Myanmar Ethnic Rohingyas Human Rights Organization Malaysia (MERHROM)
MAY 19 2015
Asean, UN urged to face Myanmar and resolve migrant issue Posted on 18 May 2015 – 08:46pm Last updated on 18 May 2015 – 09:10pm Song Boon Mun PETALING JAYA: Asean and the United Nations must face the Myanmar government to resolve the influx of Rohingya migrants and asylum seekers from Myanmar and Bangladeshis into Southeast Asian waters at this very critical time. In making the call, Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organisation Malaysia (MERHROM) president Zafar Ahmad Abdul Ghani said if they fail to do so, the world will continue to see Rohingya boat people risking their lives to seek refuge in other countries. He said in a statement that MERHROM is frustrated with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) as they have been very quiet during this critical moment. MERHROM also urged Asean governments to rescue the boat people and give them treatment. “Asean and the UN must continuously pressure the Myanmar government to stop presecutions on ethnic Rohingya and recognised them as citizens under the 1982 Citizenship Law,” he said. MERHROM also called on the UNHCR to hold a meeting with the governments of Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia on the documentation process for these boat people. The statement said from January to March, 25,000 ethnic Rohingya and Bangladeshis had became boat people. He said the UN must play a vital role to stop this genocide and economic and political sanctions placed on Myanmar to compel it to put a stop to the problem. sources by ;http://www.thesundaily.my/news/1422488 (http://www.thesundaily.my/news/1422488)
Report this ad
Report this ad By Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organization Malaysia ( MERHROM) • Posted in Activites Picture Of MERHROM, Bernama news, Geneva News, Germany News, Health, History of the Rohingya People of Burma, HOME, Human Rights, Human Rights Watch News, India News, Indonesia News, Iran News, Iraq News, Ireland News, Italy News, Japan News, Kaladan press, Kenya News, Korea, Laos News, Libya News, Malaysia Organization News, Malaysiakini, Media reports, Myanmar, New Zealand News, North News, Philippines News, Press Statements, Singapore News, South News, Thailand News, Thiland News, Uncategorized, UNHCR, United Arab Emirates UAE News, United States of America News, Vietnam News, World news MAY 19 2015
Mahathir wants pressure applied on Myanmar
Mahathir wants pressure applied on Myanmar The Sun Daily Tue, 19 May 2015, 1:30:21 pm
Mahathir at the launch of his book in Putrajaya today PUTRAJAYA: Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today condemned the ill-treatment of the Rohingyas by Myanmar, saying its government should be pressured to stop such acts. During a question and answer session at the launch of his new book, “Selected Letters to World Leaders – Volume Two“, Mahathir described the actions of the Myanmar government as unacceptable. “Why can’t they accept the Rohingyas? They’ve been there for centuries.” “We (Malaysia) must prevail upon the Myanmar government to treat its Muslim citizens fairly,” he said, adding that despite their difference in faith they were still citizens nonetheless. During the press conference, Mahathir also added that Asean needed to apply pressure on Myanmar to resolve the issue. “These are inhumane acts, even more so given the Rohingyas are citizens.” Mahathir dismissed any notion of interfering in the internal affairs of others, stating: “This is no longer internal, it’s affecting everyone else as well.” On a separate note, Mahathir commented on Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia’s denial of resigning, saying “he has humiliated me”. He asserted that Pandikar was the one who approached him. Mahathir described how Pandikar expressed his dissatisfaction with the current government, and stated his intent to resign from his position. “This is what he told me, after which he asked what he should do as the House Speaker. I said if you want to resign, go ahead.” Mahathir said he believed Pandikar submitted a letter of resignation to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak, adding “saya cuma ulang apa yang dia kata (I’m just repeating what he said)”. Meanwhile, Asean and the United Nations have been urged to face the Myanmar government to resolve the influx of Rohingya migrants and asylum seekers from Myanmar and Bangladeshis into Southeast Asian waters. In making the call, Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organisation Malaysia (MERHROM) president Zafar Ahmad Abdul Ghani said if they fail to do so, the world will continue to see Rohingya boat people risking their lives to seek refuge in other countries. sources by ; – See more at: http://www.daily-sun.com/online/asia/2015/05/19/11903#sthash.iwGHAWVc.dpuf (http://www.dailysun.com/online/asia/2015/05/19/11903#sthash.iwGHAWVc.dpuf) By Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organization Malaysia ( MERHROM) • Posted in Activites Picture Of MERHROM, Bernama news, Geneva News, Germany News, Health, History of the Rohingya People of Burma, HOME, Human Rights, Human Rights Watch News, India News, Indonesia News, Iran News, Iraq News, Ireland News, Italy News, Japan News, Kaladan press, Kenya News, Korea, Laos News, Libya News, Malaysia Organization News, Malaysiakini, Media reports, Myanmar, New Zealand News, North News, Philippines News, Press Statements, Singapore News, South News, Thailand News, Thiland News, Uncategorized, UNHCR, United Arab Emirates UAE News, United States of America News, Vietnam News, World news MAY 19 2015
Bar Council: Push-back policy is regressive and inhumane Tuesday May 19, 2015 12:00:00 AM
