Chittagong, Bangladesh: Rohingyas inside Burma and abroad welcome the Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s (OIC) resolution number 4/38-MM “On the situation of the Muslim community in Burma” from the 38th Session of Council Foreign Ministers which was held from June 28-30, 2011, in the Astana Republic of Kazakhstan, according to a politician from inside Arakan who declined to be named.
The OIC adopted the following resolutions regarding the situation of the Muslim community in Burma: Calls on Member States to extend all possible forms of support and assistance to Burmese Muslims, and particularly to those among them living as refugees outside their homeland; Calls upon on the government of Burma to put an end to operations of displacement, expulsion, and exile of Rohingya Muslims, and to the continued attempt to eradicate their Islamic Culture and Identity, and urges government authorities to respect the text on international legitimacy of human rights; Expresses deep concern over the continued monumental violations of the rights of Rohingya Muslims in the Arakan region of Burma, and requests the Secretary General to continue his efforts to end these practices in coordination with the international community together with international and regional organizations, and continue those efforts in the context of dialogue, reconciliation and coordination among Islamic organizations in Burma.
The Rohingya community is pleased by the news, and would like to give heartfelt thanks to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation members of the Council Foreign Ministers for these significant resolutions on Burmese Muslims, particularly highlighting Rohingya ethnic issues, said a Rohingya leader on condition of anonymity.
The OIC Secretary General, H.E. Prof. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, gave a remarkable speech about Rohingya to the 38th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers, as ‘the plight of Muslims in Myanmar figures high on our Muslim minorities agenda’. Indeed, a convention was held at the OIC General Secretariat last May with the participation of senior leaders representing many Rohingya Associations. The convention reached a consensual and milestone agreement to set up the Arakan Rohingya Union (ARU), which pools together 25 associations that will collaboratively seek a political solution to the problems faced by the Rohingya people.
At present, the Rohingya community is faced with many kinds of persecution by the authorities of the present government, such as arbitrary arrest and torture, and extortion of money which puts the Rohingya community in extreme poverty, said an ex-village chairman from Buthidaung Township who prefers not to be named.