The Rohingya crisis demands more than statements and concern
MYANMAR Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organisation in Malaysia (MERHROM) urges the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), super power countries, European Union (EU), the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the international community and ASEAN to immediately take appropriate measures to end genocidal attacks against the remaining minority Rohingya in Buthidaung and Maungdaw Township.
We received information that many houses were bombed and destroyed, leaving many Rohingya villagers injured without treatment, and they were homeless and without food. We are not sure the number of deaths so far. The communication is strictly limited due to the internet shutdown by the Myanmar military in Rakhine State. This is to prevent the villagers from sending information out to the world.
The failure of the United Nations and ASEAN to act fast will only worsening the situation in Rakhine State, which is already at the worst state. For many decades, we have had enough evidence that both the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army (AA) have committed genocidal attacks against the Rohingya for many years. Both must be held accountable for committing genocide against the Rohingya. Both also did not accept the Rohingya as one of the ethnics in Myanmar. This puts Rohingya lives at constant risk and danger.
Why did the Rohingya become the target of both parties during their war? Obviously, both the military and AA purposely expelled the Rohingya to leave their homeland. Where will they go? Living in dire situations as internally displaced persons without food, water and basic needs will force them to die soon.
MERHROM appeal to the United Nations to send a UN peacekeeping force to the affected areas to ensure the safety of the population. The timely interventions and international support to the people of Myanmar are very crucial at this time and the delayed actions will definitely sacrifice more lives than ever. The military must be made accountable for the Genocide and atrocities without further delay. The ICJ and ICC processes must be ongoing in whatever situation in order to deliver justice to the victims of Genocide and the people of Myanmar.
ASEAN must protect the ASEAN community from ongoing genocide and atrocities in Myanmar. ASEAN cannot fail the people of Myanmar again and again. We need your intervention to save our lives. The current situation in Myanmar is worsening with ongoing Genocide, bombing, killings, rape, torture, arrest etc.
How do we define the future of ASEAN when millions of the ASEAN community have lost their future due to ongoing genocide and persecution? ASEAN must deal with the situation in Myanmar due to its huge impact on the ASEAN member states. While ASEAN practices the non-interference policy, ASEAN must intervene when the internal issues impact the ASEAN member states. ASEAN must intervene timely and strategically to resolve the Myanmar issues, as there is no sign that Myanmar will return to normalcy.
Recognising ASEAN is committed to the purposes and principles enshrined in the ASEAN Charter, including adherence to the rule of law, good governance, the principles of democracy and constitutional government, respect for fundamental freedoms, and the promotion and protection of human rights, we hope there will be a future for the rest of the ASEAN community. As much as ASEAN and the International community want the Rohingya to return to Myanmar, the root cause of our problem must be⁶ resolved.
The Rohingya Genocide must end and we must be granted citizenship to allow us to return home in a voluntary, safe and dignified manner. The Rohingya cannot live indefinitely in IDP camps, refugee camps, or detention camps in exile. This is a gross human rights violation and unacceptable. For this, we need continued intervention and political will by the international community.
While the Rohingya continued to face genocidal attack back home, we request the ASEAN member states to take greater action to stop hate campaigns, hate speech, misinformation, fake news, xenophobia and Islamophobia targeting the Rohingya refugees. This only puts Rohingya lives at risk that led to hate crimes.
Hate campaign, Hate Speech, Misinformation, Fake news, Xenophobia, and Islamophobia do not affect only the Rohingya Genocide survivors, but also the society and the future generation of a nation. We cannot deny their lives, faith and dignity under UDHR. All human beings are born free and equal with dignity and rights.
Timely interventions and an international response to the affected Rohingya are very crucial during this time. Delayed actions only sacrifice more lives than ever. As hate speech and disinformation escalate massively, it is even scarier to imagine their impact, particularly on the Rohingya. Currently, many Rohingya refugees have been evacuated following the hate campaign. Many Rohingya community schools and Islamic religious schools, or Madrasah, were closed by the authorities. Many were fired and became jobless. We cannot expect what will happen next. This is worrying as children were denied rights to basic education.
MERHROM calls upon the United Nations, European Union (EU), the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), ASEAN, world leaders, civil society organisations, faith-based organisations, community-based organizations and the international community to increase efforts to end conflict, war and genocide and continue their support to all refugees around the world particularly in building our resilient to face various challenges as refugees living in exile while waiting for a durable solution to come.
MERHROM calls upon stakeholders to ensure the rights to education for all children, including refugee children, to prepare us to return home when conditions allow us to do so. Education will also help refugees in the resettlement process to a third country. For the Rohingya refugees who were made stateless by the Myanmar junta, the only durable solution for us is the resettlement to a third country. Therefore, we request that the resettlement countries increase the quota for the Rohingya for resettlement, as we are facing ongoing genocide back home and due to our stateless status.
Our only hope is safety and dignity. Becoming refugees doesn’t mean we became less human than you. In front of God, we are the same regardless your status. Spreading fake news and slander are prohibited not only in Islam but in all religions. Why do we normalise this?
Finally, the Myanmar military and Arakan Army (AA) must be held accountable for the Rohingya genocide without further delay. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the International Criminal Court (ICC) processes must be ongoing in whatever situation in order to deliver justice to the victims of the Rohingya Genocide.
We truly need your voice as we are voiceless. We need your voice and immediate interventions to end the genocide and atrocities in Myanmar and help us to restore democracy in Myanmar. As you are aware, there are lots of ongoing hate campaign, hate speech, misinformation, fake news, xenophobia, Islamophobia, Anti-Rohingya Campaign in Myanmar and across the Asean region.
“JUSTICE DELAYED IS JUSTICE DENIED”.
Zafar Ahmad Abdul Ghani,
President
Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organisation in Malaysia (MERHROM)
