By M.S. Anwar
Wednesday, April 8, 2014
Ethnic Rohingyas Demonstrating in Kuala Lumpur this morning (Photo: Saifullah)
Kuala Lumpur (KL), Malaysia- In the wake of exclusion of ‘Rohingya’ ethnic identity in the ongoing population census in Myanmar (Burma) and dire Humanitarian Crises that internally displaced Rohingyas in Myanmar’s western state, Arakan, have been facing post the expulsion of the Aid Groups from the state, Rohingya community in Malaysia appeal International Community to press Myanmar’ regime to protect the ethnic identity of ‘Rohingya’ and to quell the genocidal violence against them going on since June 2012.
A demonstration by around hundred Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar was held in Kuala Lumpur at 10AM today. It was led by Mohammd Sadek, a prominent Rohingya activist in Malaysia and program coordinator of Rohingya Arakanese Refugee Committee (RARC), Mohammed Rafique, Chairman of Ethnic Rohingya Committee of Arakan and Ustaz Jaber, President of Majilis Ulama Rohingya (MUR).
A memorandum signed by Mohammed Sadek, Mohammed Rafique, Uztaz Jaber and Zafar Ahmed, President of Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organization in Malaysia (MERHROM), was submitted to the Embassy of United States, French Embassy, Embassy of Russian Federation, Embassy of the People’s Republic of China, British High Commission, EU Bar Council and UN Residence Coordinator in Malaysia respectively. The memorandum appeals international community to take the followig measures:
1) To push United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to send UN Peacekeeping mission to Arakan state so as to prevent the genocide against Rohingyas and other Muslims
2) To exert pressure on Myanmar regime to re-conduct population census according to international standards and allow Rohingya to self-identify their ethnicity
3) To withdraw supports to the Myanmar regime for the ongoing census and to protect indigenous Rohingya community and other ethnic minorities.
(Memorandum attached)memorandum
Thousands of Rohingya Muslims have been killed and more than 140,000 have been internally displaced since the state-sponsored genocide began in June 2012. On 27th March 2014, several International NGO offices were attacked and subsequently, more than 170 Aid Workers were forced out of the Arakan state (today called Rakhine state) by the marauding Rakhine mobs. All of them as well as other Rohingyas in many affected areas in Arakan were reliant on these NGOs. Experts say drastic humanitarian crises are awaiting internally displaced Rohingyas in Myanmar’s western state, Arakan.
Rohingya Activists Submitting Memorandum to Chinese Emabassy (Photo: Saifullah)
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