ARU Demands the Government of Myanmar to Enforce the Rule of Law in Arakan and Provide Protection to Rohingya and the Humanitarian Workers

Arakan Rohingya Union Demands the Government of Myanmar to Enforce the Rule of Law in Arakan and Provide Protection to Rohingya and the Humanitarian Workers

March 31, 2014

Arakan Rohingya Union (ARU) and Rohingya people worldwide demand the Government of Myanmar to enforce its rule of law in Arakan state to the fullest and allow the census process to be completed in a fair and just manner that complies with international standard.

• The Government of Myanmar must not bow to any pressure from radical groups or the state and local officials in Arakan who violate the rule of law.
• The Government of Myanmar must recognize the rights of Rohingya people and allow them to express their ethnic identity just as it recognizes the other ethnic minority groups. Rohingya people have every right to self-determination and the right to retain their ethnic name in the census and the political process.
• The Government of Myanmar must not tolerate violation of the rule of law and intimidation or abuse of Rohingya ethnic groups by the government officials, census enumerators, or any radical groups.
• The Government of Myanmar must explain to the international donors of the census and the international community for not including Rohingya enumerators in census process in Rohingya areas in Arakan state.
• The Government of Myanmar must prosecute the officials and the enumerators who fraudulently and incorrectly fill in or replace the original ethnic name “Rohingya” with Bengali, Kalar, or any other derogatory name.
• The Government of Myanmar must allow all the INGOs and NGOs to return to their respective locations in Arakan state to continue their humanitarian and relief work for all the affected people in Arakan with full security provided to them. The Government must prosecute the mobs that cause harms, security threat, and intimidation to humanitarian workers in Arakan.
• The Government of Myanmar bears solemn responsibility for the safety and well-being of the INGOs, NGOs, and the ethnic Rohingya, irrespective of their race, religion and cultural attributes.