Date: Friday, November 16, 2012
Time: 3:15 – 5:00 pm
Location: Hardin Room, 11th Floor, Church Center for the United Nations, 777 UN Plaza (corner of 1st Avenue and 44th Street)
The extreme persecution facing the Rohingya of Burma/Myanmar has been called ethnic cleansing—and worse. With recent violence, there is an urgent need for international action. Please join colleagues from faith-based, humanitarian and other NGOs for this conversation about the worsening human rights crisis. The purpose of this event is to inform participants of various perspectives anddiverse opportunities to end the violence affecting the Rohingya. We are requesting at least one Rohingya colleague be present, but will facilitate the exchange to allow various perspectives to be included in brainstorming appropriate response from the international community.
The Rohingya of Burma/Myanmar are one of the world’s most persecuted minorities. Some 800,000 live in Rakhine State in the northwest near Bangladesh. They were made stateless by the 1982 Citizens Law and remain vulnerable to persecution and rights abuses. The government does not count them as one of the country’s 135 ethnic groups, and so, like neighboring Bangladesh, denies them citizenship. Human rights groups say racism also plays a role: many Rohingya, who speak a Bengali dialect and are Muslim, have darker skin and are heavily discriminated against. Attacks in late October 2012 have killed over 100 and whole villages have been burned.
A statement issued late Thursday (October 25) by the office of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon described the latest violence as “deeply troubling.” Ban called on Burma/Myanmar authorities “to take urgent and effective action to bring under control all cases of lawlessness.” “The vigilante attacks, targeted threats and extremist rhetoric must be stopped,” Ban said. “If this is not done, the fabric of social order could be irreparably damaged and the reform and opening up process being currently pursued by the government is likely to be jeopardized. http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/myanmar-ethnic-clashes-toll-crosses/1/226356.html
There are signs of hope in this long-brewing crisis. In late October, Burma/Myanmar President Thein Sein urged his people to change their attitude towards Rohingya and Muslims, signaling a major change in government policy. The president had previously said he wanted the UN Refugee Agency to resettle the Rohingyas abroad or set up permanent refugees camps for them, drawing international criticism. http://www.rohingyablogger.com/2012/10/myanmar-president-urges-change-of.html
This event has been organized by the Burma Task Force, the Interfaith Center of New York and the Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations.
