SRINAGAR, Aug 14: The minority Muslims in Myanmar or the Rohingyas have urged Kashmiris for help and to raise their voice against what they say was “genocide” by the authorities in the Buddhist-majority country.
Human rights groups say the Rohingya Muslims have been targetted by authorities, including troops that were sent to maintain calm, ever since sectarian riots broke out in June.
On Tuesday a delegation of the Rohingyas led by Hussain Yousuf met senior Kashmiri separatist leader and chief priest, Mirwiaz Umar Farooq at his residence in Srinagar.
“Yousuf apprised Mirwaiz about the bone chilling accounts of the ongoing murderous assault on Muslim children, elders, women, men and youth by the Burmese government and monks,” a statement of All Parties Hurriyat (Freedom) Conference said.
A large number of the Rohingyas have taken refuge in squalid camps in Jammu region of the state.
“The delegation requested Mirwaiz to apprise Kashmiri Muslims about the plight of Buremese Muslims so as to collectively raise their voice against the ongoing human right crisis in Burma,” the statement said.
The delegation said that it wanted at least the Islamic world, United Nations and International Human Rights Organisation to take strong notice of the issue.
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The Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) is holding a summit in Mecca on Tuesday and the matter is expected to be discussed.
Human Rights Watch earlier this month said that the Rohingyas had suffered mass arrests, killings and rapes at the hands of the Myanmar security forces.
The minority had borne the brunt of a crackdown after days of arson and machete attacks in June by both Buddhists and Rohingyas in Rakhine state, the monitoring group said.
Myanmar, where at least 800,000 Rohingyas are not recognized as one of the country’s many ethnic and religious groups, has said it exercised “maximum restraint” in quelling the riots.
Kashmiri leader Mirwaiz assured the delegation of all help to the Burmese Muslims.
“We can not ignore pain of Burmese Muslims, we express our solidarity and sympathy with them and assure them of our help,” he said.
Also Read: Kashmir students protest over ‘Burma killings‘
