 
## Beautiful Rohingyas

## Adnan Oktar (Harun Yahya)

# About The Author

Now writing under the pen-name of HARUN YAHYA, Adnan Oktar was born in Ankara in 1956. Having completed his primary and secondary education in Ankara, he studied fine arts at Istanbul's Mimar Sinan University and philosophy at Istanbul University. Since the 1980s, he has published many books on political, scientific, and faith-related issues. Harun Yahya is well-known as the author of important works disclosing the imposture of evolutionists, their invalid claims, and the dark liaisons between Darwinism and such bloody ideologies as fascism and communism.

Harun Yahya's works, translated into 76 different languages, constitute a collection for a total of more than 55,000 pages with 40,000 illustrations.

His pen-name is a composite of the names Harun (Aaron) and Yahya (John), in memory of the two esteemed Prophets who fought against their peoples' lack of faith. The Prophet's seal on his books' covers is symbolic and is linked to their contents. It represents the Qur'an (the Final Scripture) and Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), last of the prophets. Under the guidance of the Qur'an and the Sunnah (teachings of the Prophet), the author makes it his purpose to disprove each fundamental tenet of irreligious ideologies and to have the "last word," so as to completely silence the objections raised against religion. He uses the seal of the final Prophet (pbuh), who attained ultimate wisdom and moral perfection, as a sign of his intention to offer the last word.

All of Harun Yahya's works share one single goal: to convey the Qur'an's message, encourage readers to consider basic faith-related issues such as God's existence and unity and the Hereafter; and to expose irreligious systems' feeble foundations and perverted ideologies.

Harun Yahya enjoys a wide readership in many countries, from India to America, England to Indonesia, Poland to Bosnia, Spain to Brazil, Malaysia to Italy, France to Bulgaria and Russia. Some of his books are available in English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Urdu, Arabic, Albanian, Chinese, Swahili, Hausa, Dhivehi (spoken in Maldives), Russian, Serbo-Croat (Bosnian), Polish, Malay, Uygur Turkish, Indonesian, Bengali, Danish and Swedish.

Greatly appreciated all around the world, these works have been instrumental in many people recovering faith in God and gaining deeper insights into their faith. His books' wisdom and sincerity, together with a distinct style that's easy to understand, directly affect anyone who reads them. Those who seriously consider these books, can no longer advocate atheism or any other perverted ideology or materialistic philosophy, since these books are characterized by rapid effectiveness, definite results, and irrefutability. Even if they continue to do so, it will be only a sentimental insistence, since these books refute such ideologies from their very foundations. All contemporary movements of denial are now ideologically defeated, thanks to the books written by Harun Yahya.

This is no doubt a result of the Qur'an's wisdom and lucidity. The author modestly intends to serve as a means in humanity's search for God's right path. No material gain is sought in the publication of these works.

Those who encourage others to read these books, to open their minds and hearts and guide them to become more devoted servants of God, render an invaluable service.

Meanwhile, it would only be a waste of time and energy to propagate other books that create confusion in people's minds, lead them into ideological confusion, and that clearly have no strong and precise effects in removing the doubts in people's hearts, as also verified from previous experience. It is impossible for books devised to emphasize the author's literary power rather than the noble goal of saving people from loss of faith, to have such a great effect. Those who doubt this can readily see that the sole aim of Harun Yahya's books is to overcome disbelief and to disseminate the Qur'an's moral values. The success and impact of this service are manifested in the readers' conviction.

One point should be kept in mind: The main reason for the continuing cruelty, conflict, and other ordeals endured by the vast majority of people is the ideological prevalence of disbelief. This can be ended only with the ideological defeat of disbelief and by conveying the wonders of creation and Qur'anic morality so that people can live by it. Considering the state of the world today, leading into a downward spiral of violence, corruption and conflict, clearly this service must be provided speedily and effectively, or it may be too late.

In this effort, the books of Harun Yahya assume a leading role. By the will of God, these books will be a means through which people in the twenty-first century will attain the peace, justice, and happiness promised in the Qur'an.

# To The Reader

A special chapter is assigned to the collapse of the theory of evolution because this theory constitutes the basis of all anti-spiritual philosophies. Since Darwinism rejects the fact of creation—and therefore, God's existence—over the last 150 years it has caused many people to abandon their faith or fall into doubt. It is therefore an imperative service, a very important duty to show everyone that this theory is a deception. Since some readers may find the opportunity to read only one of our books, we think it appropriate to devote a chapter to summarize this subject.

All the author's books explain faith-related issues in light of Qur'anic verses, and invite readers to learn God's words and to live by them. All the subjects concerning God's verses are explained so as to leave no doubt or room for questions in the reader's mind. The books' sincere, plain, and fluent style ensures that everyone of every age and from every social group can easily understand them. Thanks to their effective, lucid narrative, they can be read at one sitting. Even those who rigorously reject spirituality are influenced by the facts these books document and cannot refute the truthfulness of their contents.

This and all the other books by the author can be read individually, or discussed in a group. Readers eager to profit from the books will find discussion very useful, letting them relate their reflections and experiences to one another.

In addition, it will be a great service to Islam to contribute to the publication and reading of these books, written solely for the pleasure of God. The author's books are all extremely convincing. For this reason, to communicate true religion to others, one of the most effective methods is encouraging them to read these books.

We hope the reader will look through the reviews of his other books at the back of this book. His rich source material on faith-related issues is very useful, and a pleasure to read.

In these books, unlike some other books, you will not find the author's personal views, explanations based on dubious sources, styles that are unobservant of the respect and reverence due to sacred subjects, nor hopeless, pessimistic arguments that create doubts in the mind and deviations in the heart.

Published by: GLOBAL PUBLISHING

Kayışdağı Mah. Değirmen Sok. No: 3

Ataşehir / İstanbul / Turkey - Tel: (+90 216) 6600059

First Edition: July 2016

Printed by: İklim Matbaası

Litros Yolu Fatih İş Merkezi No: 280

Topkapı / İstanbul / Turkey - Tel: (+90 212) 6134041

All translations from the Qur'an are from  
The Noble Qur'an: a New Rendering of its Meaning in English  
by Hajj Abdalhaqq and Aisha Bewley, published by Bookwork,  
Norwich, UK. 1420 CE/1999 AH.

Abbreviation used:

(pbuh): Peace be upon him (following a reference to the prophets)

www.harunyahya.com / www.harunyahyaapps.com  
en.a9.com.tr - http://en.harunyahya.tv

# Contents

Introduction: When the Migration Wave Starts to Wash Ashore

Open Letter to the Burmese (Myanmar) Administration

Events in Myanmar are crime against Humanity

A Cry for Help to the U.N. from Rohingya of Myanmar

Behind the persecution in Myanmar

Myanmar Should Beware of Radicalism

Deafening silence over Rohingya issue

Rohingya People Ignored by Myanmar Government

Why does the world turn a blind eye on children's cries coming from a far corner in Southeast Asia?

Are the Rohingyas doomed to remain stateless?

The Rohingya Muslims Are Being Exiled in Their Own Lands

Differences can become richness

What if you didn't have even an inch of land to live on in this world?

Not the Rohingya crisis, but a crisis of humanity

Are the People of Rakhine Condemned to Be Oppressed in the Countries to Which They Flee?

Being a Muslim woman in Myanmar

How does it feel to be a Rohingya?

Small steps that could make a big difference

The only solution to the refugee crisis that shook the world

Rohingyas' uncertain fate post-polls

Time for global community to step up for Myanmar's Muslims

Humans Have Rights on Paper, But Apparently Not in Real Life

The forgotten Rohingya

Conclusion: Unity among Muslims is the most vital issue

Appendix: The Deception of Evolution

# Introduction: When the Migration Wave Starts to Wash Ashore

When the Berlin Wall was torn down and the Soviet Union collapsed, people started to dream of a world where there would be fewer wars and thus, less pain. After the collapse of communism, the winds of globalization made this dream even bigger.

There would now be easier movement of capital and wealth would spread to everywhere. Communication would advance, people would immediately hear about far-flung events and this would restrict oppressive regimes. Even the borders would be removed, the world would be just like a one huge town and everyone would be able to travel wherever they want to.

When the Arab Spring started in Tunisia and spread around, some people began saying "Here comes the end of the authoritarian regimes in the Middle East. Now the world knows the value of democracy and all the countries will soon be ruled by democracy." These words meant that one more step was taken in terms of globalization. However, what happened later showed that the flow of events was not at all as expected.

People living in the Middle East, which turned into a giant arena of conflicts, wanted to save their lives and started a migration wave towards Europe which is safer and has better economic conditions. European countries did not initially care about the situation. The refugees who tried to pass across the Mediterranean Sea were considered as a problem that only Italy faced. Turkey was already receiving those who were fleeing from Syria with open arms.

There was nothing to worry about for France, Germany, England and other Northern European countries. However, calculations changed when the migration wave started to hit the Balkans and then Central Europe through Greece.

The EU countries were suddenly on full alert. German Chancellor Merkel did not hesitate to visit Turkey which she saw as a key state to stop the migration. The promises that Turkey would be subsidized and the EU negotiation process would be revived were brought to the agenda in return for the measures that Turkey would take to stop the migration towards Europe.

Today there is a similar refugee influx that unsettles Europe in another part of the world. However, there is no such country there as Turkey that receives refugees with open arms and spends billions of dollars from its own budget. Their lives are under threat at least on the same level as that of those who migrated from the Middle East and Africa.

This deadly migration movement is witnessed far away from Europe, on the other corner of the world, in the Eastern Indian Ocean. The epicenter of the migration wave is Myanmar, formerly known as 'Burma'. Those who migrate are Muslims living in the region of Rakhine [formerly Arakan] in Myanmar. Crimes against humanity have been committed against Muslims in Arakan, Myanmar since 1978. They are heavily tortured and raped; they are not allowed to pray and marry; even an identity certificate is not given to the majority. Therefore, the Rohingya Muslims have no option but to leave their country.

It is hard to find even a piece of land where these people can stand on, not to mention means like security, food and shelter. That is because Arakanese Muslims are forcibly embarked on boats and are abandoned in open seas in the countries where they seek refuge. This drama that Muslims face does not draw as much attention as dolphins or whales that wash ashore even in a lot of Muslim countries, apart from the press in Europe.

In this book, you will read news and information that have not probably had widespread media coverage. By bringing all these facts to the agenda, the aim is to draw attention to ideologies and greed that benumb people's conscience to the extent that people under the imposition of those ideas can fill children and other people on boats and leave them to die on sea without feeling any repentance. The book also desires to end the loss of lives of many more innocent people by making the world public hear that what is taking place in.

# Chapter 1 - Open Letter to the Burmese (Myanmar) Administration

The open letter that Mr. Adnan Oktar wrote and sent to the Myanmar Administration was also delivered to many relevant institutions on July 27th, 2010.

Myanmar right now is not ordinary by any means.

Muslims, who make up some 15% of the population of Myanmar are a blessing and bounty for the state. As the moral values of the Qur'an require, these Muslim brothers of ours possess great virtues, such as industry, loyalty, respect, obedience, humility, peacefulness, modesty and lovableness and make major contributions to well-being, order, progress and stability in the country as well as striving for a bright future for it. **It is extremely important for the Myanmar administration to provide the security, justice and freedom needed by these peace-loving brothers of ours, who have a very deep love of their motherland and respect for the government.**

However, reports from the region show that our Muslim brothers in the region are unable to enjoy the respect, love, security and peace they deserve. Muslims, who largely inhabit the Arakan region, are under severe pressure, as shown in reports drawn up by many international bodies. The anti-Muslim campaign that grew rapidly during the 20th century cost the lives of 100,000 Muslims; hundreds of thousands of people were either crippled or forced from their lands during a massacre in Arakan in 1942.

The "Burmese Socialist Party Program" drawn up by a new administration in 1962 almost entirely did away with Muslims' religious rights and freedoms, and they were prevented from living by their faith as they saw fit. This ended in the closure of all Islamic educational institutions and mosques, and going on the pilgrimage, performing sacrifices, praying en masse and other religious observances were banned. In addition, arrests in violation of the laws and human rights, and the torture that accompanies them, as confirmed by international bodies, obliged Muslims to leave Myanmar.

According to reports issued by human rights organizations, 20,000 Arakanese Muslims were martyred in 1962-1984. Hundreds of women were raped and just about all Muslims' belongings confiscated.

In January 1992 it emerged that 700 members of the Muslim minority in Myanmar had been strangled to death near the border with Bangladesh. In 1994, more than 1000 Muslims were martyred by execution without trial.

These unjust and violent practices continued after the 1990s, and in 1992 200,000 Muslims wishing to save their lives were forced to seek refuge in Bangladesh. A poor Islamic country, Bangladesh welcomed the refugees from Myanmar, but finds it difficult to help with food and accommodation.

Because means of communication are limited, the Internet is closely monitored and those journalists who manage to enter the region are prevented from collecting and transmitting information, our Muslim brothers in Myanmar find it difficult to make their voices heard. But those reports and pictures that occasionally make their way out reveal the huge scale of the oppression and injustice going on.

The Myanmar administration is following a very wrong policy in oppressing its people and Muslim citizens. Oppression and violence can never bring about peace and stability.

If the Myanmar administration wishes the country to take its place among the modern nations of the 21st century and seek to attain development, progress and regeneration, then it must first treat its own citizens with respect, affection and understanding. This is what being a great state requires.

It can obviously never achieve the status of a great state by oppressing innocent, powerless Myanmar Muslims who do no harm to anyone, and who are, on the contrary, moderate, industrious, loyal and devoted to their country and nation and by preventing them from living by their religion. There is no question of Muslims disobeying or disrespecting the state. There is no reason why the Myanmar administration should be uneasy about Muslims. Islam is a faith of peace and love. Our Myanmar Muslim brothers' piety, devotion to the Qur'an and loyalty to the Sunnah of our Prophet (pbuh) are great blessings for Myanmar.

In order for the Myanmar administration to make the best use of this blessing, it is essential for it to lift its oppression of Muslims. If the Myanmar administration desires wealth and well-being, then it can only obtain these by providing a climate in which its citizens can live as human beings, by ensuring their security, leaving them to live in liberty and guaranteeing their freedom of thought and worship.

It will be the Myanmar administration itself that suffers most from ignoring this manifest reality, by ignoring the international community's demands for the establishment of human rights and law and from a continuation of violence and oppression.

Our hope is that the Myanmar administration will at once put an end to these practices and permit a fine and high-quality life for all its citizens, including Muslims, Christians and Buddhists. When it does that, the Myanmar administration will then deserve a place among the modern civilized states of the 21st century.

# Chapter 2 - Events in Myanmar are crime against Humanity

This article was published on Harakah Daily on January 4th, 2014 and Burma Times on January 5h, 2014

The scale of the slaughter, persecution, torture and savagery experienced during the ruthless ethnic cleansing campaign against the Rohingya Muslims in the Myanmar province of Rakhine stagger the imagination.

As a result of the slaughter and displacement carried out in the light of the systematic cleansing policy waged since 1942, only 700,000 out of the original four million Muslims in the region remain. To date, three million Muslims have been forced to migrate to neighboring countries, hundreds of thousands of Muslims have been martyred, tens of thousands of settlement units have been burnt and destroyed, tens of thousands of women have been raped, and hundreds of mosques and madrassas have been destroyed. Thousands of Muslims are known to have been imprisoned and tortured, though their fates are unknown.

In recent years, since the Bangladeshi government closed its borders to the refugees, hundreds of Muslims seeking to flee to that country have drowned in the seas and rivers on the frontier; and this plays into the hands of the Myanmar regime that wishes to entirely purge the country of Muslims.

Our Muslim brothers have been burned alive in their homes in more than 330 attacks, which have worsened since June of last year, in which Muslim villages, including mosques and madrassas were burned. According to independent human rights organizations, in June 2012 alone, 1,000 Muslims in the region were ruthlessly martyred and 125,000 people were forced from their homes and villages and left to survive in the jungle.

## The Rohingya in the reports of Human Rights Watch

Human Rights Watch has published a 153-page report concerning the crimes against humanity perpetrated against the Rakhine Muslims in recent months: The report accuses Myanmar authorities of engaging in ethnic cleansing of Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine. According to a UN statement, the Rakhine Muslims are the most persecuted community in the world.

Although the Myanmar regime seeks to give the impression it is not involved in acts of violence and terror, it still supports this genocide by turning a blind eye to attacks, preventing humanitarian aid from reaching Muslims, restricting their freedom to travel and live as human beings and is protecting the aggressors.

Furthermore, the policies and sanctions imposed on Muslims by the state are completely inhuman.

◉ The Rohingya Muslims enjoy no citizenship rights and have no access to any state benefits.

◉ They cannot obtain passports and are not admitted to state hospitals.

◉ They are forced to work for nothing for the state or in private institutions. .

◉ They have no rights to enter the civil service or even study beyond high school.

◉ Muslims have to pay taxes simply to go from one village to another.

◉ They are not allowed out after 9:00 in the evening, even to visit relatives or neighbors, without police permission.

◉ Muslims are not allowed to build concrete homes; they can only live in wooden huts and even these meager dwellings belong to the state.

◉ They are not allowed to have landlines or mobile phones nor can they own motor vehicles.

◉ They have no right to a defense when a crime is committed, and are imprisoned straight away.

◉ The police or military can raid their homes on no grounds. They can be arrested arbitrarily for no reason.

The elimination of Muslims in Myanmar, ruled by a military junta between 1962 and 2011, has literally become a policy of state. Power passed to a supposedly democratic administration, still under the control of the communist military junta, in the wake of elections in which wide-ranging fraud took place. As a result, the same military junta is continuing with the same policy through a puppet government. The aim is to eliminate the Muslim population by annihilating it or forcing it into exile.

To date, the persecution of Muslims in Rakhine has been portrayed as an ethnic conflict attributed to fanatical Buddhists. The fact is however, as everyone knows, that because of their beliefs, Buddhists are simple, harmonious and peace-loving people who strongly avoid killing. It is gangs and terror organizations affiliated to the communist secret state that are now known to be the real culprits. The terror group known as "Lion Thein" used to be responsible for the bulk of the violence and killing, although the "969 Movement" has begun assuming responsibility for the recent wave of violence.

The members of these gangs generally consist of militants from Myanmar who have received communist guerrilla training in Thailand and China. The striking similarity to ethnic cleansing against Muslims in East Turkestan suggests that communist China – Myanmar's friend and ally – is likely also behind the scenes.

Myanmar, with its rich underground resources, oil reserves and energy sources, and an important staging position for Middle East oil and gas, is one of China's most valued strategic partners and it is perhaps not too much to say that the last thing the communist Chinese state would want is to see Muslims having any say in the country.

As long as so many countries sit back as always and watch the oppression, violence and slaughter inflicted on Muslims across the world, nothing will change in Rakhine. The picture that has remained unchanged for decades is a clear sign that until Muslims heed these verses and unite this pain will never end:

**Those who are unbelievers are the friends and protectors of one another. If you do not act in this way there will be turmoil in the land and great corruption. (Qur'an, 8:73)**

And those who, when they are wronged, defend themselves, (Qur'an, 42:39)

Those who are unwilling to see Muslims come together and act as a single body, or who regard it as unnecessary, or who remain passive and timid, will have to bear the conscientious responsibility for this suffering, pain and shedding of Muslim blood.

# Chapter 3 - A Cry for Help to the U.N. from Rohingya of Myanmar

This article was published on Harakah Daily on January 27th, 2014

Muslims constitute only three million of the population of 70 million of Myanmar, the largest country in the Indochina region in Southeast Asia. However, terrible savagery is being inflicted on Muslims. The main cause of this savagery is ethnic and religious discrimination.

The 800,000 Rohingya living in the country are not considered as citizens. These people are regarded as "illegal migrants" from the neighboring country of Bangladesh. On the other hand, the Bangladeshi regime does not admit Rohingya people living along the coastal strip on the border into the country.

Excluded by both countries, the Rohingya people are struggling to survive as "stateless persons" in the region. The Rohingya have no identity documents, and thus no citizenship rights. Since their presence cannot be proved, neither can their absence.

They are unable to benefit from education, social rights such as health and public services, are refused admittance to hospital and cannot work in public offices. Since they have no means to attain education, illiteracy levels stand at 80%. They are unable to obtain birth certificates for their children and have no permission to marry. They cannot own land or property. They have no right to build concrete houses and can only live in ones made of timber, bamboo or clay, and these can easily be destroyed when attacked.

It is a known fact that the Rohingya people, regarded as "illegal immigrants" in Myanmar since 1978, are subjected to a policy of oppression and persecution. These policies have been stepped up since June 2012. From that time on, 240 people have lost their lives, mainly Muslims living in the province of Rakhine, and more than 250,000 have been displaced.

## Bloody attack in the village of Du Char Yar Tan

However, in recent days, there has been a new wave of attacks against the Rohingya people. On January 14th, the Myanmar Armed Forces, Police Forces (Hlun Hteins) and Rakhine terrorists carried out a savage and bloody attack on the Rohingya village of Du Char Yar Tan (Kilai-Daung). Eyewitnesses maintain that some 60 people were killed in the attacks, many innocent villagers were detained, women and girls were raped and that 200 women, six men and five children have gone missing.

Human rights organizations reported that hundreds of people fled the region in terror in an attack on the village of Du Char Yar Tan, inherited by Rohingya Muslims. At present, 340 homes and a settlement area inhabited by 4,000 people have been totally evacuated. Authorities have declared the village to be a 'forbidden zone' and external observers, journalists and Rohingya people are banned from entering the village.

Allegedly, the events began with the killing of eight Rohingya by Aung Zan Ohyu, the chief of Du Char Yar Tan village. The chief wished to conceal the crime since it had been witnessed by villagers. Together with a group of police and Rakhines, he sought to detain the villagers and opened fire on them. They also raped one of the girls in the village. Tensions in the village rose because of these events, and one of the police officers on the scene was killed by villagers.

Officials from the Maungdaw region, attached to Rakhine Province, ordered the security forces to open fire on the villagers. Eyewitnesses say that the officials subsequently tried to hide the bodies of the dead villagers. A report from January 22nd says that the Naypyidaw regime issued an "arrest warrant" for all male Rohingya over the age of 10. Concerns that this foreshadows a new wave of genocide against innocent people are growing.

However, this is not the first report of massacres of Rohingya. There are witness accounts of Rohingya being taken prisoner and used in human trafficking, being tortured to death in various ways, of bodies being taken out into the jungle in lorries and being cut into pieces and buried in pits, of women being raped and having their breasts cut off before they are killed.

## The Muslim Rohingya people are in desperate straits, the UN should take immediate actions

The Rohingya people are in a state of fear yet there is nothing they can do to protect themselves. They have no organization to shelter them and no citizenship or legal rights. They lack the slightest technological means by which to make their voices heard to the world.

The Myanmar government, on the other hand, denied all these reports when U.N. Human Rights Special rapporteur Tomas Ojea Quintana asked for an investigation into them, and said that no Rohingya people have died, apart from a police officer. Hla Maung Tin, Prime Minister of the Province of Rakhine, instead accused the world media of waging a "smear campaign." Of course, we must not forget here that since the Rohingya are not regarded as citizens, they have no identity documents; therefore, if they die or disappear there are no official records to prove their existence of otherwise. So if the allegations are true, witness statements and the presence of corpses are the main evidence that can confirm the incidents. It is reported, however, that officials have covered up the evidence of the slaughter as quickly as possible, for which reason the world is unaware of that evidence of the massacres.

