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The Diplomat
a day ago
- Politics
- The Diplomat
Rohingya Power Struggles Before the UN Conference
When the Arakan Rohingya National Council (ARNC) unveiled itself on July 13, Bangladeshi and other news sites obligingly reproduced its press release almost word for word. The self‑described 'most inclusive and unified platform ever' promised to speak for Rohingya refugees, the diaspora and those still trapped in Myanmar. Supporters hailed a breakthrough; skeptics felt a wave of déjà vu. 2025 has already been billed as decisive for the Rohingya. Fighting between Myanmar's junta and the Arakan Army has redrawn front lines in Rakhine; a caretaker government in Dhaka is tightening its grip on the refugee camps in Bangladesh; and deep cuts to the World Food Program's budget have pushed rations to a breaking‑point. Against that backdrop, a high‑stakes United Nations pledging conference is set for New York in September. For the million‑plus Rohingya who depend on aid, every year is billed as pivotal – and new groups with fresh acronyms keep appearing, each claiming to speak for them 'We now see a repeated cycle: fragmentation, new group names, personal ambitions replacing real strategy,' warned lawyer and activist Razia Sultana. Sultana , who has briefed the U.N. Security Council on conflict‑related sexual violence and written landmark reports on atrocities against Rohingya women, says she was never approached during the Council's so‑called 'wide consultation.' Her frustration frames the central question: why do the same leaders keep rebranding, and what does that mean for people who cannot afford another false start? Dhaka is keen to prove 2025 marks a new chapter. In March, U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres toured the camps, praising Bangladesh's 'pivotal' moment and its pledge to curb criminality. Days later, police paraded Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army chief Ataullah Abu Ammar Jununi in handcuffs – evidence, officials said, that they were dismantling criminal networks. The administration has since promised to 'break Rohingya crime gangs' through a series of refugee camp elections with selected voter lists. Refugees, however, see opaque ballots quietly seating proxies of armed factions rather than genuine community leaders. The disconnect worries diaspora critic Dr. Ambia Parveen, vice chair of the European Rohingya Council. 'We in the diaspora dominate the organizational landscape,' she said, 'but we're not the ones facing daily risks. Instead of fighting our enemies, we compete with each other.' Launch by Press Release Against this backdrop, the ARNC rolled out a thin manifesto asserting its sole legitimacy. Its stated aim is 'to overcome decades of division and establish a unified political voice for the Rohingya people.' The language echoed that of the Arakan Rohingya National Alliance (ARNA), launched in 2022 with many of the same personalities – including veteran activists Tun Khin and Nay San Lwin. 'Creating new names without substance risks confusing allies,' Razia Sultana cautioned. The Rohingya Consultative Council (RCC), formed last year after months of camp‑level meetings, was even more blunt: 'Legitimacy does not come from social‑media presence and press releases; it comes from sustained, democratic engagement.' Within hours of the ARNC's debut, an entirely different body, the Arakan Rohingya National Congress, cried foul. In a July 14 statement, former MP Shwe Maung blasted the newcomers for 'deliberate deception … using a name and logo strikingly similar to ours.' He believed the move intended to 'sow confusion and derail years of painstaking diplomacy.' The Congress, chartered in 2021, says it already unites 39 senior figures and has logged 496 registrations for a Washington‑based Rohingya Round Table ahead of the U.N. conference. In an interview, Shwe Maung added that ARNC's claim of delegates from every township is not true. 'They never consulted with them [inside Arakan],' he said. In his public statement, Shwe Maung stressed that the Arakan Rohingya National Congress sits inside a three‑part structure – Congress, Council and Conference – governed by a charter first ratified in 2021 and updated in 2025. By launching a new entity with the same four letters and claiming exclusive legitimacy, the July 2025 ARNC, he argued, has not only duplicated the name but pre-empted an entire political structure already in place. 'This is a time for unity, not confusion,' the statement pleaded, warning that such tactics risk sabotaging the Rohingya community's limited credibility on the global stage. The new Council has offered no public rebuttal. Three individuals listed as its media contacts ignored requests for comment, leaving its reasons for striking out on its own unexplained. ARNC allies privately dismiss the row as 'turf‑war theatrics' by an aging diaspora elite. What is clear, however, is that the acronym ARNC now sits in limbo – claimed by both camps, yet effectively held hostage by the newly launched Council, which shows no sign of sharing the stage. Past Failed Umbrella Groups This habit of clashing acronyms did not begin in the 2020s. In 2011 the Organization of Islamic Cooperation helped broker the Arakan Rohingya Union (ARU), fronted by U.S.