PETALING JAYA: Merely providing food and medical help to the Rohingyas before towing their boats back to sea does not amount to humanitarian assistance, said Datuk M. Ramachelvam. The chairman of the Bar Council’s Migrants, Refugees and Immigration Affairs Committee said this push-back policy adopted by several Asean countries was regressive and inhumane. “Humanitarian assistance is allowing the boats to land on the shores and then providing the Rohingyas with the basic needs of food and shelter,” Ramachelvam said. He said that Malaysia as the Asean chair must take the lead in ensuring the Rohingyas were rescued and given sanctuary. “Each hour of delay is putting their lives at grave risk,” he said. He said the receiving countries can decide later whether those rescued were genuine asylum seekers or otherwise. Ramachelvam said Asean members must tackle the crisis by addressing the root cause, which was Myanmar’s policies towards its minorities. Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman said Malaysia would make a diplomatic push with Thailand and Indonesia to engage Myanmar in resolving the crisis. He said he would meet his Thai and Indonesian counterparts to work out a collective proposal under Asean for discussion with Myanmar. Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organisation Malaysia (MERHROM) thanked Kelab Putra 1Malaysia for donating RM400,000 in aid to recent Rohingya and Bangladeshi arrivals at the Belantik Immigration centre. But MERHROM president Zafar Ahmad Abdul Ghani said the world will continue to see Rohingya boat people as long as Asean and the United Nations fail to resolve the issue with Myanmar. “Thousands more will flee the country if Myanmar does not stop the persecution of ethnic Rohingya and recognise them as citizens,” he said in a statement. sources by ;http://m.thestar.com.my/story.aspx?hl=Bar+Council+Pushback+policy+is+regressive+and+inhumane&sec=news&id= (http://m.thestar.com.my/story.aspx?hl=Bar+Council+Pushback+policy+is+regressive+and+inhumane&sec=news&id=){9A24AFA3-59D1-441F-A6A2DD044E01F050} By Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organization Malaysia ( MERHROM) • Posted in Activites Picture Of MERHROM, Bernama news, Geneva News, Germany News, Health, History of the Rohingya People of Burma, HOME, Human Rights, Human Rights Watch News, India News, Indonesia News, Iran News, Iraq News, Ireland News, Italy News, Japan News, Kaladan press, Kenya News, Korea, Laos News, Libya News, Malaysia Organization News, Malaysiakini, Media reports, Myanmar, New Zealand News, North News, Philippines News, Press Statements, Singapore News, South News, Thailand News, Thiland News, Uncategorized, UNHCR, United Arab Emirates UAE News, United States of America News, Vietnam News, World news MAY 19 2015
Press Digest: Rohingya pays RM6,000 for an unknown destination PETALING JAYA: The Rohingyas in Myanmar had paid as much as RM6,000 per person to syndicates solely to leave the country without knowing their destination in seeking protection. According to Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organisation Malaysia (Merhrom) president Zafar Ahmad Abdul Ghani, the Rohingyas did not target Malaysia specifically as their destination. They instead submitted their fate to the syndicates and boat agents that brought them out of Myanmar, Utusan Malaysia reported today. “The Rohingya people were not informed clearly by the syndicates and agents on their destination to seek shelter,” Zafar Ahmad said. “They did not intend to come to Malaysia. To seek protection and leave on boats, each of them had to pay around RM5,000 to RM6,000 to the syndicates and agents. “Those on the boats did not know the destination they are heading. What they can think of is to safe themselves from becoming a victim of the persecution by the Myanmar government.” He said currently there is an estimated 8,000 Rohingya “boat people” on the water without having any clue of their destination. “How long can they survive with little food, water and medicine? They have been on the seas since two months ago. They are starving, dehydrated and sick. The number of women and children on board is also high,” he said. Zafar Ahmad also urged the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and the United Nations to intervene in finding a solution to problems faced by the Rohingyas in Myanmar. Failing to do so, he said the world would be seeing more boat people risking their lives to seek protection in other countries. He added both organisations must continuously pressure Myanmar to stop the persecution on Rohingyas and recognise them as citizens. sources by ;http://www.thesundaily.my/news/1423114 (http://www.thesundaily.my/news/1423114) By Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organization Malaysia ( MERHROM) • Posted in Activites Picture Of MERHROM, Bernama news, Geneva News, Germany News, Health, History of the Rohingya People of Burma, HOME, Human Rights, Human Rights Watch News, India News, Indonesia News, Iran News, Iraq News, Ireland News, Italy News, Japan News, Kaladan press, Kenya News, Korea, Laos News, Libya News, Malaysia Organization News, Malaysiakini, Media reports, Myanmar, New Zealand News, North News, Philippines News, Press Statements, Singapore News, South News, Thailand News, Thiland News, Uncategorized, UNHCR, United Arab Emirates UAE News, United States of America News, Vietnam News, World news MAY 19 2015
Myanmar top Malaysia’s list of refugees and asylum seekers KUALA LUMPUR: Myanmar contribute to the highest number of refugees and asylum seekers of various ethnicities in Malaysia, according to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR). The agency estimated that as at the end of February this year, about 141,570 out of the total 152,570 refugees and asylum seekers recorded nationwide, were Myanmar. They included some 49,800 Chins, 45,170 Rohingyas, 12,340 Myanmar Muslims, 7,320 Rakhines and Arakanese, and other ethnic groups, according to its website. The balance of 11,000 comprised refugees and asylum seekers from other countries including 3,970 Sri Lankans, 1,200 Pakistanis, 1,100 Somalis, 960 Syrians, 850 Iraqis, 550 Iranians and 430 Palestinians. Thousands of migrants believed to be from Bangladesh and Myanmar are stranded in smugglers’ boats between the Andaman Sea and the Straits of Malacca. Out of these, 1,158 landed illegally in Langkawi, Kedah on May 10 and were transferred in stages to the Belantik Immigration detention centre in Sik, Kedah where they are given, among others, food and health checks. On this development, Deputy Home Minister Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar yesterday said that the Malaysian government was currently working with the UNHCR to identify those who could be classified as “refugees”. On the same matter, Kedah Ayer Hangat assemblyman Datuk Mohd Rawi Abdul Hamid reiterated his request to the federal government