YANGON: Myanmar has invited an influential Islamic body to visit a state rocked by sectarian violence, official media said Friday, in an effort to diffuse mounting outcry over the treatment of the Muslim Rohingya.
In a rare conciliatory move over the issue, President Thein Sein said he welcomed a visit by the Saudi-based Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the world’s largest Muslim grouping, which has urged a probe into violence between Buddhist Rakhine and Rohingya that left scores dead.
“The president said he hoped the OIC secretary could witness the reality (in Rakhine),” state mouthpiece the New Light of Myanmar said, adding tens of thousands of displaced people from both sides are being given food and shelter.
Thein Sein's comments came as the visiting foreign minister of Muslim-majority Turkey offered aid to the strife-stricken Rakhine state.
He also urged “the Turkish minister to explain the realities in Myanmar” to the OIC, the report added.
OIC head Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu on Sunday proposed sending a mission to probe “massacres... oppression and ethnic cleansing” of Rohingya in Rakhine, adding weight to calls by Egypt and Saudi Arabia for an investigation into the unrest.
The initial outbreak of fighting in western Rakhine state killed some 80 people from both sides in June, official figures show.
Renewed violence between Buddhists and Muslim Rohingya left several people dead in Myanmar on Sunday, underscoring tensions in the area.
Human rights groups have alleged the number of dead could be much higher, but Friday's report said “only 77 persons” from both sides died.
The bloodshed has cast a shadow over widely praised reforms by President Thein Sein, 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.
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.
Speaking a Bengali dialect similar to one in neighbouring Bangladesh, the Rohingya are seen as illegal immigrants by the Myanmar government and many Burmese, and many have attempted to flee overseas in rickety boats.
COMMENTS (35)
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Really Culprits Must Be Hanged Publically Who Are Killing Muslims In Burma Even Govt Forces killing Muslims Raping Women Humiliating Them. Few Days Back Masjid Were Burt By Buddhists And Also Lot Of Property House Were Burnt Due To Which Thousands ppl Fled Their Homes And Are Living In Tents Without Food And Water And Other Needs Buddhists Make Life Of Muslims Miserable This Is Cruelty A Gross Human Rights Violation Myanmar Has To Pay For This Heavily We Welcome The Recent Visit Of Turkey Fm And His Wife And Now Saudi Arabia Has Called For Emergency Meeting For Myanmar Geno side And Other Countries Are Coming Forward Day By Day To Help Muslims ... Unfortunately Same Is Happening In Assam India Where Non Muslims Buddhists And Hindus Are Murdering Muslims Minorities Dozens Muslims Have Been Brutality Killed By These Hologons Goons And Extremists ..........May Allah Put Wrath On Them
@unbeliever: There is no comparison between Kashmir and Baluchistan. One is an internationaly recognized disputed territory (see any map) and the other a localalized civil / democratic / economic rights issue. But then your name is UNBELIEVER.
IOC should send one delegation to "Kurdistan" to investigate oppression of Kurd Muslims there by Turkey.
@Malik: No hope ,you will only be killed.
@Malik: And i m speechless when i saw hundreds of hindu migrant at wagha border.
The situation not just in Myanmar but in the whole subcontinent needs an unbiased analysis.
The communalisation and polarisation of the sub continent reached its peak with the formation of Pakistan.
A country for muslims. When hindus say that muslims should not migrate to India, they do have a point.
Similarly, Myanmar feels the same way. The impression that muslims should only live in Pakistan and Bangladesh is absurd, but you cannot stop people from saying that because Pakistan and Bangladesh were essentially created for muslims.
The only solution is that we strengthen SAARC and come to an agreement that no country will sponsor terrorism. It might be an utopian view, but it is possible.
Bismillah. That's right my heritage is the oldest but it is all Muslim and there is no oppression or tyranny in the Indus unlike in Kashmir where we Muslims have been oppressed for the past sixty years. Enough is enough, how long we need to debate and go through a civil process is beyond me in resolving the Kashmir issue just like Palestine. Time of dialogue is over and only through jihad will we get results even if it means great struggle and loss. Allahu Akbar *3.
what OIC has done till now ? its completely a crap. The Muslim countries are just wasting their money and wealth ; they dont have concerned .. it makes me mesmerized :( A brutal human barbarity ! i can only hope the human rights organizations atleast provide them security and evoke about their rights. Allah give them strength
After taking out Shiras, Amides, Pakistani Hindus, they are inviting Rohingya muslim to be their next victims. Seems this is their main and only entertainment.
@malik
You want pakistsan to take kashmir by force? Paksitan is most welcome :) Paksitanis do not understand the damage they have done to Kashmir Independence movement by their interference ...Even I as an Indian can see the damage..How come Pakistanis are so blind?
