Life Under Siege

What the Blockades in Burma Look Like
(part of The Darkness Visible series)

(Rohingya Camp Being Kept Under Blockade By Myanmar)

In previous post Alder's Ledge has told you what life under blockade was like in Myanmar. We explained what it was like to be starved to death slowly by a government that seeks to destroy an entire ethnic group. We explained how and why the radical Rakhine movement in Burma is carrying out their campaign of ethnic cleansing. Yet nothing compares to seeing the destruction yourself. That is why we are bringing you these images (first provided by @jamiliahanan on Twitter).

This Rohingya woman has a skin condition that has been left untreated due to lack of medical aid being allowed through the blockade. The skin condition has left painful blisters on her feet making it hard to walk. There is currently no relief in site due to the endless blockades being maintained by the Burmese government. 

This Rohingya child has the hallmark sign of malnourishment, a swollen stomach protruding from under rigid ribs. During the Holodomor in the Ukraine (part of Stalin's Forced Famines) children became swollen like this from eating thatch roofing materials. It is hard to say what has caused this child's condition. But it is clear from history's lessons that this condition is fatal if left untreated. 

This Rohingya boy has grown rail thin as starvation slowly claims him. Hips, ribs, and joints show through his thin tight draping of skin. This form of death is a cruel form of torture in Burma. It could easily be prevented. If food was allowed to enter the camp this boy would not be in the condition he is in now. If water was allowed, at the least, his strength would not be so rapidly depleted as his organs begin to shut down.

This Rohingya man is emaciated as his body uses up its own muscles to fuel itself on just a few more days. Just as with other Rohingya starving to death, this man is suffering with each passing day. His body is growing rigid as it looses the ability to move limbs. He is basically suffering from the symptoms of death long before death ever claims him. 

Another swollen stomach, another sad face. This Rohingya boy is rail thin everywhere except his stomach. In previous genocides where starvation was used to kill large numbers of people the children were described as "little fat men" due to this symptom. It was a cruel way of describing the children on their last leg before death set in. 

This is a typical home in the Rohingya concentration camps. In the dry season it may be almost bearable. In the wet season there is little between the Rohingya and the heavy rains. What was dirt beneath their beds quickly becomes mud. There is nowhere to flee from the dirt and mud due to the blockades that keep them in and the food and medicine out. 

A beautiful Rohingya girl, starved and hunched over in her tent. Her bones peak through her flesh as she looks away from the camera. Most Americans would have a hard time distinguishing her from any other Burmese or Bangladeshi individual. Yet the Burmese and Bengalis both hate her and her people. They refer to her as "Kalar".

Another symptom of malnutrition, this child's hair is falling out. It is a painful thing to watch as a child waste away right before your eyes. Yet for the Rohingya in Burma this is what life has been reduced to. A long and painful walk from degradation to death. 

This Rohingya man finds it hard to walk as starvation claims his body's muscles. He is frail and thin at a time in his life when he should be living rather than dieing. Instead of enjoying life, this Rohingya man has to watch his family, friends, and community die before his eyes. 

Another child, another swollen stomach. This Rohingya child does not deserve to live like this. He had done nothing but simply be unfortunate enough to be born Rohingya in Burma. That should not be a death sentence. And yet here he is, starved and homeless. 

Sunken eyes, protruding ribs, and thin limbs. These are the hallmarks of Burma's own forced famine. This is what it is like to live under constant siege by a government that is hellbent upon the destruction of the Rohingya people. This is what it is like to be starved to death slowly by a government that is carrying out a campaign of genocide. 

These images came out of Burma so that the world may see the faces of genocide in Myanmar. Now that we have seen them it is our duty to act. It is our duty as human beings to stand as one and fight this inhumanity. We can not remain silent as more and more Rohingya die daily. 

Scream for the Rohingya. Your voice goes much further than you could ever imagine.

Burma Recreates Crimes Of Pol Pot

Turning Buthidaung into Tuol Sleng S-21
(part of The Darkness Visible series)

There are few scenarios a person can imagine that are worse than those that arise in places like Buthidaung Prison. This horrific prison is a hellish pit that can easily be compared to Tuol Sleng S-21 in Pol Pot's Cambodia. The horrors that occur here are the sorts of things that nightmares are made of. These are the sorts of crimes that once committed can never be set straight once again... they can not be truly forgiven... they can not be forgot.

Since the outbreak of ethnic violence in the summer of 2012 the police in the Arakan have been organized in their effort to strip the Rohingya population of its males. The idea behind this tactic is that once the able bodied men are removed the population is left helpless and completely defenseless. This had led to outright massacres of Rohingya men and boys and the arbitrary arrest of countless Rohingya men. It is a tactic that both supports their genocidal intentions and sets the stage for the completion of their campaign of ethnic cleansing.

For the men and boys that are dragged off to Buthnidaung prison the rest of the world might as well be a million miles away. Life as they know it has ended. Once inside the gates of hell itself are just a few paces away.

