Press Statement to Act on Ethnic Cleansing of Rohingyas by Gabungan Bertindak Malaysia

Malaysia Must Act and Halt Ethnic Cleansing of the Rohingyas by Myanmar government We, the Gabungan Bertindak Malaysia and the following undersigned organizations, strongly condemn the ethnic cleansing of the Rohingyas in Rakhine state and call on the Myanmar government to immediately stop its military operation that is tantamount to a serious crime against humanity. A senior UN official, John McKissick, accused Myanmar on 24 November 2016 of seeking to ethnically cleanse the country of its Muslim minority following the killing of 9 police officers by armed men. According to the report of the Guardian, thousands of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar have reportedly fled to neighbouring Bangladesh to escape military operations that have left scores of people dead and as many as 30,000 displaced. The senior UN official told the BBC that the Myanmar troops were “killing men, shooting them, slaughtering children, raping women, burning and looting houses, forcing these people to cross the river” into Bangladesh. We call on the Malaysian government to summon the ambassador of Myanmar for an explanation and to pressure the Myanmar government to stop its military operations in Rakhine state. The government of Malaysia should also initiate an urgent resolution in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and engage the government of Myanmar to find a durable and long term solution for the Rohingyas. In view of the urgency of the situation, we urge the government of Bangladesh, on humanitarian ground, to open its borders and allow the Rohingyas to cross the borders into Bangladesh to seek refuge. The Malaysian government should also accept the Rohingyas as refugees and asylum seekers to demonstrate its commitment to the International human rights and humanitarian standard. We further call on the United Nations’ Security Council to take immediate actions in stopping the ethnic cleansing operations in Myanmar. The United Nations must not fail the Rohingyas once more. The tragedy of Rwanda and Sudan should not be repeated in Myanmar. Member organizations of Gabungan Bertindak Malaysia:

1. All Women’s Action Society (AWAM)
2. Anak Muda Sarawak (AMS)
3. ENGAGE
4. Islamic Renaissance front (IRF)
5. LLG Cultural Development Centre (LLG)
6. Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (KLSCAH)
7. Kumpulan Aktivis Mahasiswa Independen (KAMI)
8. National Indian Rights Action Team (NIAT)
9. Pertubuhan IKRAM Malaysia (IKRAM)
10. Persatuan Aliran Kesedaran Negara (ALIRAN)
11. Pusat Komas (KOMAS)
12. Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia (SABM)
13. Suaram Malaysia (SUARAM)
14. Tamil Foundation
15. Tindak Malaysia (TM)

1. Angkatan Warga Aman Malaysia (Warga AMAN)
2. Bukit Mertajam Tamil Muslim Development Association
3. Borneo Resources Institute Malaysia Sarawak (BRIMAS)
4. EMPOWER
5. G25
6. Green Friends Sabah
7. Komuniti Muslim Universal (KMU)
8. Ipoh Tamil Muslim Development Association
9. Jaringan Orang Asal Semalaysia (JOAS)
10. Jaringan Rakyat Tertindas (JERIT)
11. JIHAD for JUSTICE
12. Malaysians against Death Penalty and Torture (MADPET)
13. Malaysian Indians Progressive Association (MIPAS)
14. Malaysian Indians Transformation Action Team (MITRA)
15. Malaysian Physicians for Social Responsibility (MPSR)
16. Malaysian Youth Care Association (PRIHATIN)
17. Oriental Hearts and Mind Study Institute (OHMSI)
18. People Welfare and Rights Organisation (POWER)
19. Perak Women for Women Society (PWW)
20. Persatuan Rapat Malaysia (RAPAT)
21. Persatuan Sahabat Wanita Selangor
22. Pertubuhan Pembangunan Kebajikan Dan Persekitaran Positif Malaysia (SEED)
23. Projek Dialog (PD)
24. Sabah Women’s Action Resource Group (SAWO)
25. SAVE River
26. Sisters in Islam (SIS)
27. WE ARE CARING MALAYSIANS
28. Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO)
29. WORLD TAMIL MUSLIM FEDERATION
30. Writer Alliance for Media Independence (WAMI)