to review the placement of law enforcement agencies’ security posts in Pulau Langkawi. The request, he said, was necessary as the distance between Ayer Hangat and Thailand was only a 10-minute boat ride away, while the marine police and Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency guard post was located in Kuah, about 40 minutes away by boat from Ayer Hangat. “This is unwise because the smugglers from Thailand only take 10 minutes to reach Ayer Hangat, while our patrol boats from Kuah need 40 minutes to reach it,” he was quoted as saying to reporters, yesterday. To this, Bukit Aman Internal Security and Public Order Department director, Datuk Muhammad Fuad Abu Zarim, when contacted, said a meeting between the Home Ministry and related agencies would be held by the end of this week. “We will study the matter. Perhaps in the immediate future, we will first set up temporary security posts because a solution cannot be made straight away. “It involves a budget and the move must be agreed upon by the Royal Malaysian Police, National Security Council and the Home Ministry,” he said. Nevertheless, for the time being, Muhammad Fuad said in principle, all security posts, especially those close to Thailand, would be bolstered. The “boat people” issue which came into international limelight for the past week had also been addressed by, among the national leaders, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak, who said that Malaysia would not tolerate any form of human trafficking. On the same note, his deputy Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the Myanmar government in this case should take responsibility to solve the Rohingya ethnic issue, so that other Asean member nations were not burdened by the problem of Rohingya illegal immigrants in their countries. Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman at an event yesterday was quoted as saying that Malaysia as the current Asean chairman, would discuss the issue of Rohingya refugees in depth with Myanmar. Malaysia will also use diplomatic channels with Thailand and Indonesia to work together and determine the comprehensive measures to solve the crisis, he added. – Bernama sources by ; http://www.thesundaily.my/news/1422573 (http://www.thesundaily.my/news/1422573) By Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organization Malaysia ( MERHROM) • Posted in Activites Picture Of MERHROM, Bernama news, Geneva News, Germany News, Health, History of the Rohingya People of Burma, HOME, Human Rights, Human Rights Watch News, India News, Indonesia News, Iran News, Iraq News, Ireland News, Italy News, Japan News, Kaladan press, Kenya News, Korea, Laos News, Libya News, Malaysia Organization News, Malaysiakini, Media reports, Myanmar, New Zealand News, North News, Philippines News, Press Statements, Singapore News, South News, Thailand News, Thiland News, Uncategorized, UNHCR, United Arab Emirates UAE News, United States of America News, Vietnam News, World news MAY 19 2015
Asean, UN urged to face Myanmar and resolve migrant issue PETALING JAYA: Asean and the United Nations must face the Myanmar government to resolve the influx of Rohingya migrants and asylum seekers from Myanmar and Bangladeshis into Southeast Asian waters at this very critical time. In making the call, Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organisation Malaysia (MERHROM) president Zafar Ahmad Abdul Ghani said if they fail to do so, the world will continue to see Rohingya boat people risking their lives to seek refuge in other countries. He said in a statement that MERHROM is frustrated with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) as they have been very quiet during this critical moment. MERHROM also urged Asean governments to rescue the boat people and give them treatment. “Asean and the UN must continuously pressure the Myanmar government to stop presecutions on ethnic Rohingya and recognised them as citizens under the 1982 Citizenship Law,” he said. MERHROM also called on the UNHCR to hold a meeting with the governments of Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia on the documentation process for these boat people. The statement said from January to March, 25,000 ethnic Rohingya and Bangladeshis had became boat people. He said the UN must play a vital role to stop this genocide and economic and political sanctions placed on Myanmar to compel it to put a stop to the problem. sources by ; http://www.thesundaily.my/news/1422488 (http://www.thesundaily.my/news/1422488) By Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organization Malaysia ( MERHROM) • Posted in Activites Picture Of MERHROM, Bernama news, Geneva News, Germany News, Health, History of the Rohingya People of Burma, HOME, Human Rights, Human Rights Watch News, India News, Indonesia News, Iran News, Iraq News, Ireland News, Italy News, Japan News, Kaladan press, Kenya News, Korea, Laos News, Libya News, Malaysia Organization News, Malaysiakini, Media reports, Myanmar, New Zealand News, North News, Philippines News, Press Statements, Singapore News, South News, Thailand News, Thiland News, Uncategorized, UNHCR, United Arab Emirates UAE News, United States of America News, Vietnam News, World news MAY 19 2015
Asean and UN must face Myanmar for real solution
The Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organisation Malaysia (Merhrom) is deeply sad over the recent tragedy of thousands of boat people involving ethnic Rohingya from Myanmar and Bangladeshis. This is proof that ethnic Rohingya in Myanmar are facing continuous systematic prosecutions from the Myanmar government. We face gross human rights violations by the state, we became victims of genocide for generations and left to die in horrible makeshift camps in our own homeland without food, water and medicine supply from the government. Due to horrible situation we face in our homeland, we take risks to flee the country to seek refuge in other countries. We feel very sad to hear that thousands of boat people were turned back to sea as the neighbouring countries were refusing to give protection to new asylum seekers. Currently, an estimated 8,000 boat people are abandoned in the ocean and have nowhere to go. How long they can survive with little food, water and medicine? What will happen to them in the uncertain ocean? Death is on their