In recent days information about life inside this prison have leaked out of Burma through the dedicated work of bloggers at the Rohingya Blogger website (source listed below). The accounts of torture are reminiscent of Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge. And just as the world did with Tuol Sleng... many are already brushing the accounts of torture off as "exaggerated" at best.

Yet whether you believe it or not, these are just a few of the things Rohingya prisoners at Buthidaung Prison have to go through on a daily basis.

• Prisoners are bound with ropes tightly and forced to remain naked.
• Upon arrival prisoners are forced down to the ground and their heads are stepped upon by the prison guards. 
• Prisoners are stripped naked for extended periods while waiting to bathe, when taken off to the bathing areas they are marched off still nude and return in the same manner. 
• At times the prisoners genitals are touched, beaten, and or tied with ropes till they become swollen and dark with blood. 
• During torture the Rohingya prisoner are forced to the ground as the guards set upon their backs and beat them in the head with hammers. At times Rakhine prisoners are brought in to whip the Rohingya with chains, beat them with sticks, or attack them with hammers. 
• Some Rohingya prisoners have had limbs, ears, and even their noses cut (at times amputated) while being beat about the face till they are bruised severely.
• Rohingya prisoners are beat about the chest, limbs, and head till they begin to bleed both externally and internally. 
• Prison guards, often with the help of Rakhine prisoners, pluck the beards of the Rohingya prisoners. They also pull the hair off the Rohingyas' heads and body. 
• Rohingya prisoners are burnt with charcoals. Their genitals are shocked with electricity and burnt with boiling water. 
• Rohingya prisoners are starved and deprived of water. When allowed to bathe the prisoners are given little water so as to prevent both bathing and drinking of the dirty water. 
• Rohingya prisoners are often subjected to sleep deprivation. When caught falling asleep the Rohingya are beaten, at times nearly to death. This helps the guards break the Rohingya prisoners and induce psychiatric issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder. 
• Rohingya prisoners are banned from praying or observing the Sabbath. 
• Heavy shackles (yokes) are placed upon the Rohingyas' shoulders as they are made to walk around with the extra burden. 
• Rohingya prisoners are often made to crawl about as guards ride them like animals. 
• Rohingya prisoners are forced to walk across nail ridden planks and broken glass. 
• Guards use scissors, nails, needles and knives to peel off the skin of Rohingya prisoners. At times the guards will cut the eyes and pierce the tongues of their victims. 
• If a Rohingya urinates or defecates during the course of being tortured the guards will force the Rohingya victim to eat or drink the waste as the guards watch. 
• Fire ants are poured over Rohingya prisoners so that they will bite and sting the victims.
• When stray dogs are available the guards will force Rohingya prisoners to lay down as they apply rice and curries to their bodies. The dogs are led through and forced upon the Rohingya victims. The dogs willingly eat the food and often bite the Rohingya as the guards agitate the dogs to make them more aggressive.
• Guards use slurs to dehumanize the Rohingya constantly. They often refer to the Rohingya as animals in ways such as "Kalar cows". 
• When taking Rohingya to the court the guards tie their victims up and beat them severely.
• At any point of being moved or when inside or outside the Rohingya are tied together with ropes around their necks, waists, and limbs. All the while they are beaten by guards. 
• Rohingya who become ill are denied any form of medical assistance or medicine. 
• Rohingya prisoners are forbidden from meeting with relatives to accept cash, clothing, medicine, or food. 
• Rohingya prisoners are often raped. Often the victim is forced to swallow the sperm of their assailant. 
• Rohingya who are disabled, elderly, or very young are all subject to the same forms of torture as the able bodied Rohingya prisoners. 
• Rohingya prisoners are often told during torture that their religion is worthless. Guards will often tell them, "You said your G-d is great. Now call your G-d to save you."
• Rohingya prisoners who are killed during their captivity due to torture, disease, or outright murder are not given a proper burial. Their bodies are not turned over to their families. Instead the corpses are disposed of in the same manner the prison removes garbage and human waste. 

These accounts of torture, murder, and crimes against humanity are only the most recent ones to have been leaked out of Burma. This prison has been used as a death camp since the radical Rakhine movement launched its genocide in June of 2012. With these accounts of state sponsorship of their wanton destruction of the Rohingya people it is impossible to call these crimes anything other than genocide.

In December of 2012 other organizations had already warned of Rohingya prisoners at Buthidaung Prison being used as slave labor. Those accounts told of how Rohingya prisoners were being starved to death as they were forced to work in rice paddies outside of the prison. They told of how the Rohingya were marched in and out of the prison bound and tied like animals as they were beaten in plain sight of the Rakhine onlookers. These accounts said clearly that the Rohingya prisoners were not given proper clothing or equipment to work and yet were made to work till their hands were bleeding.

Yet here we are again with even more disgusting accounts of blatant torture coming out of Burmese state run prisons. Here we are again as the world looks the other way. Here we are again as the leaders of Myanmar tell the UN and US that nothing wrong is happening in the Arakan... that this is just a phase... that is will pass and democracy will take hold in Burma.

