Take action and stop the Rohingya genocide — Zafar Ahmad Abdul Ghani
Friday, 25 Aug 2023
AUGUST 25 — The Myanmar Ethnic Human Rights Organisation in Malaysia (Merhrom) would like to assert that the impact of the Rohingya genocide are long lasting, even after we have fled Myanmar. The long decades of genocide. The murder, rape, torture and imprisonment of millions of ethnic Rohingya. In fact, the genocide continues in Bangladesh refugee camps and in transit countries where we seek protection. We are further victimised and persecuted. We become victims of human trafficking while searching for safety. We are challenged with xenophobia, hate speech and fake accusations, which lead to increasing hatred and violence against the ethnic Rohingya.
August 25 is the Rohingya Genocide Remembrance Day, a day that marks a black chapter in the history of the world, the day that everyone failed the Rohingya — by failing to stop the Rohingya genocide. August 25 is not for the Rohingya alone to remember, but one that the rest of the world must also dwell upon. It marks the failure of each and everyone of us, and this will go down in the history books.
Merhrom will continue to condemn the Myanmar military junta for committing the Rohingya genocide for decades. All our rights were taken away by the State that was supposed to protect us. Today we feel that our plight has been forgotten though the Rohingya are always mentioned by many. The genocide is still ongoing, without any sign it will end. The Rohingya genocide will continue as there is no political will to end it.
We urge the United Nations, United States of America, European Union, United Kingdom, Canada, Asean, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, CSO, and the international community to continue the pressure and to take action against the Myanmar junta to stop the genocide. We urge, please, no more selling and buying arms with the Myanmar junta. Your humanitarian aid cannot compensate for the blood of every Rohingya and Myanmar people killed. Your humanitarian aid cannot heal the trauma, the cries, the pain and the humiliation we go through. As the World Food Programme cuts down food aid to the Rohingya in the refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar to US$8 per person per month, this makes their lives more difficult. There is no guarantee of their basic rights to food. The United Nations must ensure food security and food sovereignty for refugees all over the world.
We urge that all Myanmar military generals be prosecuted for genocide against the ethnic Rohingya. The International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice must speed up processes to stop the ongoing genocide and to protect the ethnic Rohingya in Myanmar. If we cannot stop the Rohingya genocide today, next, we will be celebrating the 100 years of Rohingya genocide.
We urge the United Nations, world leaders, human rights organisations and the international community to put pressure to stop the forced repatriation of ethnic Rohingya to Myanmar. The transfer of Rohingya refugees from Cox’s Bazar refugee camps to the concentration camps in Myanmar will further persecute the ethnic Rohingya. The repatriation plan will force the Rohingya to flee the refugee camps and into human traffickers’ hands, which lead to further victimisation of the victims of decades-long genocide. Thousands of Rohingya have become victims of human trafficking and died in the hands of human traffickers.
Victims of human trafficking are very much in need of protection and support from the relevant agencies and transit countries. However, many of them were detained for very long, leading to mental health issues in detention without treatment and care.
August 25 is the Rohingya Genocide Remembrance Day, a day that marks a black chapter in the history of the world, the day that everyone failed the Rohingya. — AFP pic
Lots of ethnic Rohingya fleeing genocide were arrested in transit countries in the region. Many of them were trapped in the dire refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar where they face ongoing security problems which is the push factor for the ethnic Rohingya to flee from the refugee camps.
We deeply hope our voices will be heard. We hope the UNHCR and the resettlement countries will increase the resettlement quota for the ethnic Rohingya as we cannot return to Myanmar. Resettlement is the only durable solution for the Rohingya as we were made stateless by the junta. Through resettlement we will be able to access education and to rebuild our broken lives.
We also call upon all ethnic Rohingya to play our part and to support each other in this difficult time. It is very important we respect each other and the law of the country where we seek protection.
Today, on Rohingya Genocide Remembrance Day, Merhrom urge everyone on this earth to take action to stop the Rohingya genocide. Please save the innocent ethnic Rohingya without further delay. We have suffered enough. We thank you very much for your support and interventions to end the long decades of Rohingya genocide.
*Zafar Ahmad Abdul Ghani is the president of Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organisation in Malaysia (Merhrom)
** This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.
Myanmar Ethnic Rohingyas Human Rights Organization Malaysia (MERHROM) 