way. They have already been more than two months in the ocean. They are starving and dehydrated and sick. There are large numbers of women and children in the boats. From January to March 2015, an estimated 25,000 ethnic Rohingya and Bangladeshi became boat people. Thousands more ethnic Rohingya will flee the country if Myanmar does not stop the prosecution on ethnic Rohingya and recognise Rohingya as citizens by law. If Asean and the United Nations fail to resolve the Rohingya’s plight with Myanmar, the world will continue to see Rohingya boat people who risk their lives to seek refuge in other countries. It will become a catastrophe that the world cannot forget. We are very frustrated with the UN Human Rights Commissioner (UNHCR) as they are keeping quiet at this very critical time. Human lives are at risk but UNHCR remains quiet. We are talking about asylum seekers who are persons of concerns to UNHCR but what are they doing? UNHCR must play a vital role in the whole issue of Rohingya. We cannot see the role of UNHCR except renewing the UNHCR card hold by refugees as they no longer registering newly-arrived Rohingya asylum seekers. Don’t we have the feeling to make a search and rescue first and later decide on how to resolve the issue? Don’t we have the feeling that lives must be saved first before we decide on the rest? Do we feel these boat people lives are very cheap and value less? Don’t we have the feeling to see babies, children, women and elderly suffers along their way to seek refuge in other place? Don’t we realise how dangerous the way that they had gone through for the sake of their lives? We thank very much the Kelab Putra Satu Malaysia who came forward to help the newly-arrived Rohingya asylum seekers. We really appreciate what you have done to help us since the conflict in 2012 in our country. We continuously look for your love and support for us. We heard some people suggesting that aid be sent to the boat people in the ocean. This is a temporary help to them, but we cannot be sending food and water to them every day, for how long? A solution must be found. Do we wait to search for dead bodies? We do not know if these boats still have petrol. If the petrol is finished we do not know where they will arrive and how far they can go. Can we just wait and see what will happen to them? Do we wait to search for their dead bodies after their boats have sunk in the ocean? We appeal to Asean and other countries such as Australia to initiate search and rescue mission. Some Asean countries including Malaysia have signed the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (Cedaw) and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). These two conventions apply regardless of nationality and immigration status. Therefore we urge the Malaysia and other Asean countries to give immediate protection to asylum seekers, especially women and children, as they are vulnerable. We urge the Asean governments to ensure that that the boat people are rescued and be given treatment first before they die. Meanwhile, the Asean governments and the United Nations must meet immediately to find solutions towards the Rohingya plight. The United Nations and the UNHCR specifically must intervene urgently as this involves the lives of asylum seekers who require international protection. We hope very much that the Malaysian government will play its role as much as possible as chair of Asean and member of the UN Security Council to help us. We urge the United States government and other countries to give urgent protection and immediate documentation and resettlement to these victims of human trafficking under the Trafficking in Persons Act. We urge UNHCR to step in and have a meeting with Malaysian, Thai and Indonesian government for the documentation process by both UNHCR and the respective governments. We urge the United Nations to play a vital role to stop genocide towards ethnic Rohingya in Myanmar. Economic and political sanctions must be made on Myanmar in order to compel Myanmar to stop the genocide towards ethnic Rohingya who are the most prosecuted ethnic group in the world. We urge the Myanmar government to come forward and attend the meeting in Bangkok to address the whole longstanding Rohingya plight. We urge the Asean governmenst to crack down on human trafficking networks. All Agencies in Asean must work in a comprehensive framework to stop human trafficking. Stern action must be taken on human traffickers and their networks. In lights of this new development, a comprehensive action plan needs to be developed to curb human trafficking starting from the host country, transit and destination countries. Meeting must involve all Asean countries We urge Malaysia as the chair of Asean to seek a specific meeting to discuss the issue. The meeting must involve all Asean countries as Rohingya boat people will arrive not only in Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia but also in other Asean countries in future. Previously Rohingya had arrived in Cambodia and Singapore. We urge Asean and the United Nations to continuously pressure the Myanmar government to stop continuous persecution on ethnic Rohingya and recognise Rohingya as citizen under the 1982 Citizenship Law. In this very critical situation, Merhrom urges the United Nations Security Council, US government, British government, European Union, world leaders, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Asean and other international communities to help. We hope very much the meeting in Bangkok will find immediate and long-term solutions to the Rohingya plight. sources by ;https://www.malaysiakini.com/letters/298704 (https://www.malaysiakini.com/letters/298704)
ZAFAR AHMAD ABDUL GHANI is president of the Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organisation Malaysia (Merhrom). VIEW COMMENTS Most Read Most Commented Dr M on ‘silly’ Najib and 1MDB robbery (https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/298909) Mahathir: Najib rebuts nothing on Altantuya (https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/298907) By Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organization Malaysia ( MERHROM) • Posted in Activites Picture Of MERHROM, Bernama news, Geneva News, Germany News, Health, History of the Rohingya People of Burma, HOME, Human Rights, Human Rights Watch News, India News, Indonesia News, Iran News, Iraq News, Ireland News, Italy News, Japan News, Kaladan press, Kenya News, Korea, Laos News, Libya News, Malaysia Organization News, Malaysiakini, Media reports, Myanmar, New Zealand News, North News, Philippines News, Press Statements, Singapore News, South News, Thailand News, Thiland News, Uncategorized, UNHCR, United Arab Emirates UAE News, United States of America News, Vietnam News, World news MAY 19 2015