@Malik: And on Kashmir the Hindus will not relinquish Muslim lands until we do it through force. Let us apply the same contention on Pakistan and say 'And on Pakistan the Muslims will not relinquish Hindu lands until we do it through force'. I hope you know of The Indus valley civilization which is currently rated as the oldest civilization on the planet earth and the one from which Hinduism originated.... Not to speak of Taxila and Gandhara..... This would basically mean all of Pakistan will have to return to the 'Zion' of the Muslim world - 'Arabia'.... How about that???
@Mr Sunny Loni: And Indian state of Aasam and Kashmir as well.
@Muhajir: We will protect you and help you prosper. Except your own Pakistani Hindu brethren whom you are busy kicking out.....
@Pakistani:
brother, this picking up gujarat, kashmir & sikh may salvage your ego. but the mother of all genocides in sub-continent, ie 1971 was so convinently forgotten by you.
and the continuing repression in balochistan, the support to taliban, who killed thousands in afghanistan, the support to militants in kashmir, who did ethnic cleansing of kashmiri hindus, the instances of forced conversion in sindh, amount nothing to you.....
well, we indians have much to be embarassed about, but the moment you unleash this verbal diarrohea, we actually are relieved to type answers, in the form of questions to you.
Cry Not My Rohingaya Brothers and Sisters! Welcome to Karachi, Welcome to Sindh, Welcome to Pakistan! You are Welcome, Welcome, Welcome. Come one, come all. We will protect you and help you prosper. Jazakallah Khairan.
@Khadija khan: " ... Plz I request to Indian government & ... "
Why are you dragging us into this ?
@Khurram: First try to accommodate your own minority then talk of others.How confused nation is this where their own people is migrating coz of incompetent law and order situation and forcible conversion, is busy in putting others house in order. What a hypocricy ?
@Khadija khan: Meanwhile indian govt is busy in deporting Bangladesi migrant and accommodating pak hindus.Any dua for pak hindus or only forcible conversion and......
It is very sad, my heart goes out for these unfortunate people (Rohingyas) who, it seems have no future in Burma. Since no other Muslim country is ready to accept them, I think it is incumbent upon us to help them settle in Pakistan.
@unbeliver....u mean the muslims who died in the gujrat riots were all terrorists??u mean the sikhs dat u people killed in the golden temple incident were all terrorists??u mean more then one hundred thousand kashmiri's killed by your armed forces in kashmir were all terrorists? lol india needs to be nuked then..Terrorists everywhere in india lol
@Pakistani:
the same is valid for balochistan...
and, yes, the indian government has no intention of giving into terrorists yet....
I have seen a lot of videos in youtube where Indians are urging their burmese brothers to wipe out all muslims from Burma and saying they are also having problems with muslims in india. Watching such a inhuman treatment of Rohingya by burmese extremist all the viewers were cursing burma except indians.
Bodos are killing the minority muslim in assam but mainstream media to radical indian hindus are siding with Bodos and levelling the muslim as illegal Bangladeshies as calling them as BD infiltrators would make the killings of muslim Halal. There are a Articles in The Hindu http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/article3738939.ece?homepage=true where you can understand the all hue and cry about BD illegals are just dirty politics of BJP. Here in DAWN and in Tribune, we see a lot of indians pretend like a Shadu and do not miss any chance to insult pakistan. If there are any comparison between pakistan and Bangladesh they will go for Bangladesh but in others forum their hatred towards Bangladesh and pakistan has no limits. Just check any indian newspapers to check any Bangladesh or pakistani news and go to the commentories to see how this hypocrites indians reacts.
Even in this Articles, an indians named burmese are posting comment in disguise of burmese.
@Nitish
"Pot calling the kettle black", what is your take on India ???. Stop being hypocrite.
launch similar probes for poor Balochi people who are massacred by the state since last 50 years. What about minorities in pak whose population reduced from 30% in 1947 to 2% now? Its a shame to be part of this deceitful and double faced society, which has no respect for its own citizens.
@nitish..you wanted a Pakistani cooment u got it..speaking of backyard you'd rather watch your's first..o where do i start from?Kashmir where no independent media or international organisation is allowed by india after decades of mass murders,rapes,torching public properties gross human rights violations where india does not recognise the right of self determination of the kashmiri people??palezz..have a look at your backyard b4 tawkin bout mine ;)
OIC is only oh i see.
@MR Sunny Loni....I welcome the probe but AFTER India allows "a similar" probe to visit the Indian OCCUPIED kashmir to witness the human rights violations there on "MUSLIM MINORITIES" and after a similar probe is sent to Iraq and Afghanistan..what say? :)
Now its really very interesting.I would like to see pakistani comment over this though their own backyard is very clean.
A similar probe should also be sent by UN to Pakistan in order to investigate gross violation of minorties rights. But will Pakistan govt allow?