Yes, the Muslim Rohingya people are in dire straits. The United Nations needs to go into action and the necessary steps need to be taken to guarantee all the rights to life of the Rohingya people if they are to be saved. If the events in the Maungdaw region are to be prevented from growing and if the truth of the slaughters is to be determined, it is a matter of the gravest urgency for an international investigation team to go in and conduct inquiries before the evidence is all destroyed. After that, permanent measures need to be taken so the people removed from the embargoed village can return to their homes and a safe environment can be provided for them. The main steps needing to be taken are putting a halt to the torture, rapes, looting, illegal arrests and killings, investigations to be conducted into those involved in such illegal practices and the appropriate legal measures to be taken, and for the international media to be given the opportunity to examine the scene of the events.

After that, it is vitally important for a U.N. Peace Force to be sent to the Rakhine region in order to guarantee the safety of the Rohingya people. The most important step after that is for the U.N. to take the requisite steps for the granting of citizenship rights to the Rohingya people and for the protection of those rights. Contacts need to be established with the Myanmar government so that they can benefit from all public rights such as education, health, drugs and treatment like all other citizens of the country and so they can enjoy all human rights.

Every person of good conscience of course has a responsibility to take the requisite steps for the protection of this innocent and defenseless people trapped between Myanmar and Bangladesh. There is no doubt that it is also of the greatest importance for the U.N., which has assumed the mission of protecting peace, security and basic human rights and freedoms to lead the way on this matter without further delay.

# Chapter 4 - Behind the Persecution in Myanmar

This article was published on Harakah Daily on April 14-17, 2014 and on Burma Times on June 2nd, 2014

Burma, which means "the center", was once home to a mighty Kingdom even well into the European Middle Ages, and centuries later it is, in a way, still the "center" of Asia with its breathtaking beauty and richness.

Myanmar boasts rich zinc, lead, gold and silver resources as well as impressive oil and natural gas reserves and precious stones.

Despite all these positive qualities, the country is mostly known for outrageous human rights violations. It is also one of the poorest countries in the world. Other countries largely control its natural wealth and domestic conflicts have only served to exacerbate its poverty. Myanmar lacks the technology or the means to process its resources independently, and more importantly domestic conflicts. Lack of democracy and abuses of human rights are only making the situation worse.

The country has a very strategic position in the continent as it sits right in the middle of important Asian countries like China, India, Thailand, Bangladesh and Laos.

It was a British colony until 1947 after which she lived under military rule for years. During this period, it was almost completely alienated from the rest of the world. While Asia was developing in leaps and bounds, Burma was swamped with domestic problems. The world's response to this was economic and diplomatic isolation and Burma was renamed Myanmar in 1989.

China, which has been searching for a way to the Indian Ocean and has been strengthening relations with Myanmar for a long time, has used the fact that the global community stays away from Myanmar to advance its own strategic interests. They rolled up their sleeves to build highways, railroads, harbors, and pipelines to connect South and West China to the Indian Ocean. However, China's motivation to invest in Myanmar was not only commercial; China also considers Myanmar as a country of vital importance to ensure its own safety and enhance China's regional power.

An important point to take into account is the energy agreements signed with China. China's energy deficit and sensitivity regarding its energy security is a known fact. In this sense, Myanmar is a country that China attaches importance to in terms of energy assurance. Myanmar's offshore natural gas sources and oil –even if low in quality– play an important part in China's policy of diversification of its energy sources.

A total of 1.2 trillion cubic meters of natural gas reserves and 2.1 billion cubic meters of oil reserves were detected in the territorial waters offshore from the harbor city of Kyaukpyu, 120 kilometers to the south of Sittwe (Akyab), the capital of Rakhine Province and China subsequently made major investments in both oil and natural gas projects in this area. In this region, two separate pipelines, which will ultimately transport 12 billion cubic meters of gas and 22 billion cubic meters of oil to China, were built. These pipelines are along the coast of Myanmar and 2.4 kilometers long, and in October 2013, they went online. These pipelines and the territory surrounding them were taken under the protection of the Myanmar government after being declared a military zone. Myanmar was to position 13,500 soldiers here and the villages where the pipelines passed through were to be evacuated and nationalized.

China-Myanmar natural gas and oil pipelines - which begin in the capital city Sittwe (where Muslims are a majority) and enter China from the province of Yunnan - are a very important factor in evaluating the Rakhine problem. This pipeline, which reaches China from the harbor near Kyauk Phru along the shores of the state of Rakhine, and also reaches India from Sittwe Harbor, not only carries Myanmar's energy resources to China but also will become a harbor where tankers traveling from the Middle East to China can offload with a planned deep sea port slated for construction at Sittwe. This is considered an alternative to China's dependence on the Malacca Straits and thus reliance on Singapore and Malaysia.

This strategic data illustrates the importance of the Rakhine region for China's energy security. Since the Rakhine Muslims are seen as having a potential to destabilize the region, they are also considered a threat to China's energy security; therefore from China's point of view, it is viewed as a positive development if they leave the country or are expelled from the region. Even though the policy of oppression going on in the region is a problem of post-colonial nationalism, when looked from this perspective, it can be seen that this latest crisis is actually more an extension of regional power competition.

This is one of the most important reasons why Muslims in Rakhine are going through so much suffering; real geopolitical and economic interests play an important role in the steps taken by Myanmar. Behind the conflict in the region lies the interests of Burmese Buddhists and the Chinese to secure more land as well as oil and gas investments respectively; thus, a harsh policy of oppression is being implemented to encourage the Rakhine Muslims to leave and evacuate the area and there is no interference with these ongoing attacks because of these reasons.

Most recently, the Myanmar government banned the activities of Doctors Without Borders, claiming that the group favored the Muslim minority. The truth is that the Muslim minority doesn't even have access to state health-care centers and without this humanitarian group, they will have no medical attention whatsoever, no matter how urgent the situation might be.

This is just one of the many examples of shocking human rights violations we hear of from the region.

So what could be the solution? In point of fact, the Muslim community that lives in Rakhine Province is not a threat, either to the Buddhists of Myanmar or to China's energy security. The Rakhine Muslims are a mild and peaceful people; the only thing they want is to live safely in their own lands and to take advantage of citizenship rights like everyone else in Myanmar. The onus here falls on the government of Myanmar, a nation that harbors scores of different ethnic and religious groups in the same lands. The only proper thing to do is to ensure that rights and freedoms are given to everyone equally and to reassure the Rakhine Muslims of the same. When these democratic steps are taken, China, the Myanmar government and the Rakhine Muslims will all be comfortable. Trying to establish safety and solidarity in the region through oppression and coercion is difficult and morally unjustifiable, particularly when a far easier and more just way of doing so is a more effective and equitable solution.

## Refugee Problem is A Humanitarian Issue

No matter what their religion sect or origin is, it is our duty as humans to look after people who are vulnerable for any reason in the world, to protect them and to make efforts to end the tyranny in the world. What should only be done is to embrace with love and compassion the oppressed people who leave their country with fear of death and look for a safe shelter and to share all the means on hand. When it is a matter of life and death, it is a must of virtue to see salvation and comfort of others more important than those of one's own. Moreover, it is also our responsibility not only to open our borders to refugees but also to host them in a way that they feel at home and make them comfortable within the framework of Islamic and moral values.

At this point a prominent work befalls on states, NGOs and the world press. There is no doubt this problem will be solved when the refugee problem is handled in an humanitarian way and an approach based on love and understanding is adopted towards these miserable people who have to leave their country, homes, families and possessions behind. We should bear in mind that love is the key to solution to all problems. A very important step to solve the refugee problem will be to launch a campaign of love that will revive the feelings of solidarity and sacrifice all over the world.

# Chapter 5 - Myanmar Should Beware of Radicalism

This article was published on Malaysia Kini on October 10th, 2014, and on Muslim Mirror on October 22nd, 2014 and also on Burma Times on October 23rd, 2014

While archeological findings show that pre-historical Burma was home to a civilization that was the first to turn copper into bronze, grow rice and domesticate chickens, present-day Myanmar is far from its early days. After years of colonization, civil wars, five decades of military rule and international isolation, the country has become one of the least developed and poorest nations in the world, accused of many human rights violations and corruption including the widespread use of forced labor, human and drugs trafficking and sexual violence. Over 30% of the population lives in poverty and around 37% of the public is unemployed.

The challenges Myanmar faces today are not limited to these.

Myanmar's population consists of many distinct ethnic groups each with its own history, culture and language. The majority Burman (Bamar) ethnic group makes up about two-thirds of the population and controls the military and the government, while the remaining one-third of the population - ethnic minorities - live in rural areas where natural riches are abundant, but many of them have been forcibly removed from their homes by the military government.

The Rohingya, one of the Muslim ethnic minorities of Myanmar, is estimated to have been reduced to 1.1 million, and they suffer serious discrimination and abuse. In fact, the Rohingya are considered to be one of the most persecuted communities in the world. They are subjected to arbitrary arrests, extortion, forced labor, rape, discriminatory restriction in employment, eviction, arbitrary taxes and violence. These unwanted people are not accepted as citizens of Burma, and therefore stripped of citizenship rights such as education, healthcare services, the right to marry and the right to travel, and to top it all off the NGO organization Doctors Without Borders (MSF), the primary supplier of medical care is now officially banned in Rakhine state, where mostly Rohingya people live. With the aid workers gone, now they have little to no health care and the situation is deteriorating with each passing day as we hear news of malnutrition, starvation and disease rising in villages and camps in Rakhine.

## Danger of increasing racism and Buddhist radicalism in Myanmar

Ethnic conflicts in Myanmar have risen to an alarming level with systematic killings and the worst suffering of its Muslim minority for the last decade. Deadly clashes between Buddhists and Muslims have now become a daily event, not only in Rakhine state where most of the oppressed Rohingya Muslims live, but in other parts of the country as well. Before 2012 existing tensions between the Hindu population and Muslims were primarily restricted to Rakhine state. Now it has spread to the central heartland, to the largest city, Yangon, and other important cities like Mandalay and Lashio. Myanmar authorities are said to have encouraged these clashes by either turning a blind eye to them or even by aiding the rioters.

A broader look at the conflict the country is facing today shows that the inciting force behind it is the rise of radicalism, under the disguise of the protection of Buddhist values and traditions. Buddhist radicalism and ultra-nationalism poses a risk to the country as it adopts violence as a method and this madness grows each and every day with an alarming speed, even as to reach beyond Burma.

The formation of the ultra-nationalist '969 Movement' in 2012 under the leadership of the radical Buddhist monk Ashin Wirathu, also known as the butcher of Burmese Muslims, set the stage for further promoting anti-Muslim sentiment in the country. While the movement depicts itself as a peaceful nationalist movement founded for promoting and protecting religion, the underlying rhetoric of the group is that the Muslim minority - which totals only 4% of the total population - is a threat because it says that they will eventually become the majority and thus occupy the country. The movement regards Islam unwisely as an existential threat and calls its members to stand up and save their religion and traditions.

Though the group denies any connection with the acts of violence against Muslims, it has clearly contributed to the conflict by inspiring the radical Buddhists to hatred and campaigning for exclusionary practices like boycotting Muslim-owned businesses. Monasteries associated with the movement have enrolled 60,000 Burmese children into Sunday school programs. It would be a pity and a waste of good human resources to see these children grow into pro-violence radicals of the future Myanmar and Southeast Asia.

## Fallacy of "Burmanization" Policy

Many minorities of the country as well as impartial human rights organizations claim that a policy of "Burmanization" is ongoing. The government's recent draft plan for citizenship offers the Rohingha either to be classified as Bengali or face indefinite detention. Earlier this year almost all Rohingya were left outside the census after refusing to be listed as Bengalis. The Rohingya are well aware that this is a well-planned effort to confirm their statelessness and expel them from Myanmar.

To overcome the ever-downward spiral of hatred in the country and radicalism, the Myanmar government should adopt an education policy that teaches the true teachings of Buddhism, promotes love and brotherhood within society and explains to its public the consequences of terror and violence in order to defeat ignorance and radicalism. In its transition to democracy, Myanmar should gain greater speed and condemn any act of violence and extremism before radicalism ruins the country and brings it to a darker place. With its ancient traditions and culture that encourage love and kindness to all mankind, Myanmar deserves to be a peaceful, modern, high-quality country that is safe to visit and that is open to the world, both in terms of society and economics.

Myanmar's self-image as a nation must change. The country must embrace its tradition and culture as a whole, that is to say, by also including its ethnic riches. Otherwise the current situation poses a threat to the country and hinders it from becoming a wealthier nation by being a stable land where investors may come and help the country prosper. However, if Myanmar continues to fail its peoples, regardless of their race and religion, the international community will have to take collective action in order to protect the oppressed population.

# Chapter 6 - Deafening silence over Rohingya issue

This article was published on Arab News on October 25th, 2014 and on Burma Times on October 29th, 2014

Despite the atrocities being committed against the Muslims of Arakan, better known as the Rohingya, the international community has so far done nothing to protect these people. The world appears to be sitting on the fence, as these people are being systematically persecuted.

This minority Muslim community in Myanmar — termed the most persecuted people living on the face of earth — has been turned into refugees in their own country. The Rohingyas are a people with no civil rights and from time to time subjected to indiscriminate violence. The world became slightly acquainted with these people following the violent attacks and acts of arson of 2012.

Last month, the government of Myanmar submitted a plan to the United Nations appeared to be aimed at restoring peace, ensuring justice and creating communal harmony. Several countries welcomed and approved the plan thinking that Myanmar was ready to roll back its policy of discrimination against the Muslim minority.

## The Rohingya are forced to accept that they are "migrants" in their own country

So, what's the plan? The Rohingya Muslims have been given two options. The first one is that they should obtain the citizenship of neighboring Bangladesh in the first phase. Then only they would be eligible for the citizenship of Myanmar provided they are in possession of various documents as required under the country's 1982 citizenship law. In the event of refusal to accept this option, the Rohingyas will have only one option left i.e. to live in camps as detainees under horrendous condition and finally face expulsion from the country of their ancestors.

The first option appeared to have a silver lining making it possible for the Rohingya Muslims to obtain Myanmar nationality. However, that is not the case. The real purpose is to officially declare these Rohingya migrants, who have already lost all their rights under the 1982 law.

We know that a great many Rohingyas who enjoy alien status in their own lands will be unable to provide the documentation concerning their histories required in order to assume Myanmar citizenship again. All documentation about these people's pasts, together with everything else they owned, was destroyed in the horrifying uprisings that targeted the Rohingyas in 2012. Therefore, those who cannot provide those documents will be stuck as Bangladeshi citizens in their own country, with migrant status, in other words. The Myanmar government will soon send these people to camps on the pretext that they are "aliens," or else will expel them from the country. These people will also not be recognized by Bangladesh because they were not born there. This law is not binding on Bangladesh.

Meanwhile, those who refuse to obtain Bangladeshi citizenship will be taken from towns and villages where they live and sent to refugee camps as detainees. Under the new plan, these people will be swiftly expelled from the country, and the Myanmar government may apply to the UN to send these people overseas as refugees. The problem is that the UN does not recognize these oppressed people as refugees. Under the plan, one million Rohingyas will face that terrible end.

Phil Robertson, deputy director for Asia at Human Rights Watch, says: "This plan is profoundly troubling because it would strip the Rohingya of their rights, systematically lock them down in closed camps in what amounts to arbitrary, indefinite detention."i

## Why do the problems of Rohingya Muslims still continue whereas they can be easily solved?

The world's superpowers and member countries of ASEAN are known to have imposed no sanctions on the Myanmar government and to merely watch matters from afar because of the energy corridors that pass through Myanmar and out of concern that this might harm their commercial relations. It is true that crimes against humanity are being perpetrated across a wide area and in the most barbaric manner. Yet this silence concerning the Muslims of the Rakhine State, one of the subjects that the countries of the world could easily take measures over and resolve, is inexplicable. The possibility of the deceptive appearance of this proposal by the Myanmar government convincing some countries and the UN will make the situation even more horrifying.

There is a reason why violence, anger and war are spreading in this time when realpolitik has superseded humanity, when politics is perceived as oppression and when countries ally themselves around self-interest rather than love. The reason is that people and countries do not regard love as a solution. The people of a country have for years been living under persecution and facing genocide before the eyes of the world, and the world knows this, but still says nothing.

The human drama going on in Myanmar for so long is no secret. Covering it up and seeing nothing wrong in permitting evil will just strengthen the troubles afflicting the world. Countries of the world must therefore prioritize justice and love, rather than self-interest, first in the name of mankind, and then in consideration of this horrifying scenario. The world must therefore extend a hand to the Rohingya Muslims who have been systematically persecuted for so long. It must not be deceived, but must find a solution for this wronged people. It is a fact that countries that hold meetings all over the world that sign oil and natural gas treaties and that buy arms from and sell missiles to one another are also strong enough to protect a handful of victimized people and to convince the Myanmar government on this issue. To that end, countries must turn away from calculations of realpolitik and show that their consciences have not atrophied. Let us see if they are ready to do that!

## Muslim Leaders are Being Arrested in Arakan

Arakanese Muslims run from their hometowns Arakan upon the mass arrests of religious leaders, community leaders and the Muslim population by Myanmar Administration.

Chris Lewa, the coordinator of the non-governmental organization called Arakan Project stated that 8 thousand Muslims left Arakan in one week and this figure was higher than that of all Arakanese people escaping the region in 2013. Lewa indicated that Muslims leaving Arakan went to Thailand and Malaysia on boats and Myanmar police stood by throughout all these events.

Lewa added that religious leaders and religious community leaders were successively arrested in the last period, and some arrestees were tortured to death and this " **caused panic among the public** ".

The report stated that Muslim communities, especially the Rohingya in Myanmar were increasingly marginalized for years in the social and political life. The report also noted that the majority of Muslim population was not completely given the status of citizenship and efforts were now made in the parliament to revoke the right to vote of Muslims.

# Chapter 7 - Rohingya People Ignored by Myanmar Government

This article was published on www.harunyahya.org on December 16th, 2014.

[Quoted in Turkish from www.dunyabulteni.net]

There are only 140,000 people left out of around one million Muslims that used to live in Arakan. Some of the hundreds of thousands of people were martyred and some others had to leave their country to get rid of tyranny and murders.

Basic civil rights were not accorded to Rohingya Muslims for years. They did not have freedom of travel and trade and were subject to numerous restrictions. Moreover, they are also exposed to the intense and extreme acts of violence by fanatic Buddhists. With the last series of violence acts in 2012, around 150,000 Muslims had to leave their houses. Most of them lost their lives during the journey and some of them sought refuge in Bangladesh and other neighboring countries. The Rohingya live under extremely harsh and inhuman conditions in the countries where they migrated.

In October 2014, UN General Secretary Ban Ki-Moon indicated that it was concerning to see that Rohingya Muslims still suffered from violence and added that Myanmar government did not keep its words. In addition, the General Secretary pointed out that the violence reached concerning dimensions due to ethnical and religious discrimination in the country.

## The Rohingya who Cannot Justify their Existence Await Help

Chris Lewa from the Arakan Project, established to defend the rights of Rohingya Muslims, said that violence acts and human rights violations were witnessed in at least 30 villages only between July and September. He also indicated that a large number of Muslims were taken into custody on the grounds that they had connections with terror organizations.

Aung Win, one of the Arakanese opinion leaders, said that his application for naturalization was not accepted since they were considered as Bengali. As a result, the Arakanese still remain stateless. Neither Myanmar where they have lived for years accepts them as its citizens nor does the neighboring country Bangladesh naturalize them as alleged.

As a result of the pressure of international community, Myanmar government announced that it accepted to naturalize the migrants who meet the necessary conditions. However, it is clear that this is a deception. The Rohingya cannot enjoy this right as they cannot certify that their families have been living in this country for three generations. Additionally the public authorities do not allow the Rohingya to be married; what is more the state does not issue birth certificate to newborn children.

In short, the government acts as if Rohingya Muslims had never lived in this country and there were no such people.

## Tyranny and Violence are Defeated by Love

Materialism imposed on people for years and disbelief which emerged as a result of the former are the underlying main reasons for violence in the society. Egoistic and small-minded people begin to have a feeling of intense ambition, demand for superiority and dissatisfaction. This brings jealousy, lovelessness and hatred to top in society. Compassion, mercy and understanding are replaced by fight, aggression and conflict. The erratic belief that 'the powerful can survive, not the right" turns the world simply into a hell of lovelessness.

An egoistic, unhealthy type of person who lives on the verge of exploding like a powder barrel does not abandon the culture of violence in his spoilt soul regardless of his education level. Egoism and lovelessness push individuals not to care about others.

It is obvious that oppression can never be solved with violence and weapons. The misconceptions and flawed ideologies should be solved with methods of persuasion such as intellection, enlightenment and education. Trillions of dollars spent on arms and security industry should be spent on health, art, education and to turn the world to heaven.

The world should deal with the problems by resorting to methods practicing love and compassion instead of exercising violence and bombs. Love would prevail the world if all the countries follow the spirit of love inherent in the Qur'an and the other Holy books. If the countries of the world shape their principles according to true religion, the humanity will become very compassionate in the face of these love policies.

The existing oppression against Muslims and other innocent people will cease when the rule of antichrist comes to an end; both of which will happen with the Mahdi (Moshiach)'s appearance.

Therefore, the persecution against Muslims today is one of the most and explicit signs of the coming of the Mahdi by the will of God.

## 15 Thousand Muslims Fled Myanmar in a Month

The captain of the small fishing vessel has spent most of his life helping fellow Rohingya Muslims escape persecution and hatred in Myanmar, but now even he is worried about the panicked pace the exodus has taken in recent weeks. "Everyone is going now," Puton Nya said. "I'm afraid that soon, no one will be left."

Puton Nya indicated that he helped Rakhine Muslims by taking them to the ships waiting in the Bay of Bengal. A neighbor of Puton Nya told him that the human traffickers raped women and brutally beat men on the cargo boats.

Chris Lewa, director of the Arakan Project which was formed to defend the rights of Arakanese Muslims, also added that more than 15,000 people left Arakan to go to Malaysia, Indonesia and other countries since 15 October. This figure is twice as much as those who left the region in the same period last year.

Noting that almost 100,000 people fled Myanmar in the last two year, Lewa emphasized that soldiers and border protection units increased acts of violence in order to "cause fear in the region and incite the Arakanese Muslims to escape" in the last months.

Lewa stated that four people were tortured to death, young people taken into custody for no reason were battered by soldiers and more than 140 people from 24 villages were arrested for opposing to the migration law and having connections with extremists in the last two months. (Quoted in Turkish from www.risalehaber.com )

# Chapter 8 - Why Does the World Turn a Blind Eye On Children's Cries Coming from a Far Corner in Southeast Asia?

This article was published on Burma Times on February 15th, 2015

Myanmar, also known to many as Burma, is a small country in a far corner of our world. With its 676,578 sq. km area and a population of 56 million, Myanmar is one of those countries where human rights violations have gone to an extreme.

