Joint Statement

July 19, 2018 

Rohingya organizations worldwide call for accountability for genocide and crimes against humanity in Myanmar

We, the undersigned Rohingya organizations worldwide, call for accountability for genocide and crimes against humanity in Myanmar and for the international community to take action. The international community has failed us and needs to urgently reverse course. We believe it is imperative that the international community urgently address the human rights situation in Myanmar.

The new 160-page report by human rights group Fortify Rights, “They Gave Them Long Swords,” documents how the Myanmar military and authorities made systematic preparations to commit mass atrocity crimes against Rohingya communities during the weeks and months before Rohingya-militant attacks on August 25, 2017. 

Our organizations have documented how Myanmar authorities are responsible for human rights violations in Rakhine State including killings, rape, destruction of property and burning of villages, and avoidable deprivations in aid. The government denies Rohingya citizenship and denies the very existence of our ethnicity.

The Government of Myanmar also denies allegations of human rights violations in Rakhine State and refuses to cooperate with the U.N. Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Myanmar Yanghee Lee as well as the U.N. Fact-Finding Mission. The government also continues to restrict access for aid groups. 

Myanmar military and police officials are responsible for the atrocities in northern Rakhine State and should be brought to justice for genocide and crimes against humanity, including Commander-in-Chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing. 

We believe Aung San Suu Kyi is also complicit in genocide and crimes against humanity against the Rohingya.

In 2016, the international community failed to act to stop the atrocities against the Rohingya, and in 2017, massive attacks ensued. The failures of the international community to date have created an environment for genocide. 

We support the call of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, Fortify Rights, and others for the U.N. Security Council to urgently refer Myanmar to the International Criminal Court for atrocity crimes, including genocide and crimes against humanity, against the Rohingya and other ethnic groups, including the Kachin and Shan people. U.N. Security Council member states should apply appropriate pressure—collectively and bilaterally—on any states who do not support a referral to the ICC in order to ensure a referral can take place.

We call on the Government of Myanmar to grant unfettered access to journalists, human rights monitors, and aid groups, and to amend the 1982 Citizenship Law without delay. 

We also call on the Government of Bangladesh to continue to provide protection and humanitarian access to Rohingya refugees, and to cooperate with international efforts to ensure justice and accountability in Myanmar. 

Signatories

1. Arakan Rohingya Development Association – Australia (ARDA)

2. Arakan Rohingya National Organisation (ARNO)

3. British Rohingya Community in UK

4. Burmese Rohingya Association in Queensland-Australia (BRAQA)

5. Burmese Rohingya Association Japan (BRAJ)

6. Burmese Rohingya Community Australia (BRCA)

7. Burmese Rohingya Community in Denmark

8. Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK (BROUK)

9. Canadian Burmese Rohingya Organisation

10. Canadian Rohingya Development Initiative

11. European Rohingya Council (ERC)

12. Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organisation in Malaysia (MERHROM)

13. Rohingya Advocacy Network in Japan

14. Rohingya American Society

15. Rohingya Arakanese Refugee Committee

16. Rohingya Association of Canada

17. Rohingya Community in Finland

18. Rohingya Community in Germany

19. Rohingya Community in Norway (RCN)

20. Rohingya Community in Sweden

21. Rohingya Community in Switzerland

22. Rohingya Community Ireland (RCI)

23. Rohingya Organisation Norway

24. Rohingya Society Malaysia (RSM)

25. Rohingya Society Netherlands

26. Swedish Rohingya Association (SRA)

For more information, please contact: 

Tun Khin (Mobile): +44 7888714866 

Nay San Lwin (Mobile): +49 69 26022349 

Zaw Min Htut (Mobile): +8180 30835327

Media Release from Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK

For Immediate Release 27th June 2018

Special Rapporteur’s call for accountability for Rohingya atrocities must be backed with action

The Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK (BROUK) welcomes the calls for an international accountability mechanism made today by Yanghee Lee, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar.

In an oral update to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva today, Yanghee Lee urged the creation of a body under the auspices of the United Nations to investigate human rights violations against the Rohingya. Ms. Lee said the body was needed to end “the cycles of violence faced by the people of Myanmar”.

“The Special Rapporteur is absolutely correct that only justice can ensure that Myanmar does not feel emboldened to continue its genocidal policies against the Rohingya. The international community must act of Yanghee Lee’s important speech today and as soon as possible ensure that an international accountability mechanism is established,” said Tun Khin, President of the Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK.

