11th April 2009
Dear Chief Editor,
URGENT APPEAL TO THE ASEAN AND WORLD LEADERS TO SAVE ROHINGYAS.
Community Rohingyas Isslam pro-Democracy Organization(CRIPDO) is deeply concerned over the increase of the human rights abuses against Rohingyas in Arakan State of Burma in recent months. The situation of Rohingyas in Arakan State became worst after the International media highlighted Rohingya Boat People plight since December 2008. (The military regime continued to subject Rohingya and Muslims in Arakan State to harassment, arbitrary arrest, extortion, and religious persecution. In the current development, a Rohingya girl, identified as Hamida (16) was killed and hacked into three pieces by monks in Sittwe (Akyab), the capital of Arakan State on March 28, 2009. According to a local businessman, she was abducted from the street by the monks of Phayarr Gyi Ywar Gyima Taung monastery while she was returning home after completing work at the Rakhine teacher’s house. The businessman did not reveal what he had seen in front of the monastery, for fear of reprisal from the monks and the Rakhine community. The Rohingya villagers did not dare to file a case in the police station against the monks for fear of retaliation from the Rakhine community. However, no one has been arrested by police. The victim who stays with her sister was very poor and did not have any relatives, who could take up the case. Villagers were very surprised to see the body as the Buddhist monks never killed any human beings.
In the same month, it was reported that at least 10 houses belonging to Rohingyas were set fire and burnt into ashes by Rakhine mobs around Sindi Prang village of Buthidaung Township at night time. No action was taken against any culprits by the military regime. Further to this, the military regime has deployed hundreds of thousands of military forces into Arakan State which lead to excessive human rights abuses against Rohingyas.
On the other incidents, Na Sa Ka in Buthidaung Township, Arakan State, detained four mosque committee members in Phone Nyo Hlake village for extending the veranda of a mosque by nine inches. They were released a week later after paying a 3 million kyat bribe.
On 20th March 2009, Na Sa Ka in Maungdaw Township, Arakan State, arrested a 45-year-old local Rohingya for possessing a mobile phone charger. He was later released after paying a 500,000 kyat bribe.
MERHROM is deeply concerned over the way ASEAN countries have been handling the Rohingyas issue. There were suggestions from some ASEAN countries including Malaysia and Thailand to send Rohingyas back to Burma. This would only make our situation worst as we know exactly how we will be treated by the military regime once we are forcefully deported. This is a matter of life and death. The ASEAN countries cannot take peoples’ life for granted what more when the ASEAN have its own charter now that gives priority to its peoples.
We applaud the statement by the Singapore government that they will assist Rohingya refugees by providing humanitarian assistance so that they can depart for a third country. The Singapore Prime Minister, Lee Hsien Loong has made it clear that the problem should be addressed at the source and that ASEAN members should not export their problems to one another.
We appeal to the Malaysian government under the New Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and the ASEAN Leaders to carefully handle Rohingya issue and make sure that the Rohingyas in exile will not be sent back forcefully to the place where they would face persecution and prosecution. Although most ASEAN countries did not sign Refugee Convention 1951 and its 1967 Protocol, the ASEAN countries are binding to the Non-Refoulement principle.
According to the former Malaysian Foreign Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Rais Yatim, the ASEAN Secretariat is studying whether to return Rohingyas Refugees back to Burma or encourage the third countries to accept them. This is worrying as the first option, returning Rohingyas to Burma seems to be the main agenda of the ASEAN Leaders. This cannot happen as there will be repercussion on Rohingyas. The military regime had announced clearly that Rohingyas are not the citizen of Burma. They further stated that the Rohingyas are darked skin and as ugly as ogres. This is disgrace to the human being as we are the creation of Almighty GOD. The military regime stated that they will only accept Rohingyas if they admit that they are Bengali and their status are still non citizen. This cannot happen as the Rohingyas are not Bengali. Rohingyas has its own language and culture which is different from Bengali.
Further to this, Rohingyas had existed in Arakan State since 7th century before Burma ruler took over. We cannot change the fact.
According to Datuk Seri Dr. Rais Yatim, a total of 144 Rohingyas in Malaysia were sent to other countries between 2003-2008. This show the lack of commitment and political will of UNHCR and third countries / Resettlement countries though UNHCR and the World Leaders are fully aware the plight of Rohingyas in Burma and why we became refugees. The main reason remains Rohingyas are Muslim.
Although the military regime agreed to cooperate with the Asean Secretariat for data and information collection as the first step to resolving the Rohingya refugee problem, we are afraid of what kind of information will be provided by them. We recommend that the ASEAN Leaders to visit Arakan State and to get the accurate information on situation of Rohingyas from the Rohingyas themselves. We also recommend that the ASEAN Secretariat to consult the regional and international human rights organizations who have done many research on Rohingyas in order to get accurate and non-bias information.
The visit by the United Nation High Commissioner for Refugees, Antonio Guterres to the Arakan State on March 7, 2009 revealed the real situation of Rohinyas though he did not say much to the media about his visit. On the basis of his observations and the discussions held, the High Commissioner came to the conclusion that UNHCR’s current level of activities in northern Rakhine State does not correspond to the actual needs and a decision was taken to upgrade the program with immediate effect.
We welcome the move by the ASEAN Leaders to discuss the Rohingyas issue at the Bali Process scheduled for 14-15 April. However we would like to emphasize that the Rohingyas issue is not just relating to Human Trafficking but there is more to it. The discussion must be broader, especially focusing on the recognition of Rohingyas as citizen as well as addressing the ways to stop gross human rights abuses against Rohingyas. The ASEAN Leaders must recognize that Rohingyas are very in need of the International protection as refugees.
We also call on the UNHCR and the Resettlement countries not to discriminate Rohingyas in the Resettlement program as we are also recognized refugees who need the same protection. At the same time we call the ASEAN and World Leaders for more comprehensive and effective intervention in Burma.
Thank you.
Yours sincerely,
Mustafa kamal
President
Community Rohingyas Isslam pro-Democracy Organization(CRIPDO)(CRIPDO)
htp://www.cripdo.webs.com
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