OIC and ARU Delegation Meets with the President of the United NationsHuman Rights Council Joachim Rücker

ARU Director General Appeals to the President for Special Session on Rohingya

Geneva -- Delegations of Organization of Islamic Cooperation and Arakan Rohingya Union meets with the President of the United Nations Human Rights Council Joachim Rücker at Palaisdes Nations in Geneva. The delegations were led by the Head of the Permanent Mission of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation at the United Nations in Geneva, H.E. Ambassador Slimane Chikh and accompanied by Dr. Wakar Uddin, the Director General of Arakan Rohingya Union, and Ms. Dina Madani of OIC in Geneva.

On behalf of OIC, H.E. Ambassador Slimane Chikh expressed great appreciation to President Rücker for the remarkable work done by the Human Right Council on Rohingya issues during the past several years. Ambassador Chikh commended the comprehensive and balanced reports on Rohingya human rights in Myanmar compiled by Special Rapporteurs Tomás OjeaQuintana and Yanghee Lee. Ms. Dina Madani discussed the increased role of OIC in United Nations Human Right Council General Debate session and the resolutions with regards to Rohingya issue.

Director General of Arakan Rohingya Union, Dr. Wakar Uddin,provided the recent development in Myanmar and in Southeast Asia and the lingering issues on the ground in Arakan state. Dr. Uddin stressed the continuous violation of human rights by the Government forces in Rohingya areas in Arakan, the dire situation in IDP camps, and the human traffickers preying upon the vulnerable IDPs that has led to boat people crisis and numerous death in trafficking camps where mass graves have been discovered. He has indicated that it is not only the political issue that Rohingya people are facing, but a grave humanitarian crisis that has spilled over from Arakan to the sea reaching as far as Andaman Sea and beyond. He has emphatically pointed out that urgent assistance is needed in these humanitarian crises. Dr. Uddin appealed to the President to deploy a mechanism exerting a stronger impact by the HRC resolutions on Rohingya issue in Myanmar. He also requested the President for inclusion of Rohingya human rights as a specific item in the General Debate of the upcoming HRC sessions or a special session in the main event.

President Joachim Rücker expressed sorrow over the plight of Rohingya and the displacement inside and outside Arakan and death toll the community has suffered. The President has discussed a number of avenues to have the Rohingya issue as a category in the General Debate or the Special Session along with the HRC Resolution for a greater impact on the Rohingya human rights. He has encouraged the OIC and ARU to continue to engage with the Human Rights Council, and advised Dr. Uddin to bring Rohingya issues in every opportunity at the upcoming HRC sessions in Geneva. President Rücker has assured the OIC and ARU delegation that the United Nations Human Rights Council is committed to resolve the Rohingya human right issues in Myanmar.