BROUK ADDRESSES ETHNIC CLEANSING ON ROHINGYA AT BRITISH PARLIAMENT

BROUK ADDRESSES ETHNIC CLEANSING ON ROHINGYA AT BRITISH PARLIAMENT

December 10, 2012

The President of the Burmese Rohingya Organization UK (BROUK), Tun Khin, presented evidence of the ethnic cleansing committed against Rohingyas in Arakan State at a meeting in the British Parliament today. The meeting was chaired by Baroness Kinnock, Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Democracy in Burma, and focused on the current crisis in Arakan State, Burma. Baroness Uddin, Lord Nazir Ahmed, Friends of Burma, British NGOs and other activists attended at the Parliament

At the meeting Melanie Teff from Refugees International, Mabrur Ahmed from Restless Beings highlighted the issues facing by Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, the 1982 Burmese citizenship law and the role that international actors should play to defend the human rights of the Rohingya. Phil Rees, Reporter and TV-producer – former foreign correspondent and senior producer at the BBC explained and shown” documentary “Hidden Genocide”.

Tun Khin told the parliamentary meeting that ethnic cleansing against Rohingyas is well planned by State government and Central government to eliminate Rohingyas of Arakan. Despite international outcries the Burmese government is trying to use the discriminatory “Burma Citizenship Law of 1982” to give the impression that they will provide citizenship to the Rohingya, but in fact they are putting in place requirements that the Rohingya people cannot meet, since most of their documents were burned in the recent violence. Tun Khin also highlighted Security Forces and Rakhines poured poison in many lakes of Buthidaung and Maungdaw. More than 10 Rohingyas were sentenced to jail 10 yrs and Government authorities not allowing to hire Lawyers for arrested Rohingyas.

BROUK received information from the ground that more than 300,000 Rohingya are trapped in their homes and villages, unable to go to clinic, school or buy food because of ongoing attacks and threats against them. BROUK is already receiving reports of babies dying from malnutrition. The Burmese Government is implementing her own ethnic cleansing policy, using starvation instead of bullets to kill Rohingya men, women and children. There is no safety and security for Rohingyas in Arakan. Rohingyas in Arakan are still in danger and anytime could face attacks from security forces and Rakhine.

President Thein Sein’s government is failing to protect its Rohingya population the “responsibility to protect” them or the duty to prevent and halt mass atrocities, now lies with the international community. President of Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK Tun Khin urged UK government and international community to do the following;

1. Put pressure on the Burmese government to stop all violence and intimidation against the Rohingya and to resettle Rohingya IDPs to their origin.

2. Support sending a UN Peacekeeping Force and international observers to Arakan State.

3. Ensure unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid to the victims.

4. Support the establishment of a UN Commission of Inquiry in order to establish the true facts and bring those responsible to justice.

5. Put pressure on the government of Burma to repeal and replace the 1982 Burma Citizenship Law with a law in line with international law standards and human rights principles.

For more information, please contact Tun Khin +44 7888 714 866.