Opening Our Eyes to the World - Plight of the Rohingya

The sight of a tearful Emine Urdugan, wife of the prime minister of Turkey, meeting and embracing Rohingya refugees moved many men into tears. It took this visit by both the wives of Turkey's prime minister and foreign minister to jolt other diplomats scurrying into action and the latest development being the OIC convening an emergency summit on the issue in the holy city of Makkah.

Turkey showed its concern, made clear its abhorrence of the appalling treatment of Rohingyas and undertook the initiative to bring the plight to the world. The scene was dramatic and stirring. The Rohingyas suffer from being a nation forgotten, stripped of identity and belonging, further subjected to persecution and bouts of ethnic cleansing. The latest attack on them left hundreds dead and thousands in exile ending up in a state of limbo. They had no one to turn to and their neighbour Bangladesh harshly rejects them even as refugees.

Some have accused Western and Asean countries of being silent on the issue due to economic reasons. China has been staunchly supporting the reclusive and repressive Myanmar regime consisting of a military junta. Meanwhile, Myanmar's darling democrats have been pathetic on this issue. Myanmar is seen as a potential emerging market predicted to be to be liberalising and opening up to eager capitalists. Greed drives many nations to overlook human rights and seemingly condone gross violations in favour of profits and opportunities.

If we were to leave issues of humanity to callous political leaders and hopeless diplomats, there can be no change and people like the Rohingya shall forever keep being trampled on.

What can we do?

1. Petition the foreign ministry Wisma Putra to condemn ethnic cleansing and human rights violations of the Rohingya and seek guarantees for protection of the Rohingya community.

2. Demand the government to commit immediate aid for the refugees

3. Support worldwide efforts to deliver much needed food, medicine and shelter for the Rohingya

4. Donate to the emergency fund launched by Global Peace Mission Malaysia. Look up http://gpm.com.my/archives/1309

At the local level, it is time to reflect on our attitudes and feelings towards fellow human beings. It is time to face up to the realities of immigration, to refugees, asylum and the grave disconnect between the rich and the poor. We should not look down upon the already downtrodden, victims of circumstances and suffering from economic conditions many a time brought about by ruthless tyrants and corrupt benefactors. We should reflect on how we have been treating others who are not so fortunate.

There are Rohingya refugees in our country who need our help. The UNHCR through Future Global Network FGN with WADAH's help has managed to set up two Rohingya educational centres (REC). Rohingyas are already being deprived of a home, nationhood and a bleak prospect of return, surely we must not allow them to remain illiterate and uneducated in our own midst of wealthy splendour.

ROHINGYA: THE MOST PERSECUTED AND FORGOTTEN MUSLIM MINORITY

UNIW COUNCIL MEMBER MAKES OBSERVATORY VISIT TO MYANMAR

Rohingya Muslims in Arakan State, located in the west of Myanmar, are under oppression and are victims of recent atrocities since early June while the international community is oblivious of the real dimensions of the tyranny and unjust practices applied upon Rohingya people by the Buddhist Rakhines with the support of the police force in the country.

Mr. Ahmed Azam Abdul Rahman, UNIW Council Member for Malaysia & Chairman of Global Peace Mission, Malaysia (GPM), paid a visit to Myanmar between 11 and 13 July in order to make am observation on the situation of Muslim Rohingyas in Arakan. We share below the brief report prepared by the visiting delegation:-

ROHINGYA: THE MOST PERSECUTED AND FORGOTTEN MUSLIM MINORITY

1. A fact finding mission by Global Peace Mission, Malaysia (GPM) and Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia (ABIM) was sent to Yangon, Myanmar from 11-13 July and  relevant Muslim organizations in Myanmar to seek ways and means to assist the Rohingya Muslims suffering continuous persecution from the majority Burmese Buddhists in Myanmar.

2. We met political party leaders and others representing the Rohingya, NGOs, journalists, businessmen, ulama and youth leaders.

3. We were informed that the General (Retired) Thein Sein's party, Union Socialist Development Party (USDP) which is the ruling party, is trying to mediate Myanmar's transition to democracy amidst a hardcore military junta that is against it. The competing forces between Thein Sein, Aung San Su Kyi, leader of the National League for Democracy (NLD) and the Military junta in the newly democratic space created under the pressure of the Western nations remain fluid with uncertainties.

