Burmese American Muslims Association’s Statement on Thandwe Violence

Burmese American Muslims Association’s Statement on Thandwe Violence

Press Statement (1/13) 

Date: 10/01/2013

Ongoing and Recent Anti-Muslims violence took place in Rakhine State, Thandwe Township of Burma, in front of the bare eyes of the law enforcement agencies of Burmese Government in broad daylight. The Burmese government’s failed governance has reach to the level that innocent lives were lost, places of worship and homes were burnt down and thousands of people became refugees in their own country. The attacks are targeting to the Muslim community only.

Taking into accounts of all the crimes committed against the Muslim population of Burma and based on the United Nation’s Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide Article II, the crimes against humanity in Burma (Myanmar) have already reached to the level of genocide.

Therefore, we, the Burmese American Muslims Association is seriously concerned about the livelihood of Muslim minority as well as the other oppressed minorities in Burma and would like to demand the following;

1. BAMA, in the strongest term, condemns the genocidal violence against the Muslim population of Burma (Myanmar). We demand the Government of Myanmar (Burma) to protect the Muslims in Burma (Myanmar) to the fullest extent and bring the rule of law to the land that it governs.

2. The Government of Myanmar must bring the perpetrators of the crimes targeting the Muslim population of Myanmar to justice.

3. The Government of Myanmar must give the international team of investigators complete access to all the areas in Myanmar that are affected by the violence.

4. The Government of Myanmar must return the land and properties of the displaced people, and must allow the restoration and rebuilding of their properties and places of worship immediately. The Government of Myanmar must permanently lift the closure of the Muslims’ places of worship in Rakhine state and all around Myanmar.

5. We appeal the Government of the United States and the European Union to designate 969 and Rakhine Ultra Nationalist group that instigate hate and commit violence against Muslims in Myanmar as a terrorist network, and impose sanctions on individuals associated with 969 terror network.

6. BAMA strongly urges the international community to fully cooperate with the legal experts in launching an investigation to the genocide committed by the officials in the government of Myanmar in association with the extremist Buddhist elements, to pave the way to proceed to the International Criminal Court.