INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE PLIGHT OF THE ROHINGYA : SOLUTIONS? 17 September 2012 Kuala Lumpur RESOLUTION The issues surrounding the Rohingyas are not happening now but very long time ago since 1940s. However only in June 2012 the outside world knows what exactly the Rohingyas in Arakan State of Myanmar went through over the decades. The Arakan States is like a prison for the Rohingyas where we cannot move freely even to the next village without the permission from the junta. No outsiders are allows to travel inside Arakan State. There is no media coverage in Arakan State even until now. Everything is covered up by the junta. The junta has turns the Arakan State into the darkest corner in the world. The ethnic cleansing policy towards the Rohingyas by the junta has caused thousands of Rohingyas has been murdered, abused, raped, tortured, arrested and detained for many years. We do not have the rights to redress for whatever abuses and human rights violations committed to us as we are not recognized as the citizen of Myanmar. The persecutions and prosecutions by the junta have caused millions of Rohingyas fled to the neighboring countries. Currently estimated 2 million Rohingyas are seeking refuge in countries such as Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. The Rohingyas are the origin people of Arakan State. We exist in Arakan State since 8th Century and we have a very long history with our Kingdom. However Burma invaded Arakan State in 1784 and since then the Rohingyas were under the tight control of Burma. In 1982 the military pass the Citizenship Law of Burma and the ethnic Rohingyas are excluded as citizen of Burma. Since then the Rohingyas become Stateless in our own homeland. The junta also change the Rohingya history in the history subject in school especially involvement of Rohingya Leaders before and after Burma Independent. Recently on 13 September 2012, the Myanmar Immigration Minister, Khin Ye announced that the Rohingyas born in Burma are eligible to apply for citizenship if at least two generations of their families have lived and died in the country. However there is no need for the Rohingyas to apply for the citizenship as we are the legitimate citizen of Burma @ Myanmar. He also referred Rohingyas as Bengalis from neighboring Bangladesh, were first brought to Burma as laborers during British occupation from 1824 until its independence in 1948. This is not true as we are not from Bangladesh, we do not speak the same language and our culture is different. Furthermore, Bangladesh government itself does not accept us as their citizen. Though the United Nations has announced that the Rohingyas are the most prosecuted ethnic in the world but the respective bodies such as the United Nations, OIC, and ASEAN are moving slow in addressing the whole issues. As a result, there are no changes for Rohingyas in Arakan State until now. What happen to the Rohingyas is not only the ethnic or religion issue but it is more than that. This is a very tragic humanitarian crisis caused by the ethnic cleansing policy by the junta. Therefore the Urgent Intervention from the United Nations Security Council, OIC, ASEAN, World Leaders, International Organizations as well as the International Communities as a whole is very crucial at this point of time and onwards. In Arakan, we cannot speak for ourselves as there will be repercussion on us. Therefore we need you to speak for us. Our liberty has been taken away. Therefore we need your liberty to promote ours. The real criminal which is the President Thien Sein and ex-General Than Shwe and General Kyin Nyunt must be brought to the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Three of them must be made accountable for their current and past human rights violations towards ethnic minority Rohingya. We look for a permanent Solution to our plight. However we cannot struggle alone. Therefore we need the Urgent Intervention from the outside world to change our fate. We cannot delay our ACTION as it will only allow more Rohingyas to die. Therefore we urge the United Nations, OIC, ASEAN, World Leaders, International Organizations and International Communities for the followings: 1. add more pressure to the junta to recognize ethnic Rohingya as a citizen of Burma with equal rights. The Citizenship Law 1982 must be change to ensure due recognition of the right to citizenship of the Rohingya in Burma 2. stop referring Rohingyas as Bengalis as we the ethnic Rohingya are the origin people of Arakan State 3. United Nations Security Council must send its Peace Keeping Mission to Arakan State urgently to stop and monitor the human rights violations 4. strong pressure to the junta to stop the ethnic cleansing towards ethnic Rohingya in Myanmar and Recognize Rohingya as citizen during upcoming United Nations General Assembly 5. the President Thien Sein and former General Than Shwe and General Kyin Nyunt must be brought to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for killing, raping, torturing, detaining and abusing ethnic Rohingya 6. pressure the Junta to release the Rohingyas who are detained during 1988 Demonstration. Previously they were detained in Buthidaung, Maungdaw and Sittwe Prisons but since the massacre on Rohingya they were moved to prisons in other states (Shan and Karen State) 7. the International Humanitarian Organizations must be allowed to provide urgent assistance to the Rohingyas especially for food, medical and shelter 8. stop the economic and political relationship with Burma until they resolve the conflict and recognized ethnic Rohingya as the citizen of Burma with equal rights. 9. the British government must be made accountable on the plight of Rohingya. The British government must come forward and explain to the world the Rohingya’s history in Burma. Thank you. Prepared by, Zafar Ahmad Bin Abdul Ghani President Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organization Malaysia (MERHROM) Tel No: +6016-6827287 Blog: merhrom.wordpress Email: [email protected] Email: rights4rohingyas@gmail https://facebook/zafar.ahmad https://twitter/merhromZafar
Posted on: Tue, 14 Oct 2014 01:25:34 +0000
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