Mainly consisting of a Buddhist majority, Myanmar embraced democracy out of a military regime four years ago. However, because of the policies of oppression and violence by the government, the Muslim Rohingya are fleeing from Arakan (Rakhine) state in the west of the country. In fact, people acknowledge that the Rohingya are one of the most persecuted communities in the world. According to statistics from the end of 2014, it was made evident that 280 Muslims have lost their lives in religiously based conflicts, and some 140,000 thousand have been displaced. These people unwanted in their own homeland are not recognized as citizens of Burma, and therefore they do not possess the right to education, health services, marriage or travel. For that reason about 1,300,000 Muslim Rohingya are trying to persist in living close to Sittwe, the capital of the state of Rakhine, in appalling conditions, scrappy and miserable camps. Children born and living in these camps have to struggle against a multitude of issues without even having lived through their springtime of their life.

In the 12 camps built from bamboo and cane, the children of Arakan are living in hunger, thirst and on the whole ailing through all kinds of diseases and undergoing days of affliction in harsh circumstances deprived of medication and wellness. The ban on the activities of the Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF – Doctors Without Borders) organization - the main provider of medical aid in the region - has resulted in the worsening of the conditions in the camps. With the departure of the aid personnel from the region, people there have been deprived of all medical services and on those grounds; the state of the children therein is changing for the worse. Because of the inadequate nutrition and detrimental state of affairs in the camps of Rakhine, there is more news of increased starvation and diseases.

The children of Arakan are trying to carry on living under the most severe austerity in the camps together with their striving parents.

Children, waking up to a new day in their nylon-covered shacks, are smiling in unawareness amidst the people of the camp, whose number grows every other day. Not having even the simplest of toys, their playthings are made out of mud, bags and boxes, they are not even informed of the heavy burden they are passing through.

The difficulties these children encounter are not only limited to scarcity of food or shelter. The Muslims in these camps are persistently under the persecution of roving Buddhist gangs; the children of Arakan are the object of torture that no infant should ever be subjected to. These Buddhist gangs attack Muslim villages and plunder their belongings, place their parents under arrest with no reason and inflict all kinds of pain on the minors. The hands of these children are tied from under their legs and they are left behind defenseless. Children wait for someone to come and save them for days in hunger and thirst, left half-naked in this position. Some cannot endure under this duress and their exhausted bodies fall dead on the soil.

Not a single mother or father could ever turn a blind eye to these dire circumstances. While many people are living in their comfortable, warm homes and striving for the prosperity of their children, they simply ignore the cries of children coming from the other corner of the world. Just putting oneself in their shoes only for one moment would be adequate to dissolve this recklessness. Nobody would ever fail to pay heed if their own children were in hunger, shivering in sickness and tortured right before their eyes. If necessary, he would risk his own life to save their lives. Not having met those Arakanese children or not being their biological parents is no reason to stop people from making efforts on their behalf.

The world needs to free itself from this disease of lovelessness and lack of compassion. There is an intense indifference in the background in all kinds of hostility and conflict and again, the same reasons come into play in the persecution in Myanmar because there is discrimination regarding race, sect or faith. The world is now waiting for people who hold love dear, and lead with compassion and justice to end all the bloodshed and the world is waiting for understanding, mercy and compassion. The world seeks guidance: We pray that God shall bring those beautiful days closer when the whole world will embrace love in its entirety.

# Chapter 9 - Are the Rohingyas doomed to remain stateless?

This article was published on Burma Times on February 28, 2015

Burma (Myanmar) is one of those regions of the world that are known for incessant conflicts and humanitarian crimes. Reports from the country demonstrate that the turmoil is continuing and that a major humanitarian drama is still taking place. Terrible violence is being inflicted on the Muslim Rakhine or Rohingya people, one of the ethnic groups in the country. The main source of this violence is ethnic and religious discrimination. The Muslim Rohingya people, described by the U.N. as 'an oppressed religious minority,' constitute 4% of the Burmese population of nearly 56 million. These people, who live in ramshackle camps in Rakhine state in the west of the country, are now the subject of a fresh debate. A government decision to allow the Rohingya people to vote in a constitutional referendum has sparked protest demonstrations by Myanmar's Buddhist majority. The Rohingya are not recognized as Burmese citizens and are forced to live in camps because they are refugees in their own country; that is why the Buddhist citizens of the country do not want them to vote.

The Muslim Rohingya lost all their citizenship rights in a single day under a law passed in 1982. These people are regarded as 'illegal immigrants' from neighboring Bangladesh. There are about a million of them in Myanmar, but they cannot prove their identity as 'Burmese citizens': **They exist, but not officially.** On the other hand, however, Rohingyas living along the coastal strip on the border are not allowed into Bangladesh by the Bangladesh government because they are not citizens of that country. Rejected by both countries, the Rohingya are struggling to survive as 'people of no land.' Since both countries reject them, the Rohingya have no official identity documents, and thus no citizenship rights; they are, quite simply, stateless.

The most fundamental citizenship rights are just a dream for the Rohingya

Myanmar moved to democracy from a military regime four years ago. The civilian government led by head of state Thein Sein, which has been in power since February 2011, has taken a number of steps toward democratization. Although a large number of political prisoners have been freed, ceasefire agreements have been signed with various ethnic groups, freedom of the press has been broadened and repressive laws have been lightened, Myanmar still draws the attention of the world with the systematic violations of the human rights of the Rohingya and discrimination carried out against religious minorities.

The coming to power of a civilian government changed nothing in the lives of the Rohingya. It has failed to prevent the loss of Muslim lives in religious clashes, hundreds of homes and workplaces being put to the torch and some 250,000 having had to abandon their homes because of the conflict. Moreover, **it did not grant the Rohingya the right to citizenship, one of the most basic human rights.**

Burmese Muslims, suffering the pain of having no homeland or protection, are today living a life of imprisonment in isolated camps in Rakhine province rather than in their own homes. They have no social rights and have no access to public services such as education and health. They get sick, but they are not admitted to hospital. They find themselves unemployed, but they cannot work in official institutions. Since they have no access to education, illiteracy levels stand at 80%. They cannot even obtain birth certificates for their children. They do not have permission to marry. They cannot own land or property. They are not allowed to build concrete homes, and can only live in homes built of bamboo or wood, buildings which can be easily destroyed during attacks. The rights of citizenship, blessings we never even think of, are just a dream for the Rohingya.

## Ethnic Cleansing and Concentration Camps in the State Of Arakan

The aim here is, quite bluntly, ethnic cleansing. One of the latest features of this ethnic cleansing campaign is forcing Muslims of Arakan to identify themselves as Bengali in order to become citizens. The Arakanese Muslim identity is thus eradicated. Those who reject that identity are punished by being sent to isolation camps.

The government has now granted temporary citizenship rights to the 1.5 million Arakanese Muslims previously regarded as refugees and allowed them to vote in the upcoming referendum. However, this is also a very cunning stratagem intended as a part of this ethnic cleansing; they are not recognized as citizens, but are only allowed to vote with the white cards given to people regarded as immigrants. In this way, while Arakanese Muslims are pushed to accept being regarded as immigrants, they are trying to give the impression that the country is a democratic one.

Even this temporary right was enough to instigate discriminatory behavior against the Muslim population in the country. Burmese Buddhists have protested against Arakanese Muslims being given the right to vote, albeit on a temporary basis, and have started public demonstrations. Arakanese Muslims are thus subjected both to acts of violence and also to legal, economic and social discrimination.

## The Presence of Different Ethnicities and Nations is a Cultural Wealth

The Burmese administration is adopting a wrong-headed policy by oppressing its people and the Muslims. **Different races and nations coming together is a source of cultural wealth, not war and conflict.** That diversity is a beauty in God's creation. Islam is a religion of peace and love. Our Burmese brothers' religious faith, devotion to the Qur'an and their loyalty to the teachings of our Prophet (pbuh) are therefore also a blessing and a beauty for Myanmar. Being a Muslim brings about altruism, devotion, moderation, balance, industriousness and love for country and one's fellow citizens. These brothers of ours would therefore never harm the Burmese state. On the contrary, they would support Myanmar with their obedient and respectful behavior. Consequently, there is no need for the Burmese administration to be uneasy about Muslims. If Myanmar wishes to take its place among the modern and democratic countries of the world, instead of persecuting innocent Muslims who do no harm to anyone, they should recognize them as their free and fellow citizens and allow them to live their lives and their religion freely. If Myanmar wishes to take to be one of the modern, 21st Century nations of the worlds, it must adopt a system that bring human rights and democracy to the forefront instead of oppression and violence. This is the key to the peace and stability all the people of Myanmar long for.

"Oppression against Muslims should end in Myanmar, everyone should write a letter to the officials regarding this issue."

Adnan Oktar: One viewer said as follows: "I urgently and anxiously demand that Adnan Oktar should contact General Than Shwe or Myanmar junta leader in order to find a solution to end the tyranny that our brothers and sisters suffer in Myanmar."

Do they have an embassy here in Turkey?

Speaker: They wrote "Help us" on a banner.

Adnan Oktar: This unjustness should end. We should talk to US President Obama. Write a letter to Obama. Send these photographs: Let's explain the situation to [US President] Obama, to the European Union, to all of them. Send the photographs as well. They should stop this bleeding, they should end this...

Speaker: They have an honorary consulate in Ankara.

Adnan Oktar: You ask them by requesting to "end this scandal".

Everyone including those who are watching us should write a letter. They should say "stop this tyranny" to the United Nations, to the USA. Blood is shed like water. Let's write to US President Obama, to the European Union.

(Adnan Oktar, July 26th 2010, Adıyaman Asu TV and HarunYahya.TV)

# Chapter 10 - The Rohingya Muslims Are Being Exiled in Their Own Lands

This article was published on Burma Times on March 20th, 2015

The Rohingya Muslims have lived in a region including Rakhine in Myanmar for hundreds of years, and history shows these lands belong to them. Yet these innocent people are being maltreated in their own lands, exiled and persecuted using the most barbaric methods. This is genocide, one that the world is ignoring. But it is impossible not to see this crime against humanity being committed with ever more horrifying means, because access to information is today a simple matter, and the Internet is a university all by itself. It is therefore not at all difficult to obtain information about the history of the Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar and the persecution they are facing in those lands.

Islam first came to Rakhine [formerly Arakan], part of the Far East and inside the borders of Burma through Muslim travelers to the region in the 8th century. When Bengal adopted Islam in 1203, Arakan came under Muslim rule. Between 1430, when the region was conquered by Muslims, and 1638, with a few exceptions, the rulers generally chose to live by Islam. The Muslims settled in Arakan are therefore the descendants of Sulayman Shah, who was placed on the throne by the Bengali Sultan Jalaluddin Muhammed Shah. 1

## The Rightful Owner of Arakanese Land is Rohingya Muslims

History confirms that the Rohingya Muslims who are now being persecuted in their own lands, whose homes and villages are being burned, whose mothers and daughters are being tortured and whose men are being slaughtered, are the rightful owners of that territory. In addition, Muslims have occupied important positions in the governing of the country and in its political and cultural life for more than 350 years. They have even provided such senior officials as five viziers, along with governors, army generals and ministers.

However, following the killing of the Muslim Sultan Shah Salim II in a conspiracy in 1638, the empire entered a period of decline and collapse. With its invasion by Burma in 1784, the Muslim people living in the region suffered great oppression. Many of them were forced to flee to Bengal, which was under British rule. According to East India Company records, in 1799 35,000 Arakanese Muslims fled their lands because of persecution by the Burmese. The records tell us this; "...in one day soon after the conquest of Arakan the Burmans put 40,000 men to death: that wherever they found a pretty woman, they took her after killing the husband; and the young girls they took without any consideration of their parents, and thus deprived these poor people of the property..."2

Some of the Muslims fleeing Burmese violence left the country and had to migrate to India.

## The Muslim Population in Rakhine is being Annihilated Step By Step

After the withdrawal of the British who had been in control of the region, in 1824, there was soon a considerable increase in the number of attacks on Muslims. During the Second World War and the Japanese occupation the pressure on Muslims increased still further, culminating in Muslim men, women and children being barbarically murdered by swords and spears in the village of Chanbilli in the township of Minbya in 1942. After the slaughter the district was pillaged. All gold, silver and valuable items belonging to Muslims were seized, and their animals were confiscated. In the attacks that started in this village and spread across Rakhine, 307 Muslim villages were wiped off the map, more than 100,000 Muslims were martyred and some 80,000 were driven from their homes. 3

Restrictions on the movements of Muslims were imposed following Burmese independence in 1948, the aim being to eliminate the Muslim population of Rakhine entirely. A military regime that took power following a coup in 1962 entirely rejected the identity of the Muslim people and began using propaganda to depict them as foreigners. They were removed from their posts in the police and the civil service and were prohibited from moving freely in the province of Rakhine.

Muslims, to whom Rakhine actually belongs, have been living under very harsh conditions again since 1990. There has been systematic pressure intended to reduce the population. They are unable to engage in agriculture or raise livestock because of arbitrary local taxation. Their lands are being taken into public ownership. Other examples of the persecution of Muslims include arrests, torture, the destruction of mosques and cemeteries, Muslim girls being taken away from their village under the pretext of 'development of the status of women,' and their being deprived of their rights to education. 4

The Rohingya Muslims have been forced from their own lands, their true homeland to migrate to other countries in search of safety. The people to whom these lands really belong are today abandoning their roots, culture and history and struggling to survive under harsh conditions as refugees in other countries. More than 240,000 Muslims in Burma are living as refugees inside the country, and citizenship rights are denied to more than 810,000 Muslims living in the country. There are 120,000 refugees on the border with Thailand.5 There are also Rohingya Muslims with refugee status in Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Thailand, Bangladesh and some European countries. One and a half million Rohingya Muslims are living at the hunger threshold in Bangladesh alone, trying to survive in the jungles and valley margins.

The entire world is silent in the face of this crime against humanity which they are aware of through the Internet and read about in the newspapers or see on the television almost every day. Crimes against humanity and attacks attract fierce reactions when they happened in developed countries in the Western hemisphere, but the plight of the Rohingya Muslims fails to have the same effect. People do not care about these valuable but suffering people far away from their own region, who do not adopt the modern Western way of life and whom they perhaps regard as second class due to ethnic differences under the influence of the materialist worldview.

However, every person whose conscience and heart are not totally atrophied, wherever in the world they may be, has a responsibility to defend the rights of these innocent people, to maintain justice and to strive to eliminate wickedness.

We should not forget that a sentence appearing in the social media, an article shared, a word spoken at a meeting or making people aware of this blatant persecution is vital. Indeed every step taken for the sake of unity of public opinion against tyrannical regimes and evil people will constitute a barrier against such crimes against humanity and help prevent their reoccurrence.

1. Dünden Bugüne Arakan [Arakan From Yesterday to Today], Dr. Muhammed Yunus, 2012, http://www.ihh.org.tr/fotograf/yayinlar/dokumanlar/dunden-bugune-arakan.pdf

2. SOAS Bulletin of Burma Research, (Buchanan 1992:82), https://www.soas.ac.uk/sbbr/editions/file64388.pdf

3. Rakhine Rohingya National Organization, the 1942 Muslim massacre, http://www.rohingya.org/portal/index.php/rohingya-library/26-rohingya-history/55-the-muslim-massacre-of-1942.html

4. A Handbook of Terrorism and Insurgency in Southeast Asia, p. 330-340, https://books.google.com.tr/books?id=ZzMmpCinBYoC&pg=PA327&lpg=PA327&dq=Arakan+islam+embraced&source=bl&ots=CqkoQvEL1N&sig=EcmIrnCsz9Ops40I95VeTI6Ok2k&hl=en&sa=X&ei=dcn6VP7iA4WfyAPwx4C4BA&ved=0CCkQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=Arakan%20islam%20embraced&f=true

5. UN High Commission for Refugees, UNHCR, http://www.unhcr.org/pages/49e4877d6.html

# Chapter 11 - Differences Can Become Richness

This article was published on Burma Times on May 25th, 2014

There are many organizations and bodies founded for different purposes in the world, and very different countries belong to them.

Countries can easily come together for reasons such as geographic necessity, defense, trade or political partnership.

Countries belonging to such bodies as the Islamic Cooperation Organization, the World Trade Organization, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the Economic Cooperation Organization, UNESCO, the European Union, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the United Nations, the World Health Organization and NATO are able to act together in the light of common interests and needs.

Some of the common objectives sought by means of these organizations are to maintain peace and territorial integrity, to improve trade, the provision of public education, political independence and security or humanitarian aid.

However, famine, civil wars and economic difficulties down the years show us that these organizations have been unable to fully discharge their responsibilities.

Yet nobody then says that countries should not establish such unions; the failure to achieve the intended objectives through such organizations does not prevent new ones being set up.

Even if definite outcomes are not achieved, different organizations are highly active and holding meetings in the light of their own interests in many different regions. These activities, which may be described as "better than nothing," nonetheless point to one very important truth:

Cooperation is essential for everyone. The opposite, that is, conflict and disagreement, result in weakness and failure. Unity, on the other hand, facilitates the attainment of common aims.

Muslims, who are 'brothers' in the view of the Qur'an, also have an obligation to be united and to avoid division and separation.

God loves those who struggle in His Way in ranks like well-built walls. (Qur'an, 61:4)

What needs to be done to that end is clear. According to this verse, Muslims must:

◉ First and foremost be devoted to their brothers with love and affection;

◉ Avoid argument and disputation;

◉ Be one another's friends and guardians;

◉ Watch over and protect one another under all circumstances;

◉ Advise and consult one another;

◉ Strive together intellectually against unbeliever ideologies in ranks like well-built walls.

The opposite, in other words:

◉ Being divisive instead of unifying;

◉ Setting Muslims against one another;

◉ Exacerbating disagreements instead of calming them down;

◉ Not treating their Muslim brothers with love and affection;

◉ Not being forgiving and protective, and

◉ Not helping Muslims in the intellectual fight against unbeliever systems is unlawful.

Muslims must not forget the fact that Islamic moral values mean they are brothers, regardless of their differences. Believers' ethnicity, linguistic or sectarian differences or the lifestyles in their respective countries, cannot harm that brotherhood.

Muslims in Myanmar, Palestine, America, India, Turkey or Africa must always act with one heart. They must speak out against the repression in East Turkestan, for instance, and support the people there. They must be the first to send aid to Afghanistan if an earthquake strikes. They must seek to make the voices of the children being shelled in Syria heard by the world. They will think of the orphans in Rakhine and start aid campaigns for them. In doing that, they must not consider which sect they belong to, and differences of language will not constitute a problem.

Differences are a source of beauty, they are a great richness; they must never be made a reason for conflict. Muslims must turn to urgent matters, in other words, working together and attach no credence to those who seek to instigate divisions.

Mankind! We created you from a male and female, and made you into peoples and tribes so that you might come to know each other. The noblest among you in God's Sight is the one who is most deeply conscious of Him. God is All-Knowing, All-Aware. (Qur'an, 49:13)

If differences and divisions are regarded as trivial, and if brotherhood is emphasized, this will, by the will of God, be instrumental in opening the roads to world peace.

# Chapter 12 - What If You Didn't Have Even an Inch of Land to Live on in This World?

This article was published on Burma Times on June 1st, 2015

A humanitarian drama is being acted out before the eyes of the whole world in the recent weeks. It again involves refugees, Rakhine and thousands of innocent, defenseless people abandoned to die. More than 8,000 people, including Rakhine Muslims, fleeing Myanmar and Bangladesh are being kept on the high seas of Southeast Asia in order to prevent them from entering Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia. Some of these people, who have spent many, many days in hunger and thirst, are being held in temporary camps in Indonesia and sports halls in Malaysia. The thousands of refugees being kept on the high seas are facing the threat of hunger and disease.

Put yourself in these people's place for one moment. Imagine you have no right of citizenship in the country you call home; you have refugee status in your own land where you were born and raised and you have to live in concentration camps; you cannot send your children to school; your wife or daughters may be raped at any moment yet you are unable to protect them; you have to pay a usurious tax to get married or for every child you have; you cannot be treated when you are ill; and that you are oppressed, imprisoned or killed simply for the sake of your religion. What would you do then? You would of course seek refuge in some other country and would look there for conditions in which you and your family can live in humane conditions.

Or what would you do if you had given all the money you had managed to save up in your state of poverty to human traffickers in order to escape that misery and mistreatment but had been abandoned in the middle of the sea? What would you do if you were surrounded by water but could not drink a drop, if you had no food, if you had to fight the ocean waves by night and the burning sun by day, and you were cast adrift for days in a boat so packed full of others you would have to keep motionless to stop it sinking? Then what would you do if just as you were at death's door you saw land in the distance and rapturously thought that you are saved, but then were told "We will not accept you in our land"? That is just what is happening to Rakhine Muslims.

## Complicity in the Murders in Arakan

There are vast tracts of empty land in the world, yet the whole world fails to find a piece of land to accommodate this handful of people. What is even more tragic – and outrageous – is that while food and humanitarian aid is thrown to these people from helicopters, as if they were animals in a zoo, these people who have gone hungry and thirsty for days on end have to jump into the cold seas to get hold of it. Those migrants who were rescued just as their boats were about to sink and were allowed to stay in warehouses in the Indonesian port of Langsa still have to fight one another to grab even a mouthful of food: One hundred people died in that inhuman competition.

No matter how you look at it, the situation is gut-wrenching. **Is it not now the time for the world to say 'Enough!' and find a solution?** Would sending the Rakhine Muslims back where they came from, as proposed by Malaysia and Thailand, be a solution? Or would it be conscionable? Of course, not. On the contrary, it means sending them back to their deaths. Nobody with even a shred of human dignity would allow themselves to be an accessory to such murder. If these people were given a piece of empty land, instead of being sent back, with soil to grow things in and animals to raise, they can fend for themselves, as they have for centuries, without being a burden on anyone.

## Why Does the World Keep Quiet About the Tyranny in Arakan?

Many Western countries react very strongly when there are restrictions on human rights and freedoms in a country. However we see no noteworthy efforts on behalf of the Rakhine Muslims, whose plight is truly dreadful.

Western public opinion, which moves heaven and earth when nature is exposed to any harm – which musters prodigious technical facilities to save a beached dolphin and is so scrupulous when it comes to maintaining areas of greenery – needs to exhibit a great deal more sensitivity and good conscience when it comes to the lives of the people in question. If petty tyrants in countries such as Burma are not subjected to political or social pressure from the international community, they will persist in, and even step up, their oppression and persecution. The first stage in putting a stop to this consists of making everyone aware of what is going on. Activities that prick the conscience of the global public and that describe the persecution taking place in an objective and appropriate manner will clearly spur Western public opinion into action, and that would no doubt be exceedingly alarming for regimes such as that in Burma (Myanmar).

## We Should Say "Stop" to the Oppression Altogether

**The Islamic world must also act in a resolute spirit of unity to find a solution to the problem of Rakhine.** No Muslim can tolerate his brothers dying before his very eyes. Islamic countries must be punctilious on this subject and put pressure on the Burmese government to put an immediate end to this human drama. To that end, countries such as Iran, Turkey, Pakistan and Egypt can put together a joint fleet and set out for the waters of Southeast Asia as a deterrent to the Burmese government. Indeed, when a bomb dropped from a Burmese warplane not long ago led to the deaths of four Chinese citizens, China issued a stern statement saying that Myanmar would face serious repercussions if this were repeated; that has acted as a major deterrent.