4. However, ironically, on the issue of Rohingya, all of them seem to be with one voice i.e. Rohingyas are Bengalis migrating from Bangladesh and thus they are illegal immigrants and are regarded as non citizens. Even Aung San Suu Kyi, the icon of democracy and human rights of Myanmar gave a very lukewarm response on this issue. She said that the Rohingya issue has to be settled within the purview of the legal framework of Myanmar.

5. On the 13th of July, President Thein Sein made a very shocking and revealing statement to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The commissioner was on an official visit to Myanmar to mediate on the Rohingya issue. President Thein Sein told UNHCR that there are only two solutions for the Rohingya i.e. either sent them to the Refugee camps or sent them to a Third country. This uncompromising and arrogant stand coming from the President of Myanmar exposes the true face of the Myanmar government i.e. Islamophobic and Xenophobic. This statement has rendered the Rohingya as a permanently stateless community just because of race and religion.

 6. The United Nations, European Union, Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC) have expressed grave concerns on the statement by the President of Myanmar, and a flurry of diplomatic engagements is reported being carried out to find solutions to the Rohingya issue.

REPRESSION, DISCRIMINATION, MASSACRE, FORCED DISPLACEMENT, ETHNIC CLEANSING

7. The Rohingya has suffered grave human rights violation perpetrated by successive Burmese regimes since Independence in 1947. Arbitrary killings, rape, torture, land confiscation, forced labour, forced relocation, theft, extortion and a pattern of discrimination perpetrated by Government authorities in cohort with the local Rakhine Buddhist happen continuously since then. In 1982, dictator General Ne Win enacted The New Citizenship Law which stripped the Rohingya as citizens of Burma (Myanmar – the new name of the state instituted by the Military Junta). Since then, the Rohingya were treated as illegal immigrants where fundamental human rights such as freedom of movement, right to education, right to employment and right to healthcare are being denied. The situation was so unbearable that it has forced 1.5 million out of 3 million Rohingya to migrate to Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, USA, UK and Europe. The ethnic cleansing policy has resulted in cutting the Rohingya population into half. The recent massacre started in June 3, 2012 is believed to be a deliberate and preplanned policy by the Myanmar government to complete the ethnic cleansing policy of the rest of the 1.5 million Rohingya to third countries.

8. After almost one month of the planned massacre, the National Democratic Party for Development (NDPD), a political party representing the Rohingya reported number of casualties resulted from the planned crisis as follows:

43 villages being attacked

5,915 houses burnt

555 being killed (number varies from 500 to 10,000) There is no way to verify these information due to strict government control on any news coming out of Arakan.

300 injured

34 mosques destroyed

4 universities destroyed

24 schools destroyed

300 arrested

35,400 become refugees. UNHCR put the figure as 90,000 refugees.

500,000 lost their source of income due to curfews. They could not work on their farms.

20,000 had to live by the river banks and jungles to escape persecution.

9. We expect more atrocities and casualties in the next few weeks especially after the statement by President Thein Sein, has encouraged and motivated the Rakhine Buddhist militia to complete the ethnic cleansing policy with extreme zealousness. We also expect hunger and starvation to be rampant and beyond control.

WHAT CAN BE DONE - MODUS OPERANDI

10. We have decided to launch the "IFTAR RAMADAN for ROHINGYA" campaign during this month of Ramadan as an emergency relief to ward off the eminent hunger and starvation calamity. We are working with the Chairman of All Myanmar Islamic Relief Organization, Mr. Abdul Hafiz @ Aung Naing to provide the 5 basic needs of the Internally Displaced Person (IDP) i.e. rice, flour, cooking oil, beans and milk for 15,000 families (1 family x 6 members) approximately 90,000 IDPs for one month at USD70 per family. We must raise at least USD1,050,000 during this Ramadan.

