Arab League denounces violations against Rohingya Muslims

CAIRO – 6 September 2017: The Secretary-General of the Arab League, Ahmed Aboul-Gheit, denounced the humanitarian violations committed against Rohingya Muslims in Burma, Myanmar as of August 25. His statement was made during a press conference held on Wednesday.

Reports by the UN and independent international committees reflect the concerns of the Arab world about the violations committed against the minority Rohingya Muslims, who form an integral community in the Arab Muslim world, said Aboul-Gheit.

Aboul-Gheit has called on the Burmese authorities to bring an end to these violations, take the necessary steps to hold the perpetrator accountable, and improve the living conditions of Rohingya Muslims, considering the friendly relations between Myanmar and Arab states, said the Spokesman of the Secretary-General, Mahmoud Afifi.

Rohingya Muslims are a religious and linguistic minority in Western Myanmar that are denied citizenship despite ethnic roots in modern-day Rakhine, one of the states in Myanmar. Consequently, they have been treated by Burmese authorities since World War II as an illegitimate group, facing apartheid-like conditions.

Over the past year, the authorities have attacked Rohingya villages, killing millions and forcing many to flee the country.

The latest military crackdown began on August 25, leading 123,000 Rohingya refugees to flee to Bangladesh. Another 400 people have died since, according to UNHCR. The death toll is accelerating as authorities prevent aid from reaching the villages.