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RECENT BRUTALITIES ON MUSLIMS IN MY
- Subject: RECENT BRUTALITIES ON MUSLIMS IN MY
- From: abim@xxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 26 May 1997 22:05:00
Subject: RECENT BRUTALITIES ON MUSLIMS IN MYANMAR(BURMA) & ASEAN
Our Reference:30/02/12(07)
Date: 27 May 1997
His Excellency
Ambassador U Saw Htun
Myanmar Embassy
No. 10, Jalan Mengkaung
Off Jalan Ru, 55000 Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia
Your Excellency,
RECENT BRUTALITIES ON MUSLIMS IN MYANMAR (BURMA) BY THE STATE LAW AND
ORDER RESTORATION COUNCIL (SLORC)
May this letter finds Your Excellency in the best of health and high
humanitarian spirit.
Reference the above and in utter dismay and distress, the Muslim Youth
Movement of Malaysia (ABIM) condemns the State Law and Order Restoration
Council (SLORC) of Myanmar for the following reasons:-
1. Despite the "Constructive Engagement " policy of ASEAN, which
includes the Malaysian government, in defiance of international outrage
and condemnation against Myanmar's policy of "ethnic cleansing" and
massive human rights abuses, the SLORC is still pursuing the same policy
especially against the Muslim Communities in Burma which has now
spread from Arakan to areas in Mandalay and Yangon. Apparently the
SLORC is not co-operating with ASEAN leaders in pursuing the
"Constructive Engagement " policy.
2. The SLORC is deliberately harassing the Muslim Communities and
insulting Islam as a religion and way of life in Burma even at this
very crucial time of its entry into the ASEAN. It appears that the
SLORC is blatantly insulting the noble and sincere intention of ASEAN
leaders, including Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir
Mohammad, who had collectively indorsed the said Policy to the point of
courting the ire of Western leaders, the US in particular. .
3.The SLORC is fully responsible for the demolition and depradationof
more than thirty (30) mosques and other Muslim properties throughout
Burma which started from March 16, 1997.
-2-
4. The SLORC has maintained a very poor record of racial and religious
harmony in Burma. Obviously, the SLORC has repeatedly instigated
racial riots between the Muslimsminority and theBuddhists majority by
supplying the local Buddhist administrative and religious bodies,
inflammatory anti-Muslim leaflets and mobs organized by the agents of
SLORC to divert popular attention from the national political and
economic hardships.
5. In spite of the SLORC's iron grip on the whole population and
affairs of Burma, its anti-Muslim activities were, however, bared
publicly by the people and the opposition quarters . When any public
rally, procession, or even private meetings in Burma were held
concerning either democracy or politics, the SLORC would crushed
them within hours. However, when rude mobs burned mosques and
destroy Muslim's properties, the response from the SLORC is almost
nothing . In fact, it even gives instructions behind the scenes and
monitors the progress of every anti-Muslim activities.
6. The SLORC demolished (without even using the mobs) two more
mosques in Rangoon, near the Burma Broadcasting Services (BBS), in
the middle of May, 1997. This action clearly indicates that the
previous demolition of 30 mosques throughout Burma was indirectly done
by the SLORC.
7. The previous records of SLORC and its precursor, Burma Socialist
Programme Party(BSPP), towards the Muslims has been characterised by
prejudice, discrimination and oppression, to say the least. The SLORC
officially ordered not to appoint Muslims in the government services.
(Please refer to Appendix-1)
8. The SLORC is fully responsible for making the whole Rohingya
community in Arakan stateless, despite their presence in the country for
a Millennium already. The SLORC created hostile environment for the
Rohingyas with severe oppression, including forced relocation, denial
of right to citizenship and severe forms of human rights violations
which caused diaspora of more than 250,000 Rohingyas in each time to
the nearby Bangladesh; once in 1978 and another in 1991.
9. The SLORC repression on Rohingyas was upgraded in recent years
despite bilateral agreements between Burma and Bangladesh for the
refugees (forced?)repatriation and the presence of the UNHCR .The SLORC
representatives in UN has continuously been denying the citizenship
rights of the Rohingyas in the conferences of UN agencies.
(Appendix2:references).
10. The cruelties of SLORC on Muslims is part and parcel of its
non-cooperation with the International Community and utter disrespect
to Burma's 47 million population. Likewise, its cruelties on other
ethnic minorities like the Karens and Mons, and the recent crackdown on
the legitimate representation of Burmese peoples ( members of
parliament from NLD and other political parties who won landslide
victory in 1990 general election) are also the hallmarks of the
notorious behavior of SLORC.
-3-
Therefore, we in ABIM, hereby strongly condemn the SLORC
regime of Burma for the above-mentioned reasons, and urge:
1. The immediate cessation of SLORC's anti-Muslim strategy
and stop all repressive measures on Muslim Communities in Burma,
including the Rohingyas in Arakan.
2. To restore immediately the inborn citizenship rights of
Rohingyas in Arakan, Burma.
3. To rebuild the demolished mosques immediately throughout
Burma.
4. To compensate all the damages and destroyed properties of
the Muslims during the anti-Muslim SLORC-instigated riots in March and
April, 1997.
5. To allow independent , inter-religious ASEAN enquiry
committee to probe the actual cause and damages on Muslims in 1997.
We, as Malaysian citizens, would like to appeal to our
Honourable Prime Minister and Foreign Minister to review the policy of
"Constructive Engagement" on Burma and, if possible, to delay its entry
into ASEAN until the existence of a legitimate government of Burma.
With Peace and Harmony,
AHMAD AZAM ABDUL RAHMAN
Secretary General
cc:
1. H.E. The Prime Minister of Malaysia
2. Hon. Foreign Minister of Malaysia