BROUK Appeal to World body to put pressure on President Thein Sein’s Rohingya ethnic cleansing proposal
Today, Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK appeals to world leaders at the UN General Assembly to put pressure on President Thein Sein following his proposal to remove all Rohingya people from Burma and place them in third countries.
After President Thein Sein's proposal, Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK (BROUK) has received reports till today that there have been mass arrests with Rohingya people kept in detention camps without trial, without food or medical services. More than 100,000 people were internally displaced, and for a significant period the vast majority was not receiving assistance because they are ethnic Rohingya. Unacceptable restrictions still remain, and the government is also failing to provide sufficient security for aid workers assisting Rohingya who have been threatened. Local authorities are refusing to allow many Rohingya people back to some villages, shops and homes in a policy that appears designed to ‘cleanse’ these areas of Rohingya people. There are some reports of mass graves in Maungdaw and Buthidaung Townships, Arakan State.
It is clear that what has taken place is very serious indeed. The United Nations, Organisation of Islamic Co-operation, and many individual governments, have all called for an independent investigation into what has and continues to take place. While the government has allowed some diplomats to visit the area, these visits have faced severe restrictions by the government of Burma, and there have been reports that Rohingya community leaders have been detained before hand to prevent them from meeting diplomats. The government of Burma has established its own investigation, but there are no Rohingya members of the investigation, and some members have masterminded recent violence in Arakan and stated that they think all Rohingya should be expelled from Burma.
Following restrictions placed upon the OIC and other investigators, and the failure of the government of Burma to establish a credible independent investigation, it has become clear that for an independent investigation to take place, it will have to be under the support of the United Nations, and with a strong mandate from the United Nations General Assembly.
During President Thein Sein’s trip to New York for the UN General Assembly meeting, the United States Government and world leaders should be clear that more decisive action is needed to fulfill Burma’s international obligation to protect the Rohingya. It is very clear that President Thein Sein's reforms are not genuine and just to show to the international community to ease sanctions. There are serious human rights violations going on in ethnic areas which are worse than under the previous dictator Than Shwe. The world leaders must not ignore ethnic cleansing of Rohingya Muslims and other ethnic groups such as Kachin and Chin Christians. It is too early to remove sanctions as Thein Sein's government is practicing ethnic cleansing on ethnic areas.
BROUK President Tun Khin said, “After the violence more than one thousand Rohingyas were arrested and many of them were killed and disappeared. During the last few days, the police have prepared new warrant lists to arrest Rohingyas from the villages of surrounding Maungdaw Town, Arakan State. This is a new strategy of President Thein Sein to eliminate Rohingyas from Arakan. We Rohingyas need urgent safety, security and humanitarian aid in Arakan State”
President of BROUK also said “We appeal to world leaders to put pressure on President Thein Sein to provide safety and security and to restore Rohingya ethnic rights and citizenship rights. We also appeal to world leaders to ensure strong wording in the UN General Assembly Resolution on Burma, including reform of the 1982 Citizenship Law and the establishment of a UN Commission of Inquiry into what has taken place in Arakan State.”
For more information, please contact Tun Khin +44 7888 714 866.
