Jul 31 2012

News Update From Arakan State

Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights

 

Organization Malaysia (MERHROM)

 

News Update From Arakan State

01/08/2012
 
Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organization Malaysia (MERHROM) is deeply concerns about the continued violence towards Rohingyas in Arakan State of Burma. Though the military junta has stated that the situation is better now but the information we received from back home are different.

The suffering in Arakan continues for the Muslim Rohingya, despite reports of UN rapporteur Tomas Ojea Quintana visiting Arakan today. What should spark hope in the darkness of the last few weeks, opens another sinister chapter to what will now inevitably be a silent killing field in the state.
Further, the Rohingya of south Buthidaung are still facing an acute food shortage. There are a few villages in the remote areas of the township with a sizeable Rohingya community living surrounded by a majority Rakhine population and are thus continuing to be controlled by them.
 
Some Rohingya there have managed to make telephone calls to other townships seeking help to save them from imminent starvation and death due to the food blockages by the Rakhines and Monks alike.

Myanmar Ethnic Human Rights Organization Malaysia(MEHROM) appeal to the International community for the food, medicine and other aid for the affected Rohingyas. However the food and other aid must be delivered directly to the Vulnerable without being blocked. In situations of increased and systematic attacks and violent restrictions on the Rohingya, aid and medical supplies are required immediately for survival.

In Buthidaung Township,on the 30th July 2012 a Rohingya known as Amir Husin s/o Shuna Miya and onother person from the 7th quarters were taken away by the police personnel from the 4th quarters and were demanded randsom. Since the detainees could not raise the demanded exorbitant amount the next day, their death bodies were sent to their helpless families with no explanation as to what has caused their death. One of the victims’ genital were found to have suffered severe burnt. There were other people also reported to have been taken away and their fate is yet to be confirmed.

The UN special reporteur Mr.Tomas Ojea Quintana has visited the Akyab ( Sittwe) distric of Arakan. Since there is no english-speaking personnel were provided by the government for the envoy, two Muslim College students were called in to interprete for him. Immediately after the UN officer left, the local Rakhines  Buddhists with the help of the police have attacked college students and their life are at risk now as they are being surrounded in Sakki Para Village and the Debaing village. MEHROM has received the above information from our source on the ground in Arakan.

At present, situation in Arakan is very similar to a time bomb which may at any time explode as each and every Rohingya is  all over the state regardless of the confined to their village regardless of the locality. If the condition continues for another two or three weeks, the world and the ASEAN will witness the irreparable human tragedies as the death toll will be unimaginable.It will be too late for the world to act then unless an immediate and tangible solution is employed by the international Community.

Even though there was a ray hope that the UN special officer might have the chance to gather the real and reliable information on the ground, the incidence of the Rohingya students and the population are being inimidated clearly shows that the very important visit by the UN officer may not produce the expected level of result.The UN envoy could still have the liberty to exercise his discretion in  in asserting his scope of the visit.This is the hope and the request,to the UN envoy,from the MEHROM which continuously monitors the current development back home.

Since the mass media has the very important role to play at any level of the human life today, MEHROM is requesting to unreservedly continue to highlight the plight of these hopeless people of Arakan. As the Human rights defenders, it is our duty to strive for the maximum achievement of the satisfactory level of the human rights protection by the needy Rohingyas.Based on the restless efforts by us, people in Arakan are overwhelmingly cooperating with us in gathering and channeling the latest information to us and it is also hoped that the media and the international communities will not rest until the issue is finally resolved as we are all equal human beings.

God shall Bless and protect those who defend the right of their fellow human.

Thank You.

Yours Sincerely,

Zafar Ahmad bin Abdul Ghani

President

Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organization Malaysia ( MERHROM)

Tel.6016-6827287

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