RB News

September 11, 2013

Washington, D.C. 2013 Annual Convention of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) was held in Washington DC on August 30- September 1, 2013. A special session of Rohingya issues in Myanmar and two booths on Rohingya human rights were among many sessions and exhibitions. The special interactive session titled “Natural Disaster! Poverty! War! Responding to Crises Abroad” presided by Ms. Afeefa Syeed with the panel members, Prof. Dr. Amaney Jamal of Princeton University, Prof. Dr. Wakar Uddin of ARU & BRANA, and Vice-President Dr. Anwar Khan of Islamic Relief-USA. The first booth was displayed by Dr. Nora Rowley and Ms. Jennifer Quigley of U.S. Campaign for Burma in Washington, and the second booth was displayed by Burma Task Force-USA. 

The booths conveyed volume of information on violence and ethnic cleansing against Rohingya and Myanmar Muslims. The topics of the interactive session included natural and man-made disasters, including, genocide, ethnic cleansing, and mass murder in many parts of the world. Dr. Amanay covered numerous crises facing Muslim population in many parts of the world, and Dr. Wakar Uddin addressed issues facing Rohingya ethnic minority and Myanmar Muslims in Central Myanmar, while Dr. Anwar Khan addressed the timely and urgent needs for getting relief supplies to the displaced persons, refugees, war victims, and others. The panel also discussed the importance of the participation of international communities in reaching out to the victims of natural and man-made disasters. Dr. Wakar Uddin detailed the immense suffering of internally displaced Rohingya and Myanmar Muslim population (IDPs) in Myanmar as well as refugee communities in Bangladesh, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia. Dr. Uddin called on Myanmar Government to give the international relief organizations unfettered access to Rohingya and Myanmar Muslim IDP camps because of the dire situation in IDP camps. “There are also numerous Rohingya and Myanmar Muslim villages that are seriously in need of food, medicines, clean water, and other supplies for subsistence” he added. He urged the international media establishments to make their best efforts in coverage of many serious issues faced by the victims of violence and ethnic cleansing in Arakan and Central Burma. “You are the key – you are the only sources that can effectively deliver the message of true horror and despair faced by Rohingya and Myanmar Muslim victims to the world community” Dr. Uddin concluded.

Arakan Rohingya Union Director General Prof. Dr. Wakar Uddin at Iftar Reception by US Secretary of State John Kerry; Receives Reassurance from the Secretary in Support of the Rohingya Cause 

RB News

July 27, 2013

Washington, D.C. - US Secretary of State John Kerry hosted an Iftar dinner reception to a number of renowned Muslim leaders, US Congressmen, and several diplomats at the State Department on July 24, 2013. Prof. Dr. Wakar Uddin, the Director General of Arakan Rohingya Union, was among the guests invited to the dinner reception at the Benjamin Franklin Room in the Harry Truman State Building. 

Secretary Kerry congratulated the Muslims on the occasion of Holy month of Ramadan and delivered a speech starting with “Assalamu Alaikum; Ramadan Kareem”. The main theme of Secretary Kerry’s speech was the strength of diversity of religion and culture in the United States as well as in many parts of the world, and how Muslim community in the United States contributed to this country. Additionally, Secretary Kerry stressed the significance of inter-faith relationship among the three Abrahamic faiths (Christianity, Islam, and Judaism), and also with the other major faiths of the world. 

After the reception, Secretary Kerry spoke with some of the guests. Dr. Wakar Uddin had an opportunity to discuss Rohingya issues with Secretary Kerry. “I was overwhelmed with joy and surprise when Secretary asked me straight about the Arakan Rohingya Union (ARU) and the Burmese Rohingya Association of North America (BRANA)” Dr. Uddin told the RB News.

“Secretary knew BRANA very well during past several years when he was the Chair of Senate Foreign Relations Committee, but now he seems to be quite familiar with ARU also”. Dr. Uddin added. “I am truly surprised at how much in depth Secretary Kerry is aware of our work on Rohingya issues at the international level” Dr. Uddin stated. He also briefed the Secretary the recent ARU Congress meeting at OIC Headquarters in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, including the adoption of the Charter, expansion of the membership to over 60 organizations globally, the election of new officers of ARU, and the strategic work plan”. 