Find a real solution for the Rohingya – Merhrom Published: 19 May 2015 7:21 AM The Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organisation Malaysia (Merhrom) is deeply saddened over the recent tragedy of thousands of boat people involving ethnic Rohingya from Myanmar and Bangladeshis. This is proof that ethnic Rohingya in Myanmar face continuous systematic persecution from the Myanmar government. We face gross human rights violations by the state, and we have been the victims of genocide for generations and left to die in horrible makeshift camps in our own homeland without food, water and medicine supplies from the government. Due to the horrible situation we face in our homeland, we take risks to flee the country to seek refuge in other countries. We feel very sad to hear that thousands of boat people were turn back to the sea as the neighbouring countries refused to give protection to new asylum seekers. Currently, an estimated 8,000 boat people are abandoned in the ocean and have nowhere to go. How long can they survive with little food, water and medicine? What will happen to them in the uncertain ocean? Death is on its way. They have already been more than 2 months on the ocean. They are starving and dehydrated and sick. There are big numbers of women and children on the boats. From January-March 2015, an estimated 25,000 ethnic Rohingya and Bangladeshi became boat people. Thousands more ethnic Rohingya will flee the country if Myanmar does not stop persecuting the ethnic Rohingya and instead recognise them as citizens by law. If Asean and the United Nations fail to resolve the Rohingya plight, the world will continue to see Rohingya boat people who risk their lives to seek refuge in other countries. It will become a catastrophe that the world cannot forget. We are very frustrated with UNHCR as they keep quiet at this very critical time. Human lives are at risk but UNHCR remains quiet. We are talking about asylum seekers who are persons of concern to UNHCR, but what are they doing? UNHCR must play a vital role in the whole issue of the Rohingya. We cannot see the role of UNHCR except in renewing the UNHCR card held by refugees as they are no longer registering newly-arrived Rohingya asylum seekers. Don’t we have the feeling to make a search and rescue first and later decide on how to resolve the issue? Don’t we have the feeling that lives must be saved first before we decide on the rest? Do we feel these boat people’s lives are very cheap and valueless? Don’t we have the feeling to see babies, children, women and elderly suffering along their way to seek refuge in other places? Don’t we think about how dangerous the way was that they have gone through for the sake of their lives? We thank very much the Kelab Putra Satu Malaysia who came forward to help the newly-arrived Rohingya asylum seekers. We really appreciate what you have done to help us since the conflict in 2012 in our country. We continuously look for your love and support for us. We hear some people suggesting that the aid be sent to the boat people in the ocean. This is a temporary help to them since we cannot be sending food and water to them every day, for how long? A solution must be found. We do not know if these boats still have oil. If the oil finishes, we do not know where they will arrive and how far they can go. Can we just wait and see what will happen to them? Do we wait to search for their bodies after their boats sink in the ocean? We appeal to Asean and other countries such as Australia to initiate the search and rescue mission. Some Asean countries, including Malaysia, have signed Cedaw and CRC. These two conventions apply regardless of nationality and immigration status. Therefore, we call on Malaysia and other Asean countries to give immediate protection to asylum seekers, especially for women and children as they are vulnerable. We call on the Asean government to rescue the boat people and give them treatment first before they die. Meanwhile the Asean government and the United Nations must meet immediately to find solutions for Rohingya plight. The United Nations and UNHCR specifically must intervene urgently as this involves the lives of asylum seekers who required international protection. We hope very much that the Malaysian government will play their role as much as possible as chairman of Asean and a member of the UN Security Council to help us. We call on the United States government and other countries to give urgent protection and immediate documentation and resettlement to these victims of human trafficking under the Trafficking in Persons Act. We call on UNHCR to step in and have a meeting with the Malaysian, Thai and Indonesian governments for documentation process by both UNHCR and respective governments. We call on the United Nations to play a vital role to stop the genocide of ethnic Rohingya in Myanmar. Economic and political sanctions must be made to Myanmar in order to compel Myanmar to stop the genocide towards ethnic Rohingya who are the most persecuted ethnicity in the world. We call on the Myanmar government to come forward and attend the meeting in Bangkok to address the whole long-standing Rohingya plight. We call on the Asean government to crackdown on human trafficking networks. All agencies in Asean must work in a comprehensive framework to stop human trafficking. Stern action must be taken against human traffickers and networks. In light of this new development, a comprehensive action plan needs to be developed to curb human trafficking starting from the host country, transit and destination countries. We call on Malaysia as chairman of Asean to call for a specific meeting to discuss the issue. The meeting must involve all Asean countries as Rohingya boat people will arrive not only in Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia but also in other Asean countries