With this information it should be clear to those outside of Burma that the government of Myanmar is either already on its way to completing its genocide or is preparing its own "final solution". The facts all point to a government that is obviously prepared to annihilate an entire race of people both due to their ethnicity and religious inclinations. So why are we still waiting for Burma to fix this problem? Why are we still waiting to see how this all pans out?

If the Rohingya people are not helped they will never be saved from Burma's cruel intentions. Without foreign intervention the Rohingya people of Myanmar are damned to the same fate as those souls lost to Pol Pot's genocidal regime. If the prisoners of Buthidaung Prison are not liberated they will suffer the same deaths as those who were dragged off to Tuol Sleng S-21.

The question remains... how many more need perish before the world wakes up?









If you want to do something to help end the plight of the Rohingya people you are not alone. Screamers around the world are lifting their voices to raise awareness of the situation in the Arakan. But our voices can only do so much. Our actions must match the tone with which we speak. Our bite must be as strong as our bark... so to speak.

That is where organizations such as Partners Relief and Development come into the picture. They are currently one of the few relief groups able to reach the Rohingya in Burma. Their actions are making a difference in a place that few others are willing to venture. But don't take my word for it... follow this link and see for yourself. ( http://www.partnersworld.org/ )

Join us by screaming... join the fight by donating.














Source Documents (note not all sources listed)

Mayu Press Network
http://mayupress.blogspot.com/2012/12/prison-labor-in-buthidaung-jail.html

Rohingya Blogger
http://www.rohingyablogger.com/2013/02/some-forms-of-brutal-tortures-and.html

Partners Relief and Development
http://www.partnersworld.org/

On Twitter:
@nslwin
@jamilahanan
@rohingyablogger

History Never Stops Repeating On Its Own

In the darkest of hours a voice cries out from the scorched earth of the Arakan. Desperation has left a scar upon it that shapes it, molds it into the familiar tone of those who came before it. Hunger muffles its plea. Tears flow over its words as they fall over its breath like rain.

"Take me back to the killing fields", it pleads. "To where I can imagine life as it was when we did not bleed. Take me back to the world where rice grew in the fields and fish swam in the sea. Take me to time before the blade and bullet came for me. 
"Take me there where I can rest in the warmth of the setting sun. Take me there where I once stood beneath the shade of tall old trees. Let me see my home once more. Let me hear the sound of my children play just one last time.
"Take back to a time when the rats didn't eat better than me. Take me back to that place where the buzzards didn't hover and wait for me to lay down and die. Let me know once more what it was like to live beyond death's shadow.
"Take me back to a time when my brothers and sisters were not memories. Take me back to that time before they were taken from me. Take me back to when I could remember their faces, their voices, their touch. Take me back to that place where we use to gather as one... where my family once felt like more than ancient history."

History has a way of repeating itself. It is a cruel yet dedicated teacher that will not relent. It attempts to show us where we have failed as a species. With its painful repetition it offers us chance after chance to learn from our mistakes. No amount of blood or misery will satisfy it. No amount of suffering can abate its curriculum or spare us our failures in learning from it.

The cry that comes out of the depths of Burma's most oppressed community are those same cries that echo throughout history. It is a plea for humanity that was lost upon the killing fields of Cambodia. It is a cry that was silenced by the jackboots during the Holocaust. It is a scream that was brutally crushed by the Young Turks as the Armenians were marched off to their deaths. And yet the same cry for help comes out of Burma once more. It calls upon the rest of mankind to step up and fulfill the promises we made after defeating the fascist in World War Two. It begs us to not forget those two words once again... never again.

"Take me back to the killing fields," it rasp voice screams. "But not as they are or as they will soon be. Take me back to the fields as they were before. With grass grown up and the crops swaying in the breeze. Let me loose there where I was once free. Let me live upon that soil once more where my ancestors once called home. 
"Do not take me away from here to live in exile. Do not tell me to take to the sea when there is nowhere left to run. Do not pray for my safety in those little boats. Do not hope for the best while my brothers and sisters drown beneath those unforgiving waves. 
"Take me back to the villages I once called home. Take me back to the streets I walked as a young man. Take me back to the mosque in which I once prayed. Let me live in peace as I did in those days before the fires, the fights, the mobs. 
"Do not let hunger do to me what the mobs could not. Do not let my ribs break the flesh as I rot in the camps. Do not let me live like a skeleton draped in flesh. Please do not rob me of my dignity. 
"Take me back to a place where I did not pray for crumbs. Take me back to a time when I did not pick through the weeds for dropped or discarded grains. Take me back to a time when I was not considered less than a dog that I might eat like a man and not scavenge through waste. Take me there so that I might live free... free of hunger... free of fear."

It has been said that those who do not learn from history are damned to repeat it. With Syria, Darfur, the Congo, and Burma we are living through it once more. There are more genocide occurring right now than were occurring at the time of the Holocaust. The number of dead might not be as high as that of what Hitler, Stalin, or Mao killed in their horrific deeds, but the crime is the same none the less.

For those in the West these crimes are treated as anomalies, as oddities that occur in distant lands. We tend to think of genocide as a crime against humanity that we ourselves could never suffer. Americans in particular picture genocide as a thing from which we rescue others.