Secretary Kerry congratulated the ARU members and the Rohingya people worldwide on institutionalization of ARU, and encouraged Rohingya people to sustain the efforts for their cause. Secretary Kerry also acknowledged the importance of democratic transformation in Myanmar, and the potential of the fledgling democracy in Myanmar for bringing peace and prosperity along with the rights of the ethnic minorities with peaceful co-existence. 

The Secretary reassured Dr. Uddin of the United States Government’s commitment to help find a durable solution for the Rohingya people in Myanmar. Dr. Uddin expressed his deepest gratitude to the Secretary Kerry and the Government of United States for their support for the rights of Rohingya and their efforts to bring peace and communal harmony in Arakan state.

Additionally, Dr. Uddin had the opportunity to discuss the Rohingya issues with a number of US Congressmen, diplomats, and dignitaries, including Congressman André Carson (D-IN), Congressman Keith Ellison (DFL-MN), U.S. Special Envoy to OIC Rashad Hussain, OIC Ambassador to the United Nations Ufuk Gokcen, and Aljazeera America’s Ali Velshi (formerly with CNN). All of the dignitaries expressed their unequivocal supports for Rohingya, and offered Dr. Uddin their assistance in ARU’s quest for the rights of Rohingya ethnic minority in Myanmar.

RB News

May 18, 2013

Rohingya issues taken up by Ambassadors of OIC member states ahead of the UN Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva; ARU Director General addresses the delegates at the UN

The Director General of Arakan Rohingya Union, Prof. Dr. Wakar Uddin, addressed the special session of OIC member states that was convened at the United Nations in New York on May 17, 2013. Over 40 delegates from the 57 member states attended the event. The special session was arranged to formulate a strong resolution backed by a common position taken up by the OIC member states on Rohingya human right issues. The highlights of the session include safeguarding the Rohingya and Myanmar Muslim population in Myanmar, to reinstate all the human rights and political rights of Rohingya in Myanmar, to bring a durable peace and stability to Arakan and elsewhere in Central Myanmar, to mobilize a sustained effort to bring communal harmony and peaceful co-existence among the people all ethnicity and faith in Myanmar, and several other positive initiatives. 

Dr. Wakar Uddin was given the floor to speak on the status of current situation in Arakan and Central Myanmar and the highlights of the Myanmar Government-appointed Commission Report. Dr. Uddin presented the Summary Report in English and the Full Report in Burmese language during his speech. He pointed out some particular inconsistencies between the two versions. “When one reviews the full version in Burmese, he/she will see how the Rohingya people were unfairly targeted by the Commission from the historical perspective to current status. On the other hand, the Summary Report in English version is relatively soft in tone; however, it also contained several highly objectionable terms and statements.” Dr. Uddin pointed out. 

“The persistent designation of Rohingya as Bengali by the Myanmar Commission throughout the report, implying the requirement of approval by Rakhine for the return of Rohingya IDPs to their respective homes, language requirements for Rohingya only as a criterion for citizenship, unfairly targeting Muslim children schools and failing to mention radical Buddhist monks preaching hate crimes against Rohingya and committing violence, and several other false allegations against Rohingya clearly undermined the reports – it has defeated the purpose” Dr. Uddin added. “Having said that, with objectivity, we also would like to point out that there are also some positive recommendations with regards to education, economic, and social infrastructure development in Arakan; these all sound good if intended for all people of Arakan, including Rohingya”, he explained. 

Dr. Uddin asked the OIC member states and the international community for appointment of an independent team of investigators by the United Nations. “The international community has given an opportunity to the Government of Myanmar to appoint a commission of inquiry to the violence in Arakan. Showing no respect for any standard of human ethics, the Myanmar commission has expressed its hostility towards Rohingya by not including a Rohingya member in the commission, expelling the Myanmar Muslim member from the commission, and finally compiling a report that is rife with allegations against Rohingya and siding with the Rakhine”, Dr. Uddin stated. “This is precisely why an independent team of investigators from the UN is needed – the international community deserves to know the truth with a fair, transparent, and balanced report”, he explained. 