As a matter of fact, this is the very reason for the Burmese government to treat the Rakhine Muslims harshly. Nobody says that the persecution has to stop and nobody stands up for the Muslims of Rakhine **.** **The government has no qualms about oppressing these innocent people, because no deterrent reaction is forthcoming from Muslims.** At this point, it would be highly effective for Muslim countries to stand up for their brothers in Rakhine and to put political, economic and social pressure on the Burmese government.

Under the leadership of Muslim countries, it is essential to convey humanitarian aid to refugees, to evacuate the sick from these conditions and to take them to hospitals where they can be properly looked after. Otherwise new fatalities will surely occur and the death toll will rise.

It is also of the greatest importance for Western countries to use all the means at their disposal to create pressure on the Burmese government and to take initiatives that will help rescue these innocent people.

**The problem of Rakhine cannot in fact be regarded as a mere regional issue.** No person of good conscience can accept innocent people being left without food, water and medicine and being deprived of even a small plot of land to live on. Whenever there is an earthquake or a flood anywhere in the world, all countries do whatever they can to assist those disaster -stricken people. We have seen many instances of this in the past; even countries with otherwise frosty relations extend a helping hand to one another under such circumstances. That means when people and countries so desire, they are perfectly capable of exhibiting such behavior. Now is just the time for another example of such solidarity and aid.

If people, organizations and countries start raising their voices in unison, the Burmese government will immediately pull back and cease their unjust and senseless persecution of the Muslims of Rakhine. It will either acknowledge their citizenship rights, or ease its pressure on them. We all have a humanitarian obligation to assume responsibility and display the requisite sensitivity so that such awareness can be raised.

# Chapter 13 - Not the Rohingya Crisis, But a Crisis of Humanity

This article was published on Tehran Times on May 24th, 2015 and on Burma Times on June 5th, 2015

"I boarded the boat because I had nowhere else to go. I don't have a home or anything left. The Rakhine killed my mother and my relatives. The people in the village said they were going to Malaysia, so I made the decision to follow them."

This quote is from a woman on a boat densely packed with starving people out in the Andaman Sea. Her words are plain, encapsulating misery beyond one's imagination. The scene is, on the other hand, in one word, "horrific", something no person with any shred of conscience would ever stand to see.

It is a boat where no human being in this world should ever end up. It is the kind of human tragedy with which any soul in this world would be challenged.

This woman is one of the members of a minority community who has been denied citizenship and voting rights by a country where generations of her family had lived in for centuries. Let alone having any civil rights, this community has been for many years persecuted by a regime that denies them any freedom and, above all, the dignity that every human being deserves in this world.

If you are someone not even remotely interested in the world news, you are probably by now familiar with these people, the Rohingya Muslims. Contrary to any voyage we know of in our conflict-free world, these people have no luggage, no food or water, and in most cases, even no clothes to cover themselves.

Imagine yourself stranded in the middle of nowhere under desperate conditions with no friends or relatives from your life in your home country. Even hard to imagine in one's worst nightmare!

However, with no rights of any kind and, more importantly, no hope for future in their own homeland, they, as a last resort, clamber on to a rickety boat, taking the risk of death.

With their vessels marooned out on the high seas by human traffickers and various navies cracking down on them, the ordeal they've gone through is unparalleled by any means. Their boats, "floating coffins" as they are called, are a reference to their horrendous situation.

According to the UN, the Rohingya Muslims are one of the "most persecuted minorities" in the world. Now the situation has turned into the most ferocious form of human tragedy with the stance of the neighboring ASEAN countries bordering the Adaman Sea. Neighboring countries such as Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia have simply refused to accept these adrift people into their countries as refugees. Their navies simply provided some provisions of food and water and then pushed them out to the open sea.

Now that the world media has devoted space to the stories of these most helpless people, the international community is savvy about the existence of the Rohingya Muslims and their desperate situation. Yet the efforts of other countries, who should be sharing the spirit of humanity, have been so far very feeble, devoid of the strength that any conscience requires.

After weeks of not welcoming thousands of migrants stranded at sea, with Indonesia and Malaysia ultimately offering temporary shelter – and rather reluctantly at that - it seems that some solutions are on the horizon.

## Every Single Human Life is Precious

However this crisis has demonstrated something far more important; that this is not some isolated crisis that a minority group in one part of the world is going through, but rather a crisis of humanity.

The Rohingya boat tragedy is an indelible blotch on humanity. It is a human rights debacle. It is the manifestation of the moral bankruptcy of the human conscience and must be analyzed and pondered upon if we would like to create a world where every child has access to the same freedoms we desire for our own children.

In the case of the Rohingya Muslims, the neighboring countries' concerns about taking care of the refugees can be overcome quite easily. Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand are countries with vast lands and coastal areas. The refugees can be introduced to a lifestyle where they can earn their living by fishing, agriculture or animal husbandry without being a burden on the host countries. Such a stance is what is more becoming to humanity, something that we most need in these times of ordeal.

This is a crisis that reveals how some lives are valued and appreciated while others are totally ignored. Human beings, no matter which race, nation, religion, ethnicity or tribe they may be from, are the core element of this world. All commercial, political, industrial, and artistic activities are carried out in this world because of human beings. The reason why this world exists and why it was created is 'human beings'. So everyone must enjoy the dignity and freedom they deserve as a human being. Once any politician or leader adopts this scrupulous perspective, any impaired morals would be purged at once, and thoroughgoing solutions will follow.

Thailand should not send Muslims who seek refuge there back to Myanmar

**Speaker:** ... Two million Muslims running from oppression have sought refugee in Thailand. Thailand announced that it would send Muslims back to Myanmar after the elections. However, this means that those people will be imprisoned and killed.

**Adnan Oktar:** So you are saying that 'Thailand should not send Muslims back to Myanmar'. Yes, we also demand this from our government. [They should help] for God's sake. This is a big danger. Let's write a petition, talk to Thai government and bring this issue to the agenda. They should not send our brothers and sisters there to Myanmar since they will be killed.

Look at the violence at the end of the world. Hundreds and thousands of Muslims are martyred every day and everywhere in the world. We do not even hear about many of them. It is an ordinary issue that a Muslim is martyred in Afghanistan. There are innumerable raped sisters and mothers.

(Adnan Oktar, October 21st, 2010, Samsun Aks TV)

It is a big oppression to leave Rohingya Muslims in the middle of the sea

**Speaker:** Arakanese brothers and sisters were rescued by Indonesia.

Adnan Oktar: Indonesia has vast lands. Rohingya Muslims are a handful of people who are satisfied by a portion of a meal. A tent is enough for them. They demand nothing but to save their life.

**Speaker:** Mr. Oktar, as you know, Malaysia has recently said: "If we accept these refugees, the others will come after them. Thousands of them would come. They are not wanted here so we cannot receive them".

**Adnan Oktar:** How unjust it is. They have bare lands. They can settle them on one area, they can build prefabricated houses as well. Tent would even work. They don't want much, they would be full with one portion of a meal. Is there any point of leaving people to death? Is this conscience, how do you sleep with such conscience?

**Speaker:** Their ship arrived in Thailand last week and Thailand did not accept them.

**Adnan Oktar:** They try to teach unjustness to the world, this is terrible.

(Adnan Oktar, May 16th, 2015, A9 TV)

# Chapter 14 - Are the People of Rakhine Condemned to Be Oppressed in the Countries to Which They Flee?

This article was published on Burma Times on May 10th, 2015 and on News Rescue on June 16th, 2015

All nations give their citizens rights such as the right to live in security, to marry and to receive an education. These rights, enshrined in law, are so natural that their absence generally never even crosses people's minds. Yet there are also people unable to enjoy any of these rights, such as our Muslim brothers from Rakhine.

In Myanmar, the former Burma, crimes against humanity have been inflicted on the Rakhine Muslims since 1978. They are maltreated in their own country, violated, banned from worshiping, unable to marry and usually not even given identity documents. The people of Rakhine are therefore being forced to flee their home country. It is estimated that there are some 200,000 Rakhine people today living in Pakistan, 300,000 in Bangladesh, 500,000 in Saudi Arabia, 13,600 in Malaysia and 3,000 in Thailand.

In fact, it would be more accurate to say that they are "trying to survive," because our Rakhine brothers cannot enjoy much peace or security in the countries they have fled to, either. For example, some of the 111,000 Rakhine people who settled in camps in Thailand were maltreated in 2009, after which these innocent people were forced onto boats and abandoned on the open seas. This savagery only came to light when one of the five boats concerned was found by the Indonesian authorities. 1

Thailand still maintains that same attitude today. Shocking reports on the subject emerged from Thailand and Malaysia in January. More than 1,000 people from Rakhine on boats from Bangladesh and Myanmar were abandoned on the high seas without adequate food and water by Thai security forces.

This inhumane practice is a crime under international law. Countries of course have a right to prevent refugees from entering their own territorial waters but they must not endanger refugees' lives in so doing. Yet that condition is easily breached. After floating at sea for weeks, some 400 Rakhine refugees were rescued by the Indian Navy and 392 by the Indonesian authorities. The rest had perished at sea.

## The Difficult Conditions Faced by Rakhine Muslims in the Countries to Which They Flee

Those Rakhine Muslims who manage to stay in the countries they flee to still live under very difficult conditions. Most are forced to work illegally, and many are lost to human traffickers. Since they have no official documents they are detained, arrested, exiled or, worst of all, forced back to their country of origin. Yet Article 33 of the 1951 U.N. Refugee Convention 2 explicitly prohibits the return of refugees. 3 Accordingly, no matter what the legal regulations in the host country, refugees must not be returned to a country where they will be persecuted.

Neither can the attitude toward Rakhine people of Islamic countries even be described as "friendly." They do not want to see their brothers in faith on their territory and refuse to offer them a helping hand. For example, some 3,000 Rakhine families living in prisons around Mecca and Jeddah are being forced to return to their homes. Men are housed separately from women and children in these prisons, meaning that families are broken up. Women are only able to contact their husbands by mobile phone.

The 250,000 or so Rakhine Muslims living in the shanties of Mecca are forced to work as unskilled manual laborers, cleaners or drivers. Some families marry under-age girls off to Saudi men. However, these girls are almost always despised as second-class wives in their new social surroundings. 4

Some 300,000 Rakhine people in Bangladesh live in refugee camps where they are deprived of infrastructure and of even the most basic human necessities, such as hygiene, health, education, housing, clean water, food and clothing. Even while putting up with these difficult conditions, the Rakhine people are still being forced to return to their home country by the Bangladeshi authorities.

Bangladesh applies various forms of psychological and physical pressure to send these wretched people back. Those who are unwilling to go back are threatened with imprisonment, their food ration books are confiscated, and they are maltreated or else their huts in the camps are damaged: In short, the despairing plight of Rakhine people leads to their rights being violated.

Here we need to remind ourselves of one very important point; the countries in question may very well find themselves facing various difficulties because of the heavy flow of refugees. However, our Rakhine brothers are seeking shelter in other countries because they have no other hope of salvation. For the countries in which they seek shelter in such a state of despair to send them back means literally to sign their death warrants and those nations being complicit in murder. Instead of persecuting these people for being refugees, they should rather make it possible for them to enter freely, live in comfort and work in security. God commands as follows regarding being just in the Qur'an:

You who believe! show integrity for the sake of God, bearing witness with justice. Do not let hatred for a people incite you into not being just. Be just. That is closer to piety. Have fear of God. God is aware of what you do. (Qur'an, 5:8)

## It is Wrong to Describe People from Rakhine as "Illegal Immigrants"

The people of Rakhine are not illegal immigrants. People have the right, under international law, to flee countries where they are being persecuted and to seek shelter elsewhere. What countries therefore need to do, in terms of humanity and of international law, is open their doors to refugees. Muslim countries in particular need to display much greater sensitivity on the subject. God reveals how Muslims should behave toward defenseless people who are oppressed by wrongdoers in the Qur'an:

What reason could you have for not struggling in the Way of God – for those men, women and children who are oppressed and say, 'Our Lord, take us out of this city whose inhabitants are wrongdoers! Give us a protector from You! Give us a helper from You!'? (Qur'an, 4:75)

This verse commands Muslims to immediately offer assistance to oppressed men, women and children. Through this verse, God imposes a responsibility on Muslims to help all oppressed people, irrespective of their race, faith or sect. It is also commanded in the Qur'an that the "very poor and travellers" should be helped:

Give your relatives their due, and the very poor and travellers but do not squander what you have. (Qur'an, 17:26)

As we have seen, travellers are a group of people requiring priority assistance in the view of the Qur'an. Being a refugee means being a traveller, being on a journey with no home and no food.

On the other hand, the true source of the refugee problem is the longstanding persecution taking place in Myanmar. All humanitarian aid organizations, and particularly the UN, need to say "Enough!" in the face of this humanitarian drama. The world is quite powerful enough to oblige the Myanmar government to protect this handful of oppressed people. What needs to happen is for the insensitivity in some people's hearts to be replaced by conscience and compassion.

1. http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/02/12/thailand.refugees.admission/index.html

2. The full name of the convention signed by members of the UN is the Geneva Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees

3. "No Contracting State shall expel or return ("refouler") a refugee in any manner whatsoever to the frontiers of territories where his life or freedom would be threatened on account of his race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion." (Article 33/1)

4. http://www.milligazette.com/news/11598-burmese-muslims-stateless-at-home-no-refuge-elsewhere

# Chapter 15 - Being a Muslim woman in Myanmar

This article was published on Burma Times on April 8th, 2015 and June 25th, 2015

While the world has mostly focused on the Shia – Sunni conflict or the violent assault of radical terrorism in the Middle East, the Rohingya Muslims have been subjected to ruthless massacre for years. Some nationalist Buddhist terrorists that set the villages, homes and mosques of Muslims on fire and viciously slaughtered their women and children are perpetrating the most relentless bloodshed. The ones mainly affected in this agonizing fight and persecution are children and women.

The women are in despair trying to persist in living in shoddy barracks in desolate circumstances, not knowing how to feed their children, or where to have them treated when sick. In the meantime, they are trying to find a way out to prevent themselves or daughters from being raped and turned into slaves. Yet, if they resort to legal methods for claiming their rights, they are lynched. It is a well-known fact that scores of young women jump off cliffs or into the sea to commit suicide.

However, the world is in ignorance of the screams coming out of this land and turns a blind eye to this obvious persecution. In the face of such disregard worldwide, the lives of Muslims are counted as worthless every day. Entire Islamic institutions and mosques are closed, and religious observances like going on pilgrimage, sacrificing animals for God, holding prayers as a community and other ways of worship are all prohibited. Unlawful arrests done in violation of human rights and the implementation of torture – made evident by international organizations – is the daily conduct of the Myanmar administration. In brief, the religious freedom and rights of the Rohingya Muslims have been taken away from them in every respect and they are disallowed from observing their religious rights.

In the attacks targeting Muslims living in Arakan state in Myanmar in 2012 and 2013, a total of 140,000 were left homeless. Tens of thousands of Muslims even take the risk of drowning in makeshift boats to seek shelter in neighboring countries like Thailand, Malaysia and Australia as a last resort. What is more, they pay large sum amounts to human traffickers for this venture putting their lives at stake.

Bangladesh is one of the countries where Muslims from Arakan head towards for the most part. It is actually amongst the poorest nations in the world; nevertheless, there are about 500,000 Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh where they try to stay alive under trying circumstances in camps, living through severe problems meeting the most essential humanitarian needs like infrastructure, hygiene, health, education, accommodation, sanitary water, nutrition and clothing. Despite all these difficulties, the Muslims of Arakan still seek shelter in Bangladesh, though the country does not admit them.

Just for a moment put yourself in the position of these people. In the land you know as your own country, you are subjected to all kinds of persecution, you cannot find the means to feed or clothe your infant, or protect the chastity of your children and wife; what is more, you witness their humiliation and death. By all means, this is one of the most grievous experiences one could be faced with in his lifetime.

## What would happen if the oppression in Myanmar was lived in any other country in the West?

Even the slightest example of a similar turn of events, which the world turns a blind eye to in Arakan, causes a profound effect when they occur in Western countries. Obviously, reacting to assaults, carrying out self-defense measures and assessing such attacks as crimes against humanity is definitely normal. However, when the same people do not protest the persecution of Rohingya Muslims with the most inhumane violence and keep silent about this aggression, then that is dishonorable on their part. It is apparent that this innocent and most valuable community, distant to their own lives and not considered to be modern – or even second-class based on their ethnic origins – are not taken notice of at all. Yet, the approach to people who are under oppression should be the same the world over and humanity should unite in the need to end this crime against humanity.

No doubt, the United Nations has a great responsibility at this point. The UN should definitely take the necessary measures to assure "the right to life, liberty and security" in Myanmar as stated in its universal declaration of human rights. Inspections should be carried out to eliminate those crimes against humanity such as rape, torture, unlawful arrest, physical injury and murder; and the deported residents should be allowed to come back to their own villages and dwell there in safety and security; the ones who have committed these illegal acts must be put on trial in the court of human rights, and necessary steps should be taken to entitle the Rohingya community with their right to citizenship. And the international media should seek methods to lead the public opinion to act in good conscience by presenting the facts regarding the ongoing persecution in Myanmar.

The Muslims in the state of Rakhine should also be provided with all the rights made eligible for the public like services for education, health, medication and medical care, as well as human rights as a whole. The Myanmar government, which is in the center of all oppression and violence in the country, should follow a system based on love, as the spirit of affection and brotherhood also exists in the essence of Buddhism. That is why the government should incorporate policies of love and speed up its transition to democracy. By means of this new political approach, Myanmar's image in the international arena will improve and the country will be open to greater foreign investments. In this way the country will prosper and the living standards of the entire people of Myanmar will progress.

The Rohingya community is the people of Myanmar; for that reason the government should stop tormenting its own people. It is an obligation of the state to watch over innocent people, in other words its own citizens, who are under persecution, regardless of their race or religion and approach them with love and brotherliness.

# Chapter 16 - How Does It Feel to be a Rohingya?

This article was published on Burma Times on April 15th, 2014

Since 2012, a place called Arakan in Myanmar has been grabbing international headlines, with reports of people being hunted down and killed, villages being put to the torch, and refugees being stranded at sea after neighboring countries refused to let them in.

## So What's Going On In Myanmar?

The Rohingya Muslims are a minority in Myanmar that once ruled the region with a kingdom that lasted for 350 years. Later, the tide turned and the Rohingya became a minority in their own homeland. Today, they are known as the most persecuted people in the world, stateless and seemingly unwanted by anyone.

### If you are a Rohingya you have two choices:

1) You can stay at home. But that means being forced to live in dismal camps with no freedom to leave, frequent attacks by extremist mobs, which includes being burned to death, and your house being burned down. Also you will be denied citizenship rights and you cannot rely on the security forces, as what happened until now make it clear. From 1942 to 1996, two million people were forced to flee their homes, 15,000 settlements were razed to ground, 300,000 people were slaughtered and 20,000 women were raped. 5,000 mosques were destroyed and in 2012, the attacks flared up with 330 villages burned down with their residents in them. Moreover, if you choose to stay, you cannot go to state hospitals, own a motor vehicle or even a telephone. If your house, which by the way can only be wooden, burns down by mistake, you will face up to six years in prison.

2) Migrate somewhere else. But go where? Bangladesh, although itself a Muslim country, chooses to close its doors in the faces of these traumatized people crammed onto makeshift boats, leaves them stranded in the ocean and most of the time, those boats sink with everyone onboard. What are the other options? Go to Thailand, and if they accept you (though unlikely), risk being captured by human traffickers and sold as slaves (Reuters recently uncovered a massive human trafficking scheme that involved Thai immigration officers.) However, most of the time Thailand doesn't accept these people and leaves them stranded at sea. There is even footage of people being handcuffed and pushed into the sea from behind by Thai officials. Malaysia graciously offers a home to these poor people, but it is a distant land to reach with such unreliable boats. The USA has recently offered shelter to some and although the act is highly laudable, the numbers are incredibly low and therefore far from being a real solution to the ordeal of the world's most persecuted people.

As hard as it is to believe, these painful incidents are happening as you read these words, or as you watch your favorite TV show. Most recently, Doctors Without Borders were banned from working in the country as they were accused of favoring the Rohingya; sadly, DwB were the only medical treatment the Rohingya Muslims could obtain.

Again, recently Du Chee Yar Tan village was the scene of fresh attacks by Myanmar security officials and radical Buddhists. The village was closed off, but five Muslim men snuck into the area to find the severed heads of at least 10 Rohingya in a water tank and some of those were children.

Extremist Buddhist groups on the other hand continue to spread hatred of Muslims, by traveling the countryside with motorbikes.

These are actual human beings and just because they are living in a remote part of the world, or simply because they are from a different religion, does not change the fact that these are innocent civilians. They are not statistics; they are someone's mother, father, husband, child, or wife. Yet, they face isolation and are left to deal with their pain alone.

## So what can be done to put an end to these horrible scenes?

First of all, the Myanmar government and the Buddhist majority must overcome their irrational fear of being taken over by Muslims. The abhorrent human rights violations of the Rohingya should be immediately stopped and they should be treated as human beings.

It is known that Buddhists are peaceful people by nature. A national campaign targeting both sides, appealing to their Islamic and Buddhist background, as both are based on principles of love and forgiveness, can help overcome the resentment. A country-wide intellectual campaign, educating people about the peaceful moral values of Muslims, how the true Islam preaches love and compassion for all, and how the different ethnical groups can harmoniously co-exist with examples from the past could help move on to a more peaceful stage for the country.

The UN, the EU and the USA and others keep issuing statements explaining how concerned they are with the situation, but it is obviously not enough. And more importantly, Muslim countries should put an end to their embarrassing silence and attitude of general indifference. Without further ado, they should come together, form an alliance and union of love, cooperation and peace to help and defend the rights of the oppressed, wherever or whoever they might be. No economic concern, material interest or past hostility can be more important than the opportunity to help people in need.

# Chapter 17 - Small Steps That Could Make a Big Difference

This article was published on Arab News on July 18th, 2014 and on The Bosnia Times on August 8th, 2014

Thanks to the power and effectiveness of social media, reports about events taking place at any corner of the world reach us in just seconds. It has become much easier for the disenfranchised to make their voices heard and to draw world's attention to a host of issues through various social media platforms. If used appropriately, social media could prove to be an effective tool for setting society into action and above all in the right direction.

Of course, there is no dearth of people who use social media to spread hatred and radical ideas but this writer wishes to focus on the positive aspects of social media, its strengths and effectiveness and as to how it could be used to stir public conscience. It concerns people who use social media as a means of waking people up, but who lack perseverance.

Observers may recall how social media came to prominence, particularly thanks to Michelle Obama, when Boko Haram, the Nigeria-based terror organization, kidnapped more than 200 schoolgirls in April 2014. The whole world rose up, politicians discussed the subject and commentators wrote about it in their columns; people used social media day and night in an effort to have the girls returned. Some three months have now gone by, and the escape of 54 of the young girls from the clutches of Boko Haram has received little coverage. The remaining girls are still in the custody of Boko Haram, which has recently affiliated itself to the self-ascribed Islamic State (formerly known as the Islamic State for Iraq and the Levant). But this is a story that has lost popularity for many and the voices raised are weak. Nothing much has changed in Nigeria; Boko Haram is still kidnapping people and spilling blood.

