source from nst, 13 April 2009,
THE Myanmar Ethnic Rohingyas Human Rights Orga-nisation Malaysia (Merhrom) is concerned over the increase in human rights abuses against Rohingyas in the Arakan state of Myanmar in recent months, especially after the international media highlighted the plight of the Rohingya boat people late last year.
The military regime continues to subject Rohingyas and Muslims in Arakan to harassment, arbitrary arrest, extortion and religious persecution.
In one of the latest incidents, a 16-year-old Rohingya girl, Hamida, was killed and hacked into three by monks in Sittwe (Akyab), the capital of Arakan on March 28.
According to a local businessman, she was abducted by the monks while on her way home from work at a teacher’s house. The Rohingya villagers did not dare to file a report at the police station.
In the same month, it was reported that at least 10 houses belonging to Rohingyas were burnt down by mobs in Sindi Prang village.
Merhrom is deeply concerned over the way Asean countries have been handling the Rohingya issue.
There were suggestions from some Asean countries to send Rohingyas back to Myanmar. This would only make our situation worse as we know how we will be treated by the military regime.
We applaud the statement by Singapore that it will assist Rohingya refugees by providing humanitarian assistance so that they can depart for a third country.
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has made it clear that the problem should be addressed at the source and that Asean members should not export their problems to one another.
We appeal to the Malaysian government and Asean leaders to make sure that Rohingyas in exile will not be sent back forcefully to a place where they will face persecution and prosecution.
Although most Asean countries did not sign the Refugee Convention 1951 and its 1967 Protocol, Asean countries are bound to observe the non-refoulement principle.
According to former foreign minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim, the Asean secretariat is studying whether to return the Rohingyas back to Myanmar or encourage third countries to accept them.
The first option is worrying to the Rohingyas.
The military regime has announced that Rohingyas were not Mynamar citizens and that it would only accept Rohingyas if they admit they are Bengali and that their status is that of non-citizens.
The fact is, Rohingyas are not Bengali. Rohingyas have their own language, which is different from Bengali, and they have lived in Arakan since the 7th century.
According to Rais, 144 Rohingyas in Malaysia were sent to other countries between 2003 and 2008. This shows the lack of commitment and political will of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and Resettlement countries though the UNHCR is fully aware of the plight of Rohingyas in Myanmar.
Although the military regime agreed to cooperate with the Asean secretariat for data collection as the first step to resolving the Rohingya problem, we are afraid of the kind of information that will be provided by them.
We recommend that Asean leaders visit Arakan state and get an accurate picture of the situation from the Rohingyas themselves.
The visit by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres to Arakan on March 7 revealed the real situation of Rohinyas.
On the basis of his observations and discussions held, he concluded that the UNHCR’s current level of activities in northern Arakan state does not correspond to actual needs and a decision was taken to upgrade the programme immediately.
We welcome the move by Asean leaders to discuss the Rohingya issue at the Bali Process tomorrow. However we would like to emphasise that the discussion must focus on the recognition of Rohingyas as citizens as well as addressing ways to stop human rights abuses against them.
Asean leaders must recognise that Rohingyas are very much in need of international protection as refugees.
The Sail 