Abuses against Muslims in Myanmar erode human rights progress: Amnesty
Amnesty International said that targeted attacks against Muslims including a minority group Rohingiyas have increased after an emergency was declared on June 10, in the Rakhine State.
The organisation further said that communal violence has also continued.
A state of emergency was declared following an outbreak of communal violence among the Buddhist Rakhine, Muslim Rakhine, and Muslim Rohingya communities.
As a result of the communal violence, Myanmar’s border security force (nasaka), the army and the police rounded up hundreds of men who were kept in isolation and some were mistreated.
Amnesty International further said that the arrests that were made violated rights to liberty and freedom as they were discriminatory – mostly based on religious grounds. The organisation also voiced its concern that the arrests made must meet “international standards of fairness and must not include the imposition of death penalty.”
Amnesty International’s Myanmar Researcher Benjamin Zawacki said, “In six weeks, Myanmar has not only added to a long litany of human rights violations against the Rohingya, but has also done an about-turn on the situation of political imprisonment.”
“After more than a year of prisoner amnesties and releases, the overall number of political prisoners in Myanmar is again on the rise.”
The organisation also received reports of incidents of human rights abuse, including physical abuse, rape, destruction of property, and unlawful killings – carried out by both Rakhine Buddhists and security forces. “The authorities should stop these acts and prevent others from occurring,” said Amnesty.
According to Myanmar’s National Human Rights Commission, at least 78 people were killed on July 11, but the unofficial estimates surpass 100. While the number of people displaced stand between 50,000 and 90,000.
“The human rights and humanitarian needs of those affected by the violence depend on the presence of monitors and aid workers,” said Zawacki. “The Myanmar authorities are compounding the error by exacerbating the suffering of those displaced by the violence and violations.”
Amnesty International has called on Myanmar’s parliament to amend or repeal the 1982 Citizenship Law to ensure that Rohingyas are no longer stateless. “Under international human rights law and standards, no one may be left or rendered stateless. For too long Myanmar’s human rights record has been marred by the continued denial of citizenship for Rohingyas and a host of discriminatory practices against them,” said Zawacki.
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A very serious case of human rights violations which speaks volumes of draconian hold of India on IOK through its much-awed security forces relates to the presence of mass graves shrouding unidentified bodies in Indian occupied Kashmir... www.kashmirvoice.org
Mr. Vickram You have mentioned that whereever muslim are more cause trouble, you better prove it . As far as we feel we are deprived & decived by government , like in Gujrat ,Assam & other parts in India. Secondly all other religon are afraid of Islam as its spreading fast in each & every corner & most importantly qualified & distingushed persons from across the world are accepting Islam than any other religeon. (Mr. Vickram you start travelling abroad to western, european nations for your satisfaction & knowledge of true Islam)
@vickram: so why was there an uproar in the whole indian public, govenment and media after few cases of discrimination against indian students in australia. the world should blame indians and hindus for this by your standard. try to make some sence of what u r saying.
whatever is being done with the helpless minority in Burma should be highlighted immediately in order to stop the Burmese government from doing such a cruel treatment... but what so ever weather Muslim or non Muslim all have to face the same.. because we are common people.. Common...
@vickram: Have you noticed the effects of US, Australia, Denmark, UK etc and all the NATO interference in Muslim countries? Your shallow statement shows how little you have observed the world in the last decade, at least.
@riz: Muslim is the perfect end of the civilization! That because this is not anymore islam as it was some 1000 years ago, when islam used to be something very good. Nowaday this is islam trush that has hugely poluted the civilization in civilized country
@V. C. Bhutani: "If President Thein Sein insists on treating the Rohingyas as sort of no concern of his government and country, it only means that he will quickly lose the goodwill that he has earned in the world community by his action in releasing Ms Aung San Suu Kyi from years of house arrest..." For your information, Ms Aung San Suu Kyi has also said that they should be rehabilitated in some other country. So, all Burmese want them out. Do your homework before getting on the high horse.
"They have a right to live in Myanmar and that right must be recognized by the Myanmar government and the rest of the world. " No, that is no imperative for the Burmese or the world. These are the Bangladeshis who have illegally thrust themselves on Burma and who are now unwelcome even in Bangladesh. Wonder why? They have absolutely no rights to Burmese stay or citizenship even though that illegality may have lasted for decades or centuries. Do you mean to say that those Bangladeshis who are in a similar situation in our North East have earned a right to Indian citizenship?