Remember Abdul Quader Mollah, leader of the Jamaat-e-Islami, who was sentenced to death in Bangladesh. A wide social campaign was started to have the execution halted. The sentence was postponed because of the campaign, but when the voices on social media began falling silent again, this encouraged the government to execute the old man. Time has passed, and everyone has gone back to his or her usual routines as if this filthy system in Bangladesh had come to an end. Nobody seems interested in the fact that 14 members of the same political group have also been sentenced to death. People with no right to life inside a degenerate system have been forgotten, just like the others.

The Central African Republic (CAR) also became a hot issue on social media in the wake of the killings of Muslims in cold blood; do not be surprised that nobody is discussing it now. Despite the peace talks at the 23rd African Summit, 70 more Muslims were slaughtered at the beginning of this month, and 14,000 people had to flee to neighboring countries in one week. The CAR has been all but forgotten on social media yet innocent people are still living in the midst of a terrifying civil war.

## The Number of Dying People Cannot be Considered Only as Death Tolls

The death toll in Syria, where violence is perhaps at its worst level, has now begun being cited as a monthly statistic; very few groups are now trying to make their voices heard and to find a solution to Syria any more. Babies are shown being dragged from the rubbles on the mainstream media, and social media simply shares monthly statistics. How many people do you think know that around 273 barrel bombs have been fired at Aleppo alone since the start of Ramadan?

The same thing applies to communities such as the Rohingya Muslims, which has suffered this tragedy for decades. We saw the truth about the Rohingya Muslims when the Myanmar junta, which had been largely closed to the outside world, was replaced by a semi-civilian administration in 2011. The world became aware of the slaughter in 2012 by this means, and was stunned to witness the genocidal savagery being meted out to the Muslims of Myanmar. Certainly there are admirable people trying to raise awareness of Rohingya on the social media but no large communities supporting those people in a determined manner have ever emerged. So the situation in the region has not changed; the Rohingya Muslims are still stateless, deprived of their human rights and living under oppression. Major ASEAN countries, the global Muslim community and the superpowers are still silent.

This is certainly not the end of the list; nothing has changed in Iraq; in Africa, which has long been fighting hunger, AIDS and now an unprecedented Ebola outbreak; not in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Yemen, countries that are facing numerous drone attacks and internecine warfare. The only thing that has changed is the focus of people's interests on social media. The reaction to violence, oppression and injustice must not be limited to just a few hours or days, particularly when the violence is persistent and worsening.

## Remaining Silent Means Conniving with the Oppression

Those who say, "What good can I do?" are mistaken. People have to make their voices heard on matters to which states and governments cannot find solutions. People coming together in alliance can have a more powerful effect than NATO or the United Nations (UN). Silence is equivalent to supporting evil, even if the person has no such desire. The voice of the majority prevents those who commit evil keeping themselves concealed and is also a form of prayer but that voice must be powerful and constant against every form of wickedness. Subjects that trouble us when we first hear about them must not be allowed to die down over the course of time. However, we can only take effective action when we are rid of the mindset that regards the rivers of blood and death in the Middle East and Africa as mere statistics, and when we feel the responsibility for every life lost. We must be determined, perseverant and constant on this subject. A voice we raise to the world may one day lead to systems changing for the better. Let nobody forget that this is a prayer; it will happen if God so chooses.

Let us send petitions everywhere in order to stop the persecution in Myanmar and Eastern Turkestan.

**Adnan Oktar:** ... Let us encourage people everywhere against this persecution. The oppression in Burma should end.

They should leave Muslims in peace. Our brothers and sisters should also keep the issue of Eastern Turkestan's Muslims on the agenda. Let us file complaints everywhere. They should write a petition to the United Nations, the US Department of State, and the US President, British, German and Russian authorities so that no one can say: 'We did not hear of it, we did not know'.

They will end this blood and persecution. Our brothers and sisters should warn them. Hopefully, the warnings will be efficient. They should announce it with photographs everywhere. They should send them photographs, they may take from our web sites. They should send a letter to US President Obama in person. It could be handwritten on paper, which is better. They should sign it and add their address as well. They should even put their photograph and send it that way. They should state: "We do not want this persecution. We are disturbed, we cannot sleep with peace of mind, stop it". They should write letters to everywhere so that the oppression will hopefully end everywhere in the world...

(Adnan Oktar, July 26th, 2010, Adıyaman Asu TV and HarunYahya.TV)

# Chapter 18 - The Only Solution to the Refugee Crisis That Shook The World

This article was published in Iran Daily on November 16th, 2015, in Harakah Daily on December 7th, 2015 and in IRNA (Islamic Republic News Agency) on November 17th, 2015.

The massive influx of refugees and the tyranny and violence they are fleeing have been the top issue in international headlines lately. The sufferings that millions have been enduring is now transforming into an enormous tragedy.

The Muslim Rohingya living in the Rakhine State of the Myanmar are a heavily persecuted community that suffers from oppression, torture and forceful exile. Since 2012, hundreds of thousands of Rohingya have had to leave their homeland and thousands more have lost their lives. The ones left behind had to board unreliable boats to reach neighboring countries through perilous journeys on the high seas, battered constantly by severe winds and monstrous waves.

When Malaysia and Indonesia decided to open their doors to the Rohingya for one year, of whom hundreds have already lost their lives during their journey towards hope, their ordeal subsided to an extent. However, it is clear that a real solution can be achieved only when ASEAN, the UN and the Islamic world come together to develop a permanent solution for the Rohingya. It is crucial that they make an intense effort to make sure that the conditions that are making the Rohingya refugees no longer exist.

It is clear that the Rohingya are not the only people that are suffering from a refugee crisis. In many countries around the world, millions have had to flee ongoing wars and conflicts, becoming refugees in the process. Syrians currently make up the majority of these downtrodden people, after leaving their homes, families, properties and lives to seek shelter in other countries.

As the Syrian refugees are trying to get to countries that will accept them, they have to put up with the inhumane, discriminatory and brutal treatment of some EU countries. Indeed, in some of these countries, refugees encounter brutal and violent police force and coast guard practices, they are being subjected to 'push-back' operations, and in complete disregard of their special circumstances, are being exiled in masses. However, this practice that endangers the lives of refugees, which includes children, is a blatant violation of international laws.

One of the EU countries that violates human rights with the treatment of refugees is Hungary, deploying armored vehicles along its borders, and allowing its soldiers to use plastic bullets and tear gas against the refugees. Slovenia is another such country that tries to stop hundreds of refugees with pepper spray, despite the fact that there are babies, toddlers, women and the elderly amongst them. Unlike those countries, Germany promised to welcome 800,000 and possibly more refugees a year, and therefore is a European country with an admirable behavior towards refugees. Turkey, praised by the entire world for its hospitable, peaceful and embracing attitude, and for its selfless and helpful approach to refugees, has welcomed two-and-a-half million Syrians and has become a prime example in how to handle a refugee crisis.

## The Refugee Problem is a Humanitarian Issue

International laws regarding refugees strictly forbid any discrimination against refugees based on religion, language, sex or race. Despite this, Slovakia and the Czech Republic intend to determine the refugees they will accept will be based on their religion and stated that they would accept only a limited number of Christian Syrians; this is another example of a clear violation of human rights and international laws. At this point, it is crucial that Europe, which prides itself with the importance it attaches to democracy and human rights and in treating all faiths equally, takes steps to ensure that EU countries abandon their selfish and discriminatory behavior without further ado.

Europe must accept the fact that the ongoing refugee crisis is not a security issue, but a humanitarian problem. Erecting barbed wires and fences, planting landmines along the borders and subjecting poor people that have already lost pretty much everything to a new kind of tyranny in order to illegally deprive them of their right to seek safe refuge will not solve this problem. The solution is possible only with love, a humane approach, patience and altruism. EU countries should respect the right of refugees to live and approach them with love and compassion; after love, compassion and respect are built, swift political, diplomatic and, if need be, military measures will follow so that the circumstances that created the refugee crisis can be dealt with properly.

As thousands of innocent people are fighting high seas to reach their destination, debating who will guard the borders and how to prevent the refugees from coming, or making borders impassable through inhumane methods, would inflict irreparable damage upon Europe; such attitudes would lead to moral disgrace and strip it of its humanity. Those who would simply leave people to die will lose a part of that which is what makes us human; the ability to comprehend the suffering of others and to take action to help such people rebuild their lives. Kicking someone when they're down is hardly a commendable behavior. Europe should listen to its heart, open its borders, ensure safe passage to the refugees and put an end to human rights violations so that the refugee problem can be solved. The EU countries know very well that the right to seek asylum is a basic human rights and therefore they should immediately revoke any legal regulations that prevent these refugees from settling in the country of their choice. According to the Geneva Treaty of 1951, the refugees should be able to enjoy all the rights in the countries they are based.

Clearly, the European Union, with its population of 503 million, can quite easily distribute a couple of million refugees across the continent with sound planning. Furthermore, it can easily offer them education, employment, the opportunity to open small businesses and assist them in becoming contributing members of the society.

Being indifferent to this crime against humanity, which we are witnessing on an almost daily basis, is clearly wrong. It is important that an urgent action plan is prepared to protect the lives of refugees, to put humanitarian aid programs into action and to take all the necessary steps so that this horrible tragedy ends once and for all.

# Chapter 19 - Rohingyas' Uncertain Fate Post-Polls

This article was published in New Strait Times on November 20th, 2015.

This column has frequently spoken of the drama of the people of Myanmar. It has many times described how, in the wake of the clashes in 2012, Rohingya Muslims were exposed to genocide, abandoned on the high seas while trying to escape the country in rickety boats, had their Myanmar citizenship taken away and were deprived of their human rights.

Those aware of the drama of the Rohingya Muslims will realize what the general election in Myanmar last week will mean to these people.

Myanmar has recently emerged from a junta regime lasting some 50 years. Although elections in 2010 in theory put an end to the military regime in question, the presence of a junta that backed the ruling party could still always be felt.

Last week's elections, however, resulted in a major success for the National League for Democracy (NLD), under opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. However, that success does not mean that the country is now fully democratic.

While the people choose 75 per cent of the deputies who will now enter Parliament, the remaining 25 per cent are appointed by the military. It, therefore, appears impossible for the leading party in Parliament to be able to get laws through Parliament or introduce reforms. It can be seen that every step toward renewal will be vetoed by the military.

Suu Kyi is a leader who in fact emerged victorious from the 1990 elections. Despite obtaining an 80 per cent majority in Parliament, the junta refused to recognize the election results and sentenced Suu Kyi to house imprisonment.

She spent 15 years imprisoned, until 2010. Although the junta has now in theory come to an end, there are still worries that Suu Kyi's success will again be met by a coup. Although Thein Sein, who took over from the junta regime in 2010, says, "We must accept our voters' desire", many analysts still think that the military will hold Sein's moderate views responsible for this unexpected outcome and will make their displeasure felt. 1

## But What Do These Results Mean For The Rohingyas?

Let us go back to before the elections. Following the clashes that broke out in 2012, and ended in the deaths of hundreds of Rohingyas in the country, many Rohingya Muslims were forced from their homes and workplaces and taken into refugee camps.

The Myanmar government prevented them from moving within the country and receiving services such as health and education. At the beginning of the year, the government revoked their identity documents, alleging that the Muslim minority were not Myanmar citizens.

The Rohingyas were, therefore, unable to stand or vote in this year's November elections. As a result, for the first time, there are no Muslims in the Myanmar Parliament.

While the Rohingyas are pleased at the fall of the existing regime, they are also not entirely happy with Suu Kyi, of whom they had high hopes in the past. The main reason for this is the way she avoided using the term "Rohingya" and refused to visit areas with Rohingya populations during the election campaign.

It did not escape attention that she glossed over the subject whenever Rohingya was mentioned and described the question of minority rights as a "sensitive issue" that should be treated "very carefully". 2

Many Rohingyas criticize that as a policy adopted in order to avoid losing the Buddhist vote. Looking at the general condition in the country from the outside and as a whole, this political maneuver can be interpreted in different ways.

It is always hard in a country ruled by a junta to keep the balance and advocate the rights of those the junta does not want. In countries such as Myanmar, where the junta has in practice not come to an end and that have no qualms about resorting to violence and torture, the most rational course is always to avoid risky moves that might incite further upheaval or sparks.

Had Suu Kyi emphasized the rights of the Rohingyas before the election, that would probably have elicited a reaction from the military. Bearing in mind the conditions in the country it should not be regarded as unreasonable that Suu Kyi should have adopted a different pre-election tactic. The only way of confirming these criticisms or otherwise is the course that Suu Kyi follows from now on.

Although her party lacks the strength to act outside the military constitution and thus to bring in serious reforms, she has now a greater capacity to prevent injustice and genocide in the country and to bring the subject to the attention of the international community.

By following a sensible policy, Suu Kyi can bring the matter of genocide in Myanmar to the constant attention of the international community. In practical terms, international pressure can bring about a solution in Myanmar.

Let us add that very little has changed in the lives of the Rohingyas up to the election. The United Nations says that 370 Rohingyas drowned in the sea between January and June this year. According to Amnesty International, however, the actual figure is very much higher. Witnesses state that dozens of boats have set out from the shore, but that only a few have reached Indonesia or Malaysia. 3 In other words, the drama of the Rohingyas is continuing beneath the radar.

We hope that this new period will be an auspicious one for the Rohingyas, who have been persecuted, deprived of their human rights and subjected to genocide. We will also continue to pray and speak for them in these pages.

1. http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/nov/09/myanmar-election-result-military-aung-san-suu-kyi-govern-analysis

2. http://foreignpolicy.com/2015/10/22/myanmar_rohingya_violence_election_aung_san_suu_kyi/

3. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/burmamyanmar/11942819/Burma-election-Rohingya-Muslims-look-to-sea-not-ballot-box-as-new-wave-of-Asian-boat-people-prepares-to-flee.html

# Chapter 20 - Time For Global Community To Step Up For Myanmar's Muslims

This article was published in The Jakarta Post on November 22nd, 2015.

The results of Myanmar's general election held on Nov. 8th, 2015 have been officially announced. The opposition National League for Democracy (NLD), led by Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, won 348 out of the 664 seats in the parliament, giving the party an outright majority.

This outcome was predicted by almost everyone. What remains unknown is what will now happen in the country.

It is unclear whether or not the military, which has ruled the country with an iron fist following a coup in 1962, will recognize the results. Even if it does, it is unclear what kind of relationship the military will establish with Aung San Suu Kyi, who was held under house arrest for 15 years.

The sad truth is that no matter who is in power, there is very little possibility of any immediate change to the policies governing Myanmar. The Myanmar constitution, which automatically assigns 25 percent of parliamentary seats to the military, does not allow for any change that is not first approved of by the generals.

The new prime minister and government will therefore have to stick to the course sketched out by the military.

The ongoing tragedy afflicting Myanmar's Muslims will head the list of things that the regime will not wish to change. Muslims in Myanmar, who mainly live in the state of Rakhine and who go by the name of Rohingyas, are often deprived of the most basic rights to shelter, health, education, travel, marriage and participation in democratic elections.

Hundreds of thousands of Rohingyas fleeing these inhuman conditions have sought refuge in neighboring countries.

What does the report on Myanmar published by Human Rights Watch mean?

The UN human rights council has published five reports about Myanmar and the UN general assembly has adopted 15 separate resolutions.

Thousands of others have lost their lives from attacks or while attempting to flee.

The UN has long monitored events in Myanmar. The UN human rights council has published five reports about

Myanmar and the UN general assembly has adopted 15 separate resolutions.

In the latest of these, dated Feb. 24, 2014, the general assembly reported on arbitrary arrests and detentions, forced displacement, rape, torture, discrimination affecting various ethnic and religious minorities, violence and violations of international humanitarian law.

In the wake of that report, the UN security council considered the question of Myanmar in its session on May 29, 2015.

Two of the permanent members, China and Russia, opposed sanctions against the country, saying that the problem was a domestic matter and represented no threat to world peace and security. Their vetoes meant that no steps were taken by the council.

The pretext for this veto was devoid of any legal foundation. The preamble to the charter of the UN emphasizes "fundamental human rights and the dignity and worth of the human person".

Then, in Chapter I, the charter states the purpose of the UN is "to achieve international co-operation in promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion". The concept of "a threat to international peace", the precondition for the security council imposing sanctions against a country, is not therefore limited to an armed attack on another country.

The UN regards genocide within a country's borders (1994 Rwanda resolution), ethnic cleansing (1991 Iraq resolution), the high loss of property and life (1992 Somalia resolution), widespread human rights violations (1993 Haiti resolution) and racial discrimination (1977 South Africa resolution) as threats to international peace.

All of these elements apply to Myanmar. Consequently, it is illogical, a violation of good conscience and a violation of previous security council resolutions to suggest that Myanmar constitutes no threat to international peace.

## Will The Notion of "Humanitarian Intervention" Be Able to Stop the Massacre in Myanmar?

All jus cogens, the fundamental principles of international law, including the prohibition of genocide and torture, supersede the norms in any international document. The European Parliament (1944) and then the UN (1965 Rhodesia resolution) developed the concept of humanitarian intervention and it is the international community that must enforce this concept.

For example, in the 1990s, the security council designed proposals to stop the slaughter of Muslims during the war in Kosovo. Russia and China vetoed the proposals but NATO went into action anyway under the scope of a humanitarian intervention and put an end to that evil despite the absence of a UN security council decision.

The tragedy in Myanmar can only be ended by the international community.

If ordinary measures fail to produce results, then extraordinary means such as a humanitarian intervention must be employed in the name of humanity to put an end to the genocide in Myanmar.

The legal infrastructure for such an intervention is in place and so is the indignation of the international public.

The only thing that remains to be done is to summon an emergency session at the UN general assembly and adopt a resolution.

Countries can then take the requisite steps in the light of that recommendation.

# Chapter 21 - Humans Have Rights on Paper, But Apparently Not in Real Life

This article was published in Harakah Daily on December 19th, 2015 and in Morocco World News website on December 23rd, 2015.

December 10th was another World Human Rights Day. As known, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was prepared based on the principle that "all human beings are born free and equal" was accepted on December 10th, 1948 by the United Nations General Assembly.

The declaration aimed to prevent the repeat of disasters such as the WWI and WWII, during which millions of innocent people lost their lives, and to establish a mechanism that would stop authoritarian leaders determined to attain their political interests and agendas at all costs. It intended to stop those leaders that might regard any means, including violence, as acceptable in achieving or pursuing their inhuman agendas.

However, despite the 67 years that have passed since then, things seem to have developed in the opposite direction. Many countries of the world saw peaking human rights' violations, while Middle East became scene to some of the worst violations of human rights ever recorded. Human Rights activists are reporting inhumane practices in these countries almost on a daily basis.

In particular eleven countries are scenes to the worst cases of human rights violations ever and are frequently mentioned in reports. These countries, ranked beginning from the worst are Nigeria, Yemen, Myanmar, North Korea, Iraq, Afghanistan, Somali, Pakistan, Congo Democratic Republic, Sudan and Syria.

These reports draw particular attention to the fact that the civilian deaths in these regions usually occur due to random use of rockets, barrel bombs, ballistic missiles and other weapons in residential areas. The report explains that tens of thousands of innocent civilians have died or become permanently disabled in the last two years due to such attacks on civil areas. More alarmingly, this number is increasing every single day.

## Why Are The Reports On Human Rights Violations Not Successful?

Syria is one of these countries where civilian deaths are incredibly high, and more disturbingly, these attacks are happening before the eyes of the whole world.

In Syria, a battlefield consisting of conflicting interests and goals, more than 300 thousand people have lost their lives, in one of the cruelest and the most ruthless wars of all times. 7 million people had to leave their homes, 4 million of those have had to seek refuge in foreign countries and 14 million people became dependent on humanitarian aid in their own country. For the already downtrodden Syrians that have been forced to migrate, the Mediterranean Sea has turned into a sea of death and became a gravesite to thousands that drowned in its waters.

The US Senate has drawn up a 6000-page report on torture and war crimes carried out by CIA. According to the report, the disproportionate use of force, mistreatment of black population by security forces especially in recent years, made the US one of the offenders in human rights.

China's situation hasn't changed much over the last couple of years, and the disappearances at the hands of the military and security forces, unsolved murders, torture and extrajudicial execution continued especially in the East Turkestan region.

The same report also pointed to human rights' violations in Egypt which can be considered a country with an alarming humanitarian crisis in our modern day as well as historically. It is known that these violations are continuing at full speed. Thousands of people have lost their lives in Egypt after the military coup of July 3rd 2013. Arbitrary arrests of dissidents, extended periods of detention and cases of torture are still underway without showing any signs of slowing down any time soon.

The deplorable state of the Rohingya, who has been subjected to terrifying cruelty, pressure and discriminative practices for decades is also covered in this report. The report makes it clear that the systematic persecution against 140,000 Rohingya Muslims still continues at full speed. Currently about one million Rohingya in Maungdaw and Buthidaung townships by the Bangladesh border continue to face restrictions on movement, employment, and religious practice.

Furthermore, the year, 2015 saw shocking mistreatment of, refugees by various European countries -reminiscent of the time of Hitler- and raised questions about the sincerity of the West that is claiming to be the pioneer of Human Rights and democracy. More alarmingly, France has made an official request to the Council of Europe, to suspend their obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights because of the country's "state of emergency" in the wake of November 13th attacks in Paris.

## The Hatred, Fights And Wars in the World Should Immediately be Terminated

Crimes against humanity, of which only a small portion are listed above, are getting more common and more disturbing in different parts of the world. Today, millions of people have to live without homes, without food, without proper access to healthcare and other basic necessities, due to the negligence, indifference, apathy, cruel practices and sanctions.

As a matter of fact, in terms of total resources and economic wealth, our world can easily accommodate the entire world's population. Yet, selfishness, material ambitions, conflicts of interests, lack of love, compassion and kindness is causing the sufferings of millions of innocent people.

It is critical that the UN, the author of the Convention on Human Rights, should watch over these people and ensure that their rights are protected, especially during these days. It is unacceptable that the UN settles with remarks of condemnation when violence against civilians are reaching historical levels. There are even arguments that the UN has now became a rather symbolic institution, mostly focused on legislating the interests of a few powerful states. The world expects great things from this important institution. It is never too late to once again assume the mission of protecting human rights as an urgent and corrective step.

Our world needs a brand new system of love, compassion and peace. Let's take this opportunity to once again rise up and work for a world worthy of human dignity, for a world of peace, love and happiness; for a world of justice and perfected human rights.

