Ethnic cleansing in Burma: ASEAN urged to act

Regional southeast Asian grouping ASEAN has been taken to task for not voicing out against the ongoing violence in Burma, where the Rohingya Muslims in the Rakhine state are being systematically targeted in an ethnic cleansing campaign by Buddhist extremists.

"ASEAN, which should be concerned about the genocide being committed against the Rohingyas by a member State in violation of international law and its own vision and ideals, has not even made a statement calling on Myanmar to stop the atrocities," said veteran Penang-based activist S.M. Mohamed Idris, who also chairs Citizens International.

Idris said it had taken two months for ASEAN foreign ministers to break their silence after the massacres in June, but that too was regrettable as they had described the conflict a "domestic issue".

"Are ethnic cleansing and genocide ‘domestic issues? No! They are serious crimes under international law which require intervention by the international community to stop them," he said in a letter to Dr Surin Pitsuwan, the ASEAN secretary general.

The letter reminded Surin that ASEAN should be concerned about the genocide being committed against Rohingyas by a member state.

"By Article 14 of its Charter, ASEAN is committed to promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms and, in pursuance of this commitment; the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) was established. AICHR is mandated to uphold the right of the peoples of ASEAN, including Rohingyas, to live in peace, dignity and prosperity but it has failed to stop the violation of this right by the Rakhinese and Myanmar’s security forces," it added.

Idris also warned that the failure to address the plight of Rohingyas, while had "irreparably damaged" ASEAN's image, could sow the seeds for another armed conflict in the region.

"Rohingyas would be forced to resort to armed resistance to defend themselves, their women and children rather than submit meekly to the butchering by the Rakhinese terrorists and Myanmar security forces. The resistance would attract support from people in ASEAN member States and other countries," he wrote.

He said the current ethnic cleansing of Rohingyas was rooted in the racist and discriminatory policies of the military junta.

Idris also reminded that the father of Burma democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi, General Aung San, and the country's first president Sao Shwe Theik, had assured full rights and privileges to the Rohingyas following independence from Britain.

"It is the Ne Win military government that deprived them of their citizenship in the 1980s and began their persecution," he said.

Citizens International called on ASEAN to hold a Heads of States meeting to discuss the crisis in Burma with a view to stop the violence and resettle refugees and internally displaced people there.

Dipetik dari - HarakahDaily