Ambassadors from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Albania, Bangladesh, Turkey, Iran, and Iraq were given the floor following Dr. Uddin’s speech. All the ambassadors spoke on a common and positive theme that called on all the 57 member states to dramatically increase the concerted efforts on Rohingya and Myanmar Muslim issues, to draft a strong resolution for the UN Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva, using each member state’s bilateral relation with the Government of Myanmar to the fullest to address the Rohingya issues, to work together with the Government of Myanmar for engagement with OIC for humanitarian supports for all the affected people in Myanmar, and some other constructive matters. 

Dr. Uddin was given the floor for the second time after the ambassadors spoke, and he appealed to the OIC member states and the international community to take an initiative for appointment of an independent team of investigators by the United Nations; to insist for a humanitarian office of OIC in Myanmar to assist the affected people; and to the Governments of Malaysia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and other countries to provide legal status to the undocumented Rohingya communities in these countries as done by the Government of Saudi Arabia.

DIRECTOR GENERAL OF ARU MEETS THE AMBASSADORS OF OIC AND SAUDI TO THE UNITED NATIONS IN NEW YORK AND DISCUSSES THE STRATEGIES FOR UPCOMING HUMAN RIGHT COUNCIL MEETING RESOLUTION

RB News

May 11, 2013

The Director General of Arakan Rohingya Union, Prof. Dr. Wakar Uddin, met with OIC Ambassador, HE Ufuk Gokcen, and Saudi Ambassador, HE Dr. Abdallah Al-Mouellimi, at the Saudi Mission at the United Nations in New York on May 7, 2013. 

A number of Rohingya Political and Human Rights issues were discussed during the meeting. The major theme of the meeting was the most serious Rohingya issues related to the resolution in the upcoming UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. During the discussion, Dr. Uddin stressed the need for sustaining a unified, strong, and firm language in the OIC Human Rights Commission meeting resolution ahead of the UN Human Rights Council meeting. Dr. Uddin also urged the ambassadors to continue their efforts to garner support from all the OIC member states, including the three ASEAN member states, in reflecting their voices and concerns for Rohingya political and human rights expressed by Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Gulf States, and several other OIC members. 

“A strong resolution from the UN Human Rights Council is needed to pave the way for materializing the appointment of an independent and unbiased international team to investigate the massacre in Arakan state and Central Burma” Dr. Uddin asked the ambassadors. “The Burmese Government-appointed commission has clearly undermined its own report by explicitly showing biasness in the report that is rife with hostility toward Rohingya people, such as the blunt description of Rohingya as ‘Bengali’, false allegation of Rohingya population outburst, and stating the Rakhine opposition to returns of Rohingya and Kamen IDPs to their homes in Arakan. Such misconducts, not to mention the rejection of a Rohingya member and expulsion of Myanmar Muslim members from the Commission, warrant a transparent and unbiased team of investigators from the UN” Dr. Uddin said. 

“We welcome certain positive recommendations made by the Myanmar Government-appointed commission on economic, social, and educational infrastructure development in Arakan state, if these recommendations are meant to benefit all the citizens of Arakan, including Rohingya” Dr. Uddin added. “50 years of deprivation of basic education to Rohingya people in rural areas in Arakan, has made them not to be able to speak and write Bama language of mainland Burma – Rohingya people maintains their own ethnic language and culture, and it is deplorable that the commission is talking about proficiency in Bama language as the criterion for Rohingya people to be judged as citizens.” Dr. Uddin explained and brought this to the attention of the ambassadors. 

“A significant number of ethnic minorities from the eastern and northern frontier areas of Burma cannot speak or write Bama language because they also maintain their own languages as the Rohingya ethnic minority does; therefore, the Commission’s language requirement issue does not make sense; Nonetheless, we all can learn the Government’s preferred language without getting punishment for not knowing enough now” Dr. Uddin stressed. Several other undisclosed matters pertaining to the UN Human Right Council were also discussed during the meeting with the ambassadors.

