OIC/Myanmar-Rohingya: a Convention of Senior Rohingya Leaders

By IINA– June 1, 2011Posted in: Articles

JEDDAH, 29 Jumada 2/June 1 (IINA)-The headquarters of the Organisationn of the Islamic Conference (OIC) in Jeddah, hosted a convention of the Senior Rohingya Leaders in order to bring peace, prosperity, and hope for the future to the Rohingya people.

• Based on resolution No. 4/37- MM, operative paragraph No.4, issued by the 37^th CFM session, which urged the Rohingya parties to cooperate and unite their ranks under a united coordination council and calls on them to continue their efforts to reclaim their rights. “Commends the efforts of the Secretary General aimed at coordinating the work of the Rohingya Muslim organizations and uniting their ranks under a united coordination council and calls on him to continue these efforts to reclaim their rights;”
• With reference to the MoU signed by the Senior Rohingya Leaders on June 8^th-9^th, 2010 under the patronage of H.E the Secretary General of OIC Prof. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, an expanded Convention was jointly convened by OIC and EBO with the participation of Eminent Rohingya Leaders on 30^th -31^st May, 2011. The ARU appeals to the OIC Secretary General to recognize the ARU as an independent organization representing the Rohingya people.
• Mr. Talal Daous, the Director of the Muslim Minorities and Communities Department represented the OIC Secretary General Prof. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu and Mr. Harn Yawnghwe represented the Euro-Burma Office in this Convention which was held at the Headquarters of the OIC General Secretariat. Participants agreed on the following:

1. The Convention has formed the Arakan Rohingya Union (ARU) to seek a political solution to the problems faced by the Rohingya people.
2. The ARU was formed on the agreed principles of an indivisible Arakan State, Peaceful Co-existence, Democracy and Human Rights, and Federalism.
3. The Convention agreed upon the establishment of an ARU Congress which is currently composed of 25 organizations.
4. The ARU Congress will seek to include representatives of all Rohingya organizations.
5. The Convention agreed upon the establishment of an ARU Council to oversee the affairs of the ARU.
6. The Convention confirms 10 members of the Council:
   1. Mr. Abul Faiz Jilani, Bangladesh
   2. Mr. Imum Ahmad, KSA
   3. Mr. Ko Ko Lin (Mohammed Kalim), Bangladesh
   4. Dr. Mohammed Yunus, Bangladesh
   5. Mr. Nurul Islam, UK
   6. Ustaz Salim Ullah, KSA
   7. Mr. Reza Uddin, USA
   8. Mr. Sayed Hussein, Norway
   9. Mr. Zaw Min Htut, Japan
   10. Dr. Muhammed Eyup Han, Turkey
7. The Council members are appointed for an initial term of one and a half years. Subsequent elections will take place at each annual Congress.
8. The Convention agreed upon the establishment of an Advisory Board. The four founding members and Dr. Wakar Uddin will decide on the membership of the Advisory Board which must be ratified by the Congress.
9. The Convention agreed upon the establishment of a Secretariat which will administer the affairs of the ARU.
10. The Convention elected Dr. Wakar Uddin, USA, as the Director General of the Secretariat for an initial period of 1 ½ years.
11. The Convention agreed to establish the following coordinators also for an initial period of 1 ½ years:

i)                     International Affairs – Maung Tun Khin, UK
ii)                   Fund Raising – Dr Mohammed Ali, UAE
iii)                  Domestic, Cultural & Education – Nezam (Ronnie), KSA
iv)                 Refugee Affairs – Abdul Hamid, Malaysia
v)                   Media and Information – Nurul Islam, Bangladesh

1. The Convention agreed to establish a Charter which will be drafted by the Director General, the four founding members, Mr. Zaw Min Htut, and Mr. Maung Tun Khin. The Congress will ratify the Charter at its first meeting.
2. The Convention agreed that the Arakan Rohingya Union (ARU) shall register itself as a non-profit organization in the USA.
3. The participants expressed their gratitude and appreciation for the efforts of the Secretary General of the OIC H.E. Prof. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, the department of the Muslim Minorities and Communities, and Mr. Harn Yawnghwe for convening this historic convention of the Senior Rohingya Leaders in order to bring peace, prosperity, and hope for the future to the Rohingya people.

AH/IINA
link:  http://iina.me/wp_en/?p=1003262