‑based academic Wakar Uddin, and gathering 25 diaspora groups under one banner. Seven years later, just as lawyers were pushing for a genocide case at the International Criminal Court, Uddin told Voice of America that an ICC referral was 'not necessary.' Within days, 28 diaspora organizations issued a blistering open letter declaring he had 'no mandate to speak for the Rohingya,' accusing him of opaque leadership and of 'undermining the pursuit of justice for our people.' Predecessors and stand‑alone outfits have foundered on similar reefs – bad decisions, personality feuds, donor dependencies, and distance from the camps. By the time the 2017 massacres began, the Rohingya still lacked a single, trusted organization that could serve as their voice. Post‑genocide urgency produced another reset. A virtual convention on November 20, 2022 proclaimed the ARNA the 'sole political platform' for Rohingya self‑determination. Prominent Rohingya figures, including Nurul Islam, Reza Uddin, Tun Khin, and Nay San Lwin were involved and argued that unity was finally within reach. Yet a counter‑statement circulated within weeks: the process had been 'neither consultative, diverse nor inclusive' and risked repeating past exclusivity . Over 2023‑24, the ARNA posted sporadic updates but no joint strategy emerged; energy dissipated into internal stalemate and roundtables in Dhaka. Now yet another group risks repeating the same history. As Razia Sultana remarked: 'The solution is to strengthen what we already have, not keep abandoning one group after another.' Nurul Islam, a stalwart of the Rohingya resistance and a founder of the ARNA, is even more scathing: 'The new council's agenda is identical to ARNA's – so why create another body? This isn't unifying the Rohingya; it's deepening divisions.' The RCC's Consultative Turn When the ARNA stagnated, disillusioned activists tried a different tack. The effort began on March 26, 2024, when a Convening Committee of eight organizations and 25 individuals announced plans for a Rohingya Consultative Council in a statement released by Aung Kyaw Moe, the current deputy minister for human rights in the shadow National Unity Government of Myanmar. Their stated aim was to build a single, coherent political body by bringing together politicians, activists, women leaders, youth advocates, and others. After a year of online meetings and refugee camp visits, the Council was formally introduced on May 11, 2025 as an interim, open‑membership platform promising gender balance and a crowd‑sourced 'Future Political Roadmap.' In a written reply to questions about the newly launched ARNC, the RCC said the people now leading the ARNC had 'been consulted and engaged in [our] processes over the past year' but had chosen to break away and set up a body they could 'instead themselves control.' The ARNC, it noted, had been formed 'without the broad consultation' that would be expected and was driven by the 'same individuals' whose repeated rebranding 'risks generating confusion among international partners and resistance allies.' In stark contrast, the RCC highlighted its own formation through 'sustained consultation and engagement, with prioritized inclusion of participation of individuals across generations, genders, and geographies.' The RCC argued that real legitimacy must come from open elections, gender‑balanced leadership, and verifiable links to refugees on the ground – not from 'social‑media presence and press releases.' Why do Rohingya leaders keep setting up new organizations when they all claim to want unity? Rebranding is both a survival strategy and a political tactic. First, rebranding helps senior figures reset their reputations, allowing them to leave past failures behind without a public reckoning. Second, a new banner catches the eye of diplomats and donors whenever a fresh negotiating window opens – this year's aid crisis and the New York conference are good examples. Third, starting yet another body can outmaneuver rivals while allowing the same people to stay in charge. At times, these maneuvers appear to unfold with quiet encouragement from Bangladeshi authorities, who have their own interests in managing the leadership landscape. Parveen of the European Rohingya Council summarized the dilemma: 'We excel at creating organizations, but struggle to move beyond that into collective action with real impact.' Until diaspora figures share power with camp‑based leaders, she argued, the cycle will repeat – 'same people, different uniform.' New York Looming A U.N. 'High‑Level Conference' on September 30 will give Rohingya delegates a microphone, but attendance is not guaranteed. Delegates must clear both U.S. visa hurdles and U.N. accreditation rules. The ARNC's own statement said it intends 'to represent the Rohingya people in dealings with the United Nations and other international institutions.' Even if any faction reaches New York under its own banner, the event itself is likely to be more show than test. Legitimacy will not be won or lost in a Midtown conference room. The real measure remains power‑sharing, transparency, and tangible relief for refugees now surviving on rations that could drop below $8 a month. Every new reboot raises the reputational bar. Outsiders expect proof that the latest group is more than just a renamed version of the same old leadership minus one or two personalities. The consequences of political disunity in a deteriorating humanitarian situation mean less effectiveness in terms of advocacy for aid or protection. This risks deepening cynicism among the very people it claims to represent. 'Unity is not a photo or a logo – it's the ability to protect our people when they are starving, displaced and silenced,' Razia Sultana insisted. With trust fraying and needs escalating, many Rohingya will judge these new initiatives not by their names or press statements, but by whether they deliver greater security, sustenance, and a path toward lasting solutions.
