ARAKANLAND
By: Kyaw Tun
The 11th Arakanese National Traditional Water Festival, also known as Thunkran or Happy New Year, was successfully held at Thuwanna Stadium, Rangoon, Burma through April 12-16, 2014.
It was held by the Arakanese community headed by Dr. Zaw Aye Moung, Minister of Arakan Indigenous People Affairs, Rangoon Division and Dr. San Hla Aung, president of celebrating committee of Water Festival.
The purpose is to maintain the “Arakanese Traditional Values” that is the duty of every single Arakanese. There were 11 clubs of townships representative of Arakan and five Social Organizations from the Arakan State were participating. Reportedly, there were estimated over 100,000 people daily that attended in this event. People who live in Rangoon and 17 Townships of Arakan State participated.
In a Facebook interview, Ko Kyaw Win Khaing said, “20,000 - 70,000 people are expected daily to attend. 17 townships from Rakhine State (Arakan) are involved. Around 50 shops are opened. The purpose is to maintain the Arakanese traditional values which are the duty of every single Arakanese.”
Mrs. May Ma De, one of the attendees an event, explained her experience for Arakanese National Transnational Event. She said, “Last year, it was the first time attending the Arakanese Thunkran in Rangon. It was really enjoyable seeing how they celebrated.”
A small business man, whose name is Moung Moung, and his family attended the event. He said, “There are so many people participating and happily celebrating in the Water Festival.”
“Water Festival” or “Thunkran Festival” or “Happy New Year” of Arakan Calendar is one of the favorite days of Arakanese and Burmese people. It is regularly celebrated for a three day period from April 13 to 15. This is based on astrological calculations and purporting to foreshadow the great events of the coming year. According to the Judson’s Burmese-English Dictionary, “a fabulous head, supposed to be in the charge of seven goddesses, who transfer it from one to another at the commencement of each year. This fable is said to have owed its origin to a dispute said to have arisen between a Brahma called by the Burmese Athi and Sekra regarding a mathematical calculation; each agreed that the one whose calculation was wrong should forfeit his head.” Traditionally, Arakanese people believe that this Water Festival cleans all the sins that are breaking Buddha’s Law during one year. By the way, they have washed and abolished all demerits before the New Year.
On April 12, before the Water Festival, Arakanese people celebrated the ceremony of Arakanese culture with sandal wood grinding and giving a bath to Buddha statues in Buddhist monasteries and temples, and an offering in token of homage and offering of respect to Arakanese seniors after the bath. On April 13-15, they held the Water Festival—every teenager, boys and girls, happily celebrated each other with the water-splash under the guidance of guardians and they could proclaim love at the watering place cottage. Many people, groups and organizations offered donations and made meritorious deeds. Many seniors went to Buddhist monasteries and temples and they prayed and preserved the religious duty for the New Year of the Arakanese Lunar Calendar 1375-1376 (2014-2015).
According to Facebook, all Arakanese people were so proud and they happily celebrated their 11th Arakanese National Traditional Water Festival and Happy New Year in Rangoon, Burma.
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ARAKANLAND
By Kyaw Tun
Monks and Authorities Discuss on Code #914 issue in Sittwey (Akyab). Photo: Tun Naing
World Arakanese Organization (WAO-USA) released a rejection statement and sent a suggestion letter to Myanmar President U Thein Sein on Myanmar Census 2014 that allows to enroll as a Code # 914 is the term of so-called Rohingya (Illegal Chittagonganian Bengali Muslim).
Both the statement and suggestion letter posted at World Arakanese Organization Facebook. Statement posted on Mrach, 24 and suggestion, for the “Intention of Justification and Peace”, WAO-USA posted and sent a Letter to Myanmar President U Thein Sein on March, 27, 2014.
WAO-USA’s General Secretary U Thein Tun Zan uploaded the sent letter to President U Thein Sein Office Official Website. He said, “I got receipt message from Myanmar President Office at Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar.”
On the statement, WAO-USA warmly welcomed the Myanmar Census 2014 after over 30 years—the last Myanmar census year was 1983. However, WAO-USA strongly opposed the controversial Code # 914. It happened when the U Khin Yi, Minister of Ministry of Immigration and Population, unclearly delivered a speech that allowed to register the illegal migrant Bengali Muslims—so-called Rohingyas—who have illegally migrated into Arakan State (Rakhine State) from Bangladesh since British colonial rule in Burma (Myanmar) and up-to-date.
The people of Arakan angered the Myanmar government census policy and they demonstrated and boycotted the use of the term Rohingyas as illegal in Myanmar. At the same time, world-wide Arakanese social organizations, including WAO-USA expressed their deepest concerns as all statements posted to oppose the government’s dishonest census policy “Divide and Rule.” Arakan National Development Party (RNDP) also opposed it and all 7 indigenous people groups sent a disagreement letter to Myanmar Pres. U Thein Sein.
As his views pointed out, WAO-USA General Secretary said, “The Code #914 was a door to future confusion and legal mix-up about ethnicity and nationality issue.” And “The Code #914 was about to use for one purpose that will somehow legalize illegal immigration and non-existing ethnic in Myanmar.”
As for the public opinion, U Khaing Myint Thein, a graduate student with international study of Buffalo University, also opposed the Code #914 and he understood and respected the people of Arakan who were against the Code #914. He said, “It had to protect the Arakan State and future Myanmar who were boycotting it.”
During the boycotting in Arakan State, Arakanese people had placed the flags in front of their house which showed against the code. On March 26, American citizen Ms.Y vonne, 51, PP. No. 214488402, Program Coordinator, Malteser International, German INGO, suddenly took out a Buddhist Flag from her rental house in Sittwey (Akyab) and she unseemly dressed it as bad behavior. When the people saw her impolite manner, people had zero-tolerance because they felt this was insulted to Buddhism and they threw the stones at the Malteser office. Malteser office and some INGO, including UNHCR were damaged by stones of intolerance by people who are feeling very sad about INGO and UNHCR discriminating against the native Arakanese people for over 20 years. Unfortunately, innocent Ma Nyima, 11, who stayed at home normally, was hit by a bullet and later she was dead when riot police suppressed the people on March 27.
When the Arakan State government gave the information as notification that did not recognize the term of so-called Rohingya on March 30, all demonstrators happily stopped their boycotting. They are participating in the Myanmar Census 2014—from 30 March to 10 April—that is held by the help of United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
World Arakanese Organization (WAO-USA) delighted to say welcome and acknowledged the government’s right resolution of peace for the people of Arakan as well as the rest of Myanmar.
Source: WAO Facebook
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