Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW)
is calling on the international community to invoke the ‘Responsibility to
Protect’ principle, in light of the Burmese Government’s failure to end the
conflict in Arakan State, western Burma, between Rakhine Buddhists and Rohingya
Muslims.
Under the principle of ‘Responsibility
to Protect’, which is aimed at halting Mass Atrocity Crimes such as ethnic
cleansing and crimes against humanity, the international community has a
responsibility to help states fulfil their responsibility to protect their
citizens.
In the past week, thousands of homes
in Arakan State have been destroyed, hundreds of people killed and over 100,000
displaced. Mosques have been attacked, and religious clerics arrested. Although
violence has been committed by both communities, the Rohingyas have been the
primary victims of what increasingly appears to be a systematic campaign of
ethnic cleansing.
Reports indicate that some elements
among the security forces are acting in collusion with Rakhine mobs, attacking,
arresting and killing Rohingyas, and it is widely believed that elements of the
government are directing a policy to eliminate the Rohingyas. CSW urges the
international community to put pressure on the Government of Burma to allow
international observers to maintain a presence in the affected areas. CSW also
calls for urgent humanitarian aid, and for unrestricted access for UN agencies
and international Non-Governmental Organisations to the affected areas.
The Rohingyas are among the most
persecuted peoples in Burma. In 1982, a new Citizenship Law removed their
citizenship and rendered them stateless. Violence erupted in June, lasting
several weeks, and broke out again last week.
Andrew Johnston, CSW’s Advocacy
Director, said: “This crisis is a cause for very grave concern, and poses a
serious threat to peace and democratisation in Burma. The recent violence is
especially troubling because it appears to have escalated into a wider
anti-Muslim campaign, with Muslims generally, not only Rohingyas, facing
attacks. There is an urgent need for international action and aid to bring an
end to this violence which has caused so much death, destruction and
displacement. Longer-term, questions of citizenship and inter-racial and
inter-religious harmony and reconciliation must be addressed, but right now the
priority must be restoring peace and providing urgently needed aid to the
affected areas.”
For further information or to arrange interviews please
contact Kiri Kankhwende, Press Officer at Christian Solidarity Worldwide on +44
(0)20 8329 0045 / +44 (0) 78 2332 9663, email kiri@csw.org.uk or visit www.csw.org.uk.
Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) is a Christian
organisation working for religious freedom through advocacy and human rights,
in the pursuit of justice.
Notes to
Editors:
- United Nations General Assembly Resolution 63/308, adopted on 14 September 2009, agreed to continue in consideration of the responsibility to protect, recalling paragraphs 138 and 139 of the 2005 World Summit Outcome, which stated that: “Each individual State has the responsibility to protect its populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity” and that “The international community, through the United Nations, also has the responsibility to use appropriate diplomatic, humanitarian and other peaceful means...to help to protect populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity.”
Benedict Rogers
East Asia Team Leader
Christian Solidarity Worldwide
PO Box 99
New Malden
Surrey
KT3 3YF
T: +44(0)208 329 0041
F: +44(0)208 942 8802
Christian
Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) is a Christian organisation working for
religious freedom through advocacy and human rights, in the pursuit of
justice.
CSW, PO Box 99, New Malden, Surrey, KT3 3YF
T: +44(0) 845 456 5464, E: admin@csw.org.uk, W: www.csw.org.uk
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