Myanmar gives green light for aid to Rohingya: OIC

OIC delegation assures Myanmar that Islamic humanitarian organisations were willing to provide aid to all residents.


Afp August 11, 2012

JEDDAH: The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Saturday announced it has received a green light from Myanmar to assist Muslim Rohingya displaced by sectarian violence.

It said Myanmar gave its agreement to the OIC following talks in Rangoon on Friday between a delegation from the pan-Islamic body and President Thein Sein on the "deplorable humanitarian situation in Rakhine state."

The delegation assured Thein Sein that Islamic humanitarian organisations were willing to provide aid to all residents of the strife-torn state.

Violence between Buddhists and Rohingya has left scores dead, with official figures showing that 80 people died from both sides in initial fighting in June.

The entire state has been under emergency rule since early June with a heavy army and police presence.

New York-based Human Rights Watch has accused Myanmar forces of opening fire on Rohingya, as well as committing rape and standing by as rival mobs attacked each other.

Decades of discrimination have left the Rohingya stateless, and they are viewed by the United Nations as one of the world's most persecuted minorities.

The bloodshed has cast a shadow over widely praised reforms by the president, including the release of hundreds of political prisoners and the election of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi to parliament.

Myanmar's government has rejected accusations of abuse by security forces in Rakhine, after the United Nations raised fears of a crackdown on Muslims.

In a rare conciliatory move over the issue, Thein Sein welcomed the OIC delegation's visit.

"The president said he hoped the OIC secretary could witness the reality (in Rakhine)," state mouthpiece New Light of Myanmar reported Friday, adding tens of thousands of displaced people from both sides were being given food and shelter.

OIC head Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu had proposed sending a mission to probe "massacres... oppression and ethnic cleansing" of Rohingya in Rakhine.

COMMENTS (11)

j. von hettlingen | 11 years ago | Reply

Burmese armed forces are known for their brutal crackdowns on protesters and activists. In the past ethnic minorities like the Karen, Shan, Mon and others have been spilling into Thailand since the 1980s when Burma's military regime began launching a brutal series of armed campaigns to bring ethnic regions fighting for autonomy under its control.

Nauman | 11 years ago | Reply

Muslims from Pakistan and other other Muslim countries and their armies should send forces to protect Muslims in Burma ...bcoz as it is evident US and western powers only send forces to persecute Muslims all over the world in the name of democracy and human rights....but when killing of Muslims is going on in full swing whether it in Kashmir by Indian rapist Army or Illegitimate Israeli Army of innocent Men women and children or by NATO in Pakistan and Afghanistan or Iraq .....west remains quite. Mr Vikram should mind his own business.... where Indian security forces have killed over 100000 innocent Muslims and end the illegal occupation of kashmir. Also Mr Vikram should stop lecturing about Mullah and Islam ....and talk about the brutal murders and rape in Gujrat of Muslims and the architect of that Narindrda Modi is still at top slot un punished. Mr Vikram "s interest in Balochistan is understandable as its "RAW " the notorious Indian intelligence organization is supporting militants with arms and ammo with money and training .... Therefore Mr Vikram should keep his filthy comments to him self and stay out of problems of Muslim world and plan another burning of Pakistani train with the help of its Army and RAW.

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