## The Reason for Tyranny is that Muslims are Unprotected

Today Muslims suffer from attacks, rape, forced migration or massacres in Iraq, Syria, Libya, Egypt, Afghanistan and several other parts of the world. A significant number of those who are forced to migrate lose their life while traveling. The image of little, innocent children who they were forced to migrate and drowned in the Aegean Sea is still fresh on our minds. No faithful Muslim can stand seeing such an image. No one can turn away as if none of these events concerns him. Every Muslim is responsible for saying 'Stop' to the course of these events. First and foremost, it is obligatory for us Muslims to protect each other and be united against tyranny as commanded by God in the Qur'an:

"And why should you not struggle in the cause of God and of those who, being weak, are ill-treated (and oppressed)?- Men, women, and children, whose cry is: "Our Lord, take us out of this city whose inhabitants are wrongdoers! Give us a protector from You! Give us a helper from You!'? " (Qur'an, 4:75)

If we pay attention, we see that the whole world reacts to the murder of even one person in an European city. However, the massacre of millions of Muslims causes no reaction but heavy silence in the world. Muslims are considered worthless by the majority of the world. Even more interest and affection is shown to animals than Muslims in some parts of the world. So who is responsible for this situation? Why does no one say "Stop" to what happens while this tyranny keeps on growing?

The responsible and reason for all this should first be looked for among Muslims. While God tells that tyranny can only end by being 'united', the majority of Muslims ignore this command. Some of them consider no other Muslim community on the right track. Even some others see each other as enemies. Therefore, they can never unite in real terms. For example, several mosques in Europe are under the control of different groups. That is why a Muslim cannot go to any mosque he wants to. They have to go to the mosque that belongs to their own Muslim community. Even this ugly truth clearly shows why Muslims have been disunited with each other and why they have been left weak and powerless for centuries. Most importantly separation of Muslims not only displeases God, but also results in pain and unfruitfulness. In the Qur'an, God tells how disunity of believers will result negatively as follows:

"And those who disbelieved are allies of one another. If you do not do so, there will be sedition on earth and great corruption." (Qur'an, 8:73)

### The Muslim World of 1.5 Billion People and End of Disputes

Leaving aside unity, today the biggest enemy of Muslims is again some Muslim communities in several parts of the world. Considering the number of Muslims massacred in the world, we see that it is Muslims who kill 90% of Muslims. When we observe the main areas of crisis and war in the world today, we note again that they are Muslim lands and those who mercilessly fight each other are Muslim communities.

Around 1.5 billion Muslims live in the world. Muslim countries have large economies and military capacities. If Muslims cast aside the controversies between them and unite, they will constitute the biggest power of the world financially and spiritually. It would be such a power that there would be no Muslim who is starving, thirsty and needy in the world if this power was used. As required by the ethics of the Qur'an, Muslims would lend a helping hand not only to Muslims but also to all people from any belief or view all over the world. All pain and grievance of humanity would be solved with this unity.

To reach such a beautiful conclusion, Muslims should first pray and unite as an obligation regardless of sects and dispositions or without feeling any kind of superiority. All the sufferings have shown so far that the pain will increase and more terrifying results will emerge if this process lasts longer. Of course, the blame will be put on the Muslims who are indifferent to this call and cope with the disputes between each other.

### The Priority is Unity

All Muslims who abstain from such a big responsibility both in this world and in the afterlife should give up the claim of 'superiority' and 'greatness'. Then, they must see the wrong side of opposing Muslims. They should take a decision to follow the orders of God and abstain from conflictual views that will disrupt unity and solidarity. Today the priority is 'unity'. This is a clear order of God to Muslims. Therefore, no obstacle can stand before this. The world is now ruined. Millions of Muslim people suffer from tyranny. Imagine a house is burning. No one tries to save the table or chair in the house first. First and foremost they try to rescue the people inside. While there is now such a tyranny in the world, Muslims' number-one responsibility should be to make efforts to form this unity before all the other issues.

There is no doubt that the following question will first come to your minds: "Yes, but how will Muslims unite?" This will not be definitely an official, nonfunctional unity. Indeed, such unities have already been tried and these organizations could not go beyond a show off. For instance, the Shiite and Sunni have recently performed the prayer with their own separate imams according to their sects in a conference of unity held in Iran. Therefore, they clearly showed their disagreement even when they came together for a so-called unity.

Muslims can only come together in an environment away from formality and full of sincerity and love. In this case, the only way to form a Muslim unity is to allow them to choose an impartial, fair Muslim spiritual leader so that Muslims of all segments can have full faith in his words, sincerity, foresight, love, fellowship and knowledge. There will never be a unity unless there is head. That person will be the head of Muslim unity. In this way, Muslims will not be unprotected; they will value this person to whom they are connected at heart and will do what he will say willingly.

### What Would Happen If Muslims Had a Spiritual Leader?

Let's enumerate certain privileged issues that come to mind first:

· Muslims would easily solve the problems between each other without fighting or resorting to violence and by consulting the leader that they loved and respected even though they had different opinions.

· There would be an environment full of love; all Muslims would be integrated and live in security and peace. Therefore, a big potential would emerge in every field in Muslim world; science, art and economy would develop at full speed and there would be an environment of abundance and welfare.

· Muslims would build better relations with Christian and Jewish communities since the quality, modernity, love, compassion and good manners would increase.

· No one would be able to abuse the rights of Muslims like in the past when they were seen unprotected in the world. In such a case, they know that Muslims would defend themselves by way of law and rights and they would face a great power in firm relations with each other.

· Foreign shadow state elements cannot breed the bad blood of separation and war among the Muslims in unity. Any unrest would be stopped by the spiritual leader of Muslims. Therefore, war traders would be prevented from feeding on Muslims' blood.

· As we frequently see in examples, Muslims cannot be massacred by putting the blame of any crime committed in the world on Muslims. Since Muslims would be tied to the apron strings of their leader who absolutely opposes to crime and violence as the ethics of the Qur'an require. Therefore, no provocation can be successful.

Now we can answer the question: "Is it possible?" Of course, it is. Since this is an obligation of God and a great service which God heralds to ensure permanent safety and peace when achieved.

# Chapter 22 - The Forgotten Rohingya

This article was published in New Straits Times on February 16th, 2016.

Following the triumph of Nobel laureate1 and democracy advocate Aung San Suu Kyi from the opposition in the November elections last year, the new Myanmar Parliament has held its first session recently along with the military junta.

In the history of the country, this is the first time that there are no Muslim deputies in the country's Parliament. Although it is inspiring that a democratic Parliament is established after more than 50 years of military rule, Suu Kyi's omission of the Rohingya during the election process is conspicuous. Considering that the junta is still a part of the government, such conduct may be regarded as temporary only so as not to overstep the limits.

However, the weight of the junta that allows it to block legislation in Parliament is still a concern. The junta's governing of ethnic issues is the major obstacle to any favorable decision that can be made for the Rohingyas.

Discrimination against the Rohingyas continues to persist as 140,000 of them live in concentration camps, and 1.3 million have no access to humanitarian aid.

A 78-page report published by Yale University in the United States in October last year suggested that the Myanmar government has been trying to commit genocide against Rohingya Muslims through radical Buddhist groups. 2 Just because of their ethnic origin and religious belief, Rohingya Muslims have been subjected to torture, arbitrary arrest and rape.

In addition to explicit physical and psychological torture, Rohingya Muslims have no financial power as they are isolated and cannot participate in social life. As a result, they can neither meet their basic needs nor benefit from any medical and educational services.

Regrettably, for instance, Mohammed, 14, died of tetanus caused by a minor cut, even though it is a disease that can be easily treated and prevented, because he was unable to receive proper treatment at a concentration camp. Meanwhile, Begum, 20, died of hepatitis A that is not usually life threatening. Lives of women, children and infants are under threat due to severe hunger.

Families, having been imprisoned in concentration camps since 2012, are not able to reach their assets even if they have bank accounts.3 Rohingyas, confined without basic necessities, have been clearly left to die in the camps.

The junta has always been against not only the Rohingyas, but also all other ethnic groups and those with differing opinion. Dozens of people were subjected to extra-judicial executions between 2011 and 2014. The junta has seized the land of the Rohingyas so that they can send them to concentration camps. Extreme taxation is another method used to discourage Rohingya resistance to stay on their land. 4

Besides the junta, there is also the radical Buddhist movement led by monks, who make anti-Muslim statements and call people to join a boycott campaign against Muslims. Nevertheless, these people certainly cannot be considered as representatives of Buddhism, known for its peaceful perspective.

This has been clearly stated by several Buddhist monks and eminent Buddhist scholars, who dedicated their lives to protect the rights of the Rohingyas.

It is definitely obvious that these rebels are just gang members who have no connection with Buddhism whatsoever. These gangs have been distributing anti-Muslim stickers for the people to stick them on their vehicles and residences.

Running their monkey business, the monks turn to the government to justify their acts through legislation enacted to preserve ethnic origin. Unfortunately, the Myanmar government has turned a blind eye to anti-Muslim campaigns.5

It seems as if the government is trying to get Rohingyas out of mind and out of sight. The name Rohingya is not recognized and, by doing so, their whole existence is rejected. The Rohingyas have limited contact with human rights' organizations and the media. That is to say, it is not only that the Rohingyas' existence is being rejected, but also they are deprived of all opportunities to make their voices heard.

Last, but not least, the probationary citizenship documents assigned to Rohingyas were abolished prior to the first free elections and, hence, they were deprived of their right to vote during the elections.

Notwithstanding that, Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace laureate and leader of democracy, won the elections in November last year.

That was a result favored by the Rohingyas. However, they got very upset to see that Suu Kyi made no mention of them during the election period. Even so, considering that the military junta still exists in the government, it will be wise to think that this is only a temporary approach to avoid pushing the limits.

We wish to see this be reconciled as soon as possible and see Suu Kyi fight for the human rights of the Rohingyas.

Furthermore, let us remember that neither international peace nor aid organizations have taken any tangible action, despite dozens of genocide reports being published.

Although all of this is happening in the open for the entire world to see, there is simply no action to help the Rohingyas, who are oppressed and needy.

Neither Nobel Peace laureates nor EU nations that are known as the guardians of human rights are doing anything. The junta and radical gangs are specifically against the Rohingyas because they are Muslims.

Although there is slight chanting only against this anti-Muslim oppression, it is not prevented on the whole. Obviously, all Muslim states must unite to stop this persecution against the Rohingyas.

A union of Muslims and unanimous loud voices will certainly have a great political impact on the Myanmar government and on the international arena.

Yet, instead of uniting around a notion of love and alliance, Muslim states quarrel with one another and thus, lose courage and influence. As a result, persecution and oppression against Muslims are seen all around the world. The leaders of these Muslim states must keep in mind that they are responsible for this oppression. A collaboration based on love and peace must be formed at an intellectual level.

It is a nice development and important step that leaders of the new government will be meeting United States President Barack Obama in the following days. It is vital that Muslim leaders, non-governmental organizations, the media, human rights institutions and academicians facilitate the shaping of public opinion by starting an initiative for the Rohingyas through Obama and Suu Kyi.

Only then, will the world open its eyes and see how oppressed the Rohingyas are. And only then, will it be possible to find solutions that last for good.

1.http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1991/kyi-facts.html

2.http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/nation-world/world/article41822457.html

3. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/10/opinion/sunday/myanmars-peace-prize-winner-and-crimes-against-humanity.html?_r=1

4. Network for Human Rights Documentation (2015) "To Recognize and Repair, Unofficial Truth Projects and the Need for Justice in Burma"

5. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, "They Want Us All to Go Away"

### Oppression ends in Myanmar and the other countries when the unity of Islam is formed.

**Speaker:** The United Nations special reporter in Myanmar, Quintana said that "the camps where Rohingya Muslims are settled look like prisons". After the five-day investigation in Myanmar, he stated to the journalists that "illegal arrests, torture and ethnic discrimination still continued" in the country. Pointing out that "around 120,000 Muslims lived under bad conditions in refugee camps", Quintana added that "Muslims could not benefit from health services and its leading cause was that Buddhist health teams in the region harassed them." In addition, he underlined that "the government restricted the human action in refugee camps and turned the camps into prisons."

**Adnan Oktar:** This pain will never end as long as there is no unity of Islam. Some say that "It is enough to rescue this region; we want the liberation of Palestine, we want the liberation of Syria." The whole Islamic world is bleeding. How can you not see? The unity of Islam is the exact solution. It is also the solution for Israel. It is so for Afghanistan and Russia since there is fellowship, peace, love, friendship, goodness, kindness, science, art and aesthetics in this unity. It will end terror, war and anarchy. Weapons will be destructed. The whole world would demand such a beautiful world. Therefore, it would be painful and wrong to lose time in this sense.

(Adnan Oktar, February 18th, 2013, A9 TV)

# Conclusion: Unity Among Muslims Is The Most Vital Issue

This article was published in Burma Times, in The Gulf Today and in Harakah Daily in May 2014.

Immigration exactly refers to being stranded, that is, constantly traveling without shelter or food, which is a top-priority situation to help in the Qur'an. Today, the situation of Muslims living not only in Arakan but also in Afghanistan, Syria and Libya is "weakened" or "stranded" and in need for help. Today it is responsibility of Muslims to rescue their brothers and sisters.

This responsibility first requires informing everyone about what happens. Indeed, this is one of the objectives of this book that you are reading. In addition, especially the leaders of Muslim countries and the UN should make attempts to encourage all humanitarian aid organizations in the world to take actions and cooperate to say "stop" to the human tragedy in Myanmar. The power of all Muslim countries, notably Turkey and the Gulf States, will be sufficient to persuade Myanmar's government to protect a handful of oppressed and needy people. An activity that will wake the world's conscience up and let the world know of the sufferings in an objective way will surely urge the Western public opinion to take actions which in turn will surely disturb the regimes like the one in Myanmar.

Another way is to solve the problems in Myanmar is to act in a spirit of union. The main reason for oppression in Islamic geography, especially in Myanmar is that Muslims cannot revive the spirit of 'unity'. Muslims should not discriminate between ethnicities and sects and should unite as God commanded them.

## Unity Among Muslims is The Most Vital Issue

While many people stretch out watching TV with their tea and biscuits, millions of our Muslim brothers in different parts of the world are struggling for survival under harsh repression. Muslims in Iraq, Afghanistan, East Turkistan, Crimea, Palestine, Kirkuk, Moro, Pathani and Rakhine are patiently waiting for a helping hand from our Muslim brothers as they try to restore their hope every day. Let us put ourselves in their position for a moment in order to better understand our brothers suffering under violence and oppression.

Imagine that as you read this article or lie asleep in bed, your home suddenly collapses or burns down and that all the other homes around are in the same situation. Imagine that you have grabbed your children and parents and rushed outside to save your lives, but that armed men are waiting for you out there. Imagine that there is no refuge and that you have to flee.

Our brothers in Rakhine State experience that terror all the time.

Imagine the sound of a plane approaching and bombs raining down creating huge explosions as you walk along, and that you run around not knowing where to shelter to save your life. That is what innocent children and men and women experience all the time in the civil war that has been raging in Syria for the last two years, even if such reports have not been in the headlines for the last few days. Assad's planes routinely bomb the homes of innocent civilians, bakeries, hospitals and even schools.

Imagine that as you are suffering the pangs of hunger, you set your own hunger aside and gather up a few weeds to provide something for your child to eat, that you boil this "food" up and try to keep that child alive with that greenish water. Our Muslim brothers in Yarmouk, where the number of people who have starved to death has risen to 144, are currently suffering the despair of being unable to feed their children.

Imagine that as you sit in your warm home, the door is suddenly kicked in. Your brother, father, sister, spouse, son or daughter are violently dragged out. The males are executed in full public gaze, while the females are raped. Our Uighur brothers in East Turkestan have been living under that repression since 1965. The number of those martyred is 35 million; that is equivalent to the population of Canada. In other words, as we sit in our warm homes, as many of our Muslim brothers as the population of an entire country have been martyred.

Just these few examples are enough to terrify one and stir the conscience. As you read this piece, our Muslim brothers in various parts of the world spend every day in terror of a bomb hitting their own roof, and with the sound of explosions and guns. Some live in terror of the knock on the door at any moment and those knocking on the door can take members of the household away at any moment and the family will never see or hear of those people again. Men, women, old, people, children and babies in the cradle who are tortured, raped or shot and martyred, who are never allowed to perform acts of worship, die without even knowing the reason why. Children cannot understand why they cannot go to school like everyone else, or why their homes are destroyed. In short, everything in those countries is the exact opposite of the life we are used to.

It is very important for all of us to understand these difficulties faced by innocent people in a climate of war, what they think and what they feel while in such destitute because many people carry on living quite happily without having to wonder for a moment whether they are safe in their own homes. Many people can go down to the market and buy food and drink when they wish and make their holiday plans. They carry on living quite unconcerned and without worrying about what is happening to women, children and old people in other countries, whom they have never met, as if they had no responsibility for them.

However, if everyone were to do that, albeit unknowingly and unwittingly, they would become accessories to these inhumane activities taking place over much of the world. The sad images of war trouble good people, and they express that; such people also speak about the evil of war when the time comes. However, believers of good conscience feel that pain in their hearts and put themselves in the position of the people there. They reflect on the verse, **"What reason could you have for not striving in the Way of God – for those men, women and children who are oppressed and say, 'Our Lord, take us out of this city whose inhabitants are wrongdoers! Give us a protector from You! Give us a helper from You!'?"** (Qur'an, 4:75) and feel a strong sense of responsibility for oppressed people. They strive with all their might to eliminate the wickedness that prevails across the world.

## How Will We Say "Stop" to the Oppression?

Let us not forget, all Muslims are responsible for every baby that freezes to death in Syria, for every young girl taken from her home and raped in East Turkestan, for everyone martyred by snipers in Egypt, for every one of our brothers tortured in Pathani, for every young girl killed by a bomb as she goes to the market, for every baby clutching a toy amid the ruins, for every mother who loses arms or legs while shopping for food in the markets and for all the suffering innocents in Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, Rakhine, Central African Republic...

Yet it is easy to say "Stop!" to this evil; we must apply the solution shown by God. God has commanded believers to be brothers, to help one another and to be united for the world to attain peace. What Muslims must do is to remember that we are all brothers, to set aside sectarian disagreements and conflicts, and to unite around common values to establish the Islamic Union as a matter of urgency. This is the one solution revealed by God in the Qur'an and described in detail by our Prophet (pbuh) in the hadiths. The Qur'an defines unity an obligation and division as a sin. In the light of God's command; **"Hold fast to the rope of God all together, and do not separate"** (Qur'an, 3:103) Muslims must at once unite and build the Islamic Union for the suffering to end and for the world to know peace and security. Muslims have an obligation to be united, bound together like blood brothers, or even more strongly than that. Only then will the dissensions and horror experienced by far too many in the Muslim world come to an end.

When the Islamic world constitutes a powerful union, it will not be possible for anyone under the roof of this union to be oppressed and wronged. Therefore, we should pray to God and make great efforts so that all Muslims can be in unity, which is the biggest obligation at such a time. This is the only means to stop oppression in the Islamic world from Myanmar to the Atlantic Ocean.

Some of the newspapers and websites where the articles of Mr. Oktar about the difficulties faced by the oppressed Rohingya people were published:

\- Harakah Daily is the most rooted and biggest newspaper published in English since 1845.

\- Burma Times is a website that is based in Germany and publishes news about the events in Burma.

\- MalaysiaKini is one of the award-winning and counted independent media organs in the country as the most read news website in Malaysia.

\- Arab News is the most read newspaper published in English in Saudi Arabia and also distributed in the Middle East.

\- Tehran Times is Iran's first and biggest newspaper published in English since 1979 and the state's newspaper.

\- The Hans India is a newspaper and website that makes the news on the world agenda meet the readers in India.

\- The Bosnia Times is the most followed news website published in English and Bosnian.

\- Iran Daily is Iran's most read daily newspaper published in English.

\- IRNA is the state's official news agency in Iran.

\- New Strait Times ranks among Malaysia's first and most rooted newspapers published in English since 1845.

\- The Jakarta Post is Indonesia's most widespread daily newspaper published in English.

\- Morocco World News is an independent news website that reports the news about Morocco, the Middle East and Northern Africa to a large mass.

\- The Gulf Today is one of the largest newspapers published in the United Arab Emirates.

# Appendix: The Deception of Evolution

Darwinism, in other words the theory of evolution, was put forward with the aim of denying the fact of Creation, but is in truth nothing but failed, unscientific nonsense. This theory, which claims that life emerged by chance from inanimate matter, was invalidated by the scientific evidence of miraculous order in the universe and in living things, as well as by the discovery of more than 300 million fossils revealing that evolution never happened. In this way, science confirmed the fact that God created the universe and the living things in it. The propaganda carried out today in order to keep the theory of evolution alive is based solely on the distortion of the scientific facts, biased interpretation, and lies and falsehoods disguised as science.

Yet this propaganda cannot conceal the truth. The fact that the theory of evolution is the greatest deception in the history of science has been expressed more and more in the scientific world over the last 20-30 years. Research carried out after the 1980s in particular has revealed that the claims of Darwinism are totally unfounded, something that has been stated by a large number of scientists. In the United States in particular, many scientists from such different fields as biology, biochemistry and paleontology recognize the invalidity of Darwinism and employ the fact of Creation to account for the origin of life.

We have examined the collapse of the theory of evolution and the proofs of Creation in great scientific detail in many of our works, and are still continuing to do so. Given the enormous importance of this subject, it will be of great benefit to summarize it here.

## The Scientific Collapse of Darwinism

As a pagan doctrine going back as far as ancient Greece, the theory of evolution was advanced extensively in the nineteenth century. The most important development that made it the top topic of the world of science was Charles Darwin's The Origin of Species, published in 1859. In this book, he opposed, in his own eyes, the fact that God created different living species on Earth separately, for he erroneously claimed that all living beings had a common ancestor and had diversified over time through small changes. Darwin's theory was not based on any concrete scientific finding; as he also accepted, it was just an "assumption." Moreover, as Darwin confessed in the long chapter of his book titled "Difficulties on Theory," the theory failed in the face of many critical questions.

Darwin invested all of his hopes in new scientific discoveries, which he expected to solve these difficulties. However, contrary to his expectations, scientific findings expanded the dimensions of these difficulties. The defeat of Darwinism in the face of science can be reviewed under three basic topics:

1) The theory cannot explain how life originated on Earth.

2) No scientific finding shows that the "evolutionary mechanisms" proposed by the theory have any evolutionary power at all.

3) The fossil record proves the exact opposite of what the theory suggests.

In this section, we will examine these three basic points in general outlines:

## The First Insurmountable Step: The Origin of Life

The theory of evolution posits that all living species evolved from a single living cell that emerged on Earth 3.8 billion years ago, supposed to have happened as a result of coincidences. How a single cell could generate millions of complex living species and, if such an evolution really occurred, why traces of it cannot be observed in the fossil record are some of the questions that the theory cannot answer. However, first and foremost, we need to ask: **How did this "first cell" originate?**

Since the theory of evolution ignorantly denies Creation, it maintains that the "first cell" originated as a product of blind coincidences within the laws of nature, without any plan or arrangement. According to the theory, inanimate matter must have produced a living cell as a result of coincidences. Such a claim, however, is inconsistent with the most unassailable rules of biology.

## "Life Comes From Life"

In his book, Darwin never referred to the origin of life. The primitive understanding of science in his time rested on the assumption that living beings had a very simple structure. Since medieval times, spontaneous generation, which asserts that non-living materials came together to form living organisms, had been widely accepted. It was commonly believed that insects came into being from food leftovers, and mice from wheat. Interesting experiments were conducted to prove this theory. Some wheat was placed on a dirty piece of cloth, and it was believed that mice would originate from it after a while.