RB News

April 17, 2013

On behalf of Rohingya community in Myanmar and various regions around the world, the Director General of Arakan Rohingya Union, Prof. Dr. Wakar Uddin, expressed his deepest gratitude to the Secretary General of OIC, His Excellency Dr. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, for convening the emergency OIC Ministerial Contact Group meeting at the OIC Headquarters in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on April 14, 2013, to find a solution to the crisis faced by the Rohingya and Myanmar Muslim population in Myanmar. Dr. Uddin echoed what the Secretary General Dr. Ihsanoglu and the Political Officer Ms. Dina Madani have spoken about the current situation in Myanmar. Dr. Uddin reinforced the presentation by Ms. Madani that detailed the graphic nature of the violence against the Muslims in Myanmar. “I have been regularly in touch with our community in Arakan and Central Burma, and receiving reports of horrifying atrocities and gruesome murders of men, women, and children. It is humanly unthinkable in this day and age how anyone in Myanmar can commit such crimes against humanity. In fact, what the international community learning from the media is just a fraction of the bloodbath taking place in Myanmar.” Dr. Uddin said. He further stated “The campaigns to uproot Islam from Myanmar began with Rohingya in Arakan. The radical Buddhist elements started this with Rohingya first, claiming that they have to cut-off the roots before eliminating the tree ‘Islam’ in Burma - Rohingya being the roots.” 

Dr. Uddin alerted the OIC member states and the Muslim Umma that the rapidly emerging Buddhist terror Network “969”, which seriously deviates from the original teaching of peace by Buddha, poses the most serious threat to Islam in Burma today and subsequently to the stability of Southeast Asia region. “You see the refugee crisis in Bangladesh, Malaysia, Indonesia, and other countries. At the same time some sorts of violence have started to spill over to these countries. Subsequently, violence has also erupted in Sri Lanka. The emergence of the radical Buddhist terror network could continue to cause the domino effects in the region and in other parts of the world.” he stressed. 

Dr. Uddin expressed the gratitude by Rohingya people to the international community, including OIC and its member states, UN, the governments of US, Canada, and several European countries, and a number of NGOs for their tremendous efforts to stop the violence in Myanmar and find a durable solution to Rohingya and Muslim issues; but he also appealed to them to do more. He cautioned some of the OIC member states in the region that when the very existence of a community and the faith in a country is seriously threatened, the policy of “non-interference in another country’s internal matters” becomes counter-productive and serves as a tool for the aggressor. Dr. Uddin called on the OIC member states to use their bilateral relations as an avenue to persuade and pressure the Myanmar Government to resolve the issues with utmost urgency for the sake of humanity and the stability in the Southeast Asia region. “Your Excellency, it is no longer a Rohingya issue. It is becoming a regional and potentially global humanitarian crisis.” he concluded.

On the sideline, Dr. Uddin also met with dignitaries from some OIC member states, including the Foreign Ministers of Turkey and Bangladesh, and further discussed the pressing issues on Rohingya and violence against Muslims in Myanmar. “I am very satisfied with each meeting, and I can assure you that they are dedicated to bringing a solution to the issues faced by Rohingya and Myanma Muslims” Dr. Uddin replied, when asked by the Saudi-based ARU signatories about his separate meetings with the Foreign Ministers.

PRESS RELEASE 

Rohingya People Unequivocally Condemns the Grossly Irrational Behavior of the Protesters in the Rally in Bangkok 

Date: April 10, 2013

On behalf of the Rohingya community worldwide, the Arakan Rohingya Union (ARU) denounces, in its strongest terms, the burning of the images of the Burmese independence leader and father of the nation Bogyoke Aung San and the NLD leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi at a rally reportedly organized by the Burmese Rohingya Association of Thailand (BRAT) on April 9, 2013. 

ARU makes it clear that a gross misconduct by a small group of misguided individuals on a street of Bangkok does not represent the view of the Rohingya people by any means, and it does not reflect the ideals of the Rohingya community in Burma and around the world. Such utterly irrational and abominable behavior of a small group of stray individuals on the street of Bangkok must not be acceptable by any standard of social norm. 

ARU calls on all the Rohingya people worldwide to take every precaution not to be misguided by any unruly or irrational group that embraces such behaviors and actions that do not serve any purpose whatsoever. 

Prof. Dr. Wakar Uddin 

Director General 

Arakan Rohingya Union

Press Release: Rohingya People Unequivocally Condemns the Grossly Irrational Behavior of the Protesters in...

