KUALA LUMPUR: The world community must continue to pressure Myanmar over the Rohingya issue, even as its trial in the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court begins within the next few days.
President of Malaysian Consultative Council for Islamic Organisations (Mapim) Mohd Azmi Abdul Hamid said while the trial would expose crimes against humanity committed by the Buddhist army and fanatics in Myanmar, Rohingya refugees had been suffering since 1982 when their citizenship was dropped from Myanmar's list.
“The fate of more than 1 million Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh and over 200,000 in the IDP camps in Rakhine continues unabated,” he said in a statement.
“Crimes of murder, rape, destruction of property, denial of religious rights are among the atrocities committed by the Myanmar regime over millions of Rohingya ethnic groups.
“Ang San Su Kyi's human rights icon has now become an icon of criminals among Myanmar's military.”
According to Mohd Azmi, if the international community does not punish the Myanmar regime, then agencies like the United Nations and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) are not qualified to speak about international justice and law.
“The plight of the Rohingya people, who have been struggling to further the life and conditions of refugee camps in Bangladesh, has shown that international agencies have not seriously solved the world's most oppressed ethnic crisis.
“Bangladesh failed to negotiate with Myanmar to guarantee Rohingya refugees’ safety if they were sent back to Rakhine. Myanmar has put in place unreasonable conditions for their return. In fact, the Rohingya name itself is a requirement that it be changed to Bangla ethnicity if it is to be returned to Myanmar.”
Meanwhile, Mohd Azmi said the move by OIC-funded Gambia to file a Myanmar criminal case to the International Criminal Court was most welcome.
“The whole world must fully support Gambia's actions, especially the OIC member states.
“We also urge Asean and Malaysia in particular, to take the same stance to suppress Myanmar. The crisis has burdened Asean and has led to regional instability.”