A mass protest near the Myanmar embassy in Kuala Lumpur demanded an immediate end to violence against the Muslim minority in Myanmar, which continues to claim lives and displace thousands.
World Bulletin/News Desk
A mass protest of approximately 2,000 was held near the Myanmar embassy in Kuala Lumpur on Friday, demanding an immediate end to violence against the Muslim minority in Myanmar's Rakhine state, formerly known as Arakan.
The protestors included Muslims from Burma consisting of various ethnic backgrounds such as the Rohingyas and Kamans from the Rakhine State, Pathy, Chulia, Surti, among others.
During the protests, protesters held posters demanding the end of violence against religious groups and Islamophobic hate speech and discriminations, and urging the establishment of peace and stability in the country, according to Mayupress.
Protestors shouted “we need peace and harmony in Burma,” “We need justice,” “Save our innocent lives and properties” and other slogans.
The peaceful protest began at 1:30pm and ended by 3:00pm.
Mr. Abdullah of the Malaysian Consultative Council of Islamic NGOS submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Head of the Mission, who declined to provide his name.
Speaking during the memorandum’s submission, the delegates made the following 7 demands:
1. The government end forthwith all killing, violence and terrorization against the Muslims in Burma/Myanmar and ensure full religious freedom with the security of life, property and dignity;
2. The government stop spreading such pre-planned violence against Muslims in other places of Burma;
3. The international community, the governments of the United States, the United Kingdom and their western allies, the European Union, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and neighboring countries put pressure on Burma and exert concerted efforts to protect and save the Muslim community in Burma;
4. The request to reinstate sanctions, the lifting of which they consider premature, in order to protect the Rohingya and other minorities, promote human rights and inclusive democratic and political reforms in Burma;
5. The replacement of the Burma Citizenship Law of 1982 with a new law that conforms to international law standards and ensures citizenship rights to Muslims in Burma;
6. The request to conduct a UN independent inquiry and bring the perpetrators before justice;
7. The request for assistance and cooperation from the international community to ensure the fundamental rights of Muslims in Burma.
Delegates affirmed that more than 20,000 Muslims were displaced in the central Burma town of Miektila where 4 Islamic scholars and 28 students were brutally killed and at least 14 Mosques, hundreds of shops, houses and properties were destroyed. Over a quarter million Rohingya have been killed and more than 140,000 Rohingyas and Kaman are displaced and subject to segregation.
