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Kuwait's Ambassador to Malaysia Saad Al-Asousi offers aid to Rohingya Muslims

December 4, 2015

KUALA LUMPUR -- Kuwait's Ambassador to Malaysia Saad Alآ­Asousi has handed over financial aid to two charity organizations to deliver to the Rohingya Muslims.

Talking to KUNA on Friday, Alآ­Asousi expressed pleasure for the donation to be channeled to the Rohingya through the Al-Madinah International Foundation (MIF) and the Malaysian Humanitarian Foundation (MHF).

Kuwaiti donors follow in the steps of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, who is a staunch supporter of humanitarian and charity work, he said The donation, worth USD 238,000 was presented by the Kuwait-based Ghanaem charity foundation to support the Rohingya Muslims, Alآ­Asousi said, adding that he was briefed on the efforts of the two Malaysian organizations to assist the Rohingya refugees.

For his part, MIF General Director Bahar Al-Din Abdul Rahman expressed thanks to the Ghanaem foundation for its charity work inside Kuwait and abroad.

He added that Ghanaem had entrusted the MIF with humanitarian projects on Myanmar. The MIF is coordinating with the MHF which enjoys abilities in the country.

These include 1,800 food baskets and building 50 housing units and 10 education centers in the refugee camps in Myanmar, he said. They are due to be completed in six months. 

December 16, 2013

Brussels -- The European Union Monday welcomed progress in the national reconciliation process in Myanamr, and looked forward to the conclusion of a nationwide ceasefire agreement.

The EU Foreign Affairs Council which met today, in a statement, called on the Government of Myanmar to "address the underlying causes of inter-communal violence and to guarantee the respect of human rights and the rule of law." It invited the Government to pursue durable solutions, including by addressing the status and welfare needs of the Rohingya Muslim minority.

"In order to contribute to peace-building and respect between the communities, the EU strongly encourages development initiatives and thepromotion of religious and ethnic tolerance," said the statement.

The Council urged all leaders to take a zero tolerance approach to violent extremism.

The statement underlined the EU intention to significantly increase its development cooperation programmes with Myanmar for the period 2014-20.


July 22, 2013

BRUSSELS -- The EU Foreign Affairs Council, Monday, welcomed and endorsed a "Comprehensive Framework" consisting of priorities for the European Union's policy and support in the next three years to Myanmar/Burma.

"This Framework sets forth EU's goals and priorities geared towards building a lasting partnership and promoting closer engagement with the country as a whole," said a council statement.

The EU encouraged the immediate end of hostilities across the country, including in the Kachin State. It called for the early launch of inclusive political negotiations aimed at a lasting peace settlement.

The EU urged the government to pursue and implement durable solutions to the underlying causes of the tensions in the Rakhine State.

"These should include addressing the welfare needs and the status of the Rohingya minority. Most urgent is the need to deal with human rights and humanitarian needs of the displaced population," it noted.

"Restrictions on the freedom of movement and denial of access to health care should not be allowed to continue. The government should secure unfettered access for humanitarian and development workers in all areas," it said.

According to media reports, thousands of Rohingya Muslims have been driven out of their homes and dozens killed in violence by the Buddhist majority in Myanmar.

The EU also expressed support to Myanmar's participation in regional integration, with particular emphasis in the upcoming chairmanship of ASEAN.


July 18, 2013

Despite the continued persecution of the Rohingya Muslim minority in Myanmar, the European Union Thursday announced that as of tomorrow, Myanmar is set to benefit once again from a special advantageous trade arrangement with the EU.

A European Commission statement said it has taken the move "after the country's recent efforts to improve the political, social, and labour environments there." The EU will bring the country back under the preferential trade regime, known as the 'Generalised Scheme of Preferences', which will grant duty-free and quota-free access to the European market for all products except for arms and ammunitions.

The EU's trade preferences had been suspended in 1997 as a result of Myanmar's serious and systematic violations of core international conventions on forced labour, the statement noted.

EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht said in press statements, "Trade is fundamental to supporting political stability and the EU's trade preferences mean we will give this reform-minded country priority access to the world's largest market. The EU is also going to help Myanmar boost the capacity of both public and private firms to make use of these new opportunities." Myanmar exports to the EU totaled 164 million euro in 2012, and this is approximately 3 percent of the country's total exports, and it comes to 0.01 percent of the EU's total imports. These limited exports to the EU are concentrated on clothing.

Meanwhile, the Jeddah-based Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in a statement earlier this month called on the government of Myanmar to assume its responsibility to eradicate all forms of discrimination against Muslims.

It said that this discrimination includes the 2005 law which imposes a policy on all Rohingya Muslim families that limits them to only two children.

According to media reports, last year, at least 180 people were killed in the western state of Rakhine in clashes between local Buddhists and the Rohingya Muslim minority.

In March, over 40 people were reported killed in Buddhist-Muslim clashes which broke in central Myanmar where mosques were burnt down and Muslim homes were destroyed.


June 25, 2013

BRUSSELS -- British Member of the European Parliament Sajjad Karim Tuesday called on EU to take a stronger stance against Myanmar violence inflicted towards Rohingya Muslims.

