as Ko Ko Gyi in Mandalay, he later took the name Dr. Abdul Rahman Zafrudin. [1, 2, 3]

Note: He is often distinguished from U Ko Ko Gyi, the well-known student leader from the “88 Generation” and founder of the People’s Party, who is a different political figure. [1, 2, 3, 4]

Would you like more details on his historical essays regarding the Mayu District or his recent appeals to the UN?