Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK today welcomed the European Parliament resolution of 20th April 2012 calling on Burmese regime for changes to the 1982 law on citizenship to ensure due recognition of the right to citizenship of the Rohingya ethnic minority. The resolution also urges the Burmese Government to introduce amendments to the 2008 constitution, prior to the 2015 elections that would remove the military's role in civilian politics, notably its seats in both houses of parliament.
The Burma citizenship law of 1982 was designed by former dictator General Ne Win to get rid of Rohingya Muslims from Arakan. It violates several fundamental principles of customary international law standards, has deprived the Rohingya of their Burmese citizenship rendering them ‘stateless’ in their own homeland. 1982 citizenship law effects to Rohingya in their all activities such as restriction on movement, marriage, education and so on.
The rejection of Rohingya’s citizenship rights and ethnic rights by the government of Thein Sein is the main contributing factor to the growth of the refugee problem and the boat people crisis in the region. The Junta’s policy towards Rohingyas has been intolerable. The extreme situation has forced them to prefer to take perilous voyages by rickety boats across seas and oceans rather than live in their homeland; as a result hundreds of Rohingya boat people drowned over the years.
The resolution also call on the Government of Burma to release all remaining political prisoners without delay and conditions, allowing free access for the ICRC and international human rights bodies to Myanmar's prisons; calls also on the National Human Rights Commission to intensify its work of promoting and safeguarding the fundamental rights of citizens. We are very much thankful to European Parliament and its MEPs(Member of European Parliament) for this timely resolution which is a source of encouragement for the persecuted Rohingya people.
Maung Tun Khin
President,
Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK
26A Vicarage Lane, Stratford ,
26A Vicarage Lane, Stratford ,
London E15 4ES
(Contact No: +447888714866)
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