Defend Rohingya Rights

Last week, I attended a conference in London organised by the Oxford based Justice 4 Rohingya¹. Speakers included lawyers and barristers, Dr Sheikh Ramzy founder of the Oxford Islamic centre, and former conservative MP Keith Best. The Myanmar Rohingya people continue to face extreme and intense violence, with frequent reports of murder, rape, and torture as targets of the Myanmar military.

More than half a million Rohingya people have fled Myanmar following attacks described by the UN as organised, coordinated, and systematic. In the conference, we discussed the need for urging the UN to place sanctions on Myanmar, beginning with a block on trading weapons with the military. It was somewhat ironic and tragic that whilst we were discussing solutions to these issues, London was also playing host to the DSEI global “defence” arms fair². During the conference, we also discussed the implications of Myanmar facing no consequences, and how this sets a precedence for China to further oppress and eradicate the Uighur muslim population of the Xinjiang province.

Aung San Suu Kyi’s government routinely issues statements of denial in response to claims and evidence of the ongoing systematic rape, torture, and murder of the Rohingya muslims, even going as far as referring to the population as Bangladeshi immigrants despite their 400 year sustained history in the region.

It is encouraging that the city of London recently voted to suspend honorary freedom to Aung San Suu Kyi who remains silent and therefore complicit in the genocide of Rohingya people³. Whilst this follows on from many other organisations condemning Aung San Suu Kyi’s complicity, including Oxford town council, the Univeristy of Oxford has refused to revoke the honorary doctorate degree awarded to Suu Kyi.

Please sign the petition⁴ to support the cause and bring justice to victims in Myanmar.