in future. Previously Rohingya arrived in Cambodia and Singapore. We call on Asean and the United Nations to continuously pressure the Myanmar government to stop continuous persecution of ethnic Rohingya and recognise Rohingya as citizens in 1982 Citizenship Law. In this very critical situation, Merhrom urges the United Nations Security Council, US government, British government, European Union, world leaders, OIC, Asean and international communities to help. We hope very much the meeting in Bangkok will find an immediate and long-term solution to the Rohingya plight. – May 19, 2015. * This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider. sources by – See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/sideviews/article/find-a-real-solution-for-the-rohingya-merhrom#sthash.FRXVLOUq.dpuf (http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/sideviews/article/find-a-real-solution-for-the-rohingya-merhrom#sthash.FRXVLOUq.dpuf) By Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organization Malaysia ( MERHROM) • Posted in Activites Picture Of MERHROM, Bernama news, Geneva News, Germany News, Health, History of the Rohingya People of Burma, HOME, Human Rights, Human Rights Watch News, India News, Indonesia News, Iran News, Iraq News, Ireland News, Italy News, Japan News, Kaladan press, Kenya News, Korea, Laos News, Libya News, Malaysia Organization News, Malaysiakini, Media reports, Myanmar, New Zealand News, North News, Philippines News, Press Statements, Singapore News, South News, Thailand News, Thiland News, Uncategorized, UNHCR, United Arab Emirates UAE News, United States of America News, Vietnam News, World news MAY 18 2015
ROHINGYA PLIGHTS: ASEAN AND UNITED NATIONS MUST FACE MYANMAR GOVERNMENT FOR REAL SOLUTION. PRESS STATEMENT BOAT PEPOLE 18 MAY 2015 (https://merhrom.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/press-statement-boat-pepole-18-may-2015.doc) URGENT PRESS STATEMENT 18 May 2015 Dear Chief Editor, ROHINGYA PLIGHTS: ASEAN AND UNITED NATIONS MUST FACE MYANMAR GOVERNMENT FOR REAL SOLUTION. Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organisation Malaysia (MERHROM) is deeply sad over the recent tragedy of thousands of boat people involving ethnic Rohingya from Myanmar and Bangladeshis. This is prove that ethnic Rohingya in Myanmar facing continuous systematic prosecutions from the Myanmar government. We face gross human rights violations by the state, we became victims of Genocide for generations and left to die in horrible makeshift camps in our own homeland without food, water and medicine supply from the government. Due to horrible situation we face in our homeland, we take risks to flee the country to seek refuge in other countries. We feel very sad to hear that thousands boat people were turn back to the see as the neighboring countries were refuse to give protection to new asylum seekers. Currently estimated 8,000 boat people are abandon in the ocean and had nowhere to go. How long they can survive with little food, water and medicine? What will happen to them in the uncertain ocean? Death is on their way. They are already more than 2 months in the ocean. They are starving and dehydrated and sick. There are big numbers of women and children in the boats. From January-March 2015 estimated 25,000 ethnic Rohingya and Bangladeshi became boat people. Thousands more ethnic Rohingya will flee the country if Myanmar did not stop the prosecutions on ethnic Rohingya and recognized Rohingya as citizen by Law. If ASEAN and United Nations fail to resolve Rohingya plights with Myanmar, the world will continue to see Rohingya boat people who risk their lives to seek refuge in other countries. It will become catastrophe that world cannot forget. We are very frustrated with UNHCR as they keep quiet at this very critical time. Human lives are at risk but UNHCR remains quiet. We are talking about asylum seekers who are persons of concerns to UNHCR but what are they doing? UNHCR must play a vital role in the whole issue of Rohingya. We cannot see the role of UNHCR except renewing the UNHCR card hold by refugees as they no more registering newly arrived Rohingya asylum seekers. Don’t we have the feeling to make a search and rescue first and later decide on how to resolve the issue? Don’t we have the feeling that lives must be saved first before we decide on the rest? Do we feel these boat people lives are very cheap and value less? Don’t we have the feeling to see babies, children, women and elderly suffers along their way to seek refuge in other place? Don’t we think how dangerous the way that they had gone through for the sake of their lives? We thank you very much to the Kelab Putra Satu Malaysia who came forward to help the newly arrived Rohingya asylum seekers. We really appreciate what you have done to help us since the conflict in 2012 in our country. We continuously look for your love and support for us. We heard some people suggesting that the aid to be sent to the boat people in the ocean. This is a temporary help to them, we cannot be sending food and water to them every day, for how long? Solution must be made. We do not know if these boats still have oil. If the oil finish we do not know where they will arrive and how far they can go. Can we just wait and see what will happen to them? Do we wait to search for their death bodies after their boats sinking in the ocean? We appeal to the ASEAN and other countries such as Australia to initiate the search and rescue mission. Some ASEAN countries including Malaysia have signed CEDAW and CRC. These two Conventions apply regardless nationality and immigration status. Therefore we call on the Malaysia and other ASEAN countries to give immediate protection to asylum seekers especially for women and children as they are vulnerable. We call on the ASEAN government that the boat people must be rescued and be given treatment first before they die. Meanwhile the ASEAN government and the United Nations must meet immediately to find solutions towards Rohingya plights. The United Nations and the UNHCR specifically must intervene urgently as this involves the lives of asylum seekers who required International protection. We hope very much on the Malaysian government to play their role as much as possible as a Chairman of ASEAN and member of the UN Security Council to help