Similarly, maggots developing in rotting meat was assumed to be evidence of spontaneous generation. However, it was later understood that worms did not appear on meat spontaneously, but were carried there by flies in the form of larvae, invisible to the naked eye.

Even when Darwin wrote _The Origin of Species_ , the belief that bacteria could come into existence from non-living matter was widely accepted in the world of science.

However, five years after the publication of Darwin's book, Louis Pasteur announced his results after long studies and experiments, that disproved spontaneous generation, a cornerstone of Darwin's theory. In his triumphal lecture at the Sorbonne in 1864, Pasteur said: "Never will the doctrine of spontaneous generation recover from the mortal blow struck by this simple experiment." (Sidney Fox, Klaus Dose, _Molecular Evolution and The Origin of Life_ , W. H. Freeman and Company, San Francisco, 1972, p. 4.)

For a long time, advocates of the theory of evolution resisted these findings. However, as the development of science unraveled the complex structure of the cell of a living being, the idea that life could come into being coincidentally faced an even greater impasse.

## Inconclusive Efforts of the Twentieth Century

The first evolutionist who took up the subject of the origin of life in the twentieth century was the renowned Russian biologist Alexander Oparin. With various theses he advanced in the 1930s, he tried to prove that a living cell could originate by coincidence. These studies, however, were doomed to failure, and Oparin had to make the following confession:

Unfortunately, however, the problem of the origin of the cell is perhaps the most obscure point in the whole study of the evolution of organisms. (Alexander I. Oparin, Origin of Life, Dover Publications, New York, 1936, 1953 (reprint), p. 196.)

Evolutionist followers of Oparin tried to carry out experiments to solve this problem. The best known experiment was carried out by the American chemist Stanley Miller in 1953. Combining the gases he alleged to have existed in the primordial Earth's atmosphere in an experiment set-up, and adding energy to the mixture, Miller synthesized several organic molecules (amino acids) present in the structure of proteins.

Barely a few years had passed before it was revealed that this experiment, which was then presented as an important step in the name of evolution, was invalid, for the atmosphere used in the experiment was very different from the real Earth conditions. ("New Evidence on Evolution of Early Atmosphere and Life," _Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society_ , vol 63, November 1982, 1328-1330)

After a long silence, **Miller confessed that the atmosphere medium he used was unrealistic.** (Stanley Miller, _Molecular Evolution of Life: Current Status of the Prebiotic Synthesis of Small Molecules_ , 1986, p. 7)

**All the evolutionists' efforts throughout the twentieth century to explain the origin of life ended in failure.** The geochemist Jeffrey Bada, from the San Diego Scripps Institute accepts this fact in an article published in _Earth_ magazine in 1998:

Today as we leave the twentieth century, we still face the biggest unsolved problem that we had when we entered the twentieth century: How did life originate on Earth? (Jeffrey Bada, Earth, February 1998, p. 40)

## The Complex Structure of Life

The primary reason why evolutionists ended up in such a great impasse regarding the origin of life is that even those living organisms Darwinists deemed to be the simplest have outstandingly complex features. The cell of a living thing is more complex than all of our man-made technological products. **Today, even in the most developed laboratories of the world, no single protein of the cell, let alone a living cell itself, can be produced by bringing organic chemicals together.**

The conditions required for the formation of a cell are too great in quantity to be explained away by coincidences. However, there is no need to explain the situation with these details. Evolutionists are at a dead-end even before reaching the stage of the cell. That is because the probability of just a single protein, an essential building block of the cell, coming into being by chance is mathematically "0."

The main reason for this is the need for other proteins to be present if one protein is to form, and this completely eradicates the possibility of chance formation. This fact by itself is sufficient to eliminate the evolutionist claim of chance right from the outset. To summarize,

Protein cannot be synthesized without enzymes, and enzymes are all proteins.

Around 100 proteins need to be present in order for a single protein to be synthesized. There therefore need to be proteins for proteins to exist.

DNA manufactures the protein-synthesizing enzymes. Protein cannot be synthesized without DNA. DNA is therefore also needed in order for proteins to form.

All the organelles in the cell have important tasks in protein synthesis. In other words, in order for proteins to form a perfect and fully functioning cell needs to exist together with all its organelles.

The DNA molecule, which is located in the nucleus of a cell and which stores genetic information, is a magnificent databank. If the information coded in DNA were written down, it would make a giant library consisting of an estimated 900 volumes of encyclopedias consisting of 500 pages each.

A very interesting dilemma emerges at this point: DNA can replicate itself only with the help of some specialized proteins (enzymes). However, the synthesis of these enzymes can be realized only by the information coded in DNA. As they both depend on each other, they have to exist at the same time for replication. This brings the scenario that life originated by itself to a deadlock. Prof. Leslie Orgel, an evolutionist of repute from the University of San Diego, California, confesses this fact in the September 1994 issue of the _Scientific American_ magazine:

It is extremely improbable that proteins and nucleic acids, both of which are structurally complex, arose spontaneously in the same place at the same time. Yet it also seems impossible to have one without the other. And so, at first glance, one might have to conclude that life could never, in fact, have originated by chemical means. (Leslie E. Orgel, "The Origin of Life on Earth," Scientific American, vol. 271, October 1994, p. 78.)

No doubt, if it is impossible for life to have originated spontaneously as a result of blind coincidences, then it has to be accepted that life was **created**. This fact explicitly invalidates the theory of evolution, whose main purpose is to deny Creation.

## Imaginary Mechanism of Evolution

The second important point that negates Darwin's theory is that both concepts put forward by the theory as "evolutionary mechanisms" were understood to have, in reality, no evolutionary power.

Darwin based his evolution allegation entirely on the mechanism of "natural selection." The importance he placed on this mechanism was evident in the name of his book: _The Origin of Species, By Means of Natural Selection..._

Natural selection holds that those living things that are stronger and more suited to the natural conditions of their habitats will survive in the struggle for life. For example, in a deer herd under the threat of attack by wild animals, those that can run faster will survive. Therefore, the deer herd will be comprised of faster and stronger individuals. However, unquestionably, this mechanism will not cause deer to evolve and transform themselves into another living species, for instance, horses.

Therefore, the mechanism of natural selection has no evolutionary power. Darwin was also aware of this fact and had to state this in his book The Origin of Species:

Natural selection can do nothing until favourable individual differences or variations occur. (Charles Darwin, The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, The Modern Library, New York, p. 127)

## Lamarck's Impact

So, how could these "favorable variations" occur? Darwin tried to answer this question from the standpoint of the primitive understanding of science at that time. According to the French biologist Chevalier de Lamarck (1744-1829), who lived before Darwin, living creatures passed on the traits they acquired during their lifetime to the next generation. He asserted that these traits, which accumulated from one generation to another, caused new species to be formed. For instance, he claimed that giraffes evolved from antelopes; as they struggled to eat the leaves of high trees, their necks were extended from generation to generation.

Darwin also gave similar examples. In his book _The Origin of Species_ , for instance, he said that some bears going into water to find food transformed themselves into whales over time. (Charles Darwin, _The Origin of Species: A Facsimile of the First Edition_ , Harvard University Press, 1964, p. 184.)

However, the laws of inheritance discovered by Gregor Mendel (1822-84) and verified by the science of genetics, which flourished in the twentieth century, utterly demolished the legend that acquired traits were passed on to subsequent generations. Thus, natural selection fell out of favor as an evolutionary mechanism.

## Neo-Darwinism and Mutations

In order to find a solution, Darwinists advanced the "Modern Synthetic Theory," or as it is more commonly known, Neo-Darwinism, at the end of the 1930s. Neo-Darwinism added mutations, which are distortions formed in the genes of living beings due to such external factors as radiation or replication errors, as the "cause of favorable variations" in addition to natural mutation.

Today, the model that Darwinists espouse, despite their own awareness of its scientific invalidity, is neo-Darwinism. The theory maintains that millions of living beings formed as a result of a process whereby numerous complex organs of these organisms (e.g., ears, eyes, lungs, and wings) underwent "mutations," that is, genetic disorders. Yet, there is an outright scientific fact that totally undermines this theory: **Mutations do not cause living beings to develop; on the contrary, they are always harmful.**

The reason for this is very simple: **DNA has a very complex structure, and random effects can only harm it.** The American geneticist B. G. Ranganathan explains this as follows:

First, genuine mutations are very rare in nature. Secondly, most mutations are harmful since they are random, rather than orderly changes in the structure of genes; any random change in a highly ordered system will be for the worse, not for the better. For example, **if an earthquake were to shake a highly ordered structure such as a building, there would be a random change in the framework of the building which, in all probability, would not be an improvement.** (B. G. Ranganathan, Origins?, Pennsylvania: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1988, p. 7.)

Not surprisingly, no mutation example, which is useful, that is, which is observed to develop the genetic code, has been observed so far. All mutations have proved to be harmful. It was understood that mutation, which is presented as an "evolutionary mechanism," is actually a genetic occurrence that harms living things, and leaves them disabled. (The most common effect of mutation on human beings is cancer.) Of course, a destructive mechanism cannot be an "evolutionary mechanism." Natural selection, on the other hand, "can do nothing by itself," as Darwin also accepted. This fact shows us that **there is no "evolutionary mechanism" in nature.** Since no evolutionary mechanism exists, no such imaginary process called "evolution" could have taken place.

## The Fossil Record: No Sign of Intermediate Forms

The clearest evidence that the scenario suggested by the theory of evolution did not take place is the fossil record.

According to the unscientific supposition of this theory, every living species has sprung from a predecessor. A previously existing species turned into something else over time and all species have come into being in this way. In other words, this transformation proceeds gradually over millions of years.

Had this been the case, numerous intermediary species should have existed and lived within this long transformation period.

For instance, some half-fish/half-reptiles should have lived in the past which had acquired some reptilian traits in addition to the fish traits they already had. Or there should have existed some reptile-birds, which acquired some bird traits in addition to the reptilian traits they already had. Since these would be in a transitional phase, they should be disabled, defective, crippled living beings. Evolutionists refer to these imaginary creatures, which they believe to have lived in the past, as "transitional forms."

If such animals ever really existed, there should be millions and even billions of them in number and variety. More importantly, the remains of these strange creatures should be present in the fossil record. In _The Origin of Species_ , Darwin explained:

If my theory be true, numberless intermediate varieties, linking most closely all of the species of the same group together must assuredly have existed... Consequently, evidence of their former existence could be found only amongst fossil remains. (Charles Darwin, The Origin of Species: A Facsimile of the First Edition, p. 179)

However, **Darwin was well aware that no fossils of these intermediate forms had yet been found.** He regarded this as a major difficulty for his theory. In one chapter of his book titled "Difficulties on Theory," he wrote:

Why, if species have descended from other species by insensibly fine gradations, do we not everywhere see innumerable transitional forms? Why is not all nature in confusion instead of the species being, as we see them, well defined?... But, as by this theory innumerable transitional forms must have existed, why do we not find them embedded in countless numbers in the crust of the earth?... Why then is not every geological formation and every stratum full of such intermediate links? (Charles Darwin, The Origin of Species, p. 172)

## Darwin's Hopes Shattered

However, although evolutionists have been making strenuous efforts to find fossils since the middle of the nineteenth century all over the world, **no transitional forms have yet been uncovered.** All of the fossils, contrary to the evolutionists' expectations, show that **life appeared on Earth all of a sudden and fully-formed.**

One famous British paleontologist, Derek V. Ager, admits this fact, even though he is an evolutionist:

The point emerges that if we examine the fossil record in detail, whether at the level of orders or of species, **we find – over and over again – not gradual evolution, but the sudden explosion of one group at the expense of another.** (Derek A. Ager, "The Nature of the Fossil Record," Proceedings of the British Geological Association, vol 87, 1976, p. 133.)

This means that in the fossil record, all living species suddenly emerge as fully formed, without any intermediate forms in between. This is just the opposite of Darwin's assumptions. Also, this is very strong evidence that all living things are created. The only explanation of a living species emerging suddenly and complete in every detail without any evolutionary ancestor is that it was created. This fact is admitted also by the widely known evolutionist biologist Douglas Futuyma:

Creation and evolution, between them, exhaust the possible explanations for the origin of living things. Organisms either appeared on the earth fully developed or they did not. If they did not, they must have developed from pre-existing species by some process of modification. If they did appear in a fully developed state, they must indeed have been created by some omnipotent intelligence. (Douglas J. Futuyma, _Science on Trial,_ Pantheon Books, New York, 1983, p. 197)

**Fossils show that living beings emerged fully developed and in a perfect state on the Earth**. That means that "the origin of species," contrary to Darwin's supposition, is not evolution, but Creation.

## The Tale of Human Evolution

The subject most often brought up by advocates of the theory of evolution is the subject of the origin of man. The Darwinist claim holds that man evolved from so-called ape-like creatures. During this alleged evolutionary process, which is supposed to have started 4-5 million years ago, some "transitional forms" between man and his imaginary ancestors are supposed to have existed. According to this completely imaginary scenario, four basic "categories" are listed:

1. Australopithecus

2. Homo habilis

3. Homo erectus

4. Homo sapiens

Evolutionists call man's so-called first ape-like ancestors _Australopithecus_ , which means "South African ape." These living beings are actually nothing but an old ape species that has become extinct. Extensive research done on various _Australopithecus_ specimens by two world famous anatomists from England and the USA, namely, Lord Solly Zuckerman and Prof. Charles Oxnard, shows that these apes belonged to an ordinary ape species that became extinct and bore no resemblance to humans. (Solly Zuckerman, _Beyond The Ivory Tower,_ Toplinger Publications, New York, 1970, 75-14; Charles E. Oxnard, "The Place of Australopithecines in Human Evolution: Grounds for Doubt", Nature, vol 258, 389)

Evolutionists classify the next stage of human evolution as "homo," that is "man." According to their claim, the living beings in the Homo series are more developed than _Australopithecus_. Evolutionists devise a fanciful evolution scheme by arranging different fossils of these creatures in a particular order. This scheme is imaginary because it has never been proved that there is an evolutionary relation between these different classes. Ernst Mayr, one of the twentieth century's most important evolutionists, contends in his book One Long Argument that "particularly historical [puzzles] such as the origin of life or of Homo sapiens, are extremely difficult and may even resist a final, satisfying explanation." ("Could science be brought to an end by scientists' belief that they have final answers or by society's reluctance to pay the bills?" _Scientific American,_ December 1992, p. 20)

By outlining the link chain as _Australopithecus > Homo habilis > Homo erectus > Homo sapiens,_ evolutionists imply that each of these species is one another's ancestor. However, recent findings of paleoanthropologists have revealed that Australopithecus, Homo habilis, and Homo erectus lived at different parts of the world at the same time. (Alan Walker, _Science_ , vol. 207, 7 March 1980, p. 1103; A. J. Kelso, Physical Antropology, 1st ed., J. B. Lipincott Co., New York, 1970, p. 221; M. D. Leakey, Olduvai Gorge, vol. 3, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1971, p. 272.)

Moreover, a certain segment of humans classified as Homo erectus have lived up until very modern times. **Homo sapiens neandarthalensis and Homo sapiens sapiens (man) co-existed in the same region.** (Jeffrey Kluger, "Not So Extinct After All: The Primitive Homo Erectus May Have Survived Long Enough To Coexist With Modern Humans," Time, 23 December 1996)

This situation apparently indicates the invalidity of the claim that they are ancestors of one another. The late Stephen Jay Gould explained this deadlock of the theory of evolution although he was himself one of the leading advocates of evolution in the twentieth century:

What has become of our ladder if there are three coexisting lineages of hominids (A. africanus, the robust australopithecines, and H. habilis), none clearly derived from another? Moreover, none of the three display any evolutionary trends during their tenure on earth. (S. J. Gould, Natural History, vol. 85, 1976, p. 30)

Put briefly, the scenario of human evolution, which is "upheld" with the help of various drawings of some "half ape, half human" creatures appearing in the media and course books, that is, frankly, by means of propaganda, is nothing but **a tale with no scientific foundation.**

Lord Solly Zuckerman, one of the most famous and respected scientists in the U.K., who carried out research on this subject for years and studied Australopithecus fossils for 15 years, finally concluded, despite being an evolutionist himself, **that there is, in fact, no such family tree branching out from ape-like creatures to man.**

Zuckerman also made an interesting "spectrum of science" ranging from those he considered scientific to those he considered unscientific. According to Zuckerman's spectrum, the most "scientific"—that is, depending on concrete data—fields of science are chemistry and physics. After them come the biological sciences and then the social sciences. At the far end of the spectrum, which is the part considered to be most "unscientific," are "extra-sensory perception"—concepts such as telepathy and sixth sense—and finally "human evolution." Zuckerman explains his reasoning:

We then move right off the register of objective truth into those fields of presumed biological science, like extrasensory perception or the interpretation of man's fossil history, where to the faithful [evolutionist] anything is possible – and where the ardent believer [in evolution] is sometimes able to believe several contradictory things at the same time. (Solly Zuckerman, Beyond the Ivory Tower, p. 19)

**The tale of human evolution** boils down to nothing but the prejudiced interpretations of some fossils unearthed by certain people, who blindly adhere to their theory.

## Darwinian Formula!

Besides all the technical evidence we have dealt with so far, let us now for once, examine what kind of a superstition the evolutionists have with an example so simple as to be understood even by children:

The theory of evolution asserts that life is formed by chance. According to this irrational claim, lifeless and unconscious atoms came together to form the cell and then they somehow formed other living things, including man. Let us think about that. When we bring together the elements that are the building-blocks of life such as carbon, phosphorus, nitrogen and potassium, only a heap is formed. No matter what treatments it undergoes, this atomic heap cannot form even a single living being. If you like, let us formulate an "experiment" on this subject and let us examine on the behalf of evolutionists what they really claim without pronouncing loudly under the name **"Darwinian formula"** :

Let evolutionists put plenty of materials present in the composition of living things such as phosphorus, nitrogen, carbon, oxygen, iron, and magnesium into big barrels. Moreover, let them add in these barrels any material that does not exist under normal conditions, but they think as necessary. Let them add in this mixture as many amino acids and as many proteins as they like. Let them expose these mixtures to as much heat and moisture as they like. Let them stir these with whatever technologically developed device they like. Let them put the foremost scientists beside these barrels. Let these experts wait in turn beside these barrels for billions, and even trillions of years. Let them be free to use all kinds of conditions they believe to be necessary for a human's formation. **No matter what they do, they cannot produce from these barrels a human, say a professor that examines his cell structure under the electron microscope.** They cannot produce giraffes, lions, bees, canaries, horses, dolphins, roses, orchids, lilies, carnations, bananas, oranges, apples, dates, tomatoes, melons, watermelons, figs, olives, grapes, peaches, peafowls, pheasants, multicoloured butterflies, or millions of other living beings such as these. Indeed, they could not obtain even a single cell of any one of them.

Briefly, **unconscious atoms cannot form the cell** by coming together. They cannot take a new decision and divide this cell into two, then take other decisions and create the professors who first invent the electron microscope and then examine their own cell structure under that microscope. **Matter is an unconscious, lifeless heap, and it comes to life with God's superior creation.**

The theory of evolution, which claims the opposite, is a total fallacy completely contrary to reason. Thinking even a little bit on the claims of evolutionists discloses this reality, just as in the above example.

## Technology in the Eye and the Ear

Another subject that remains unanswered by evolutionary theory is the excellent quality of perception in the eye and the ear.

Before passing on to the subject of the eye, let us briefly answer the question of how we see. Light rays coming from an object fall oppositely on the eye's retina. Here, these light rays are transmitted into electric signals by cells and reach a tiny spot at the back of the brain, the "center of vision." These electric signals are perceived in this center as an image after a series of processes. With this technical background, let us do some thinking.

**The brain is insulated from light.** That means that its inside is completely dark, and that no light reaches the place where it is located. Thus, the "center of vision" is never touched by light and may even be the darkest place you have ever known. However, you observe a luminous, bright world in this pitch darkness.

The image formed in the eye is so sharp and distinct that even the technology of the twentieth century has not been able to attain it. For instance, look at the book you are reading, your hands with which you are holding it, and then lift your head and look around you. Have you ever seen such a sharp and distinct image as this one at any other place? Even the most developed television screen produced by the greatest television producer in the world cannot provide such a sharp image for you. This is a three-dimensional, colored, and extremely sharp image. For more than 100 years, thousands of engineers have been trying to achieve this sharpness. Factories, huge premises were established, much research has been done, plans and designs have been made for this purpose. Again, look at a TV screen and the book you hold in your hands. You will see that there is a big difference in sharpness and distinction. Moreover, the TV screen shows you a two-dimensional image, whereas with your eyes, you watch a three-dimensional perspective with depth.

For many years, tens of thousands of engineers have tried to make a three-dimensional TV and achieve the vision quality of the eye. Yes, they have made a three-dimensional television system, but it is not possible to watch it without putting on special 3-D glasses; moreover, it is only an artificial three-dimension. The background is more blurred, the foreground appears like a paper setting. Never has it been possible to produce a sharp and distinct vision like that of the eye. In both the camera and the television, there is a loss of image quality.

Evolutionists claim that the mechanism producing this sharp and distinct image has been formed by chance. Now, if somebody told you that the television in your room was formed as a result of chance, that all of its atoms just happened to come together and make up this device that produces an image, what would you think? How can atoms do what thousands of people cannot?

If a device producing a more primitive image than **the eye could not have been formed by chance** , then it is very evident that the eye and the image seen by the eye could not have been formed by chance. The same situation applies to the ear. The outer ear picks up the available sounds by the auricle and directs them to the middle ear, the middle ear transmits the sound vibrations by intensifying them, and the inner ear sends these vibrations to the brain by translating them into electric signals. Just as with the eye, the act of hearing finalizes in the center of hearing in the brain.

The situation in the eye is also true for the ear. That is, **the brain is insulated from sound** just as it is from light. It does not let any sound in. Therefore, no matter how noisy is the outside, the inside of the brain is completely silent. Nevertheless, the sharpest sounds are perceived in the brain. In **your completely silent brain, you listen to symphonies, and hear all of the noises in a crowded place.** However, were the sound level in your brain measured by a precise device at that moment, complete silence would be found to be prevailing there.

As is the case with imagery, decades of effort have been spent in trying to generate and reproduce sound that is faithful to the original. The results of these efforts are sound recorders, high-fidelity systems, and systems for sensing sound. Despite all of this technology and the thousands of engineers and experts who have been working on this endeavor, no sound has yet been obtained that has the same sharpness and clarity as the sound perceived by the ear. Think of the highest-quality hi-fi systems produced by the largest company in the music industry. Even in these devices, when sound is recorded some of it is lost; or when you turn on a hi-fi you always hear a hissing sound before the music starts. However, the sounds that are the products of the human body's technology are extremely sharp and clear. A human ear never perceives a sound accompanied by a hissing sound or with atmospherics as does a hi-fi; rather, it perceives sound exactly as it is, sharp and clear. This is the way it has been since **the creation of man.**

So far, no man-made visual or recording apparatus has been as sensitive and successful in perceiving sensory data as are the eye and the ear. However, as far as seeing and hearing are concerned, a far greater truth lies beyond all this.

