World Bulletin/News Desk
April 2, 2013
A Special Representative in the
UN Secretary-General, has assessed the violence in Myanmar by stating “the
support of the international community is necessary for the Rohingya Muslims.” for
humanitarian aid / support of the international community needed.''
In an interview with Turkish
media, Vijay Nambiar— a Special Representative in the UN
Secretary-General—reminded that the attacks against the Muslim minority in the
Arakan state of Myanmar have been ongoing since last year.
Nambiar indicated that, according
to the government’s figures, around 100 people lost their lives in the events
last June, but other sources claim that the death toll was much higher.
Emphasizing that the approximeatly
1.5 million Rohingya Muslims have been struggling with problems over the last
60 years, Nambiar stated:
“The Myanmar government must
solve the problems of the Rohingya Muslims problems as part of the
democratization process. If this problem is not resolved on the basis of
equality, the whole reform process will be negatively affected. First the
physical problems of these people should be solved, their security should be
guaranteed, and they should be allowed to return to the places they were forced
to leave. The government should then make arrangements so that these two
communities can live in peace arrangements. But since tensions are still high
in the region, displaced persons will have to remain in camps for a while.''
Stressing that the support of the
international community was needed for humanitarian assistance, Nambiar
explained that political pressure on the Myanmar government could also be
effective.
Suggesting that regional
countries and the international community also had a role in resolving the
problem, Vijay Nambiar mentioned that countries in the region sometimes do not
accept Muslims who fled Arakan.
Meanwhile, the RISE advocacy
groups has also called on other refugee advocacy groups to be more active in
denouncing Paris Aristotle, Director of the Victorian Foundation for Survivors
of Torture Inc, who has built his career as a self-proclaimed refugee advocate.
Aristotle has called on the
Australian Parliament to reassess the ''template'' for asylum seekers and
refugees outlined in the Houston report devised by a panel chaired by former
defence chief, Air Chief Marshall Angus Houston, and to reconsider the Malaysia
swap deal.
The Melbourne Anti-Deportation
Campaign has responded to the Houston report by condemning “the absolute
hollowness of the moral considerations that are presented as justifying an
aggressive campaign of regional policy and border control.”
The response report denounces the
Houston report for “provid[ing] justification for the undertaking of
misconceived deportations” and for how “In a bizarre feat of ‘humanitarianism’
the proposals made by the [Houston] Report make it not only admissible, but
advisable to act in order to prevent family reunions for refugees.”