 11. All Myanmar Islamic Relief Organization (AMIRO) consist of 5 major Muslim organizations i.e. 1. Jamiyyatul Ulama of Myanmar 2. Islamic Religious Affair Council of Myanmar 3. All Myanmar Maulvi Organization 4. All Myanmar Youth Religious Organization 5. Myanmar Muslim National Affairs Organization. All these bodies are given Consultative status with the Religious authorities of the Government. They are recognised and authorised by the Myanmar government to deliver humanitarian aid to the Rohingya IDPs in Arakan. In fact they were flown to Arakan by the government to witness the intensity of the crisis. Immediately after the visit, AMIRO organised a relief campaign amongst Muslim communities in Yangon and managed to deliver food packages worth USD200,000 and another USD600,000 by vessels to Arakan for distribution.

12. AMIRO is willing to assist UNIW through Global Peace Mission to distribute any humanitarian aid into Arakan.

13. Global Peace Mission(GPM) and the Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia has already launched 'IFTAR RAMADAN FOR ROHINGYA' with the support of UNIW to raise at least USD 1,050,000 for food assistance by the end of Ramadan to enable the IDPs to celebrate Eidul Fitr as well.

 14. All donations can be channeled through GPM accounts, and then it will be directed to AMIRO for them to organise the distribution. There are requests by donor organizations to visit Arakan during the distribution process. Please bear in mind that Arakan is still under curfew, and only a limited number of United Nation agencies are being allowed access to the conflict zone. AMIRO will seek advice from the Government on allowing foreign NGOs entering the conflict zone for purely delivering humanitarian assistance.

  

Ahmad Azam Abdul Rahman

UNIW Council Member

Chairman, Global Peace Mission, Malaysia.

(courtesy of  Union of NGOs of the Islamic World UNIW  http://www.theunity.org )
*edited for language

MASYARAKAT ISLAM UYGHUR XINJIANG: ABIM MOHON PEMBELAAN DAN PERHATIAN SEWAJARNYA 19 OGOS 2011 / 19 RAMADHAN 1432H

Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia (ABIM) memandang berat laporan tekanan yang dikenakan ke atas masyarakat Islam Uyghur berikutan beberapa siri keganasan yang melanda wilayah Xinjiang baru-baru ini.  Ini termasuklah laporan yang diterima berkenaan larangan yang dikenakan ke atas masyarakat Islam Uyghur untuk menunaikan ibadah puasa dan amalan-amalan lain yang disyariatkan dalam Islam, yang sekaligus melanggar hak asasi masyarakat tersebut di sisi undang-undang antarabangsa.

ABIM menilai tekanan-tekanan politik ini serta larangan yang dikenakan ke atas masyarakat ini, telah mengakibatkan sebahagian daripada mereka telah meninggalkan China dan terpaksa hidup sebagai orang pelarian, termasuklah ke Malaysia.  Menyedari ini, ABIM menggesa UNHCR untuk memberikan perlindungan serta bantuan yang sewajarnya kepada pelarian Uyghur ini serta tidak menghantar mereka pulang ke negara asal mereka.

Desakan ini dibuat  memandangkan pelarian Uyghur ini  menepati  definisi yang ditetapkan dalam artikel 1 Konvensyen Geneva 1967 mengenai orang perlarian yang berbunyi;

"A person who owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country; or who, not having a nationality and being outside the country of his former habitual residence as a result of such events, is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to return to it”

Mengambil kesempatan ini, ABIM juga ingin memanjangkan aduan yang diterima dari wakil komuniti Uyghur mengenai beberapa orang rakan mereka yang ditahan oleh pihak berkuasa di Malaysia. Dengan mengambil status mereka sebagai pelarian politik serta dasar perikemanusiaan yang universal, ABIM memohon jasa pihak berkuasa di Malaysia untuk membebaskan beberapa orang masyarakat Islam Uyghur yang ditahan di negara ini.

ABIM akan terus memantau situasi semasa yang berlaku di Xinjiang serta terus mengetengahkannya ke khalayak masyarakat di negara ini agar nasib komuniti Islam Uyghur di Xinjiang mendapat pembelaan serta perhatian yang sewajarnya daripada pihak-pihak yang berkenaan .