Why can't western world and UN see the condition of Muslims in Burma? Isn't this an act of terrorism or an act of ethnic cleansing? Where are there peace keeping policies and R2P of UN? There silence says much which Muslims must understand.
all pakistanis crying foul over here ....where was hidden humanity, when ahemdis,shias(who happened to be muslims ) persecuted marginalized just cuz they aren't what you are .forget about non muslims for some time just think about the muslims in syria,we haven't seen any pakistani pouring his heart when hydra headed muslims shouting for sharia law in UK, Denmark ....and indians condemning the incidents just like you condemned 26/11,9/11 and many other terrorist attacks.even this particular incident is triggered by muslims themselves
My conclusion: If Muslims put their country 1st and then the religion, the problem will vanish overnight including in Pakistan. Such a simple and logical solution it is!
I don't think Pakistan has any "moral high" to raise voice against them. What is track record of Pakistan in minority rights?? The minorities today are living as a second class citizen, abducted regularly for ransom, no government support, forcefully converted, put in jails on wrong charges of blasphemy, have their religious places disfigured or encroached either by religious fanatics/land grabbers!!
What will Pakistan say about the burning of whole christian town, killing of Ahmedis, killing of Shia..!!! Now that's genocide! Just see the minorities have reduced from 20% at the time of independence to 2% today... Who is to blame except for people of Pakistan!! Nobody raising voices against that... HYPOCRISY
I strongly condemn the killing of innocent people (whichever religion they belong) but Pakistani people raising voice against it is just like "you don't follow your own words"..
all pakistanis crying foul over here ....where was hidden humanity, when ahemdis,shias(who happened to be muslims ) persecuted marginalized just cuz they aren't what you are .forget about non muslims for some time just think about the muslims in syria,we have haven't seen any pakistani pouring his heart when hydra headed muslims shouting for sharia law in UK, Denmark ....and indians condemning the incidents just like you condemned 26/11,9/11 and many other terrorist attacks.even this particular incident is triggered by muslims themselves
@AFGHAN:
First, its not if, it happens every day, much more common than in Burma or elsewhere. Second the way Pakistan and Muslim countries do not take heed to international outrage then why should Burma?
What goes around comes around. If you do it to others than you will not get sympathy when your time comes.
@midhat: They're not racist. They're prejudice. Learn the lingo if you're going to be a drama queen. It makes people who actually are the victims of racism seem like less of a victim. Stop trying to steal their show.
Firstly, the number of those killed have been highly exaggerated and many pictures have been found to be fake. For reference
http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/12867/social-media-is-lying-to-you-about-burmas-muslim-cleansing/
@ shazada zahid mahmoud
Just yesterday, a Husband and wife were arrested for terror charges. The 7/11 incident in 2005, Glasgow, Heathrow arrests, Birmingham arrests,
Do you enjoy being in denial? Yours is the most idiotic comment I have read today.
Midhat
This victim card is quite oftenly used. Just calculate how may non-muslims are killed in muslim countries, it is enough to put us to shame.
Muslims demand equal rights abroad, but in their own countries they dont even give non-muslims the rights of non-muslims.
@Vickram , I disagree with you opinion on the ground that you can just take the example of India , Muslims are there in huge number how many incidents of trouble can you recall... small and minor things happened whenever we have more than one communities or religion reside in the same country but you cannot blame Muslims for all the ills, at time the extremist hindus and other religions are also at the wrong end, for instance in the present case we can see that the way Muslims are being killed in Burma is totally unjustifiable and we ought to call a killer a killer irrespective of his faith, caste or creed.
@vickram: You have no understanding of the issues involved Mr Vikram - may I say Hindu extremists are also invloved in murder and rape of minorities in every corner of India. You need to give up your prejudices and treat yourself as a human being.
Most of the world now seem to be abandoning their respective religions except Muslims. Muslims still want to be appear unique among all human beings with their religious customs and practices, they just want to carry on with what they have been for centuries - which actually proves the authenticity of Islam; and the world just can't stand that.
And here, some ignorants seem to be justifying the killings of innocent Burmese Muslims by bringing up the atrocities of terrorists in Afghanistan, Pakistan and other countries into the argument.
