The best sources of news & analysis are Rohingya Blogger & Rohingya Vision. You don’t have to wade through half-assed analyses of what’s going on nor tolerate ambivalence. It’s advocacy journalism & makes no pretense of impartiality in a genocide.
Category Archives: News
“Journalism” on “ethnic cleansing” of Rohingya
The Washington Post published a recent article titled “The ‘ethnic cleansing’ of the Rohingya”. Putting quotes around ethnic cleansing suggests ambiguity, the tentative appraisal which characterizes this article & most media coverage of the genocide against the Rohingya people. It is always framed as if there might be two sides to genocide & that it all began when Rohingya terrorists associated with Al-Qaeda attacked police stations–information media accepts from the junta which is carrying out the genocide. What kind of journalism is that? Did it ever dawn on them that the so-called terrorists might be self-defense teams to protect Rohingya from military & nationalist death squads?
One of the most profound insights in the article was “The Rohingya are intensely unpopular in Burma.” Do you think? That would be the character of genocide. But it’s not usually referred to as popularity so much as racism, ethnic supremacy, xenophobia, fascism. Just for once, you wish a major media source would speak the truth, wouldn’t pull its punches or elaborate false scenarios, would refuse to cover for the generals & Suu Kyi. But that isn’t how “journalism” works.
Estimates now of Rohingya refugees are between 420,000 & half a million. It isn’t what the Washington Post reports that matters but what they do.
This young boy carrying an infant is wading through the Naf river to cross the border. It isn’t reported whether their parents survived. The thing about photojournalism is that photos often belie the written reports intended to deceive.
(Photo from CNN)
We’re going to have a Rohingya solidarity rally here in McAllen,TX. We’re no schleps when it comes to standing with the oppressed. We stood with Egyptians & Syrians during the Arab Spring, we’ve stood with Palestinians, & we’ll stand with our Rohingya brothers & sisters.
Finished my article on the Burmese military hiding behind Suu Kyi. Seeing her role on the leadership councils of the junta really makes clear that she is not just the front for genocide but truly a partner with the generals. Elaborating & exposing her role opens up an understanding of the junta & of the character of Burmese fascism.
Call me Cato the Censor, but if you like the work of Gearoid O Colmain, the Irish fascist, Assadist, Islamophobe, Rohingya genocide denier, & supporter of the Burmese junta, you have to unfriend me. And make it snappy.
A quite excellent video from Channel 4 that shows conditions for new refugees in Bangladesh: no food, clean water, proper shelters, or medical care. What most of us would call a hellhole, they have to call asylum. So what’s up with the lack of emergency humanitarian aid?
If you call yourself progressive but don’t think the Rohingya genocide is worthy of attention, you may not stand with the oppressed so much as you have an issue with authority. What’s the point of that kind of rebellion? It’s greasy kid stuff.
A Burmese nationalist who found his way to my wall has been dispatched after leaving this dropping: “You are just a dog feeded by Muslim community.” He has the same way with words displayed by even the most highly educated nationalists. Their hate renders them incapable of thought & their words tumble out like horse manure. What is the appropriate response? Woof-woof?
Rohingya refugees in monsoon rains without shelters
About as close to hell on earth as anyone can get.
Stand with the Rohingya in demanding massive humanitarian aid including shelters, field hospitals, maternal & prenatal specialists, vetted child protective services, medical & trauma specialists, food, more food, & clean water.
(Photo by Cathal McNaughton/Reuters)
The urgent need to protect Rohingya children refugees from traffickers
A boy grown old before his time, living through what no child should ever even know about: that the world is filled with hate & violence & that children are most often the targets, vilified as up & coming terrorists.
Stand with Rohingya children. Demand thoroughly vetted child protective services be provided unaccompanied refugees to serve as long-term guardians until loving families are found to place them.
(Photo by Danish Siddiqui/Reuters)