Burma Task Force

March 21, 2013

A New “Killing Field” in Burma 

Two days of rioting have left at least five dead – some reports say 14 -- and two mosques burned down in central Burma. These numbers are also normally grossly underreported in Burma, which has strict control of information in the country, so the death toll is largely much higher. 

The New York Times is reporting that a mob of Buddhists, some of them monks, started the rioting in the Muslim quarter of Meiktila, a city in central Burma. 

One reporter who witnessed the attacks told the New York Times that the scene was “like a killing field.” 

“Even the police told me that they could not handle what they witnessed,” said Wunna Naing. “Children were among the victims.” 

The most disturbing part of these attacks against Muslims is that this violence has spread from Rakhine State and the persecuted Rohingya Muslims to other parts of Burma. Buddhists are now rising up against Muslims who are considered citizens of the country, unlike the Rohingya, who have been denied citizenship in their ancestral land and are discriminated against because of their dark skin. 

Just last month, Buddhists attacked what they said was a masjid being built without permission in Yangon. 

Urgent Action Needed 

Call the Burmese embassy and tell them that the government needs to facilitate peace between Buddhist and Muslim citizens. The first step in this is to publicly acknowledge Rohingya Muslims as citizens. Meiktila police also need to properly prosecute those involved in the riots, including Buddhist monks that took part in the violence. 

Also call the Secretary of State’s office and tell John Kerry that he needs to push Burmese leadership to take responsibility to safeguard ALL of its citizens. 

Make a Phone Call TODAY 

Call the Burmese Embassy at (202) 332-3344, (202) 332-4350 and (202) 332-4352 or send an email to pyi.thayar@verizon.net. 

Call the Secretary of State’s office at (202) 647-5291, then press Option #1 and then Option #8. 

Request Our Literature! 

If you’re interested in requesting pamphlets to put up in your local masjid or community center, send an email to info@burmamuslims.org. We have already sent out a number of pamphlets to communities that have requested them. The pamphlet includes information on what is going on in Burma, what the Burma Task Force is doing and action you can take, such as signing petitions and making phone calls to ambassadors. 

BURMA TASK FORCE COALITION PARTNERS

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.