The National
2 days ago
- Politics
- The National
Media Watch: When political cartoons overstep the mark
Welcome to this week's Media Watch! On the back of an almighty row between former Labour MP Zarah Sultana and The Observer that broke out on Monday, we delve into the archives this week to look at the tricky subject of political cartoons and when artists take them just that bit too far. Observer slated for 'racist' cartoon On page 33 of Sunday's edition of The Observer, a cartoon by Saffron Swire was published mocking a new party set to be created by Sultana and Jeremy Corbyn. The busy and colourful cartoon depicted an 'invitation' to Jeremy Corbyn's 'party'. The ex-Labour leader was dressed in a Saturday Night Fever style red outfit branded with the Communist Party logo. Whatever your political ties, you can clearly see the fun and satire in this. Brownfacing a box of raisins and mocking my surname. Exactly what you'd expect from a right-wing hack who is the daughter of an aristocrat and ex-Tory MP. — Zarah Sultana MP (@zarahsultana) July 20, 2025 But another part of the image caused issues for The Observer. In the corner there was an image of a "goodie bag" containing a box of raisins saying "Zarah Sultanas" on it, with the image of a "brownfaced" version of the famous Sun-Maid woman. Sultana was furious and this fury did not dissipate when The Observer issued a one-line apology saying it would remove the cartoon from its site. This is mealy-mouthed and refuses to call it what it is: racism. It doesn't even have the decency to name me, let alone offer a direct apology. Supine journalism from The Observer, but sadly that's what we've come to expect from the mainstream media. — Zarah Sultana MP (@zarahsultana) July 21, 2025 She accused the paper of racism, as did many others which ultimately forced bosses into taking down the cartoon. Sultana said: 'This is mealy-mouthed and refuses to call it what it is: racism. "It doesn't even have the decency to name me, let alone offer a direct apology. 'Supine journalism from The Observer, but sadly that's what we've come to expect from the mainstream media." Cartoons are meant to be satirical, they are meant to challenge ideas and make people laugh, but this is a classic example of how they can sometimes overstep the line, and it's not the first time it's happened. SNP first ministers 'hanged' A cartoon for The Times by Peter Brookes proved unpopular last year as it depicted Alex Salmond, Nicola Sturgeon and Humza Yousaf with their heads in nooses shaped like the SNP logo. John Swinney, who at the time was expected to be confirmed as the SNP's new leader, was shown putting his head into a fourth noose and saying: 'I'm the continuity candidate.' Brookes shared the image and saw his cartoon labelled 'distasteful' and 'sick'. Andrew Neil also sparked uproar when he shared the cartoon on social media calling it 'brilliant'. Again, what could have been quite an amusing cartoon about the SNP's leadership struggles at the time just took things way too far. SNP figures on crosses Sadly this was a pretty familiar pattern from Brookes. The year before, the cartoonist released a drawing of Yousaf, Sturgeon and ex-SNP chief executive Peter Murrell tied to Saltire crosses. It has the caption: 'Always look on the bright side of life'. The cartoon was described as 'unhinged'. Then SNP president Michael Russell said at the time: 'It illustrates the contempt that The Times at ownership and management level has for the SNP.' Decapitated Sturgeon And as if hanging and sacrificing her on a cross was not enough, political cartoonist Dave Brown was also slated in 2023 for another 'grotesque' image. Nicola Sturgeon resigns as Scottish FM & out come the cliches & stereotypes of Scotland. We get tartanry, bagpipes, hills & glens. Along with the portrayal of violence towards women in public life. Below from Dave Brown & Patrick Blower. — Gerry Hassan (@GerryHassan) February 15, 2023 The cartoonist depicted the then-first minster playing the bagpipes in a kilt with her severed head on the ground next to her. It followed Sturgeon's announcement she would step down as First Minister. The image was published in The Independent, which referred to Sturgeon as the "Margaret Thatcher of Scotland".