RB News

April 8, 2013

Director General of Arakan Rohingya Union, Prof. Dr. Wakar Uddin, addressed the audience at the launching ceremony of Ambassador Dr. Akbar Ahmed’s new book at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. The book, containing a wealth of information on the world’s tribes and ethnic minorities, was published in April 2013 by the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C. A number of dignitaries and journalists from CNN, BBC, ABC, NBC, CBS, Al-Jazeera, Washington Post, New York Times, and others from international print and broadcast media were among the audience. Ambassador Dr. Ahmed’s book unveiled issues of modern day warfare and its impacts on tribes, ethnic minorities, and indigenous population in various regions of the world. There were a significant portion of Rohingya issues, which was detailed in the book. Further, the contemporary issues and the most recent violence against the Rohingya ethnic minority in Burma were presented by the author. During the ceremony in the National Press Club, Dr. Uddin was honored by Ambassador Dr. Ahmed with presentation of the book. 

In his speech, Dr. Uddin provided a brief historical perspective on Rohingya ethnicity in Arakan state in Burma, the contemporary Rohingya issues, and the on-going violence against Rohingya and Myanmar Muslim population by Burmese Buddhist radical elements and monks as a result of newly emerging radical Buddhist terror network in Burma. Dr. Uddin’s emphasis on the indigenity of Rohingya population in Arakan clearly resonated the narration of Rohingya issue by Dr. Ahmed in his book. Dr. Uddin explained the audience the deeply-rooted Rohingya culture and civilization in Rohang region of Arakan, dating as far back as 9th century. “All these evidences clearly lead to squarely invalidation of the current position of Burmese Government on Rohingya ethnicity and citizenship” Dr. Uddin stated. He further explained how the intensity and seriousness of the human rights violation and ethnic cleansing against Rohingya people in Arakan state has undeniably risen to the level of genocide. Dr. Uddin has also shed the lights on the emerging humanitarian crisis in Rohingya IDP camps and villages in Arakan as the monsoon season is approaching rapidly. “While the international community is trying so hard to avert a possible humanitarian disaster in IDP camps, the dire situations in many Rohingya villages has gone largely unnoticed – they have no food to eat in villages, particularly in Myohaung, Kyauktaw, Pauktaw, Rathaydaung, Sittwe, Rambre, and several other areas that are under constant threat from radical Rakhine terror network” Dr. Uddin added. About the recent spread of violence in Central Burma, he provided the detailed accounts of the gruesome killings of Myanmar Muslim families in Meiktila and destruction of mosques and properties of Myanmar Muslims in several other cities in Central Burma. Dr. Uddin again appealed the international community and the United Nations not to waste the valuable time and save the vulnerable victims in Burma. “The rapid growth and spread of radical Buddhist terror network ‘969’ in Burma is not just a threat to very existence of the Rohingya and Myanmar Muslims in Burma, but setting the stage for a new dimension to this terrorism that sure will also target the people of other faiths in Burma – it is just a matter of time” he concluded.

The Director General of Arakan Rohingya Union (ARU), Prof. Dr. Wakar Uddin, addressed the audience in the inauguration ceremony of launching of the Global Rohingya Center at the OIC Headquarters in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Dignitaries from the diplomatic communities, OIC officials, Saudi Government officials, and prominent individuals from Saudi Arabia and international community, and a number of ARU members attended the inauguration event. 

The GRC was launched under the patronage of OIC Secretary General, Prof. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, who expressed deep concern at the spreading violence against Muslims in Myanmar at the hands of extremist Buddhists. The Center was formed to advance the cause of Rohingya people to reclaim their political and human rights and to find solution for improvement of their lives where they reside. 

The formation of GRC was initiated with Media, Legal, and Humanitarian Departments in Istanbul, Turkey, in October of 2012, after a MoU was signed by Rohingya leaders from ARU and Saudi Arabia, OIC Muslim Minority and Community Department, and the International Islamic Lawyers Organization. The GRC will be operated under the supervision of the Director General of ARU, Dr. Wakar Uddin. 