us. We call on the United States government and other countries to give urgent protection and immediate documentation and resettlement to these victims of human trafficking under the Trafficking in Persons Act. We call on UNHCR to step in and have a meeting with Malaysian, Thai and Indonesian government for documentation process by both UNHCR and respective government. We call on the United Nations to play a vital role to stop Genocide towards ethnic Rohingya in Myanmar. Economic and Political Sanction must be made to Myanmar in order to compel Myanmar to stop Genocide towards ethnic Rohingya who are the most prosecuted ethnic in the world. We call on the Myanmar government to come forward and attend the meeting in Bangkok to address the whole long standing Rohingya plight. We call on the ASEAN government to Crackdown on Human Trafficking Network. All Agencies in ASEAN must work in Comprehensive Framework to stop human trafficking. Stern action must be taken to human traffickers and its networks. In lights to this new development, A Comprehensive Action Plan needs to be developed to curb human trafficking starting from host country, transit and destination countries. We call on Malaysia as a Chairman of ASEAN to call for a specific meeting to discuss the issue. The meeting must involve all ASEAN countries as Rohingya boat people will arrive not only in Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia but also in other ASEAN countries in future. Previously Rohingya has arrive in Cambodia and Singapore. We call on the ASEAN and United Nations to continuously pressure the Myanmar government to stop continuous prosecutions on ethnic Rohingya and recognized Rohingya as citizen in 1982 Citizenship Law. In this very critical situation, MERHROM urge the United Nations Security Council, US Government, British Government, European Union, World Leaders, OIC, ASEAN and International Communities to: We hope very much the meeting in Bangkok will find immediate and long term solution to Rohingya plights. Prepared by, Zafar Ahmad Bin Abdul Ghani President of Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organization Malaysia (MERHROM) Tel No: +6016-6827287 Blog: http://www.merhrom.wordpress.com (http://www.merhrom.wordpress.com) Email:
[email protected] Email:
[email protected] https://www.facebook.com/zafar.ahmad (https://www.facebook.com/zafar.ahmad) https://twitter.com/merhromZafar (https://twitter.com/merhromZafar) Mr. Zafar Ahmad bin Abdul Ghani, President of Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organization Malaysia( MERHROM ) By Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organization Malaysia ( MERHROM) • Posted in Activites Picture Of MERHROM, Bernama news, Geneva News, Germany News, Health, History of the Rohingya People of Burma, HOME, Human Rights, Human Rights Watch News, India News, Indonesia News, Iran News, Iraq News, Ireland News, Italy News, Japan News, Kaladan press, Kenya News, Korea, Laos News, Libya News, Malaysia Organization News, Malaysiakini, Media reports, Myanmar, New Zealand News, North News, Philippines News, Press Statements, Singapore News, South News, Thailand News, Thiland News, Uncategorized, UNHCR, United Arab Emirates UAE News, United States of America News, Vietnam News, World news MAY 17 2015
Burma’s boatpeople ‘faced choice of annihilation or risking their lives at sea’ Thousands of members of the Rohingya, a Burmese minority group, are now adrift in the Andaman Sea, with aid groups fearing ‘boatloads of corpses’ Rohingya migrants Migrants are towed out to sea by a Thai naval vessel near the island of Koh Lipe because the Thai government, along with others in the region, refuses to let them land. Photograph: Aubrey Belford/Reuters Emma Graham-Harrison Sunday 17 May 2015 00.05 BST Last modified on Sunday 17 May 2015 00.29 BST Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via Email Share on LinkedIn Share on Google+ Shares 3640 Comments 283 They were carried or staggered ashore, some paralysed by malnutrition, others little more than walking skeletons, burnt and dazed from weeks at sea on boats the UN has called “floating coffins”. Manu Abudul Salam, 19, had watched her brother die when desperate fighting broke out after the captain of their wooden boat fled on a speedboat, leaving more than 800 passengers adrift with dwindling food and water. “If I had known the boat journey would be so horrendous, I would rather have just died in Myanmar [Burma],” she told journalists shortly after being towed ashore by Indonesian fishermen, one of a few hundred allowed to land. Salam, a Rohingya from northern Burma, was not exaggerating in her depiction of that grim choice, judging by a report from researchers at Queen Mary, University of London, which warns that her people are facing state-sponsored genocide. “The Rohingya are faced with two options: stay and face annihilation, or flee,” said Professor Penny Green, part of a group that recently completed several months’ research in the Rohingya’s home state of Rakhine. “If we understand genocide to be a process, that is what this is. Those who remain suffer destitution, malnutrition and starvation; severe physical and mental illness; restrictions on movement, education, marriage, childbirth, livelihood, land ownership; and the everpresent threat of violence and corruption.” Since 1982 the group has been refused citizenship by the Burmese government, which denies their existence. Officials will not attend events, at home or internationally, where the word Rohingya is used, and last week threatened to boycott a summit on the escalating migrant crisis which had been called by Thailand. “If they use the term Rohingya, we won’t take part in it, since we don’t recognise this term. The Myanmar government has been protesting against the use of it all along,” Zaw Htay, an official from the president’s office, told Reuters on Saturday. Instead it insists that a group with its own language and a history in Burma that goes back many generations must be called Bengalis, and describes them as illegal immigrants from neighbouring Bangladesh. That alienation has led to a vast chain of “refugee” camps which Green says are more like prisons, home to more than 100,000 Rohingya who require permission to leave them. Advertisement In the regional capital of Sittwe, once a thriving