History has a way of remedying that.

When the Nazis came for the communists,
I remained silent;
I was not a communist.
When they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent;
I was not a social democrat.
When they came for the trade unionists,
I did not speak out;
I was not a trade unionist.
When they came for the Jews,
I remained silent;
I wasn't a Jew.
When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out.

We never think these things can come home to where we live. We dream of them as perverse sins that stay put in the history books where they belong. And even for those who acknowledge their existence in our time, we often distance ourselves through the hope that we ourselves could never become their victims.

But how long can societies last when they do not face the sins of their fathers? How long can we keep going if we do not recall the crimes that taint our own past? And if we never learn from our own mistakes than how do we ever prevent them from happening again?

There is not a single European nation that can stand before the world and say that it has never once participated or practiced genocide. America and Canada were built upon the genocide of the native peoples that once inhabited these lands. And yet the history of our forefathers' sins is vastly ignored by the masses that now inhabit these great countries.

It is only upon looking at how, why, and when we committed genocide that we realize the warning signs that came with those crimes. Once identified and taught a society can be prepared to prevent those same crimes from occurring once again.

In the West we learned our lessons from the Holocaust. We had to repeat genocide after genocide till it climaxed in the slaughter of millions of innocent victims. But we did learn the warning signs.

So why are we ignoring those very sings when they pertain to Burma? Or Syria? Or Darfur?

Perhaps it is just my paranoia, perhaps it is my own view of history that creates it...

But how long before the next government leaning toward ethnic cleansing realizes just how relaxed the world is on the issue and topples over into genocide? After all, all you need to do is look around and watch as country after country funds genocide after genocide without even a second thought. Morality, ethics... they both seem lost now days as world leaders pander to genocidal regimes to make a quick buck.

How long before a government of a developed nation starts to flirt with the idea of ridding themselves of "undesirables"?

Once again, my history with genocide might lend to my perceived paranoia of it, yet the question remains to be answered. History has a way of repeating itself. History has a way of forcing us to deal with an issue that we so desperately try to ignore. Genocide is just another portion of our history that we can not escape.

As long as we continue to ignore the cries echoing out of Burma we assure ourselves that we will have to face this sin once again. It is a crime that knows no borders. It is a crime that knows no boundaries. Genocide does not regard anything as sacred. It does not respect any given religion. It does not look up to any race or down upon any given level of degradation. And as long as we continue to ignore it in Burma, Syria, Darfur, and the Congo we assure ourselves that we will never truly be able to honestly say those two words... never again.

Myanmar's Great Leap Forward

Following Mao's Form Of Reforms
(part of The Darkness Visible series)

("Flickers of Hope," Obama Speaking About Burma)

Thursday January 31st, 2013 as Reported by Burma News International

More land has been confiscated by Arakan state authorities for recently resettled Rakhine villagers in southern Maungdaw, according to a Rohingya farmer who spoke to Kaladanpress on condition of anonymity.

The farmer claims that about 150 acres of arable land that was being used to cultivate paddy was seized. Now the new settlers are utilizing the fields to grow their own produce. Another Rohingya farmer, who also didn’t want his name used, wondered how he will survive.  “We’re really struggling because the government isn’t allowing us to do anything.”

Much of the Rohingya populations in Arakan state have been restricted to their villages since the sectarian violence broke out in June. They can’t work; therefore they have no means to feed their families. Some are getting limited support from aid groups in the southern areas of the state. But in the north, where many Muslims are on the verge of starvation, there are no relief groups helping them. Groups like Nasaka (Burma’s border guard force) are making their lives even harder by making arbitrary arrests to extort money, and there has even been allegations of summary executions by the notorious border force.

Burmese Military Enforcing Barricade at Aung Mingalar Ghetto

As Myanmar enjoys the praise of world leaders from Europe to the United States and Canada the Rohingya continue to starve. Many are facing death as the country that afflicts them with hunger grows fat off of trade with the EU, China, and the Americas. Women, children, and the elderly are at the greatest risk of dieing as the world looks the other way. And yet despite all this men such as Barack Obama dare to praise Thein Sein and his fellow dictators for their "flickers of progress" in guiding Burma toward democracy. 

"Progress" in Burma appears however to be far from what we would expect President Obama to align himself with. The progress the government of Myanmar is looking at currently is the ever increasing death tolls in the Arakan state and the Kachin region. This effort to rid the state of given ethnic groups and religions does not reflect democracy, at least in the way the United States practices it, but more directly reflects Mao's cultural revolution.

With the confiscation of land to resettle the area with acceptable ethnic groups the Burmese take yet another step toward completion of their genocide. This step forward allows the Arakan authorities the opportunity to build the ranks of Rakhine people and at the same time to decrease what little food the Rohingya had available. But to the silent West this still somehow seems to be another "flicker of progress".

Arbitrary Arrests Help Nasaka Extort Bribes

Arakan authorities have also forced Rohingya out of villages that were attacked in the June and October pogroms to further make room for Rakhine settlers. Rohingya who tried to defend or protect their homes and families also now face arrest as their old villages are bulldozed. As of Tuesday, February 5th, eleven Rohingya men have been convicted to ten years for their part in fighting off Rakhine mobs. The homes and villages of these eleven men, from Zeydi Pyin and Hati Para, are now bulldozed.

