Egypt calls for emergency session on Rohingya in UNSC

CAIRO – 13 September 2017: Egypt has called on the United Nations Security Council to hold an emergency session on Wednesday to discuss the developments of the deteriorating situation of the Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar.

In a press statement on Wednesday morning, Egyptian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Ahmed Abu Zaid said that both Sweden and Britain propped up Egypt’s initiative.

During a meeting with the Secretary-General of the United Nations on Tuesday, the Egyptian delegation reiterated the need for the Security Council to urgently convene in order to stop the innocent Muslims’ bloodshed and their forced displacement, as well as the need to internationally recognize their legitimate rights of living a peaceful life, and being provided with security and to enable them a safe return to their homes.

Earlier on Monday, Human Rights Watch along with Amnnesty condemned United Nations “in action” towards the humanitarian crisis facing the Muslim minority in Burma, AFP reported.

Rohingya is one of Myanmar's numerous ethnic minorities. They are descendants of Arab traders, among other groups who have been in the region for multiple generations, BBC reported in January 2017.

The Burmese government denies the group citizenship and regards their members as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.

An estimated one million Muslim Rohingya live in the western Rakhine state, according to the BCC. Over 100,000 people were displaced due to an outbreak of communal violence in the area in 2012.