EU Parliament calls for end of human rights violations against Rohingya Muslims

Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)
June 13, 2013

The European Parliament Thursday passed a resolution condemning the "grave violations of human rights and the violence perpetrated against Rohingya Muslims in Burma/Myanmar." The resolution urges the government and the whole of Burmese/Myanmar society " to act immediately to end the human rights abuses against the Rohingya Muslims and to bring the perpetrators of the violent attacks and other related abuses to justice." It calls on the Myanmar government to stop discriminatory policies against the Rohingya Muslims such as the two child regulation. The EP for an investigation into the allegations that members of Burmese security forces participated in the violence.

While recognising the steps to introduce democratic reforms over the past year, the EP urges the government in Myanmar to continue implementing solutions to the underlying causes of the tensions, including measures to address the status of the Rohingya.

Meanwhile, British Member of Parliament, Sajjad Karim, who drafted the resolution expressed his delight over its adoption by the European Parliament. "This is a further step towards putting greater pressure on President U Thein Sein and to force him to stop the atrocities being carried out in his country," he said in press statements.

"State sponsored violence, mass expulsions and a complete disregard of humanity has no place in our world, let alone in a country seeking to be recognised as fully democratic," said Karim.

"My colleagues and I in the EU are working hard to ensure the plight of the Rohingya Muslims is not forgotten and enough aid, medical supplies and support is being sent to the regions which need it most. But we also call upon countries in the region to step up and assist in the aid delivery," he said.

Karim noted that since the election of Burma's President U Thein Sein in March 2011, sectarian violence in the region has erupted and has forced over 1million Rohingya Muslims to flee the country. The community are denied basic human rights and are classed as 'stateless' due to the government's refusal to recognise the minority.