This policy of arresting the male Rohingya once again only points toward the type of progress that Myanmar is looking towards. By arresting the males of the Rohingya community the Arakan authorities leave the Rohingya villages and camps helpless and defenseless. If and when ethnic violence starts again in the Arakan the Rohingya will be at an even greater disadvantage. And with the arrests still taking place they will constantly be reminded of what will happen if they even attempt to defend themselves.

Yet despite all of this mounting evidence of a government hellbent on the destruction of a designated ethnic group the world remains silent. When given the opportunity to speak out against the blatant campaign of ethnic cleansing the West has repeatedly shown their incompetence. Western media has gone out of its way to praise Burmese politicians such as Suu Kyi while avoiding the discussion of the Rohingya all together. Their deafening silence on the issue is only further amplified by world leaders who use Burma as a political tool rather than the humanitarian crisis it is.

All the while thousands of Rohingya in and around cities like Sittwe are reduced to begging for food just to survive.

“What most of the world is not aware of are the refugees that are not living in [registered] camps,” said Oddny Gumaer from Partners Relief and Development. “And those people are living in conditions that are so bad that I’m sure if the international community doesn’t do something very soon they are going to die.”

Relief workers struggle to help those in the most need as Burmese police and politicians fight to find ways to minimalism their efforts. Even with what little aid is flowing through the blockades the Rohingya are still starving to death. And with conditions constantly growing worse, disease and pestilence run rampant.

“If they are lucky they have a tarp to cover them, many of them have stitched together old rice sacks. There are no toilets, no sanitation, doctors, and no access to hospitals. I saw babies that were so malnourished and children with bloated stomachs and mothers that couldn’t feed their babies because they didn’t have any milk.” Oddny Gumaer

So how much longer are we going to wait before the world begins to act? It should be obvious by now that Myanmar is not even close to showing "flickers of progress". If this situation is not dealt with immediately the Rohingya people of Burma will perish. The outside world must force Myanmar to get serious about their so called "democratic reforms". And most importantly, we must stop the slaughter of the Rohingya and force Burma to allow all humanitarian aid to reach the Rohingya in both camps and villages.

Ultimately the world will have to protect the Rohingya and provide food for them. We can not wait till we are looking back at this and telling ourselves "never again" again.

French Roma Face New Porajmos

Socialism Helping Reconstruct Romani Holocaust

Over the last decade the European Union has been going through a stage of reconstruction. With new member states coming and some flirting with the idea of leaving the trade block has been under incredible stress. For the Roma of Europe this stress has helped increase the hate crimes targeted at them and their children. Yet surprisingly in the land of tolerance and multiculturalism, European authorities have been slow (if responding at all) in helping stem the tide of hate.

Over the years the socialist movement within Europe has often targeted the Roma since most members of society do not emphasize with the Romani. The most notable case would be the Porajmos under the Nazis. However in recent years the socialist have been just as capable of reconstructing the great devouring.

In 2012 France alone was able to deport at least 11,803 Romani. Rounding down, around 80 percent of these were forcibly removed according to the European Association of the Defense of Human Rights (AEDH). Most of these had their possessions burnt or destroyed by local authorities as their homes were bulldozed. President Francois Hollande was the man who pulled the trigger on each and everyone of these deportations... the socialist leader of France. 


"This is incredibly worrying and very disappointing given that Francois Hollande made a pre-election pledge to change the way the Roma were being dealt with in France," Victoria Vasey from European Roma Rights Center. "But it just looks like business as usual."

During August of 2012 the UN warned France that its deportations of Roma were in direct violation of the international human rights convention. However since the fall of 2012 the French leadership has ramped up their attempts to deport Romani. They continue to claim that these Roma are illegal immigrants from places either outside the EU or from member states right at the border of the trade block. Most are being sent to Romania and Bulgaria (members of the EU) since the citizens of these two countries are not legally allowed to travel within the EU without proper papers and passports. And since Romania and Bulgaria openly discriminate against the Roma, it is unlikely that the Roma will be given access to passports by local authorities.

To further complicate things the leadership under Hollande has joined with the Netherlands in an attempt to further regulate the terms of membership that Romania and Bulgaria currently enjoy. The long term goal appears to be the permanent ban on customs-free travel for Roma from Eastern Europe. This would allow the socialist in Western Europe to continue shipping off their own Roma to foreign countries from which they could not readily return.

For Roma in Eastern Europe the flood of deportees has only further exacerbated tensions between their community and their neighbors. In places like the Czech Republic these new arrivals have also helped fuel more and more hate crimes against all Romani within the country. These have included rapes, murders, and the burning and looting of Roma homes. Many of the crimes have been linked to the ever growing right wing movement in Eastern Europe.

