SAUDI DEMANDS MYANMAR HALTS DISCRIMINATION AGAINST ROHINGYA

A Rohingya woman holds her child as she looks out from her shelter at a displacement camp in Sittwe, Arakan State. (Photo: DVB/AFP)

Dubai, 27 Jumadil Awwal 1436/18 March 2015 (MINA) – The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia today expressed regret for the continuing wide-spread systematic violations against human rights, particularly against the Rohingya Muslim minority according to the special rapporteur in charge of human rights in Myanmar Yangi Mei.

Abdulaziz bin Ali Al-Aqla, member of the Saudi Human Rights Commission and member of Saudi Arabia’s delegation to the UN human rights council, said in a speech before the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva that, after having carefully seen the UN report on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, Saudi Press Agency (SPA) quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

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Citing that the internationally-authorized writer of the report has not noticed any improvement in the situation of the displaced Rohingya minority in Myanmar compared with her previous visit to the country last July following allegations that they were mistreated by the Buddhist majority in the Myanmar State of Rakhine.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia suggests that this tension would lead to escalation of violence, killings and horror and that the Muslim minority would be the biggest loser because of the decision issued by Myanmar authority depriving all holders of temporary cards from their rights as most of the Rohingya are non-nationality holders.

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He expressed Saudi Arabia’s concern that such discrimination against Muslims through depriving them from their original nationality right just because they are Muslims is considered a serious development contrary to the human values and freedoms, cultural diversification, tolerance and respect of human rights.

The Kingdom’s representative added that such discrimination would also lead to increasing feelings of hatred and flaring up of dispute among the citizens of one nation on one hand and destroy the efforts being exerted to enhance dialogue and understanding among peoples on the other.

The Kingdom demanded the government of Myanmar to do more to spread more understanding and amicability among different communities in the country through activating the MOU signed with the Jeddah-based Organization of Islamic Cooperation as well as the working plan aiming at providing assistance and establishing the infrastructure of the country of Myanmar in general and the regions where this minority is living in particular, a program in which the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia pumped $50 million to this effect.(P/P004/R03)