The Media Department will provide crucial knowledge and information delivery with regards to situation on the ground in Arakan state and some other parts of Burma. The legal and Humanitarian Departments will also follow the same suit with their respective activities related to legal matters and humanitarian aid for Rohingya and Muslim victims in Burma. The Center will assist international organizations in developing plans to deliver assistance to alleviate the horrendous situation that the Rohingya people are facing. OIC Secretary General said, in his speech, the violence in Arakan state since last June did not truly stop, and now it has spread to other cities, particularly the city of Meikhtila in Mandalay region. Hundreds of Muslims have been killed and their homes and properties along with several mosques and a number of schools were destroyed. Hundreds of families have been forced to flee the ethnic violence. “Such violence cannot continue. It is unacceptable and provides a clear indication of the negative approach the Myanmar government is adopting in addressing the ethnic tensions,” he said in his speech. The Director General of Arakan Rohingya Union, Prof. Dr. Wakar Uddin, also echoed a similar concern in his speech at the inauguration. “This community (the Rohingya) is facing a dire humanitarian crisis. It suffers from denial of basic human rights and dignity,” said Ihsanoglu. From ARU, Dr. Wakar Uddin said he was very enthusiastic about the formation of GRC and the opportunity of having the Media, Legal, and Humanitarian Departments as major resources of Arakan Rohingya Union that is truly a major breakthrough in international arena.

RB News

February 3, 2013

The Director General of Arakan Rohingya Union, Prof. Dr. Wakar Uddin, met with Deputy Prime Minister of Pakistan, Honorable Chaudhary Pervaiz Elahi, and discussed a wide range of political, human right, and humanitarian issues facing Rohingya ethnic minority in Arakan state in Burma/Myanmar. 

Dr. Uddin provided detailed accounts of the recent violence by Buddhist Rakhine against Rohingya ethnic minority in several areas in Arakan, and current status on these issues. Dr. Uddin explained the humanitarian crisis faced by over 120,000 Rohingya IDPs (internally displaced persons) in various camps in Arakan, ranging from health issues, food/water crisis, lack of protection for women in camps, and various problems faced by Rohingya families in many villages. 

“There is ample aid and support for the victims from international communities; however, the aid groups can not get access to all areas for various number of reasons” Dr. Uddin said. “We appeal to Myanmar Government to give the international community free access to all the affected areas, and security for the international teams must be provided by Myanmar Government” Dr. Uddin added. 

Answering questions from the Deputy Prime Minister about the root cause of the problem, Dr. Uddin explained multiple causes ranging from historical perspective, emerging Rakhine racist ideology, to longstanding and contemporary government policies against Rohingya ethnic minority in Arakan. Dr. Uddin also provided details of the mission of Arakan Rohingya Union, and the advances it has made since its formation under the auspices of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in 2011. 

The Deputy Prime Minister told the Director General that his team in Pakistan is well aware of ARU’s diplomatic activities at OIC, United Nations, and in various countries in Europe, Asia, United States, and Canada. The Deputy Prime Minister emphasized the importance of diplomacy and encouraged the Director General to continue ARU’s diplomatic efforts to find a peaceful resolution for Rohingya people in Arakan. The Deputy Prime Minister assured Dr. Uddin that the people of Pakistan will continue to stand by the Rohingyas in their quest for reclaiming their rights in their homeland.

RB News

December 03, 2012

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) ambassador to the United Nations, His Excellency Ufuk Gokcen, recently hosted representatives of several members of ethnic minorities from Myanmar at the OIC mission in New York. The delegates includes representatives from Karen, Kachin, Shan, Chin, Rohingya, guests and human right activists, and some diplomats from the United Nations.  

Representatives from each ethnic minority provided updates on the current situation on the ground in their respective states and regions in Myanmar, and stressed the need for a unified voice for universal human rights for all the ethnic groups, including those less privileged, in Myanmar. Prof. Dr. Wakar Uddin, Director General of Arakan Rohingya Union and Chairman of the Burmese Rohingya Association of North America, and a renowned Rohingya leader (identity not available) of the Rohingya Muslim women in Myanmar represented the Rohingya community in Myanmar. 

Both Rohingya leaders echoed the calls of the representatives of the other ethnic minorities with regard to human rights, political rights, mutual respects and support within the minorities, community developments, active participation in the political process during the democratic transition, and sustaining the collective efforts to bring peace and tranquility in several states in Myanmar. 