But discrimination against the Roma does not stop in Europe when it comes to deportations. In recent months the Canadian government has begun its own attempts to deport Roma who arrived in North America due to violent oppression back in Europe. The first step in starting the Canadian deportations has already begun as Canada has openly told Hungarian and Czech Roma to stop applying for asylum. This move was meant to make it clear that Canada will no longer accept Roma who are fleeing violence and possible pogroms within Eastern Europe.

All of this makes it ever more difficult to understand just how France, Germany, and the UK expect Roma to live in countries like Romania and Bulgaria after being deported? The Roma of Eastern Europe have made it very clear that they need somewhere to turn to get away from Nazi style attacks on their homes and community. The wave of immigrants that France claims has occurred should be seen as a call for help rather than another reason to accept the idea of passing the "Roma problem" onto the next country in line.

This situation also leaves us asking why long term members of the European Union in Western Europe are not being pressured to stop deportations? Looking at the numbers of Roma immigrating from Eastern Europe compared to the numbers being sent back it should be obvious that France is deporting Roma who have lived in France for generations. The numbers simply point to the fact that the socialist government of France is deporting French Roma alongside immigrant Romani in an attempt to ethnically cleanse France of its native Romani population.

So where is the outrage amongst the supposedly bighearted Europeans? Or is the issue of human rights only a topic of discussion in Europe as long as it applies to Syrians or Congolese refugees?

Lebensraum And Burma

Living Space for the Kalar
(part of The Darkness Visible series)

In Buddhism the Swastika might be a symbol of luck and peace, the Nazi flag however...

Across the world societies have often turned to an ethnocentric version of their collective history by isolating a portion of their community from the rest. This willingness to segregate shows the weaknesses of the society in which they occur. To the outsider it is easy to identify how these chinks in the armor create a fatal flaw. However for those who are bound by the facade of morality these societies uphold this need to hate is almost unrecognizable. 

In many cases these flaws in the makeup of the society can go on for decades without incident. Both the isolated community and the rest of society can almost learn to accept their roles in the overall scheme of things. Little digs at the targeted community can even be tolerated for some time without much friction. Words such as "nigger, kike, and faggot" might even become popular amongst the majority. And given the frequency of the abuse both majority and minority might even become accustom to a situation that outsiders would find intolerable.


Then comes a group of antagonist.

With some effort a group or individual can exploit the rift that floats just beneath the surface. This occurred in Germany with the rise of the Nazis and in Rwanda with daily antagonism on the airwaves. Their persistence in pushing the minute differences between the majority and minority pushed their society to the edge of the abyss. And in the case of genocide... over the edge and into the depths.

Once the ball gets rolling it is nearly impossible to stop the tide.

In the case of the Germans the antagonist started the flow of hatred with the theory of lebensraum. This method exacerbated the differences of both race and religion that cracked the German society. It helped to give purpose to the rise of hatred in ways that even the pogroms had not managed. It justified a sense of hatred that not only isolated the targeted community but dehumanized them.

With Burma the antagonist have long implemented Hitler's old methods in their targeting and attacking of the Rohingya minority. Their use of ghettos mimics the SS in Poland. Their exploitation of "unruly mobs" recreates (over a much longer time scale) the SA's kristallnacht. But it was their pushing of lebensraum that made all that possible.

To understand how Burma pushes the theory of lebensraum we should first look at how it was created in the first place.

Lebensraum was first thought up long before Hitler's hijacking of it. Many historians accredit the social theory of lebensraum to the medieval Ostsiedlung or the spread of German settlements into Eastern Europe. Thus this recreation of past sins was of course founded on the same ideas the first spawned the spread of "German peoples" into foreign lands. These being that the German people were growing faster than their own territory could sustain. Therefore both the medieval and modern fascist came to the same conclusion... attack weaker societies and take from them what you need.

According to Hitler the German people needed "living space" to continue their inevitable growth. However unlike past expansions, Hitler did not believe that the "pure Aryan" should be diluted in his expansion by living with or mixing with the societies already living on the soon to be conquered lands. Slavs, Jews, Roma, and Poles all needed to be cleared along with the Russians and political dissenters. These were all of course threats to the confiscation of much needed territories.

In Burma today it is obvious that the map has already been drawn up. It is inconceivable that Myanmar could or would invade neighboring lands to acquire more territory upon which to build and expand. Yet the government of Burma has a portion within it that believes that the "pure" Burmese need more "living space".

Yet in Burma "pure" doesn't just mean a particular race, though that does play its role. Instead religion and language also play a role that race alone could not fill. With the Rohingya the fact that they are Muslims fills this role almost to its conclusion... forcible removal and extermination.

For decades the word "kalar" has long highlighted the fracture in Rakhine society. It's racial sting not only identifies the Rohingya as darker skinned but "unclean" as well. Unclean for the fact that they are not Buddhist like the Rakhine majority. Unclean because they do not speak, mostly amongst themselves, the same dialect of Burmese as the Rakhine.

In this sense the word "kalar" cracks Burmese society in ways that no other word can. After all, "kalar" is almost a legal definition of the Rohingya withing the Arakan. "Kalar" individuals are often denied standard documentation such as birth certificates and marriage licenses. "Kalar" people can be forced to do labor for the government and military without pay or any compensation. "Kalar" people do not have to be treated with dignity or respect while they are always expected to show it to the rest of society.

