Rohingya joints European Burma Network (EBN) Meeting

Rohingya attended European Burma Network (EBN) meeting in Brussels, Belgium on February 18-19, according to Tun Khin, the President of Burmese Rohingya Organization, UK (BROUK).

BROUK delegations with European Burma Network (EBN) members after meeting in Brussels

“We also met with European Officials from European Parliament and European Commission in the meeting.” 

The Rohingya -- BROUK President Tun Khin (aka) Ziaul Gaffar and its Education and Cultural Secretary Mohamed Siddique -- attended the EBN meeting. The EBN is working for campaign together in Europe and has 15 organisations’ representatives from 10 countries to promote Democracy and Human Rights. BROUK officially become a member of EBN September.

The meeting was facilitated by Jared Genser, the President of Washington based Freedom Now Law firm.

At the meeting the speakers had briefed the following topics --- Soe Aung, the representative of Forum for Democracy in Burma, briefed current situation and change in Burma; Nant Bwa Bwa Phan, Karen National Union representative, updated situation about KNU; Tun Khin  the President, Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK, briefed current situation of Rohingya people of Arakan;  Ben Rogers, East Asia Team Leader ,Christian Solidarity Worldwide, briefed recent visit to Burma and Kachin State; Wai Hnin  Pwint Thon, the Campaign Officer,  Buma Campaign UK, briefed update and perspective of 88 Generation Students and Neil, the Head of EU policy and Development, Open Society Institute-Brussels, briefed current Burma discussion within European Union.

Mohamed Siddique , Tun Khin and European Commission Principal Adminstrator South-East Asia ,European External Action Service

Tun Khin, mentioned human rights violations against Rohingya people and pinpointed the denial of citizenship rights and ethnic rights of Rohingya in Burma. All EBN members have agreed on action plans to raise the plight of Rohingya issues and 1982 citizenship law which was targeted to get rid of Rohingya people.

"I am very glad that BROUK is being a member of EBN where we had a good opportunity to raise our suffering people's situation in International Organisations. Recently releasing of high profile political prisoners have shown that international community pressure is working on Burma. It is high time, international community have to push to the regime to stop human rights violations in ethnic areas particularly in Rohingya areas where Rohingyas are facing serious discrimination," said Tun Khin.

BROUK delegation also briefed current situation of Rohingya people in "Round table discussion on political and human rights situation in Burma" at European Parliament on February 20, organised by Christian Solidarity Worldwide.

“I exposed about discrimination on Rohingya people by the military regime in Arakan at the discussion meeting and CSW east Asia Team Leader Ben Rogers mentioned about his recent visit and situation about Kachin people where Directorate -General for External Policies of the European Union (Asia, Australia and New Zealand) and other staffs from European external service Units were attended at the discussion meeting,” said Tun Khin.

CSW East Asia Team Leader Ben Rogers , CSW EU Liason Office Sofia  and Tun Khin, the President of BROUK at European Parliament

BROUK delegation met on February 21 with Andreas LIST who is Principal administrator of South-East Asia at the European Commission organized by Christian Solidarity Worldwide.

“We had valuable meetings in European and Parliament and European Commission in last two days. I have mentioned that the current changes are not genuine change. If there is genuine change, the regime has to stop ethnic cleansing in ethnic areas including Rohingya areas where basic human rights were denied. It might be just to ease sanctions from the western countries and it will be too early to life sanctions,” said the BROUK President.

“We have mentioned European officials that we just want our lost rights which are ethnic rights and citizenship rights. We want to live in our homeland with dignity and peace. We want to live with our other ethnic brothers and sisters of Burma with harmony and working together to develop our federal union of Burma. We really welcome EU continued efforts for the Human Rights and Democracy for Burma. Please raise with the regime our long time suffering Rohingya people’s issue. Instead of protecting our Rohingya people, the regime is practising more human rights violations in Rohingya areas. So international community have to protect us as we are human beings," said BROUK delegations.

Authority warns administration office of Muslim religious gathering center in Maungdaw

Maungdaw, Arakan State: The Maungdaw township authority had given warning to trustees from administration office of Muslim religious gathering center (Tabaleak Markaz) in Maungdaw in the evening of February 19, said an elder from Maungdaw.

“We all Rohingya gathered in the religious gathering center (Tabaleak Markaz) and pray for peace and listened to religious sermons, where huge Rohingya gathered in the event.”

“The Rohingya who gathered in the event are mostly farmers, religious leaders, businessmen and elders from Maungdaw Townships.”

We informed to the authority about the event, but the authority called the administration officers when the authority saw a huge Rohingya devotees in the event, said a devotee from the gathering center.

The Township administration officer warned the religious gathering center’s trustees not to do like this gathering event in the future and took bond sign, said a member of village administration office.

“The township officer also warned to the village administration officer of Myoma Kayoundan (Seikda para) not to allow like this event in the future.”

Religious persecution is still going on in the northern Arakan State after President Thein Sein’s government took office where the government declared its move towards democracy, said a politician from Maungdaw.