ARNO welcomes OIC Secretary General’s call for international intervention

(PRESS RELEASE)
Arakan Rohingya National Organisation (ARNO) has welcomed the efforts of the Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Ekmeleddin Uhsanoglu “calling on the Myanmar government to order an immediate probe into the slaughtering of Rohingya Muslims as well as to bring those responsible to justice”, and “to ensure the legitimate rights of the minority Muslims and put an end to the suffering they have been experiencing for years”.

“The Secretary General is making intensive efforts at global level to exert pressure on Myanmar to take steps to end the ordeal of the Rohingya community. Efforts are underway through the offices of OIC in Geneva, New York, and Brussels to facilitate international intervention in the issue. The OIC is also in touch with the United Nations, UN Human Rights Council, European Union and other international organizations to halt the worst humanitarian crisis in Myanmar”. Recently the Secretary General Ishanoglu also sent a letter to Burma’s prodemocracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi urging her to help end the violence against the Rohingya community.

Burmese government has, so far, taken no positive step to end the sufferings of the Rohingyas. Yesterday, on 7th July 2012, a 34 member parliamentary team -- consisting of no local or Rohingya MPs who even belong to the ruling party -- headed by Speaker Thura Shwe Mann visited Maungdaw township, Arakan State, where 95% population is Rohingya. But they discriminately met with Buddhist community and their monks and distributed relief and succour to them. They neither met with the Muslim Rohingyas nor gave any help to them. Over the above, in order to prevent reaching help to the Rohingya victims the international NGOs are denied to distribute humanitarian aids in North Arakan.


Killing, arrest, rape, extortion, destruction and confiscation of properties by government’s army police, paramilitary, Buddhist Rakhine militias and goons are continuing unabated. There is serious humanitarian crisis and Rohingyas are daily dying of starvation. Those with bullet injuries and disease are in acute mental and physical pain without medical care and treatment. Drowning of Rohingyas fleeing persecution in Kaladan River, Naf River and Bay of Bengal has been reported.

Urgent international humanitarian intervention is the only option to prevent and alleviate the widespread suffering, death, arrest, rape, extortion and destruction of the defenceless Rohingya people.