During the massive pogroms that occurred in the summer and fall of 2012 the "kalar" were openly targeted while the government offered military protection to the Buddhist majority. This showed the Rohingya that once again they were being targeted for removal from not only their land but the society as a whole. The one word that had separated the Muslims from the Buddhists was now being plastered everywhere like the old "Whites Only" signs in America's dirty south. All the while the Rohingya were being killed and driven out of their homes and villages.

Like Hitler, the Rakhine Nationalities Development Party (RNDP) has used the differences between the two groups to further split up the Arakan community. Over emphasizing slurs such as "kalar" helps to further ingrain radical philosophies such as lebensraum. And once the ideals of the party become the default argument of the majority the start of the genocide begins.

There are already signs that the RNDP has succeeded at fully implanting their ideology into the majority of Rakhine society. With support of the religious leaders of the Arakan Buddhist community the RNDP has managed to bring in Rakhine settlers to "resettle" Rohingya villages. The monks have openly supported efforts by the RNDP to tighten the strangling grip of the barricades blocking aid to Rohingya villages and camps. And with support of government authorities the RNDP has been able to arrange launching points for Rohingya ships leaving Burma in an effort to ethnically cleanse the Arakan.

Had the cracks not already been present it is arguable that antagonist like the RNDP could not have pushed such radical beliefs such as the current genocide of the Rohingya. Yet no argument can bring back the dead already lost to this horrific tragedy. No what if this or that sort of debate can end the slaughter.

If the Rohingya are to be saved and the genocide is to be stopped the outside world must first take action and wait to talk after the bleeding has stopped. We can not talk or trade our way to a scenario where Rohingya aren't starving to death or drowning at sea. If Burma is to be stopped the world community has to find more meaningful ways to force Myanmar to a standstill.

Unfortunately that means that the world media must give up its narrative of a "democratic Myanmar" heading for reform and an open society. We all have seen just how much the media has enjoyed this love affair with Burmese leaders such as Suu Kyi and Thein Sein. But if we are going to live with ourselves after this genocide is ended then we must hold both responsible for their actions in this tragedy.

As for economics... well that is the portion of this struggle that is almost like hitting a brick wall. When dealing with genocide it seems that facing the reality of politics and ideology are nothing in comparison to getting governments to back away from easy profit. In the modern age it is nearly impossible to imagine a situation in which China, Russia, the EU, or USA ever back away from profit over stopping a genocidal regime.

How many more Rohingya have to die so that the West can profit off of Burma's need for "living space"?











Source Documents
(note not all sources are listed)

http://myohmyanmar.wordpress.com/2013/01/27/no-dogs-no-blacks-no-irish/
(image and content)

Human Rights Watch
http://www.hrw.org/news/2012/07/31/burma-government-forces-targeting-rohingya-muslims-0

The Nation
http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/columns/04-Feb-2013/no-willing-hosts-for-rohingyas

Sex and Football

 

              There are more slaves today than ever before in history. Believe it? Most do not.

In America, we are motivated and shaped by fear. In 2012, the world was supposed to end three different times. We worry and stockpile, produce end-of-the-world prepper reality TV shows, and give all of our attention to the media pumping out reports on the fiscal cliff and small arms bans. When we read and watch these things, we get hit by a wave of anxiety. But when it comes to the face of modern slavery, there are many people who would rather believe it doesn’t exists. In fact, there has been heated debate about whether or not it actually exists. After all, we have enough things to worry about, right?

On November 16, 2011, Nicholas D. Kristof published and article titled The Face of Modern Slavery in The New York Time Opinion Pages. In this article, Kristof hints towards the disbelieving attitude of the American public. Ignoring this, he tells the story of Strey Pov who was sold by her family at six years-old to a Cambodian brothel. Knowing nothing about sex, she was soon bought and raped by Western men.

Western men? That’s us. That’s the Americans--the people that don’t believe that human trafficking exists. Yet, we are the demand in supply and demand. A retired U.S. Schoolteacher openly spoke out about his experience with sex tourism. “On this trip I’ve had sex with a 14 year old girl in Mexico and a 15 year old in Columbia. I am helping them financially. If they don’t have sex with me, they may not have enough food. If someone has a problem with me doing this, let UNICEF feed them.”

But it isn’t just retired old man taking these trips. Recently, the FBI released reports of their investigation on New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez. In the reports, they cover details of several trips he made in August 2012 to the Dominican Republic with his friend, campaign contributor, and Miami eye doctor, Salomon Melgen.  On these trips, the men had sex with Dominican prostitutes as young as sixteen--girls bought and sold into the sex industry. Not only did Menendez violate the senate’s code of ethics, but he may have broken federal campaign finance laws. It is important to note that the age of consent in the Dominican Republic is 18, but even so The PROTECT Act, a law passed in 2003, made it a federal crime for Americans to engage in sex for money with anyone under the age of 18, even in countries where the age of consent is lower. The Senator denies these accusations, saying, “Any allegations of engaging with prostitutes are manufactured by a politically-motivated right-wing blog and are false.”