To Whom Does the Consciousness that Sees and Hears within the Brain Belong?

Who watches an alluring world in the brain, listens to symphonies and the twittering of birds, and smells the rose?

The stimulations coming from a person's eyes, ears, and nose travel to the brain as electro-chemical nerve impulses. In biology, physiology, and biochemistry books, you can find many details about how this image forms in the brain. However, you will never come across the most important fact: Who perceives these electro-chemical nerve impulses as images, sounds, odors, and sensory events in the brain? **There is a consciousness in the brain that perceives all this without feeling any need for an eye, an ear, and a nose.** To whom does this consciousness belong? Of course it does not belong to the nerves, the fat layer, and neurons comprising the brain. This is why Darwinist-materialists, who believe that everything is comprised of matter, cannot answer these questions.

For **this consciousness is the spirit created by God** , which needs neither the eye to watch the images nor the ear to hear the sounds. Furthermore, it does not need the brain to think.

Everyone who reads this explicit and scientific fact should ponder on Almighty God, and fear and seek refuge in Him, for He squeezes the entire universe in a pitch-dark place of a few cubic centimeters in a three-dimensional, colored, shadowy, and luminous form.

## A Materialist Faith

The information we have presented so far shows us that **the theory of evolution is incompatible with scientific findings.** The theory's claim regarding the origin of life is inconsistent with science, the evolutionary mechanisms it proposes have no evolutionary power, and fossils demonstrate that **the required intermediate forms have never existed.** So, it certainly follows that the theory of evolution should be pushed aside as an unscientific idea. This is how many ideas, such as the Earth-centered universe model, have been taken out of the agenda of science throughout history.

However, the theory of evolution is kept on the agenda of science. Some people even try to represent criticisms directed against it as an "attack on science." Why?

The reason is that this theory is an indispensable dogmatic belief for some circles. These circles are **blindly devoted** to materialist philosophy and adopt Darwinism because it is the only materialist explanation that can be put forward to explain the workings of nature.

Interestingly enough, they also confess this fact from time to time. A well-known geneticist and an outspoken evolutionist, Richard C. Lewontin from Harvard University, confesses that he is "first and foremost a materialist and then a scientist":

It is not that the methods and institutions of science somehow compel us accept a material explanation of the phenomenal world, but, on the contrary, that we are forced by our a priori adherence to material causes to create an apparatus of investigation and a set of concepts that produce material explanations, no matter how counter-intuitive, no matter how mystifying to the uninitiated. Moreover, that materialism is absolute, so we cannot allow a Divine [intervention]...(Richard Lewontin, "The Demon-Haunted World," The New York Review of Books, January 9, 1997, p. 28)

These are explicit statements that **Darwinism is a dogma** kept alive just for the sake of adherence to materialism. This dogma maintains that there is no being save matter. Therefore, it argues that inanimate, unconscious matter brought life into being. It insists that millions of different living species (e.g., birds, fish, giraffes, tigers, insects, trees, flowers, whales, and human beings) originated as a result of the interactions between matter such as pouring rain, lightning flashes, and so on, out of inanimate matter. This is a precept contrary both to reason and science. Yet Darwinists continue to ignorantly defend it just so as not to acknowledge, in their own eyes, the evident existence of God.

Anyone who does not look at the origin of living beings with a materialist prejudice sees this evident truth: **All living beings are works of a Creator,** Who is All-Powerful, All-Wise, and All-Knowing. **This Creator is God** , Who created the whole universe from non-existence, in the most perfect form, and fashioned all living beings.

## The Theory of Evolution: The Most Potent Spell in the World

Anyone free of prejudice and the influence of any particular ideology, who uses only his or her reason and logic, will clearly understand that belief in the theory of evolution, which brings to mind the superstitions of societies with no knowledge of science or civilization, is quite impossible.

As explained above, those who believe in the theory of evolution think that a few atoms and molecules thrown into a huge vat could produce thinking, reasoning professors and university students; such scientists as Einstein and Galileo; such artists as Humphrey Bogart, Frank Sinatra and Luciano Pavarotti; as well as antelopes, lemon trees, and carnations. Moreover, as the scientists and professors who believe in this nonsense are educated people, it is quite justifiable to speak of this theory as "the most potent spell in history." Never before has any other belief or idea so taken away peoples' powers of reason, refused to allow them to think intelligently and logically, and hidden the truth from them as if they had been blindfolded. This is an even worse and unbelievable blindness than the totem worship in some parts of Africa, the people of Saba worshipping the Sun, the tribe of the Prophet Abraham (pbuh) worshipping idols they had made with their own hands, or some among the people of the Prophet Moses (pbuh) worshipping the Golden Calf.

In fact, God has pointed to this lack of reason in the Qur'an. In many verses, He reveals that some peoples' minds will be closed and that they will be powerless to see the truth. Some of these verses are as follows:

As for those who do not believe, it makes no difference to them whether you warn them or do not warn them, they will not believe. God has sealed up their hearts and hearing and over their eyes is a blindfold. They will have a terrible punishment. (Qur'an, 2:6-7)

... They have hearts with which they do not understand. They have eyes with which they do not see. They have ears with which they do not hear. Such people are like cattle. No, they are even further astray! They are the unaware. (Koran, 7:179)

Even if We opened up to them a door into heaven, and they spent the day ascending through it, they would only say: "Our eyesight is befuddled! Or rather we have been put under a spell!" (Qur'an, 15:14-15)

Words cannot express just how astonishing it is that this spell should hold such a wide community in thrall, keep people from the truth, and not be broken for 150 years. It is understandable that one or a few people might believe in impossible scenarios and claims full of stupidity and illogicality. However, "magic" is the only possible explanation for people from all over the world believing that unconscious and lifeless atoms suddenly decided to come together and form a universe that functions with a flawless system of organization, discipline, reason, and consciousness; a planet named Earth with all of its features so perfectly suited to life; and living things full of countless complex systems.

In fact, in the Qur'an God relates the incident of the Prophet Moses (pbuh) and Pharaoh to show that some people who support atheistic philosophies actually influence others by magic. When Pharaoh was told about the true religion, he told the Prophet Moses (pbuh) to meet with his own magicians. When the Prophet Moses (pbuh) did so, he told them to demonstrate their abilities first. The verses continue:

**He said: "You throw." And when they threw, they cast a spell on the people's eyes and caused them to feel great fear of them. They produced an extremely powerful magic. (** Qur'an **, 7:116)**

As we have seen, Pharaoh's magicians were able to deceive everyone, apart from the Prophet Moses (pbuh) and those who believed in him. However, his evidence broke the spell, or "swallowed up what they had forged," as revealed in the verse:

**We revealed to Moses: "Throw down your staff." And it immediately swallowed up what they had forged. So the Truth took place and what they did was shown to be false. (** Qur'an **, 7:117-118)**

As we can see, when people realized that a spell had been cast upon them and that what they saw was just an illusion, Pharaoh's magicians lost all credibility. In the present day too, unless those who, under the influence of a similar spell, believe in these ridiculous claims under their scientific disguise and spend their lives defending them, abandon their superstitious beliefs, they also will be humiliated when the full truth emerges and the spell is broken. In fact, world-renowned British writer and philosopher Malcolm Muggeridge, who was an atheist defending evolution for some 60 years, but who subsequently realized the truth, reveals the position in which the theory of evolution would find itself in the near future in these terms:

I myself am convinced that **the theory of evolution** , especially the extent to which it's been applied, **will be one of the great jokes in the history books in the future.** Posterity will marvel that so very flimsy and dubious an hypothesis could be accepted with the incredible credulity that it has. (Malcolm Muggeridge, The End of Christendom, Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1980, p. 43)

They said "Glory be to You! We have no knowledge except what You have taught us. You are the All-Knowing, the All-Wise" (Qur'an, 2:32)

# Picture Details

s.16

Among the persons to whom the letter was sent, there are:

◉ The United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon

◉ The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, António Guterres

◉The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), Ms. Navanethem Pillay

◉The Ambassador of the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission, Vladimir Drobnjak

◉The Representatives of the UN Human Rights Offices in Washington, New York, Afghanistan, Australia, Israel, Southern Europe, Kuwait, Malaysia, Morocco, Myanmar, Sweden, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Russian Federation

◉ The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay

◉ The President of the European Court of Human Rights, Dean Spielmann

◉ Former British Foreign Secretary, William Hague

◉ Former Turkish Prime Minister, Mr. Ahmet Davutoğlu

s.18

The refugees from Myanmar in an attempt to receive food aid delivered by a helicopter offshore the Andaman Islands are fighting for their life in a great difficulty.

s.20

The Islamic World must stand together in order to save Muslims who suffer and live in distress in Myanmar and many other places.

s.22

They give food, despite their love for it, to the poor and orphans and captives. (Surah Al-Insan, 8)

s.23

Muslim refugees from Arakan hide in shelters

4 million Muslims on the brink of death

16.09.2012 YeniAkit

19.07.2012 Yeni Şafak

The flight from Arakan continues

17.09.2012 YeniAsya

Genocide carried out upon Muslims

11.08.2012 YeniAkit

Struggle for life in a refugee camp

A Muslim settlement of 10,000 residents razed to the ground

We don't exist either while living or dying in Myanmar

16.08.212 Bugün

12.08.2012 Star

29.07.2012 YeniAsya

s.29

The Buddhist nationalist organization, the 969 Movement, is a group employing the tactics similar to those of the Nazis in order to "clear" the country of Muslims, promoting violence and discrimination against Muslims, burning down the houses and mosques of Muslims.

s.32

God is He to Whom the kingdom of the heavens and earth belongs. He gives life and causes to die. You have no protector or helper besides God. (Surat At-Tawba, 116)

s.35

Myanmar's President Thein Sein, considered as the chief supporter of the persecution against Muslims

s.37

The Rohingyas, who are not allowed to build concrete homes, are living in houses that can be easily destroyed by an attack or during a disaster.

s.38

There is no institution to shelter the Rohingya people, who are in a state of fear and they do not have any civil rights or legal rights by which they can protect themselves.

s.41

Where is the UN?

The silence of the international community ensures that the oppression against the Rohingya persists.

The world is silent in the face of the human tragedy in Myanmar

What's happening in Arakan?

Searching for a state for the Rakhine Muslims. No one wants them.

Where is the UN, the guarantor (!) of peace?

s.48

CHINA

India

Bangladesh

BURMA

(Province of Yunnan)

Potential Site for a Strategic Petroleum Reserve

Vietnam

Laos

Thailand

Sittwe

Buy of Bengal

South China Sea

One of the most important reasons for Muslim opposition in Rakhine (Arakan) is that the region of Rakhine is rich in resources. This region ideally serves as a port for oil and natural gas imports by China.

s.54

The house of a colonialist British merchant in Yangon, dating back to 19th Century

s.55

It is Ashin Wirathu, a Buddhist monk who is behind the violence in Myanmar according to TIME Magazine which described him as "the face of Buddhist terror" on its cover story.

s.56

The radical Buddhist monk Ashin Wirathu, the leader of the '969 Movement' and also known as the butcher of Muslims in Myanmar, called for every Buddhist to boycott Muslim businesses.

s.57

The Rohingyas are not acknowledged as an ethnicity of Myanmar, but instead they are considered as "Bengalis," suggesting that they are immigrants from Bangladesh. Human Rights Watch describes this plan as "nothing less than a blueprint for permanent segregation and statelessness."

s.62

The Rohingya people strive to lead their lives in makeshift camps under primitive conditions near Sittwe, the capital of the province of Rakhine.

s.65

If you make your charity public, that is good. But if you conceal it and give it to the poor, that is better for you... (Surat Al-Baqara, 271)

s.67

Thousands of Muslims pay large sum amounts to human traffickers for a boat journey en route to Thailand, Malaysia and Australia out of fear of their lives.

s.76

Thousands of Rohingya Muslims have struggled for their lives in the temporary camp of Kutupalong for years under extremely unsanitary conditions.

s.79

The children in Rohingya are even deprived of the simplest of toys; on one hand, they are playing with toys made out of mud, bags and boxes, on the other, they are trying to carry on living under the most severe austerity in the camps.

s.82

Myanmar President Thein Sein

s.85

... Whoever has fear of God – He will give him a way out and provide for him from where he does not expect. Whoever puts his trust in God – He will be enough for him... (Surat At-Talaq, 2-3)

s.90

Muslims and Buddhists lived together freely in Arakan (now Rakhine) and Chittagong.

The British Invasion. The Rohingya Muslims returned to Arakan.

Burma declared its independence and enforced the Law of Citizenship. Later on, a civil war broke out.

The Rohingya Muslims were allowed to settle in Burma and to have an identity.

The invasion of Arakan by Burma. The Rohingya Muslims migrated to Chittagong in droves.

The beginning of the national movement of Burma. Burma separated from British India and the Rohingya Muslims fled to Chittagong once again.

1785

1935

1949

900-1700

1824-1885

1948

1824

1942

1947

1954

Anglo-Burmese War

100,000 people were killed in the Rohingya Genocide.

Major General Aung Sung granted autonomy to ethnic groups in the Panglong Conference. But then Aung Sung was assassinated and the agreements came to nothing.

President U Nu declared the citizenship of the Rohingya Muslims.

s.91

The Rohingya Muslims were recognized as the citizens of Burma.

Nearly 500,000 Rohingya Muslims reside in Bangladesh. There is a very severe disorderliness on the border

A total of 250,000 Rohingya Muslims took refuge in Bangladesh. However, Bangladesh recognized them not as refugees but as illegal immigrants after 1992.

The sectarian conflicts broke out between Buddhists and Muslims on June 8th, resulting in many deaths. The Rohingya Muslims migrated in masses.

General Ne Win overthrew the government in a military coup and the oppression against the Rohingya Muslims began.

A total of 207,172 Rohingya Muslims fled to Bangladesh.

1962

1978

1992

2012

1954-1960

Today

1974

1982

2006

March 25th 2014

The government denied the right to vote to Rohingya Muslims.

The military government in Burma enacted a new Citizenship Law that abolished the citizenship of the Rohingya Muslims.

The Arakan National Council declared that the Rohingya Muslims were citizens of Bangladesh.

Myanmar prohibited the use of the word Rohingya and forced the Rohingya Muslims to be identified as Bengali.

s.99

Member States

Observer States

Rejected States

Suspended Member States

The distribution of the countries in the Organization for Islamic Cooperation of 57 countries, established to protect the rights and interests of the Islamic world.

Such organizations must work together with each other under the guidance of the Qur'an so that they can be a unifying force for the Islamic world.

s.105

The Rohingya people who were forced to jump into the cold water in order to reach the aid and food supplies dropped by the attack helicopters from Thailand.

s.106

Nobody would have the heart to leave innocent people without water, food and medicine and to deprive them of even a piece of land to live in.

s.109

Satan promises you poverty and commands you to avarice. God promises you forgiveness from Him and abundance. God is All-Encompassing, All-Knowing.. (Surat Al-Baqara, 268)

s.110

A people doomed to die: Rakhine Muslims

That's how they fled death

s.111

Those of you possessing affluence and ample wealth should not make oaths that they will not give to their relatives and the very poor and those who have made migrated in the way of God... (Surat An-Nur, 22)

They want to wipe us out from history

The children of Arakan eat leaves to survive

s.123

The Muslims from Arakan are even deprived of the most essential humanitarian needs like infrastructure, hygiene, health, education, accommodation, sanitary water, nutrition and clothing in the refugee camps.

s.125

One of the thousands of Rohingya children, in a struggle for surviving in camps without anything to lose.

s.131

Between the years 1942-1996

2 million people from Arakan left their homes,

15,000 settlements were plundered,

20,000 women are raped,

300,000 people were martyrized,

5,000 mosques were destructed,

330 villages were burnt down with their residents inside.

s.139

The world turns a blind eye to the terrifying oppression faced by these innocent people who live in a remote corner of the world.

s.140

The doctors who were unreservedly helping the oppressed people from Rakhine were discharged as well. Doctors without Borders, a leading international humanitarian organization providing health service for more than one million people, was expelled from the Rakhine State.

s.144

Examples of the placards that read "Waiting for our girls" and "Bring back our girls" in demonstrations addressing the issue of more than 200 girls kidnapped in Nigeria.

s.145

There is an increase in the number of the hate crimes happening worldwide. The proper use of social media may be the solution to this issue.

s.146

Muslims live under oppression, being deprived of their rights in Syria, in the Central African Republic, Iraq, Myanmar, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Yemen and many other countries.

s.148

Obey God and His Messenger and do not quarrel among yourselves lest you lose heart and your momentum disappear. And be steadfast. God is with the steadfast. (Surat Al-Anfal, 46)

s.153

'My Lord! forgive me and my parents and all who enter my house as believers, and all the men and women of the believers. But do not increase the wrongdoers except in ruin!' (Surah Noah, 28)

s.157

After the Hungarian parliament adopted a law that allowed the use of non-lethal weapons against asylum seekers, the police did not hesitate to use violence against them.

s.159

The immigrants and refugees, currently heading through the Balkans towards Europe, are in desperate straits due to worsening weather conditions. Many European countries closed their borders to these oppressed people who are in misery, who are tired and exhausted.

s.164

The NLD leader, Aung San Suu Kyi

s.170

Many people have lost their lives during the conflicts between the Rohingya Muslims and Buddhists. The ultranationalist Buddhist gangs even indoctrinate their children with an opposition of Muslims.

s.174

The UN Human Rights Council,

Recognizes the following incidents;

Genocide (1994 Rwandan decision),

Ethnic cleansing (1991 Iraqi decision),

Severe loss of life and property (1992 Somalian decision),

Severe civilian casualties (1994 Rwandan decision),

Wide-ranging human rights violations (1993 Haiti decision),

Racial discrimination (1977 South African decision)

as "a threat to international peace", and all of these are now happening exactly in Myanmar.

s.178

Refugees are entrusted by God. People, without being noticed, should adopt a manner which makes them feel comfortable and provide them opportunities, without subjecting these people to any condition or term.

s.180

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on December 10th 1948. Eleanor Roosevelt referred to this declaration as the "international Magna Carta for all men everywhere."

s.184

My people! If you believe in God, then put your trust in Him, if you are Muslims. (Surah Yunus, 84)

s.195

Aung San Suu Kyi

s.198

The mother of Hiro died of a Hepatitis-A virus infection, despite not having had a life threating condition, simply because she could not get medical assistance.

s.200

The radical Buddhist movement lead by monks often express that they are against Muslims.

s.217

Louise Pasteur

s.218

Stanley Miller

s.219

As accepted also by the latest evolutionist theorists, the origin of life is still a great stumbling block for the theory of evolution.

s.221

One of the facts nullifying the theory of evolution is the astonishingly complex structure of life. The DNA molecule located in the nucleus of cells of living beings is an example of this. The DNA is a sort of databank formed of the arrangement of four different molecules in different sequences. This databank contains the codes of all the physical traits of that living being. When the human DNA is put into writing, it is calculated that this would result in an encyclopedia made up of 900 volumes. Unquestionably, such extraordinary information definitively refutes the concept of coincidence.

s.224

Since the beginning of the twentieth century, evolutionary biologists have sought examples of beneficial mutations by creating mutant flies. But these efforts have always resulted in sick and deformed creatures. The picture on the top shows a normal fruit fly, and the bottom picture shows a mutant one.

s.227

This fossil crocodile from the Cretaceous period is 65 million years old. It is identical to crocodiles living today.

This mene unearthed in Italy is 54 to 37 million years old.

This 50-million-year-old fossil plane-tree leaf was unearthed in the USA. Plane-tree leaves have remained unchanged for 50 million years, and have never evolved.

s.229

There is no single fossil showing that species developed gradually. An examination of the layers of the Earth's crust and the fossil record reveals that life came into being on Earth suddenly.

FALSE

s.231

FALSE

There are no fossil remains that support the tale of human evolution. On the contrary, the fossil record shows that there is an insurmountable barrier between apes and men. In the face of this truth, evolutionists fixed their hopes on certain drawings and models. They randomly place masks on the fossil remains and fabricate imaginary half-ape, half-human faces.

s.232

Evolutionists generally interpret fossils in the light of their ideological expectations, for which reason the conclusions they arrive at are for the most part unreliable.

s.235

Can life emerge if all the conditions stipulated by evolutionists are met? Of course not! In order to show why not, let us carry out the following experiment: Place all the enzymes, hormones and proteins—everything that evolutionists regard as essential for life to form—into a barrel such as that pictured above. Then mix all these substances, using all possible physical and chemical techniques. But whatever you do, no matter how long you wait, not a single living cell will emerge from that barrel.

s.236

Lord of the heavens and the earth and everything between them; Lord of the Easts. (Surat As-Saffat,5)

s.242

Signals from an object affect the brain by turning into electrical signals. When we say we see something, we are actually experiencing the effect of electrical signals in our brain. The brain is closed off to light. The interior of the brain is pitch black, and no light can enter where the brain is. The area known as the visual cortex is pitch black, somewhere that light can never reach, darker perhaps than anywhere you have ever seen. But you watch a brightly colored world in that pitch dark.

s.246

In the same way that the beliefs of people who worshipped crocodiles now seem odd and unbelievable, so the beliefs of Darwinists are just as incredible. Darwinists regardchance and lifeless, unconscious atoms as a creative force, and are as devoted to that belief as if to a religion.

# Back Cover

The name "Rohingya" refers to a group of people suffering the worst oppression in the world; however, the plight of these people is barely heard or talked about in the media and their right to exist is being utterly denied. Even worse, they are deprived of their freedom of speech to speak out against the offenses they face. Moreover, human rights organizations and the international media are prevented from contacting the Rohingyas.

Though the world witnesses their suffering, no one is fighting on behalf of the Rohingya people who are completely helpless and destitute. People considered worthy of Nobel Peace Prize, and the European states who pretend to be the defenders of human rights have made no attempts to help or speak on their behalf.

The ruling junta and the radical gangs of Myanmar are oppressing the Rohingya people simply because they are Muslim. Although a handful of people have tried to raise the issue, there has not been a concerted or collective effort yet, and there doesn't seem to be any in the foreseeable future. Without any delay or hesitation the Muslim nations must unite and stand up together against this oppression imposed on the Rohingya people.

The solidarity and agreement amongst Muslims would certainly lead to serious political pressure on the government of Myanmar and in the international arena.

This book was penned to draw the world's attention to the plight of the Muslims of Myanmar, who are being oppressed, and to find real and meaningful solutions for their situation.

## About the Author:

Adnan Oktar, who writes under the pen-name Harun Yahya, was born in Ankara in 1956. Since the 1980s, the author has published many books on faith-related, scientific and political issues. He is well-known as the author of important works disclosing the imposture of evolutionists, their invalid claims, and the dark liaisons between Darwinism and such bloody ideologies as fascism and communism.

All of the author's works share one single goal: to convey the Qur'an's message, encourage readers to consider basic faith-related issues such as God's existence and unity and the Hereafter; and to expose irreligious systems' feeble foundations and perverted ideologies. His more than 300 works, translated into 76 different languages, enjoy a wide readership across the world.

By the will of God, the books of Harun Yahya will be a means through which people in the twenty-first century will attain the peace, justice, and happiness promised in the Qur'an.

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