ARU DIRECTOR GENERAL ADDRESSES THE OIC MINISTERIAL CONTACT GROUP AT UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

During the General Assembly convened September 26-28 at the United Nations in New York, the OIC Ministerial Contact Group Meeting on Rohingya issue was one of the events that received widespread attention from many delegates from around the world. The meeting was presided by the OIC Secretary General HE Prof. Dr. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, and the participants were OIC Ambassador to the United Nations, HE Ufuk Gokcen, several delegates from OIC member states, and ARU Director General Prof. Dr. Wakar Uddin. In his keynote speech, Secretary General HE Prof. Dr. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu detailed all the developments in Rohingya issues at the OIC starting from the Rohingya Convention on May 31, 2011, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to the recent engagement with Myanmar Government on situation on the ground in Rohingya regions in Arakan state in Myanmar.

The Secretary General also provided the details of the Resolution No. 4/38-MM that was passed unanimously by the member states calling on Myanmar Government to address all the plights of Rohingya and the OIC recognizing the Arakan Rohingya Union that represents Rohingya people worldwide. Following the keynote speech by the Secretary General, ARU Director General Prof. Dr. Wakar Uddin addressed the delegates emphasizing the most serious issues that the Rohingya people are currently facing in Arakan, particularly the atrocities and violence by the Myanmar police force that are committing against Rohingya people, rape cases, and the dire humanitarian situations in Rohingya camps and villages in several townships. Dr. Uddin appealed the OIC members states and the international community to have a strong coordination with U.S. Government and the member countries of United Nations to pressure Myanmar Government to address the current humanitarian issues urgently and the lingering citizenship issue. 

Dr. Uddin also appealed the member states to lobby United Nations for appointment of an independent Commission of Inquiry to replace the Myanmar Government appointed Commission of Inquiry that is seriously tainted because of the inclusion of Rakhine masterminds of the recent violence and exclusion of Rohingya leaders in Myanmar in the government’s commission. Further, as longterm objectives for advancement of young generations of Rohingya, Dr. Uddin urged the OIC member states to host Rohingya students in the institutions of higher education in their countries and also development of an educational foundation at OIC for unprivileged Rohingya students. He stressed that this foundation is needed to address the needs of Rohingya students as they have certian specific needs. Several OIC member states, particularly Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt, Senegal, Djibuti, Indonesia, and Afghanistan echoed the statements that Dr. Uddin made in his appeals. Malaysian delegate stressed the engagement of Rohingya with Myanmar Government and Rakhine ethnic group with dialogue. Foreign Minister of Bangladesh, Dr. Dipu Moni, expressed deep sympathy for Rohingya victims and showed strong supports for Rohingya people through diplomacy. 

Dr. Moni explained that the stalling of Rohingya refugee repatriation to their native Arakan in Myanmar is due to some political reasons emerged recently in both countries. Dr. Uddin was given the floor for the second time to make the final statement, and he expressed the deep gratitude by Rohingya people to OIC member states, the Muslim Umma, and the international community for their sympathy and relentless support for the Rohingya victims. “Bangladesh is a neighboring Muslim country to Myanmar, and supports from people and the Government of Bangladesh for Rohingya people is of paramount importance while the government of Bangladesh maintains a healthy diplomatic relation with the government of Myanmar” Dr. Uddin concluded.

RB News Desk