“We also welcome the Special Rapportuer’s mention of the need for the International Criminal Court to play a prominent role in ensuring justice for crimes against the Rohingya. It is unconscionable that members of the Un Security Council are spending their time playing politics instead of doing the right thing, which is referring the situation in Myanmar to the Hague.”

BROUK further urges the Myanmar authorities to cooperate with the international community in order to ensure justice. The Myanmar government has a deplorable track record of blocking international efforts to scrutinise its rights record, including by refusing access to the Special Rapporteur and the UN Fact-Finding Mission, which was established by the Human Rights Council in 2017.

“Myanmar keeps insisting it has nothing to hide, but still refuses to allow independent and credible international monitors inside its borders. If the Myanmar government is as serious about tackling human rights abuses as it claims to be, it needs to immediately extend full cooperation to the international community,” said Tun Khin.

For more information, please contact Tun Khin +44 7888714866.

Media Release from Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK

For Immediate Release 25th June 2018

EU sanctions on Myanmar too limited to ensure justice for Rohingya atrocities

The European Union’s move to impose sanctions on Myanmar security officials is a small, positive step towards ensure justice for the ongoing genocide against the Rohingya people, but they do not go nearly far enough, the Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK (BROUK) said today.

The sanctions, announced today after a meeting of EU Foreign Ministers in Luxembourg, include asset freezes and travel bans targeting seven officials in the Myanmar military and Border Guard Police.

“These sanctions are a limited step in the right direction by the EU and at least show that the international community is willing to back up condemnation with concrete action. It is, however, deeply disappointing that many of those Myanmar officials most responsible for orchestrating the genocide against Rohingya have been let off the hook, most notably the Commander-in-Chief, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing,” said Tun Khin, President of BROUK.

“The EU and other international actors must also realise that they cannot limit themselves to sanctions in order to push Myanmar to end its genocidal policies. Only by ensuring that Myanmar’s authorities are brought to justice for their crimes can we ensure that these will not be repeated again in the future.”

The EU said the sanctions were due to atrocities and serious human rights violations committed by the Myanmar security forces against Rohingya in Rakhine State since August 2017. The seven individuals targeted include Lieutenant General Aung Kyaw Zaw and Major General Maung Maung Soe. The sanctions announced today add to an EU arms embargo already in effect against the Myanmar military forces.

Other international actors have taken limited actions against individual Myanmar officials. In December 2017, the USA imposed sanctions on Maung Maung Soe for his role in “widespread human rights abuse against Rohingya civilians”.

The need for accountability

In August 2017, the Myanmar security forces launched a vicious “clearance operation” in Rakhine State in which thousands of Rohingya men, women and children were killed, whole villages were torched to the ground and almost 700,000 people were forced to flee into neighbouring Bangladesh.

The Rohingya people have suffered violence and systemic discrimination in Myanmar for decades, where they are denied citizenship and face severe restrictions on their human rights.

Despite these well-documented atrocities at the hands of the security forces, hardly anyone has been held to account. BROUK urges the international community to play a role in ensuring justice for the Rohingya people, and in particular calls on members of the UN Security Council to refer the situation to the International Criminal Court.

“Individual sanctions are important and send a message that atrocities against the Rohingya people will have consequences. But they will ultimately not be enough to push Myanmar to end its blatant efforts to wipe the Rohingya out as a people,” said Tun Khin.

“To end the cycle of violence against Rohingya, those responsible for horrific crimes must be held to account. The international community must play a role in this, as Myanmar is both unwilling and unable to investigate itself. The hope of the Rohingya for justice now lies with the International Criminal Court, and UN Security Council members must refer the situation to the Hague immediately.”

For more information, please contact Tun Khin +44 7888714866.

Joint Statement 

June 10, 2018

We the undersigned Rohingya organisations worldwide note the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) by UNHCR, UNDP, and the Myanmar government to support the creation of conditions conducive to the voluntary, safe, dignified, and sustainable return of Rohingya refugees from Bangladesh to their homes in Arakan/Rakhine State. 

However, we are deeply concerned that (i) the MOU did not address the root causes of the Rohingya crisis, particularly the issue of Rohingya citizenship and ethnic identity, (ii) refugee representative has not been involved although the Rohingya have the right to know about the agreement relating to the process of repatriation, rehabilitation, reintegration and rebuilding of their bulldozed homes and their future, (iii) the texts of the MOU have not been made public leaving the international community in dark that calls into question. 

