CENTHRA Files Complaint On Rohingya Issue To UN

Nur Ashikin Abdul Aziz KUALA LUMPUR, March 4 (Bernama) -- The Centre for Human Rights Research and Advocacy (CENTHRA), has filed an official complaint to the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council asking for a concrete action against the Myanmar government which is oppressing the Rohingya people. CENTHRA chief executive Azril Mohd Amin said the complaint focused on four issues, namely breach of women's rights, children's rights, religious freedom and rights of minorities. "Even though there is some resolution (at international level), but there is no concrete form of solution and decisive action by the international community against the tyranny of the Myanmar army on Myanmar Muslims," he said in a statement from Geneva, Switzerland Friday. Seven CENTHRA fellows and lawyers are currently in Geneva to attend the 34th Session of the UN Human Rights Council at the Palais Des Nations. Azril said CENTHRA would continue to push the international institutions like the UN to initiate effective action to address the issue of human rights violations. Azril said the action was important, especially ahead of the presentation of the full report by the special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar, Yanghee Lee on March 13. "CENTHRA believes that continued pressure will give a significant impact on Yanghee Lee's report to the OHCHR (Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights), especially in establishing an independent commission of inquiry on the crimes by Myanmar army." Besides focusing on Rohingya issues, he said the organisation also tabled a CENTHRA Human Rights Report 2016 based on the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) during the session. From Geneva, the CENTHRA delegation is scheduled to leave for London today to appear before the Permanent People's Tribunal's (PPT) inaugural tribunal on Myanmar to address crimes of atrocity against the Rohingyas on Monday. The delegation will attend as expert witnesses at the two-day hearing to present the testimonies of 35 Rohingyas who were interviewed in Malaysia five weeks ago. -- BERNAMA