GEORGE TOWN – A human rights group in Malaysia has called on the United Nations and world leaders to pressure Myanmar’s junta to respect the rule of law and stop the genocide of the Rohingya.
Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organisation in Malaysia (Merhrom) president Zafar Ahmad Abdul Ghani in a letter addressed to the world body’s secretary-general Antonio Guterres said he is concerned and fears the junta’s recent coup in Myanmar.
“The most worrying is the impact of the coup on democracy in Myanmar – the impact on stateless Rohingya and genocide survivors in the state of Arakan.
“We are worried about the impact on other ethnic minorities in Myanmar, (and) the impact on neighbouring countries, particularly Bangladesh, India, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia, following the coup,” said Zafar.
He also said his movement is worried that more Rohingya and other ethnic groups in Myanmar would become refugees in neighbouring countries due to the issues of boat people and human trafficking in the region.
“We are also worried that the military will launch genocidal attacks on the within a year of the military holding power.
“The Rohingya are the most prosecuted people in the world and have been facing ongoing genocide in Myanmar for decades, even during the (rule of the) civilian government,” he added.
Dwindling democracy and human rights in Myanmar means the end of any hope to stop the genocide and restore citizenship rights for the Rohingya in Myanmar.
“There are many indicators to show that democracy is too difficult to sustain in Myanmar.
“Efforts (towards) democracy were easily destroyed by the junta.
“The citizenship of Myanmar people was easily terminated and their property arbitrarily confiscated.
“The election results were easily rejected by the military and the result of the 2020 election clearly shows the rejection of the Myanmar people of the military government,” said Zafar.
He also said there is no democracy as long as the Rohingya are not allowed to vote, since they were legitimate Myanmar citizens before being stripped of their citizenship in 1982.
Merhrom has appealed to the UN to impose economic and financial sanctions on military bureaucrats and conglomerates of Myanmar.
The group also called for the prosecution of top Myanmar military generals for genocide, war crimes, and human rights violations, as stated in the UN Fact Finding Mission 2018.
Zafar said he hopes for an end to the suffering of the Myanmar people, especially now during the challenging Covid-19 pandemic. – The Vibes, February 9, 2021