The National
2 days ago
- Politics
- The National
Zarah Sultana issues furious response to Observer cartoon apology
The former Labour MP was pictured in a cartoon by Saffron Swire which mocked Sultana and Corbyn's plans for a new political party. It has now been taken down following a flurry of negative comments. The cartoon was based on an "invitation" to Corbyn's "party" and depicts the ex-Labour leader wearing 1970s disco attire which is branded with the Communist Party logo. A speech bubble next to Corbyn reads "let's paint the town red!" while the RSVP address lists the House of Commons. In the corner of the cartoon, there was an image of a "goodie bag" containing a box of raisins saying "Zarah Sultanas" on it, with the image of a "brownfaced" version of the famous Sun-Maid woman in the company's logo. After accusations of racism were fired at the paper, The Observer released a one-line apology and took down the cartoon from its website. READ MORE: Police Scotland investigating national Palestine demo in Edinburgh It said: "We are genuinely sorry for causing offence and we are taking the cartoon down." Sultana has since posted a furious response to the apology adding she had not had any direct contact from the paper. She posted on Twitter/X: "This is mealy-mouthed and refuses to call it what it is: racism. "It doesn't even have the decency to name me, let alone offer a direct apology. This is mealy-mouthed and refuses to call it what it is: racism. It doesn't even have the decency to name me, let alone offer a direct apology. Supine journalism from The Observer, but sadly that's what we've come to expect from the mainstream media. — Zarah Sultana MP (@zarahsultana) July 21, 2025 "Supine journalism from The Observer, but sadly that's what we've come to expect from the mainstream media." Saffron Swire is the daughter of Baron Swire, who served as a Tory MP from 2001 to 2019 and had several ministerial roles. Since 2022, he has been a member of the House of Lords. READ MORE: Greens press SNP over secret Israeli ambassador meeting Saffron has written or produced cartoons for Prospect, Tortoise, The Economist, Art UK and the New European, as well as The Spectator. Mark Seddon, who is a former editor for the political magazine Tribune, told The National: "Cartoons are meant to challenge and to be funny but they are not really meant to offend and I think clearly this one has. "Apart from anything else it's a rather childish scribble. "The Observer used to host some extremely well-known cartoonists, Steve Bell being one of them, Chris Riddell being another. These were thought-provoking, deep cartoons, that were often humorous and clever, but this wasn't. The Observer has done the right thing by taking it down." Cartoonist Neil Slorance also said: "It's a cheap shot and not very well thought through. I can't help but feel it's punching down." Sultana resigned the Labour whip earlier this month to focus on leading a new party with Corbyn – although there has been no formal launch yet. A poll suggested last week the new party would be level with Labour when it comes to voting intention. The survey, conducted by pollsters Find Out Now for LBC News, found that of the 650 people polled, 15% would support the new party, matching Labour's support at 15%.
