Impose Targeted Sanctions on Myanmar Military for Rohingya Persecution - Forum

By Nur Ashikin Abdul Aziz KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 27 (Bernama) -- Targeted sanctions should be imposed by the international community against Myanmar military and its leaders as atrocities against Rohingya and ethnic minorities continue in the country, a forum here heard Tuesday. The forum, Ethnic Cleansing of Rohingya and Growing Persecution of Muslim Citizens in Burma, organised by the Burma Human Rights Network (BHRN) agreed that sanctions such as arms embargo would send a strong message against the army who are behind ethnic cleansing activities in the country. "We need economic sanctions and arms embargo against the military. We need to look at businesses owned by the military outside of Myanmar and that has to be shut down. "These are going to hurt the leading elite and military generals, but economic sanctions per se are going to hurt the people and that's not going to work" moderator Mahi Ramakrishnan, share at the forum. BHRN Executive Director Kyaw Win said stronger actions such as the sanctions are needed from the international community, not only to end the ongoing persecution against ethnic Rohingya and other minorities but also to ensure that Rohingyas who fled Myanmar could return back home once peace is restored. He added even though Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party won the elections in 2015, the military still holds power in the country as Myanmar 2008 Constitution ensures that 25 per cent of Parliament seats consists of military officers and they lead three ministries -- defence, home and border affairs. The forum, supported by HUMANiTi Malaysia, Centre for Human Rights Research and Advocacy (CENTHRA) and International Institute of Advanced Islamic Studies (IAIS) Malaysia, was held in conjunction with the Malaysia-launching of BHRN report of 'Persecution of Muslims in Burma.' The 96-page report, first launched in Bangkok, Thailand on Sept 5, among others found that different strategies of persecution of Muslims have gathered momentum following the 1962 military coup in Myanmar and had continued until today with the ruling government having so far shown few signs of concerted efforts to elevate the status and security of Muslims in the country. The persecution is not limited to ethnic Rohingya but includes Muslims of other ethnicities where they have been refused ID cards, also known as National Registration Cards (NRC), the report claimed. The report also highlighted the rise in the number of 'Muslim-free' villages across Myanmar and BHRN has documented the existence of at least 21 villages in the country which were declared as 'no-go zones' for Muslims by the locals, with permission from relevant authorities. The report draws on more than 350 interviews conducted by the BHRN over an eight-month period, with testimonies from individuals in more than 46 towns and villages. "This is the first report which focuses only on Muslim community in Myanmar. We are trying to reach out to the international community through this report, which will soon be launched in UK parliament on Oct 17 and in EU parliament on Oct 18," Kyaw Win told reporters. Meanwhile, Geutanyoe Foundation International Director Lilianne Fan in her presentation highlighted the importance of engaging with Myanmar society to help end the widening gap between the Myanmar Rohingya and those from other ethnicities. "The challenge in Myanmar is to see the Rohingya as other human beings. It is very challenging in Myanmar, because of the divide between different ethnicities, between Rohingyas and non-Rohingyas. Even if the Rohingyas are given ID tomorrow, there might be a backlash," she said. Rohingya, described as "the world's most persecuted minority", are denied citizenship in Myanmar since the introduction of the 1982 Burma Citizenship Law. Following latest wave of violence in Myanmar’s Rakhine State last August, over 400,000 Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh, reports said. -- BERNAMA