Press Release: UN intervention is the only viable solution in Rohingya situation

Arakan Rohingya National Organisation (ARNO)

UN intervention is the only viable solution in Rohingya situation

For more than 6 weeks the innocent and peaceful-living Rohingyas have been made systematic targets of wholesale destruction, killing, raping and looting and arson attacks. The Myanmar military and security forces have killed more than 500 people, raped hundreds of women, burned down over 2500 houses, destroyed mosques and religious schools, and perpetrated other inhuman acts.

While the persecution against Rohingya has been callous, persistent and recurring again and again for many decades -- causing refugee problem and boat people crisis that pose regional instability and threat to international peace security -- the Myanmar Government has manifestly failed to protect them, and Nobel Peace Prize Winner State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi is personally complicit and officially guilty in making Rohingyas’ plight worse. 

As outlined in Articles 6 and 7 of the Rome Statute, well documented reports and videos confirm that genocide and crimes against humanity (including ethnic cleansing) have been committed against Rohingyas by the Myanmar Government. 

Due to ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity, the Rohingyas are fleeing to Bangladesh for a temporary shelter to save their lives. They strongly desire to return to their ancestral homeland of Arakan as soon as possible and live a life in peaceful-coexistence with other ethnic groups, as responsible citizens of Myanmar, rather than to live in humiliation as refugees in alien lands. 

But it is frustrating that United Nations, powerful countries and Myanmar neighbours, have taken no concrete step to response to the serious humanitarian needs of the helpless Rohingyas and to stop the ongoing genocide against them. 

The Rohingya are hated, rejected, persecuted, annihilated and killed, and are treated as non-nationals. They do not enjoy any legal rights under Myanmar law and so do not have any redress in Myanmar. Therefore, the international Community should intervene in the matter. Particularly the UN intervention, on the grounds of humanitarianism with the specific purpose of preventing or alleviating widespread suffering or death of ethnic Rohingya with full security, is the only viable option left over to protect and save over a million of innocent lives. It seems implausible that the Rohingya would have any other redress except via the UN intervention.

We, therefore, urge upon the UN and international community for urgent intervention in the case of well documented genocide against the Myanmar’s Muslim Rohingya ethnic minority to protect and save the lives of more than one million of innocent people. We also urge for an impartial international investigation into the crimes against Rohingyas, and for urgent humanitarian aids to the needy. 

For more details, please contact: 

U.K.: Ronnie +44-7783118354 

Japan: Zaw Min Htut +81-8030835327

Australia: Dr. Hla Myint +61-423381904

USA: Dr. Habib Ullah +1-4438158609

Canada: Nur Hasim +1 (519) 572-5359

Bangladesh: Ko Ko Linn +880-1726068413

Email: info@rohingya.org 

www.rohingya.org