This is not the first repatriation agreement Myanmar has signed. All previous records showed that the UN agencies, including UNHCR as the agent of the interest of the international community, could not provide adequate protection to the Rohingya returnees due to obstinacy of the Myanmar government. We are intrinsically aware of the false promises of the Myanmar authorities who are characterized by cheating and brutality.

Repatriation is a life and death question for the whole Rohingya people. The refugees require full international protection and guarantee of their safety, dignity, and full citizenship and all accompanying rights enabling them to live in Arakan/Rakhine State as equals, with their recognized ethnic identity, as an indigenous people. 

We reiterate that Myanmar is the most brutal regime in the world that is engaged in genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. Despite being homesick the refugees are unwilling to return, as there is no change of attitude of the Myanmar authorities towards Rohingya people. The conditions for well-founded fear of persecution continue to exist for those who still remain in Rakhine State, where they are forced to live in confined villages, ghettos and concentration camps, away from their homes, virtually with no rights of man, no education, ability to work and to survive, not to mention those who might seek to return. They could not trust the Myanmar government and military that have killed, raped, and starved them with hundreds of their villages razed, their land taken and homesteads bulldozed. 

In order for safe, dignified and sustainable repatriation, rehabilitation, reintegration and rebuilding of their bulldozed homes, Rohingya need international protection by state and regional actors, as well as UN peace-keeping forces for their “protected return to their protected homeland” in Northern Rakhine State.

Last but not least, there must be accountability and perpetrators of crimes must be brought to justice and referred to International Criminal Court (ICC). 

Signatories:

• Arakan Rohingya National Organisation (ARNO)
• Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK (BROUK)
• British Rohingya Community in UK
• Burmese Rohingya Community in Denmark
• Burmese Rohingya Association Japan (BRAJ)
• Rohingya Advocacy Network in Japan
• Arakan Rohingya Development Association – Australia (ARDA)
• Burmese Rohingya Community Australia (BRCA)
• Burmese Rohingya Association in Queensland-Australia (BRAQA)
• Canadian Burmese Rohingya Organisation
• Canadian Rohingya Development Initiative
• European Rohingya Council (ERC)
• Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organisation in Malaysia (MERHROM)
• Rohingya American Society
• Rohingya Arakanese Refugee Committee
• Rohingya Association of Canada
• Rohingya Community in Germany
• Rohingya Community Ireland 
• Rohingya Community in Switzerland
• Rohingya Community in Finland
• Rohingya Community in Sweden
• Rohingya Organisation Norway
• Rohingya Society Malaysia (RSM)
• Rohingya Society Netherlands

For more information, please contact:
Tun Khin (Mobile): +44 7888714866
Nay San Lwin (Mobile): +49 69 26022349
Zaw Min Htut (Mobile): +8180 30835327

Ko Ko Linn (Mobile): +880 1726 068413

June 8, 2018 

ERC call for transparency and inclusiveness on tripartite MoU for Rohingya’s return 

The European Rohingya Council (ERC) welcomes the principle of return of Rohingya refugee to their homeland. However, ERC is deeply concerned about the lack of transparency and inclusiveness of Rohingya representatives in the recent tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between UNHCR, UNDP and Republic of Union of Myanmar. Therefore, ERC calls for transparency and inclusiveness of Rohingya representatives in the discussion process of ‘the protected return of Rohingya into their protected homeland’. 

In light of the previous horrific experiences Rohingya community had faced during 1978-79, and 1992-4 repatriations, our community is gravely concerned about experiencing same scenarios in the upcoming repatriation. Several credible reports and eye witnesses described the horrific experiences Rohingya community faced in the previous repatriations as: 

· “A bilateral repatriation agreement between the Bangladeshi and Burmese governments was subsequently reached in July 1978, without any consultation with the refugees themselves as to whether they wished to return. Fierce resistance from the refugees was met by intimidation and the withdrawal of food rations from the camps in Bangladesh. Reports from the period estimate that up to 10,000 refugees died from malnutrition and illness by the end of 1978 (Anonymous 2010; Barnett 2000).”

