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ISNA Press Release & Statements

Please Act Now to Save Rohingyas

This week, the Burmese military began a massive troop build-up in Rohingya region, rapidly fanning fears of a major new “Clearance Operation” in Myanmar / Burma. The previous operation starting in October 2016 resulted in the death of 1,000 Rohingya, rape of 52% of all women surveyed by the UN, village burnings and atrocities. A high level of concern is being expressed not only by Rohingya leaders but by international rights monitors like Yanghee Lee, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on Burma. These troubling developments take place as a Burmese coalition of 20 political parties, led by the former governing military party (USDP), called on their government to declare to the international community that there is “no Rohingya ethnicity” in Burma. There are troubling reports that Buddhist militias are being trained and armed in the Rakhine State. On the other hand, Bangladesh has stepped up patrols on its border with Burma, to block Rohingyas, while India this week announced to expel 40,000 Rohingyas. Rohingya people are increasingly squeezed between two militaries intent on their erasure and displacement.

ACTION ALERT: Please Contact the Following

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson Department of State, 2201 C Street NW Washington DC 20520 Twitter: @Secy_State_US Main Switchboard 202-647-2663 British Foreign Minister Boris Johnson Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs King Charles Street London SW1A 2AH Twitter: @BorisJohnson Facebook: click here Canadian Foreign Minister The Honourable Chrystia Freeland MP: Phone: 613-996-5789 Twitter: @MinCanadaFA and @cafreeland. Please Re-Tweet this & thank! Global Affairs Facebook: click here. [email protected] UN Human Rights Council Tel: +41 22 917 9220. Email: [email protected] Facebook: click here. Twitter: click here. Scot Marciel, US Ambassador to Burma Call: (95)- (9)-512-4330, Twitter: @USEmbassyBurma, and @scot_a_marciel Facebook: click here. Talking Points
  • Because of the recent harsh repression and mass rape of Rohingya, the current troop build-up creates panic in Rakhine State and is counter-productive, hurting the cause of coexistence. State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi must rein in her military immediately.
  • The Myanmar Parliament must not pass legal resolutions to declare that there are no Rohingya in Burma. Burma must restore the citizenship of Rohingya.
  • Bangladesh must allow all Rohingya full access to humanitarian agencies on their own soil.
  • Support the UN investigation into mass rape, killing, and other abuses. We must all demand the Government of Burma permit the UN investigation team to enter Burma.
  • The Rohingya are an indigenous people living in their ancestral lands. The Rohingya are one of the most persecuted people on the planet. No people should be stateless. Instead of facing deportation, the Rohingya must have their rights fully recognized and restored, both as refugees and as citizens of Burma.