March 26, 2024
On behalf of the Rohingya people of Myanmar, The Arakan Rohingya National Alliance extends its heartfelt salutations to the People’s Republic of Bangladesh on the 53rd anniversary of Independence. On this occasion, we wish the Hon’ble Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wazed and the people of Bangladesh a happy Independence Day.
Under dynamic leadership of the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the Bangladeshi people understand deeply the value of freedom and independence as they fought courageously in 1971 to choose their own fate.
First and foremost, we would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to the People’s Republic of Bangladesh for opening its arms and welcoming around one million victimized Rohingya escaping mass atrocities and genocide in 2016-2017. Without the helping hand led by Bangladesh, many more innocent human beings, including women and children, would have died in the hands of the brutal Myanmar military and non-state actors or other genocidaires. Bangladesh has set an example for the world of empathy and generosity in practice. We will always remember the genuine warmth the government and people of Bangladesh displayed in those difficult times towards our community.
We understand that similar to us, many Bangladeshis left their beloved motherland for the uncertainties of refugee life in the days following the declaration of independence. We hope that like Bangladesh, we will one day succeed in bringing the perpetrators of genocide to justice.
The Bengali people, while suffering enormously in those times came up to defend their lands, avenge their fallen martyrs and turn the tables around in only nine months. But even after six years, the Rohingya people continue their refugee life and as yet there seems to be little hope that we will be able to go back to our native land or get justice for those of us who have fallen prey to the brutality of Myanmar armed forces and their collaborators.
Of course, unlike the Bangladeshi people who wanted an independent nation built on the pillar of sovereignty, the Rohingya people want to achieve the “right of self-determination” consistent with other ethnic nationalities of the Union of Burma/Myanmar. They want “peaceful coexistence” with myriad ethnic groups that populate the country. They also want to peacefully coexist as equals in their motherland-Arakan.
Our struggle is for a federal and democratic Myanmar where all ethnic people, regardless of their race and religion will exist as equal citizens of the country. But like our Bangladeshi brothers and sisters, we would like to replicate a successful struggle to win the right to exist as is the right of all human beings. Right now, many people in Myanmar are waging a struggle against the Myanmar armed forces that identify as ‘Tatmadaw’, but the Rohingya people have not been able to join with them.
We look forward to developing a relationship of solidarity with our Bangladeshi brothers and sisters on this great day of independence. We hope mutual cooperation will make us stronger along with all the freedom loving people of Myanmar.