@vikram: Broaden your research beyound the hateful mindset and realize that even right now Muslims are the most victimized community in the world. Be it refugees of Palestine, Civilians Victims of War in Iraq and Afghanistan, Innocent victims of illegal drone attacks yeman, Pakistan etc. If you cant sympatize with the victims atleast stop the hateful baised commentry
@vikram @sumeet Very racist and sterootypical comments. Thats a human tragedy, if you cant condemn atleast stop making it sound like it was thier fault to get this inhumane treatment. Shameful thinking !
It is unfortunate that 800,000 Rohingyas are being rendered stateless by the decision of the Myanmar government of President Thein Sein. Whatever the origin of the Rohingyas, they have lived in Myanmar for a period of time long enough to entitle them to the right of residence and citizenship. If President Thein Sein insists on treating the Rohingyas as sort of no concern of his government and country, it only means that he will quickly lose the goodwill that he has earned in the world community by his action in releasing Ms Aung San Suu Kyi from years of house arrest and approving her actions on the world scene since. In due time, he will have to be called to account for his mistreatment of the Rohingyas. They have a right to live in Myanmar and that right must be recognized by the Myanmar government and the rest of the world. V. C. Bhutani, Delhi, India, 20 July 2012, 1939 IST
Interestingly the Amnesty is a western Christian dominated organisation and taking up the cause of Muslims in Burma. How come Pakistanis who seem to be heir apparent of Mughals, have been ignoring the Burmese Muslims? Don't forget that the last Mughal Emperor is buried in Burma. ast but not the least, Muslims too need to learn how to live peacefully with the local majority population.
i support vickram.i know muslim will never accept the truth.this is not any islamophobia,it is supported by strong facts.just a small example is kashmir,where the muslim majority wants sharia,minorities are systematically cleansed and they want their own dress code.
We muslims are not happy anywhere. Not even in the majority countries nor wherever they are a minority. Its because we shout a faith that is peaceful but in reality, we practice bigotry, hate, superiority complexes and a false sense of pride by using the lable "Muslim".
Pakistan is not really in a position to preach about human rights of minorities. If some people here think they cAn do that, they are hypocrites.
Muslims must learn to live in harmony with the host nation and the nation should also tolerate Islam - however tangential it may be from the religion practiced by the majority. That is the only solution. But that is easier said than done. Islam does have a habit of keeping a very high profile which irks a large section of the world population.
Why Bangladesh refusing entry of these refugees is a big mystery? Is not Bangladesh a member of OIC?
If this violence had erupted against religious minorities in Pakistan, the world media would have been barking all the day long. Hillary Clinton would have issued dozen of condemnation and threat statements against it. Since the victims are Muslims, that's why world bias media is silent and so are the self-proclaimed liberal Muslims.
And where there are Hindus, they prepare a bed of roses for others, correct? Stop passing racist comments here, a human rights violation is a human rights violation, regardless of caste (you would know much about this Vickram?), creed and colour!
@Aditya Randhawa: will sonia gandhi follow foot steps of her mother in law by invading in other countries in the name of saving human rights or it has to be anti pakistan only???
@Aditya Randhawa: none of ur business, focus on tamils of sri lanka and indians in malaysia
@vickram just like indians in malaysia, singapore, australia, UAE, etc
@vickram: Whilst you require specific medical attention for your Mental Condition - What an Idiot!
@vickram: Yeah, we know peace-lovers only reside in shining India.
@vickram: Dont be the judge of muslims because you dont exist anywhere beyond India
Where are all Roshan Khayals who take it as there duty to raise hue n cry over anything happened to a person belongs to other religion. Why they are quit over Muslim killings in Burma & Myanmar? Are Muslims not human? Where are all the human rights champions?
While curbing my agony out of hopelessness I can only say May Allah's mercy be upon the helpless Muslim natives of Myanmar and all others Muslims in other parts of the world who are suffering just because they are Muslims.
Wherever there are Muslims in good numbers, they cause trouble and misery to the host country: Denmark, Norway, UK, France, Switzerland, Australia etc etc
Muslims need to do some serious introspection !
@Syed Shakeel Tirmizi: Do them a favor , try to settle them in Pakistan as they are stateless people
Syed,
The OIC has never condemned the persecution of minorities in Islamic nations like Pakistan either.
Orgamization of Islamic Conference (OIC) is continously ignoring the oppression of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar. Are muslims only opressed in Kashmir & Palestine. Why OIC doesn't raise voice against the opression of Muslims in Myanmar, Thailand & China. All these three states are opressing muslims after occupying their free homelands. China has executed thousands of muslims after occupying their free state 'East Turkestan'.