A Call to End Killing Tragedies, Atrocities, Human Rights Violations in Arakan and to Promote Peace & Stability in the Country

Date:  10 December 2015

Joint Statement on International Human Rights Day 2015

A Call to End Killing Tragedies, Atrocities, Human Rights Violations in Arakan and to Promote Peace & Stability in the Country

We, the undersigned organizations warmly salute the International Human Rights Day 2015. 

But the entire people in Arakan State, Burma, particularly the Rohingya ethnic minorities are highly concerned for their safety and want  to live in peace and harmony in their ancestral homeland.

Since the day of sectarian violence against the ethnic indigenous Rohingya in Burma, there has been a gross violation of human rights where over 140,000 Rohingya now live in the Internally Displaced People's camps (IDP) while thousands of other ethnic minorities live below poverty.

In December 2015 alone, five people have died as a result of violence in the townships of Akyab (Sittwe), Pauktaw, Kaukpru, Kyauktaw and Buthidaung, where numbers of deaths remain unknown. 

An unidentified person was hanged on December 7, 2015 in Kyaupru (Narinjara) and 25 year old Maung Hla Bray Aung was hanged on November 17, 2015 in Kyaukpru (Narinjara). Others hanged are Maung Maung @ Mohammed Musa, 25, in Buthidaung, Mohammed Harun, 27, in Sittwe and Kasim, 27, in Pauktaw while rapes, extortion, confiscation, discrimination, attacks and many other heinous crimes are promulgated under state sponsored genocide.

Extremism is also promulgated by poverty and this is completely destroying the entire peace and stability in the state of Arakan. In such situations, opportunist groups are taking advantage rather than looking into the process of rebuilding peace and harmony among the people of Arakan to end all violations of fundamental human rights.

Unless appropriate measure are taken in rebuilding trust for the restoration of peace, rehabilitation of losses, destruction and its affects will continue. And the ensuring of human rights, human security, justice and tranquility cannot be guaranteed.

Therefore, we urge the international community and world leaders to bring the Rakhine and Rohingya onto a discussion table together with human rights organizations and various stakeholders to find a workable solution to achieving peace in Arakan.

We also call upon the people of the Arakan state, regardless of race, religion and factions to work together to achieve this goal. ##

Signatory to this Statement:

1.      Arakan Rohingya Organization-Japan (JARO)

2.      Arakan Watch

3.      Arakan Observer

4.      Australian Burmese Rohingya Association

5.      Australian Burmese Rohingya Organization

6.      Iqra Ideal Institute

7.      Janakalyan Parisad

8.      Rohingya Academy

9.      Rohingya American Society (RAS), USA

10.  Rohingya Arakanese Refugee Committee (RARC), Malaysia

11.  Rohingya Canadian Society

12.  Rohingya Education and Development Organization

13.  Rohingya Representation in Poland

14.  Rohingya Co-operative Society in UAE

15.  Rohingya Youth Development Forum

For further information, please don’t hesitate to contact:

1.      Mr. Shaukhat @ MSK Jilani (+14147364293) United States

2.      Mr. Habibur Rahman (+61406310077) Australia

3.      Mr. Mohammad Sadek (+60163094599) Malaysia