A/HRC/39/CRP.2
the current Special Rapporteur, Yanghee Lee, a “bitch” and a “whore”.1558 He later threatened
her with violence in response to her report to the United Nations Human Rights
Council.1559According to credible reports, there have been instances where ultra-nationalist
ethnic Rakhine individuals or organizations have prevented international organizations from
delivering aid to Rohingya communities or transferring those in need of medical care to
hospitals.1560
6.
(a)
Overall analysis
Relationships between communities before the 2012 violence
724. The problems in Rakhine State are often ascribed to poor relations between the
Rohingya and the ethnic Rakhine, reflective of deeply-rooted grievances and prejudices. Yet,
the majority of Rohingya and Rakhine interviewed by the Mission on this topic indicated that
their relationship with the other community before the 2012 violence was good 1561 or very
good.1562 Others stated that there were “no problems” or “no tension” before 2012.1563 Some
mentioned having friends from the other community, engaging in various business dealings,
studying together, visiting each other’s houses or even celebrating each other’s festivals.
Some Rakhine interviewees stated they had no interaction with the Rohingya, as there were
no Rohingya in or near their villages.1564
725. One ethnic Rakhine from Maungdaw stated that he had many Muslim friends but
mistrust grew between the two communities after the 2012 violence.1565Another Rakhine
from Kyaukpyu, who left Myanmar after the 2012 violence, said:
The relation between Rakhine and Rohingya was peaceful until I left Myanmar.
Rakhine do not have any problem with the Muslims. The problem is with the
repression by the military.1566
726.
One Rohingya from Maungdaw town said:
Before the 2012 violence, the relationship between the Buddhists and the Muslims was
good. We had no problems. We went to their houses and they came to ours. Even in
the monastery we had good relationships. We used to exchange food for Muslim and
Buddhist festivals. I used to go to the monastery compound nearby and play football
with the young monks.1567
727. Some Rohingya expressed negative feelings against the way ethnic Rakhine treated
them at school or at university. A few interviewees did speak about difficulties with their
Rakhine neighbours before the 2012 violence. 1568 However, after the 2012 violence, the
relationship between the ethnic Rakhine and the Rohingya communities seriously
deteriorated.1569 Many interactions between the communities stopped or were significantly
reduced, either out of fear or because of the policy of segregation imposed in central
Rakhine.1570
1558
1559
1560
1561
1562
1563
1564
1565
1566
1567
1568
1569
1570
172
Video available on youtube at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=comAfSalvEY
Yanghee Lee, “Statement of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar at
the 28th session of the Human Rights Council” (16 March 2015), available at
https://www.ohchr.org/en/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=15713&LangID=E
V-343, V-344.
CI-057, CI-062, CI-063, CI-064, CI-082, CI-083, CI-086, CI-091, CI-097, CI-154, CI-155, CI-162,
DI-003, DI-017, DI-047, DI-051, DI-053, DI-073, QI-072, QI-073, QI-075, QI-076.
CI-065, CI-085, CI-088, CI-158, CI-159, CI-173, CI-175, DI-022, DI-023, DI-075, QI-105.
CI-153, CI-157, DI-014, DI-019, DI-031, DI-055, DM-002.
DI-018, DI-028, DI-029, DI-030, DI-032, DI-033, QI-074.
CI-158.
CI-154.
DI-073.
DI-001, DI-004, DI-020.
CI-086, CI-158, CI-159, CI-160, CI-162, CI-163, DI-022, DI-023, DI-047, DI-051, DI-075, QI-105.
See this chapter, section B.2.d: Specific restrictions in central Rakhine State.