· “Human Rights Watch contends in several cases the UNHCR has failed to provide information on the SLORC's abuses against returning Muslim refugees. The HRW says that while the UN body had evidence that some Rohingya from Burma were arrested by Burmese authorities or ‘disappeared’ when they returned from Bangladesh in 1992 and 1996, it did not provide exiles in Bangladesh with that information (Inter Press Service, 04/30/97).”

· “Many Rohingya people jumped into the Naf River and took their lives because they were forcefully repatriated, and they preferred to end their lives was the better option than going back to Myanmar’s persecutions.” 

In order to prevent repeating the same scenarios, ERC calls upon UNHCR and all other stakeholders to ensure the following conditions of the voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable repatriation:

· The ongoing persecutions of Rohingya by Myanmar armed forces and extremist elements of Rakhine community must be brought immediately to an end. 

· All IDPs inside Rakhine State must be shut down and the Rohingya who were living in IDPs must be allowed to return to their original homes. 

· Ethnic and citizenship rights that Rohingya enjoyed in post-independent Myanmar must be restored. 

· The lives and properties destroyed by Myanmar armed forces last year must be compensated and rebuilt. 

· The perpetrators of the genocidal crimes and crimes against humanity against Rohingya must be brought to justice. 

· The return and homeland must be under effective international protection until Myanmar is seriously committed to provide protection to Rohingya community. 

For media, contact: 

Dr. Hla Kyaw

chairman@theerc.eu

+31652358202

30 May 2018

PRESS RELEASE

Protect the Rohingya calls for the end of the Rohingya genocide! Join the movement by wearing BLACK in solidarity on Wednesday, 13 June 2018 and remember to tweet your photos and messages of solidarity to us: @ProtectRohingya using the Hashtag: #Black4Rohingya

The Rohingya have been described as the world’s most persecuted minority by the United Nations. They live in Arakan State, Myanmar where they have been denied citizenship, freedom of movement, access to education and health services. They have been subject inter alia to land confiscations, arbitrary arrests, forced sterilisation, extortion, torture, rape and collective punishment. Their citizenship was revoked by the state in 1982.

Since 2012 the brutality against them has only been exacerbated by the state’s unwillingness to punish right-wing nationalists who spew hatred against them, address its apartheid policies and keep its security forces in check. 

Myanmar military clearance operations have forced more than 680 000 Rohingya to flee over the border to Bangladesh since August of 2017. Stories of murder, rape , arson attacks and extra-judicial killings by the military are the order of the day. With the monsoon season arriving in recent months the Rohingya’s situation has only worsened. 

The Myanmar government disputes the allegations, characterising the actions of its forces as anti-terrorism. It also claims that eyewitness accounts have been fabricated (while denying outside observers, including foreign journalists and even a United Nations observers, meaningful access to the region.

The international community has failed to take any real action to stop the violence against the Rohingya and few countries are offering practical assistance and resettlement programs to Rohingya refugees.

As South African’s having lived through a racist and brutal oppressive regime it is our duty to stand against apartheid wherever it exists. Burma should NOT be allowed to continue its genocide of the Rohingya population. 

We urge people of conscience the world over to join our campaign and spread the word about the 13th of June 2018.

#Black4Rohingya is a Protect the Rohingya initiative, initially held on 5 July 2013 and was then moved to 13 June from 2014 onwards in order to commemorate those Rohingya who were massacred in Arakan State in the second week of June 2012. 

Twitter: @ProtectRohingya

Instagram: @protecttherohingya

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/308153155947556/

Contact: +2772 1786 102

Media Release from Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK

For Immediate Release 22nd May 2018

International Development Committee report must spur UK to act on Rohingya atrocities

Today’s report by the International Development Committee of the UK Parliament shines a light on ongoing ethnic cleansing against the Rohingya people in Burma and must lead to the UK government taking concrete action, said the Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK.

The report calls for a “dramatic change” in the UK’s engagement with Burma, in the light of recent ethnic cleansing against the Rohingya people. The Committee also cites violations in other ethnic conflicts and shrinking space for freedom of the media and civil society as evidence of Burma’s deteriorating human rights situation. 

“This very welcome report must spur the UK government into action. The report clearly spells out that the ethnic cleansing against Rohingya in Burma means the UK cannot continue engaging with the Burmese government as if nothing has changed,” said Tun Khin, President of the Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK (BROUK).

“The continued refusal of the UK government and the international community as a whole to take serious action against the Burmese military is sending a dangerous signal that atrocities will be accepted. There is no question that the genocidal policies of the Burmese military are still continuing. The worst of the violence may be over, but our people are still being driven from our homes through forced starvation and systemic discrimination.”

