World

Malala calls on Myanmar to 'halt persecution' of Rohingyas

Malala says Rohingyas deserve citizenship in the country where they were born and have lived for generations

Afp June 08, 2015

Malala Yousafzai. PHOTO: AFP

LONDON: Malala Yousufzai urged Myanmar leaders to take "immediate action" to prevent the persecution of the country's Rohingya Muslims, most of whom are considered by the government to be illegal immigrants.

The 17-year-old, who was shot by militants for campaigning for girls' rights, said that Rohingyas deserved "equal rights and opportunities" and called for them to be integrated into the country.

Read: Myanmar to start transferring migrants to Bangladesh

"I call on the leaders of Myanmar and the world to take immediate action to halt the inhuman persecution of Burma's (Myanmar) Muslim minority Rohingya people," said Malala.

"The Rohingyas deserve citizenship in the country where they were born and have lived for generations," added the teenager, who won the Nobel prize last year for her activism.

"Today and every day, I stand with the Rohingyas, and I encourage people everywhere to do so."

Read: Persecution of Muslims: Pakistan to mobilise OIC and UN over Rohingya plight

Myanmar considers the Rohingya to be illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, and places a raft of restrictions on them, such as family size, movements and access to jobs.

Most of the 1.3 million-strong community have no citizenship and tens of thousands have fled the impoverished Myanmar state of Rakhine after deadly communal violence there in 2012, sparking a migrant crisis.

Read: PM formed special committee on relief efforts for Rohingya Muslims: Nisar

The collapse of a transnational trafficking route following a Thai crackdown has made it even more difficult for the Rohingyas to escape persecution, with many ending up in camps in a remote region near the Myanmar-Bangladesh border.

Malala was flown to Britain for treatment after the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan tried to kill her in October 2012, and now lives there with her family.

COMMENTS (7)

Stranger | 9 years ago | Reply IF she is that concerned, let her go and stay in Pak at least for a few days . Up above the world so high like a diamond in the sky she is living in Birmingham with absolute security and publicity , too many award fucntions to attend , too many interviews to give ... what has she done so far apart from taking the bullet .

Faizan Malik | 9 years ago | Reply @Rex Mnor: What say we send a couple of frigates up Mandalay Bay to show them who is boss ? If that doesn't put the fear of God in the Burmese authorities, let's follow-up with a one-two Ghauri missile strike..

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Sun Rzu | 9 years ago | Reply Will she also talk about the plight of the Baloch?

reader | 9 years ago | Reply Lol, sorry Malala, this is not your jurisdiction. Your role is to weaken Pakistan. Not strengthen Islam or Muslims. I think you are a bit confused about this whole deal...

Zain | 9 years ago | Reply But..but.. i'm supposed to hate Malala because i'm a confused hyper-nationalist Pakistani who doesn't want to do introspection and would rather blame a 17 year old for our "image." Why should I support her when she says something that is right? No thank you instead I will keep abusing this 17 year old irrationally even though I have never done anything my whole life.

Rex Mnor | 9 years ago | Reply Pakistan has the opportunity to intervene militarily if they must to stop the persecution of muslims in Burma!!! The military dictators and the monks pseduo buddhists comrehend only the language of force! Rex Minor

Appan | 9 years ago | Reply Muslim countries shall extend their helping hand to Rohingya Muslims is the need of the hour. Indians settled in Burma (now Mianmar) centuries ago and merged with the local population. However,In 1962 ,Burma drove nearly half a million Indians of all religions including Muslims out of the country. Each one was given just 173 Kyat. They had to leave everything and return to. India . India arranged for their transportation and also had accommodated all these and also provided opportunities for their livelihood including trading. Burma Bazaars were set up in number of cities . One can find this bazaar in chennai even today.

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