Policy dialogue on ‘Violation of Human Rights in Myanmar’ held

Islamabad :Riphah Institute of Public Policy organized a policy seminar on ‘Violation of Human Rights in Myanmar’ here on Thursday.

Distinguished National Experts on the subject including; Barrister Ahmad Bilal Sufi (ex-law minister), International Law Expert, Dr. Khalid Aftab Sulheri, President, UN-International Human Right Observer-Pakistan, Aziz Iqbal, director, Ministry of Human Rights Waleed Rasool were the key speakers on the occasion.

The speakers highlighted that more than 1,000 people have been killed in Myanmar since Aug 25 , mostly minority Rohingya Muslims and about 400,000 (1/3rd of Myanmar’s total Rohingya population) mostly Rohingya civilians have fled to Bangladesh, overwhelming refugee camps that were already bursting at the seams. The Rohingya have long been subjected to discrimination in mostly Buddhist Myanmar, which regards them as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and denies them citizenship even if they have lived in the country for generations.

The images we are seeing of the suffering of the Rohingya and atrocities of Myanmar authorities fill us with pain and dread. There is an urgent need for Regional/international states particularly Muslim world should intensify their pressure on the Myanmar government and the military to halt the violence and protect all civilians, whether citizens or not. Once this has been achieved, several measures might help reduce the frequency and intensity of the violence. The first and most important step is to grant the Rohingya naturalised citizenship and the rights that go with it. The group would then continue to live in the state, be allowed to vote and hold politicians to account. If appropriate actions are not undertaken and mass killing and displacement continue it will enhance radicalization.