In February, a delegation from the International Development Committee was refused visas to enter Burma at the last minute. Burma has also denied access to other international observers, notably members of the UN Fact-Finding Mission, which was established in 2017 by the Human Rights Council (HRC) to "establish the facts and circumstances" of alleged security force violations

The UK must push for justice

In August 2017, the Myanmar military launched an operation in Rakhine State that was characterised by human rights violations that amounted to crimes against humanity. Thousands of people were killed, hundreds of homes burned down and at least 693,000 people were forced to flee across the border into neighbouring Bangladesh.

So far, the Burmese authorities – both the military and the civilian government headed by State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi – have refused to commit to providing justice and hold those responsible for violations to account. BROUK has urged the UN Security Council to refer the situation in Burma to the International Criminal Court. Since Burma is not a party to the ICC and has not accepted the court's jurisdiction, only the Security Council can refer the situation to the Court.

“We urge the UK government to do everything it can to ensure that the UN Security Council refers the situation in Burma to the International Criminal Court. There must be justice for the crimes against the Rohingya people to break this cycle of abuse. The Burmese military and civilian government are both unable and unwilling to hold perpetrators to account – the hope for accountability now lies with the international community,” said Tun Khin.

For more information, please contact Tun Khin +44 7888714866.

ERC demands Australian government to do a thorough investigation on the death a Rohingya refugee in PNG island

May 22, 2018

The European Rohingya Council (ERC) is shocked by the preventable and premature death of a 52-year old Rohingya Salim, who was sent to and kept in a remote Papua New Guinea island by Australian authority. According the report, he died after jumping from a moving bus near a refugee transition center. It is also reported that he had suffered from a medical problem for a long time. ERC believes that Mr. Salim took his life due to unbearable condition of such a long time detention in the island and died of medical negligence. ERC also believes that his death could be prevented if Australian authority addressed his suffering and treated his medical condition timely. 

Therefore, ERC demands Australian government to do a proper investigation and release the details report on the death of Mr. Salim. ERC also urges to grant asylum to all of the Rohingya kept in detention center for a long time or resettle them into third countries in order to avoid such horrible, and unnecessary loss of human lives. ERC wants to assure the Australian government that Rohingya are forced to flee their ancestral homeland by Myanmar’s genocidal persecution. 

Contact: Dr. Hla Kyaw, Chairman, European Rohingya Council - +31 6 52358202

Media Release from Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK

For Immediate Release 

2nd May 2018

BROUK welcomes Liechtenstein Support for Burma ICC Referral

Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK welcomes the support of Liechtenstein for the UN Security Council referring Burma to the International Criminal Court. 

Liechtenstein UN Twitter account, @LiechtensteinUN tweeted on 30th April:

Amb. Wenaweser at #UN event with @BenFerencz today coveys his hope that #UNSC members will return from their #Myanmar visit with renewed sense of duty to take action including #ICC referral #ACTcodeofconduct.

https://twitter.com/LiechtensteinUN/status/990977902010404866

Despite overwhelming evidence of large scale violations of international law against the Rohingya, including evidence from several of the United Nations’ own agencies, members of the United Nations Security Council have refused to support referring Burma to the International Criminal Court. The United Nations has stated that these violations of international law are so serious that they could constitute genocide. 

Rohingya organisations worldwide have been calling for years for the UN Security Council to refer Burma to the International Criminal Court. Had they done so, the current crisis might never have happened. 

Kachin civil society organisations, also suffering from large scale violations of international law, have also called on the United Nations Security Council to ‘do their job’ and refer Burma to the International Criminal Court.

http://www.kachinalliance.org/kachin-communities-worldwide-demand-united-nations-security-council-urgently-refers-burma-to-the-international-criminal-court-23rd-april-2018/

“We would like to thank the government of Lichtenstein for supporting a UNSC referral of Burma to the International Criminal Court,” said Tun Khin President of the Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK. “Lichtenstein is showing principled leadership. We need to build a global consensus, not just of Security Council Membership, but all UN members, to overcome potential opposition by some Security Council members. The UK can’t claim leadership on this issue when it is dragging its feet and refusing to support an ICC referral. It is time Boris Johnson stopped blocking Foreign Office backing for an ICC referral.”

For more information please contact, Tun Khin +44 7888714866.