- Hits: 3612
In the aftermath of the coup, the fascist military junta continued to mistreat Myanmar’s Muslim population, including the Rohingya, using the same policy as in the past. It was found that the religious buildings of Christian and Muslim other religious minorities had become targets of the junta, which the people of Myanmar called as “Fascist Army”.
The military is spreading misinformation against the National Unity Government (NUG) which was formed as a parallel government after the coup. The military’s propaganda machine said the NUG and ethnic armed groups are working to establish a federal army that will support the establishment of a Muslim state in Myanmar.
- Hits: 3719
We, 488 Myanmar civil society organisations, express our deep disappointment at the lack of action by the UN Security Council, despite repeated and vehement calls by civil society organisations to take swift action to protect the people of Myanmar from the brutal military regime. We condemn Russia, India, Vietnam, and China’s stance at the UN Security Council, and strongly condemn China’s position, which diminishes the role and responsibility of the United Nations and the international community to act to prevent the Myanmar military junta from committing further atrocities against the people.
On 10 March, the United States as the President of the UN Security Council issued a statement condemning the violence against peaceful protesters after the Council’s closed-door meeting on the situation in Myanmar. According to reporting by Reuters, the draft version of the Council’s statement included language that condemned the military coup and indicated that the Council would be ready “to consider possible further measures”. We note with deep disappointment that this statement could not be issued due to disagreement from China, Russia, India and Vietnam. Sadly, this shows the UNSC’s inability to take any meaningful action.
- Hits: 3294
The Indonesian Ambassador to Myanmar H.E. Iza Fadri, made statements on 6 July 2020 in RMOLACEH[1] online news site about the recent arrivals of Rohingya people to Aceh.
In his statement the Ambassador failed to mention the root causes of the Rohingya people’s flights to countries in the region, including Indonesia. The Ambassador perpetuated the fairy tale espoused by the genocidal junta in Myanmar. Specifically, the Ambassador mentioned that the Rohingya did not come from Arakan/Rakhine State (Myanmar) but from Bangladesh refugee camps, and that they are British time settlers as most of them could not speak Myanmar language.
- Hits: 4281
ASEAN Civil Societies and Rohingya Organisations Issue A Joint Statement on ASEAN – ERAT Preliminary Needs Assessment for Repatriation in Rakhine State, Myanmar
In response to the recent leaked report from ASEAN’s Emergency Response and Action Team (ERAT), a ‘preliminary needs assessment’ which drastically overestimated the ease and equity with which Rohingya can return to Burma, we (Civil Societies from ASEAN and Rohingya Organisations) call upon leaders and representatives from ASEAN nations to insist upon re-evaluation, re-planning, and work towards implementation of a just and safe plan for the Rohingya.
The report at times reads more as if it is designed to please the Government of Myanmar than a product from members of a reputable institution. There is no mention of the well documented genocide perpetrated by the Myanmar security forces that drove 740, 000 Rohingya to Bangladesh in 2017. There is no mention of rape, murder, torture, killing of children and the burning of homes. There is no mention of the hundreds of villages burnt as documented in satellite images by HRW and the UN, as well as from first person accounts. Instead, the report consists of a summary of the technical details of the return process with some minor technical recommendations. Myanmar appears to want to create a new narrative that the conflict was inter-ethnic, that they are ready to accept returnees, conditions are conducive to do so, and that the only obstacle for return is Bangladesh. It seems as if the report was done to help ASEAN member countries to ignore the hurt, pain, harm, loss of lives, loss of dignity caused to the Rohinyga people. This is an erasure of facts. Those agreeing with the report, including ASEAN member countries, will be complicit in this lie. This report will become the cornerstone of the Government of Myanmar’s stance. We say that ASEAN’s credibility is on the line unless they reject the report and distance themselves from it.