The UN, European Union, OIC, Asean and the global community must condemn this brutality
KARACHI: The persecution of the Muslim minority in Burma is condemnable. Rohingya Muslims have been around for the last eight or nine centuries and many migrated from Bangladesh primarily during the period of British rule. Burma, or Myanmar, has a population of 50 million Buddhists and only 1.3 million Rohingya Muslims and the relationship between the two communities has been a source of deep tensions in the country, with the majority seemingly blaming the minority for everything going wrong in their country.
In recent years, violence against Burmese Muslims has intensified, owing to the actions of extremist factions and their campaigns. Muslims in Burma are considered stateless and are not in possession of citizenship rights. Myanmar President Thein Sein has also temporarily revoked their right to vote; in other words, democracy does not prevail in the country. Minorities are confined to camps and deprived of food, medical care and education.
Due to these inhumane and immoral acts, 25,000 Muslims have fled from Myanmar since the beginning of 2015 and are now residing in Bangladesh. But, what about the other Muslims who are still being slaughtered? The UN, European Union, OIC, Asean and the global community must condemn this brutality. It is high time Muslim countries, especially the more prosperous ones, such as Saudi Arabia, came forward and helped the hapless Rohingyas.
Zainab Khizar
Published in The Express Tribune, September 10th, 2015.
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