Both the Rohingya leaders along with minority representatives and diplomats also called for engagement with Myanmar Government with dialogue at various levels starting with confidence building with mutual trusts. All the delegates expressed their gratitude to the OIC for taking the important initiatives in Burma for humanitarian aids for all the affected people by the recent waves of violence. The minority delegates also discussed to garner supports from other minorities for cooperation with OIC, and appealed OIC for the continuous humanitarian support for the people of Myanmar.

RB News
November 27, 2012

Prof. Dr. Wakar Uddin, Director General of Arakan Rohingya Union, was invited by The European Rohingya Council (ERC) to Frankfurt, Germany, on November 20, 2012, while he was on his way to Geneva, Switzerland, to participate in meetings on Rohingya issues. Members of ERC, Burmese Rohingya Association in Deutschland (BRAD), representatives of Myanmar Muslim Organization based in Germany, and representatives of Turkish and Arab communities in Germany, gave a reception luncheon to the Director General. Following the reception, a meeting was held at the Islamic Community Center in Frankfurt. The meeting started with a welcome speech by Chairman of BRAD, U Zaw Naing where he thanked Dr. Uddin and all other participants for attending the meeting on this important cause of Rohingya political and human rights in Myanmar.

Vice-Chairman of ERC Mr. Hla Tin explained objectives of ERC and pledged cooperation with ARU and other Rohingya and non-Rohingya organizations to relieve the plights of Rohingya people, and the issues facing the Myanmar Muslims and certain ethnic minorities in Myanmar.

Dr. Uddin expressed deep appreciation to all the participants for attending the meeting, and he reiterated that it will be a privilege for ARU to work in coordination and collaboration with ERC and other Rohingya and non-Rohingya organizations to find a durable solution for the Rohingya people in Myanmar as well as issues related to Myanmar Muslims and other ethnic minorities in Myanmar.

After the meeting Dr. Uddin proceeded to Geneva accompanied by Mohamed Ibrahim, Media Secretary of ERU and Abdul Aziz, Secretary of Fund Raising and International Relations at ERC. Mohammed Ibrahim and Abdul Aziz participated in some of the meetings in Geneva, including those in the United Nations.

ARU, BTF-USA, and ERC Appeals President Barak Obama to Demand Myanmar Government to Immediately End the Plights of Rohingya, and to Fully Cooperate with the International Community with Transparency

Arakan Rohingya Union (ARU), Burma Task Force USA, and The European Rohingya Council urgently appeal to President Barak Obama to address the ongoing ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya ethnic minority in Burma. We urge him to play an active role to help reach a long-term and durable solution to the current crisis, and to bring peace, stability, security, and communal harmony in Arakan state. President Obama must use his personal as well as the influence of the US Government and demand that President Thein Sein and the Myanmar Government officials must cooperate with the international community with utmost transparency. President Obama must unequivocally demand the Burmese Government to:

1. Repeal the 1982 Citizenship Law, dismantle the color-coded citizenship scheme, and reinstate the bona fide citizenship of the Rohingya ethnic minority.

2. Not to be the party to the violence in Arakan. Immediately stop violation of all the basic human rights of the Rohingya people by the Burmese police, Nasaka, and Lon Htein forces.

3. Adhere to the principle of honesty and integrity, and honor the memorandum signed by Organization of Islamic Conferences (OIC) and the Burmese Government for operation of OIC humanitarian aid office for the all affected people in Arakan.

4. Not to adopt segregation/apartheid policy in Arakan, allow the internally displaced Rohingya families to return to their homes and properties, and facilitate integration of the Rakhine and Rohingya communities for the long term and peaceful co-existence.

5. Stop collecting household data in Rohingya villages after each time violence breaks out and Rohingya families leave the village seeking refuge elsewhere. Myanmar officials must not force and physically abuse Rohingya people to use the term “Bengali” instead of Rohingya in paperwork.

6. Allow an independent international commission of inquiry, international monitoring teams and relief organizations in all townships in Arakan.

We caution the international community not to let Thein Sein's government blackmail it emotionally with the threat of reversal or derailment of democratic reform in Burma. President Thein Sein and his deputies are well aware of the consequences of the derailment. The Burmese Government and its forces with the Rakhine elements must not be allowed to use the “democratic reform” as a tool to legitimize its gruesome atrocities and serious violation of human rights against Rohingya ethnic minority in Arakan.