Spectator
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Spectator
Lefty MPs accept Glastonbury tickets in freebie U-turn
Well, well, well. It transpires that a number of left-wing MPs enjoyed some time away from their constituencies at this year's Glastonbury festival, soaking up the sun, music and, of course, the pleasure of being there for free. Former Labour MP Zarah Sultana – who may or may not have patched things up with Jeremy Corbyn following a rather botched party launch announcement – was gifted two tickets by Glastonbury Festival Events Ltd worth £630 after attending as a guest speaker. Green MP Ellie Chowns also registered a single ticket for speaking at the festival, costing £390, while Labour's Clive Lewis accepted a ticket, after being invited to speak, at the same price. While the matter of speaking at public events is hardly something to complain about, Mr S is a little more interested in the hypocrisy displayed by the holier-than-thou lefties. They have been vocal about politicians accepting freebies in the past, with Sultana taking a pop at her former colleague, Labour Chancellor Rachel Reeves, for being out of touch by accepting donated gifts. Speaking in March, the MP for Coventry South made a pointed dig as she fumed: 'I ask the Chancellor – who earns over £150,000 annually, has accepted £7,500 worth of free clothing and recently took freebie tickets to see Sabrina Carpenter – does she think austerity 2.0 is the change people really voted for?' She makes a good point – so why then did Sultana, who receives at least £93,904 a year, accept her own pair of complimentary passes? Lewis is a Glasto regular – enjoying the music festival so much in 2016 that he stayed long enough to miss his debut appearance in the Commons as Corbyn's shadow defence secretary. And Chowns may wish to eat her words on gifting, after having pledged to her local constituency paper in October that she will both give away half her annual salary to various charities and, er, refuse freebies. 'My policy,' the Green MP declared, 'is to politely decline gifts.' How's that working out, eh? Sultana didn't take too kindly to having her double standards pointed out by Steerpike, however. After Mr S got in touch, the Independent MP took to social media to rage: 'By all means, run your story. It'll end up in the same gutter as the rest.' See you in the gutter comrade!
The National
16-07-2025
- Politics
- The National
Zarah Sultana restates 'We are all Palestine Action' in parliament
On July 2, before the protest group Palestine Action were formally designated a terrorist organisation by the Labour Government, MP Zarah Sultana had spoken against the proscription in the Commons. Video of her contribution showed the now-independent MP saying: 'I oppose the blood-soaked hands of this Government trying to silence us. So I say this loudly and proudly on Wednesday 2 July 2025: We are all Palestine Action.' READ MORE: Brian Leishman loses Labour whip amid 'clear out' of rebel MPs Hansard, the official record of all statements in the UK Parliament, initially recorded that, before being cut off, Sultana had said: 'So I say this loudly and proudly on Wednesday 2 July 2025: We are all Palestine –'. It was later edited to report that Sultana had said: 'So I say this loudly and proudly on Wednesday 2 July 2025 –". It is understood that the edit was made to remove everything after the chair first said "order", which came after a four-minute limit on speeches was reached. However, speaking in the Commons on Wednesday, Sultana raised concerns about that explanation. 'I seek your guidance regarding the accuracy of the official report in Hansard,' she told the Deputy Speaker. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper led the proscription of Palestine Action'In my speech on Wednesday, 2 July 2025, during the debate on prevention and suppression of terrorism, I said the words and I quote, 'We are all Palestine Action'. 'The video and audio recordings clearly confirmed that the full sentence was spoken before the chair intervened. However, Hansard has omitted the final word of that sentence. 'I have been advised that this is due to a long-standing convention not to report words spoken after the chair intervenes, but in this instance, the record omits words spoken before the chair's intervention. 'I'm also aware of precedents – which I can provide – where members' final words immediately proceeding or overlapping an intervention have been included to preserve the accuracy of the record. 'Despite this, Hansard has not only refused to amend the entry, but has since removed the sentence entirely. READ MORE: Foreign YouTube stars secretly paid by UK Government for 'propaganda' clips 'This blatant attempt of censorship and rewriting the record is deeply concerning and undermines the integrity of the official report.' Sultana then asked if there are any 'formal mechanisms to challenge omissions of this kind, reinstate the accurate record, and ensure that Hansard fulfils its duty to provide a full and accurate record of proceedings'. She was told that Hansard is not the responsibility of the Speaker's office, and that she would have to 'take that up directly with Hansard'. MP's statements in the Commons are protected by 'absolute privilege' – which ensures full legal immunity for comments made in Parliament. 'Qualified privilege' then allows fair and accurate media reports on Westminster proceedings based on those statements. An activist in London is carried away by police after allegedly expressing support for Palestine Action (Image: PA) Since the UK Government proscribed Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation, showing support for or being a member of the group can come with up to 14 years in prison. Last weekend, 86 people across the UK were arrested for joining in protests organised by Defend Our Juries, which saw them write the message 'I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action' with black markers on pieces of cardboard. In Glasgow, a man was charged with a terror offence after wearing a T-shirt which said: 'Genocide in Palestine. Time to take action.' The words Palestine and Action were in a larger font than the other text. 'Action' was in red, while the rest of the words were in white. At the bottom, the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign (SPSC) website and logo appeared.