“MENEGAKKAN KEBENARAN DAN KEADILAN”

MOHAMAD RAIMI AB RAHIM

Setiausaha Agung, Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia (ABIM)

Rohingya Education Centre REC

REC

Rohingya Education Centre REC adalah usaha murni pertubuhan bukan kerajaan Future Global Network FGN bersama WADAH Pulau Pinang yang diamanahkan oleh UNHCR Malaysia bagi menjalankan pendidikan formal kepada anak-anak pelarian Rohingya. Pusat ini beroperasi sejak Julai 2010 di Taman Arowana, Permatang Pauh, Pulau Pinang.

Satu majlis perasmian telah diadakan sempena pembukaan pusat ini. Program di mulakan dgn ucapan pengacara majlis yang merupakan waris pelajar Madrasah Uthmaniah ABIM Sg Gelugor. Ini diikuti dengan persembahan pelajar Rohingya, nyanyian pelajar perempuan dengan lagu dalam Bahasa Melayu bertajuk "assalamu'alaikum" Kumpulan pelajar lelaki pula melagukan nasyid "my mother". Kemudian, ucapan aluan wakil pelajar perempuan dalam Bahasa Melayu. Wakil pelajar lelaki pula berucap dalam Bahasa Inggeris yang lancar dengan nada Hindi .

Tuan Haji Ahmad Azam Abd Rahman mewakili FGN dan Tuan Haji Abd Halim Ismail, setiausaha agong WADAH Pusat turut memberikan ucapan. Pada ucapan perasmian Ms Anna Maria Pelosi, Wakil UNHCR, beliau memberikan ucapan yang rata-rata yang hadir menganggap baik dan memberangsangkan. beliau menasihati dan menyarankan para pelajar Rohingya supaya menghargai negara ini, jasa dan baktinya, rakyat dan masyarakatnya serta suasana aman dan damai untuk mereka gigih menjalani pendidikan.

Para pelajar telah menghadiahkan lukisan " dari hati mereka" - from their heart, satu lukisan tangan yang dibingkaikan. Para tetamu melawat kelas serta mendengar taklimat pengetua REC.

Jamuan disediakan untuk semua tetamu termasuk waris pelajar Rohingya yang berusaha menyediakan sajian menu negara asal mereka. Alhamdulillah, sekitar 300 orang Rohingya dan tetamu lain hadir.

Latarbelakang

Rohingya merupakan kumpulan etnik minoriti Islam yang tinggal di Arakan, barat Myanmar. Mereka sering dinafikan hak asasi, sehingga sebahagian besar mereka tidak diberikan kerakyatan oleh pemerintah Myanmar. Mereka tertakluk kepada pelbagai jenis peras ugut seperti terpaksa membayar cukai secara arbitrari, rampasan tanah, meroboh rumah kediaman, pengusiran dan sebagainya. Mereka digunakan sebagai buruh paksa bagi membina jalan dan bekerja di kem-kem tentera. Masyarakat Rohingya juga tidak dibenarkan mengamalkan ajaran Islam dan mengadakan apa jua majlis yang bercorak keagamaan. Pemberian Zakat dan penyembelihan binatang qurban juga tidak dibenarkan kerana dikatakan menggugat ekonomi orang ramai di seluruh negara Myanmar.

Pada tahun 1978 masyarakat Islam Rohingya menghadapi pembunuhan dan pengusiran oleh masyarakat beragama Buddha yang disokong oleh tentera pemerintah. Akibatnya, beribu-ribu melarikan diri keluar negara - terpaksa merempat di Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, Thailand, Pakistan dan Malaysia. (FGN)

Education for Refugees

Education centers for refugee children are run by an NGO partner on behalf of UNHCR, while others are community-based education centers organised by the refugee communities themselves where UNHCR provides support, including volunteer teachers, where possible.

As of end November 2010, there are some 19,800 Rohingya refugees and asylum-seekers registered with UNHCR in Malaysia.

Refugees live in quiet ways within Malaysian society, till people sometimes do not realise they exist, nor understand the circumstances that compelled them to flee their homeland with virtually nothing to their name but the clothes on their backs.

For most refugees, their deepest wish is to go home again. But until long term solutions can be found for them, they need the compassion and the understanding of Malaysians to help them survive here.

Education for refugee children is recognised as a universal human right but very few refugees have access to formal education. The absence of education among refugee children will become a handicap for them as they grow up. It inhibits their opportunity to better their lives, creating a possible second generation of an illiterate and unskilled community. (UNHCR)