6th, March 2016
M-Media
Photo Credit – Pyithu Hluttaw Website
– MPs in Myanmar described ethnic Kaman Muslim as ‘cancer cells’ in their parliamentary discussions in which they urge government to review resettlement program of Kaman before pointing out Islamization threat to the country.
Unlike Rohingya, who are being denied citizenship and basic rights, Kaman is one of the officially recognized ethnic groups in Myanmar.
But they were also targeted during the anti-Muslim attacks by Rakhine Buddhists mob in 2012 that forced them to flee their homes. Since then they have been languishing in IDP camps.
Last year, Myanmar government forcibly resettled 55 Kaman households from Ramree IDP camps in commercial capital Yangon after hate-monger Rakhine Buddhists did not allow them to return their original places.
In his yesterday request to review the resettlement program of Kaman people, an MP from military backed USDP party, Maung Myint, said ‘cancer cells which spread in Rakhine State are better to cure within the state rather than transport to Yangon so that the cells could spread across the country’ referring Kaman Muslims who are struggling to start their new lives in Yangon.
Another USDP MP from Meikthila, Doctor Maung Thin, where anti-Muslim violence broke out in 2013, supports the request claiming ‘resettlement of Kaman Muslim in Yangon could encourage Islamization in the country’.
The request has been approved unanimously in the parliament session to make further discussions.
Although Kaman is officially recognized ethnic group, they are suffering systematic persecutions not only from government officials but from the Rakhine Buddhists.
Myanmar authorities have repeatedly denied reports of persecution of followers of Islam in the Rakhine State stating that the Rohingya problem is not based on their religious affiliation.
But remarks from members of parliament and sufferings of ethnic Kaman people defy the claims of Myanmar government.
News sources : RFA, Irrawaddy