New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez under investigation for having sex with minors in Dominican Republic.

American men justify their “vacations” under the lie that the young women and girls in these brothels are there voluntarily, but it isn’t so. Many survivors that have managed to escape from the brothels speak of torture if they do not simply give in and hand their bodies and virginity over. Even if they could escape, where would they turn? Where could they ever find acceptance and a normal life? Many leaders in these organized crime rings have the girls’ information; know if they have children, and who they love most in the world. If they don’t comply, they threaten to kill those the women cherish most in the world.

But human trafficking does not only exist outside the United States. Jessica Ford, an escaped victim, testified against five men who kidnapped her and forced her into the industry. These men controlled one of the biggest sex traffic rings in Dallas, Texas. Evidence revealed that the men kidnapped girls as young as 16 and advertised them on the internet for sex. If the women did not comply, or were caught trying to escape, they were beaten.

Adds for an "escort' uses code words such as 'young', 'fresh', and 'innocent' to advertise minors for sex.

Other pimps sell their girls on websites like backpages.com, where girls are as young as eleven or twelve. Of course, the girls are warned to lie about their age, but many have testified that the men they are purchased by never ask questions anyway.

In Toledo, Ohio, Kimberly(not her real name) was only a teenager when she was kidnapped off the streets and forced into prostitution. She tells a hair-raising story of how a man in a car pulled up to her and her friends. “He did his research.” She says, “Finds girls that he likes and finds out your name and all sorts of stuff.” Mistaking the man for the father of a friend, she got into the car with the man. After 11 days of being forced to have sex with strange men, Kimberly was rescued when a trucker noticed her at a truck stop. Hear her tell her story in this video.

I recently met a woman I will call Betty who dances at a strip club here in Indiana. Dancing is not the life she wanted. Growing up without parents or a real, true home, Betty got tangled up with a man whom she married at 17. Betty’s husband fell into drugs and sent her out to work as a dancer in order to support his drug habit. But even local strip clubs are not all that they seem. Many girls learn they can perform sexual favors, or allow sexual favors to be preformed on them, for extra money. In desperate need to bring in a certain sum, many dancers give in. This kind of behavior leads the girls into alcohol and drug abuse just to get through what they need to do. Because of this, Betty was soon addicted to drugs and now had to support two addictions. To meet the needs, her husband began pimping her out as a prostitute. Betty had nowhere else to go. By now, she had a baby. In an effort to keep her baby fed and clothed, in a home and relatively safe from harm, Betty found herself in bondage.

In an article titled Human Trafficking : Modern-Day Slavery in America, the author Phillip Martin cites: 

About 18,000 people are trafficked to the U.S. each year, according to the State Department. What do they have in common? Most are indebted to smugglers and traffickers. According to the Polaris Project, a national anti-human trafficking group, victims have also been pressed to work in factories, farms, strip clubs, begging and peddling rings and as domestic workers--for little or no money.

This is not another country’s problem. This is a global problem. The most frightening part about this issue is that the United States, our land of freedom, fuels and feeds it. The biggest culprit, knowingly or not: The NFL. Skeptical? The 2010 Super Bowl estimated 10,000 sex workers brought in to Miami, while the 2011 event reaped around 133 prostitution-related arrests. 

On February 3, 1013, Super Bowl XLVII will be hosted at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. At 6:30 EST time, most households will tune in to see the Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers face off. What we will not see is the trafficking of young girls and boys, men and women, being sold off for the sexual pleasure of others. Already, the seedy underbelly and even the classy streets of the bayou are being prepped for the buying and receiving of sexual pleasure.

On the streets of New Orleans, men prepare for the onslaught of customers the Super Bowl will bring in.

I’m not sure why so many American men eagerly exploit the abuse of women and children. My bet is on the rise of the porn industry and our sex-saturated culture. A man walks into a strip club and figures the girl dancing in front of him is there by choice, and sometimes they are. But he never questions if she might be owned by a pimp or abusive boyfriend, sending her to dance and perform sexual favors to rake in as much cash as she can. Instead, he enjoys instant gratification with little guilt. A man might feel at ease picking up a hooker on the street corner because, after all, she’s standing there offering and he has the money. But there are never any guarantees that the women are not girls, taken from outside their homes, faced with a beating if they do not comply and walk the streets.

So what can you do about it?

Get educated. Know what human trafficking is: the illegal trade of human beings mainly for the purpose of commercial sex exploitation or forced labor.

~Read up on articles written by advocates trying to shed a light on the issue.

~Don’t judge a woman that has found a way out. Help her find a new life.

~If you suspect trafficking in your area, tip off police.

~Spread the word.


~Teach your children the signs and dangers of predators.

~Scream for those who cannot.

~Most importantly, vow not to purchase a woman/girl. Ever. Not off the street. Not in a strip club. Be  a person of integrity.

Education Resources:

The White Umbrella Campaign
The A21 Campaign
Not For Sale Campaign
End It Movement
Blue Heart Campaign

Or, please share this video on you social media pages.



~Gia