In a written question sent to the EU high representative Catherine Ashton ahead of a debate on human rights in the European Parliament next week, Karim asked about steps by the European Commission and the EU foreign service to end this oppression, and what action is being taken to provide assistance to such persecuted populations across Burma/Myanmar.
The persecution of the Muslim minority in Myanmar shows no sign of abating with tens of thousands Rohingya fleeing to neighbouring Bangladesh and Thailand, while 140,000 are currently living in makeshift shelters in the Rakhine state, noted Karim in a statement.

He said Ashton was quick to respond to his written question, but failed to include any concrete measures of action.

"As stated in the April 2013 Council conclusions, the EU will use all means and mechanisms at its disposal to support Myanmar's political, economic and social transition - thus aiming to meet the goal quoted by the Honourable Member," said Ashton in her reply.

Karim, the first British Muslim to be elected to the European Parliament, warned that the plight of the Rohingya community casts a dark shadow in EU-Myanmar relations.

"The EU needs to lead on this issue and take stronger stances against the Myanmar government who on one hand, allow this state sponsored violence to take place, whilst on the other are seeking to make their country fully democratic," he said.

"The EU has so far provided 5.5 million euros to the displaced people and is working to distribute aid to the region, however more pressure needs to be exerted politically on the President of Myanmar," added Karim.


Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)
June 13, 2013

The European Parliament Thursday passed a resolution condemning the "grave violations of human rights and the violence perpetrated against Rohingya Muslims in Burma/Myanmar." The resolution urges the government and the whole of Burmese/Myanmar society " to act immediately to end the human rights abuses against the Rohingya Muslims and to bring the perpetrators of the violent attacks and other related abuses to justice." It calls on the Myanmar government to stop discriminatory policies against the Rohingya Muslims such as the two child regulation. The EP for an investigation into the allegations that members of Burmese security forces participated in the violence.

While recognising the steps to introduce democratic reforms over the past year, the EP urges the government in Myanmar to continue implementing solutions to the underlying causes of the tensions, including measures to address the status of the Rohingya.

Meanwhile, British Member of Parliament, Sajjad Karim, who drafted the resolution expressed his delight over its adoption by the European Parliament. "This is a further step towards putting greater pressure on President U Thein Sein and to force him to stop the atrocities being carried out in his country," he said in press statements.

"State sponsored violence, mass expulsions and a complete disregard of humanity has no place in our world, let alone in a country seeking to be recognised as fully democratic," said Karim.

"My colleagues and I in the EU are working hard to ensure the plight of the Rohingya Muslims is not forgotten and enough aid, medical supplies and support is being sent to the regions which need it most. But we also call upon countries in the region to step up and assist in the aid delivery," he said.

Karim noted that since the election of Burma's President U Thein Sein in March 2011, sectarian violence in the region has erupted and has forced over 1million Rohingya Muslims to flee the country. The community are denied basic human rights and are classed as 'stateless' due to the government's refusal to recognise the minority.



Mohammad Al-Moula
June 3, 2013

Kuwait's Ambassador to Myanmar, Essa Al-Shimali, said on Monday that the Kuwaiti leadership is deeply concerned and interested in follow up on the state of affairs of the Muslim minority in Myanmar.

The ambassador recalled that the country was the first Arab and Islamic state to condemn violence against Muslims in Myanmar.

Ambassador Al-Shimali was speaking to KUNA after a delegation of the Kuwaiti National Assembly concluded a visit to the country. "The Kuwaiti National Assembly was one of the first Arab and Islamic parliaments to visit Myanmar to discuss the issue with the Muslim minority and meet with officials of Islamic bodies," he said.

The Kuwaiti delegation was headed by Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman MP Saleh Ashour and included MPs Taher Failkawi and Salah Al-Ateeqi.

"During the visit, the delegation discussed bilateral relations between the two countries with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Myanmar, Wunna Maung Lwin, and ways to enhance them in various fields." The delegation also reviewed a detailed explanation of the Minister of Foreign Affairs concerning violent acts in the province of Arakan, Al-Shimali said.

On the other hand, Head of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the Parliament of Myanmar expressed gratitude towards Kuwait's leadership and its people for its humanitarian role in various countries around the world, the ambassador said.

May 17, 2013

UNITED NATIONS -- Muslim nations at the UN will look into measures to highlight the plight of the Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar, making a solemn effort to bring the subject to the General Assembly, Permanent Representative of Egypt to the United Nations, Mootaz Ahmadein Khalil said.

In his letter to the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon and President of the UN General Assembly Vuk Jeremic late Thursday, Khalil said that Muslim nations around the globe condemned the heinous acts perpetrated against the Rohingyas, stressing that the international community should act swiftly to end those people's suffering.

Muslim countries are contemplating a step to present a draft-resolution to the upcoming meeting of the General Assembly if the plight of the Muslim Rohingya continued, said Khalil.

He hoped that in the upcoming period, the situation of the Muslim Rohingyas would become better, urging the UN to take some serious to solve the matter.

    • Rohingya Exodus