mixed city with dozens of mosques, a few thousand Rohingya still live in a ghetto with seven heavily guarded entrances. The number of mosques still standing is in single figures a nd they are deserted, occupied by government forces. A trickle of food aid into the camps keeps people alive but hungry on a meagre diet of rice and lentils, while in the city’s markets there are bags of food aid apparently siphoned off by officials with little care for the camps’ inhabitants. “They live the barest of existences,” Green says. “People were begging us for food. You walk around and see blank eyes.” The government also tolerates Islamophobia and screeds of hatred in the media, Green said, fostering an ugly atmosphere that easily flares into violence. More than 200 Rohingya were killed in attacks in 2012 for which no one has been tried or even arrested. “We asked why there were no prosecutions or investigations, and the prosecutor said it was because it happened at night, so no one could see what happened.” It is this living death that the Rohingya have been trying to flee for years, some across the border into Bangladesh, but thousands by sea, even though they know the smuggling trade is vicious and predatory and the journey could cost their lives. The pace of departures has picked up, with up to 25,000 setting off from the Bay of Bengal between January and March, double the levels in 2013 and 2014, a UN report on “irregular maritime movements” in the region found. More than 300 migrants died of starvation, dehydration and beatings by boat crews, survivors told the UN. It is possible that others died unrecorded deaths as they set off in ships no more seaworthy or less crowded than those that frequently founder in the Mediterranean. “A few interviewees also told of entire boats sinking, but there was no way to verify such reports or if, and how many, lives were lost,” the UN said in a report on the sea traffic. Many of the women endure rape or other sexual violence on the boats or while waiting to travel, and many others are forced into marriage with men who pay for their journey. Mothers travelling with children are also particularly vulnerable to starvation, as young travellers are given no rations so women often go hungry to ensure that their sons and daughters can eat. This desperate exodus has been going on for years, largely unnoticed until regional governments that had been taking in the migrants started turning away men, women and children who had spent weeks at sea. There are perhaps as many as 8,000 people now adrift in a hellish maritime limbo, refused permission to land by the Indonesian, Malaysian and Thai governments after being handed basic provisions of food and water, unlikely to last out their uncharted journeys. “The situation is very grave,” Joe Lowry, a spokesman for the International Organisation for Migration in Bangkok, told Reuters. “They have no food, no water and are drinking their own urine. This is a game of maritime ping-pong with human life. We expect governments in the region to find a solution rapidly … or we will be finding boatloads of desiccated corpses floating around in the Andaman Sea in coming days.” Earlier in the week about 2,000 people were allowed to land; it was not clear how officials were deciding who should receive assistance and who were sent on their way. Turning the boats away was “incomprehensible and inhumane”, the UN’s top human rights official warned, as other UN organisations begged the governments to take them in and promised to help with food and transport costs. “In the name of humanity, let these migrants land,” said William Lacy Swing, director general of the International Organisation for Migration, which has already offered $1m in funding. Pushing the desperate migrants back out to sea may also be illegal, as it violates obligations enshrined in global maritime law, according to the International Chamber of Shipping. “It’s a well-honoured maritime tradition for ships to rescue anyone in distress at sea, but coastal states also have an obligation to come to the rescue, and we expect them to honour this, including taking migrants ashore,” said ICS spokesman Simon Bennett. The countries turning migrants away are apparently worried about their capacity to absorb a fast-growing number of poor, uneducated arrivals. But critics say they share responsibility for the current crisis by shying away from dealing with the root cause of the migration – policies in Burma that rights groups say amount to state-sponsored ethnic cleansing. “Regional countries are reaping what they have sown for their policy of denial for years, and even with boatloads of desperate people in their waters they’re refusing to act,” said David Mathieson, senior researcher on Burma for Human Rights Watch. “They are tantamount to co-conspirators in the repression of the Rohingya for years, because of their weak response to the export of Burma’s discriminatory policy to a stateless minority that has evinced more hatred than mercy throughout Asia.” In its first official response to the crisis, the Burmese government denied any of the people stranded at sea were its citizens. “We cannot say the migrants are from Myanmar unless we can identify them,” a government spokesman, Ye Htut, told the Associated Press. “Most victims of human trafficking claim they are from Myanmar; it is very easy and convenient for them.” sources by http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/may/17/rohingya-burma-refugees-boat-migrants (http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/may/17/rohingya-burma-refugees-boat-migrants) By Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organization Malaysia ( MERHROM) • Posted in Activites Picture Of MERHROM, Bernama news, Geneva News, Germany News, Health, History of the Rohingya People of Burma, HOME, Human Rights, Human Rights Watch News, India News, Indonesia News, Iran News, Iraq News, Ireland News, Italy News, Japan News, Kaladan press, Kenya News, Korea, Laos News, Libya News, Malaysia Organization News, Malaysiakini, Media reports, Myanmar, New Zealand News, North News, Philippines News, Press Statements, Singapore News, South News, Thailand News, Thiland News, Uncategorized, UNHCR, United Arab Emirates UAE News, United States of America News, Vietnam News, World news
Blog at WordPress.com.