A message from Burma Task Force

A message from Burma Task Force: As you will know Mamedullah is not alone who is now detained. Dozens of Rohingyas have been detained by Myanmar's security forces for no other reason except that they are Rohingyas.


Arbitrary arrest and detention is a hallmark of the Burmese military and border police. In the recent “clearance operation” six Rohingya have died in custody, raising concerns of torture.
Mamedullah, an innocent Rohingya man was beaten and detained, a picture of him and three other men was posted to Facebook by the Burmese President’s Office as “proof” of its success against “militants” despite no evidence. His friends and family are deeply worried about his fate.
You can help Mamedullah by taking the action items in the alert below. We hope Mamedullah and the innocent men with him will be immediately released!

The Rohingya Aylan Kurdi: Will The World Care now?

His name is Mohammed Shohayet, a 16-month-old Rohingya refugee whose family fled their home for Bangladesh to escape the violence in Myanmar's Rakhine State, only to drown during the journey along with his mother, uncle and three-year-old brother. "When I see the picture, I feel like I would rather die," Mohammed's father, Zafor Alam, told CNN. "There is no point in me living in this world."The image has parallels with that of the young Syrian refugee Alan Kurdi, who was found dead on a Turkish beach in September 2015, after trying to flee the civil war at home.   See the full article here >>

Suu Kyi Commission Concludes Rohingya Rape Testimonies "Fabricated" By "Terrorists" 

Once again a Burmese government Commission has wrongly concluded that there is no genocide. In several horrific statements, officials responded by making violently derogatory, sexist and racist remarks about the rape of Rohingya women.

The Committee, after two days of studying the situation claims  "terrorists fabricated stories with the use of social media and the internet while foreign new agencies spread bad news that was contrary to the ethics of the media by publishing one-sided accusations." See the full article here >>

New York Times reports increasing number of Rohingya escaping to Bangladesh

The UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimates 65,000 have fled since October and a large percentage live homeless, unregistered and with little assistance.  See the full article here >>

Action Alert: #FreeMamedullah

Mamedullah, is a highly respected Rohingya man from Buthidaung township and one of a few Rohingya men who despite all odds was able to get an education; graduating with a degree in Physics. Since graduating he has worked as a volunteer teacher for the community and opened up his own shop in the market.

Now Mamedullah has been arrested, detained and beaten by Burmese military. Burma’s President’s Office even posted a photo to Facebook of Mamedullah on the same day he was beaten and detained alongside 3 other men, accusing them of storing home-made guns on a betel farm. Interviews with villagers note that there are no guns in the village. They believe Mamedullah has been targeted because he is educated.  Join us in calling on Burma to #FreeMamedullah.

Contact

National League for Democracy (central) office
No. (97 / B), West Shwegondine Road, Bahan Township, Yangon.
Phone: 01-555516
Email: info@nldofficial.org

Central Online Media Team Hotline: 09 261773380
Viber Message: 09 261773381
Email: nldofficial54@gmail.com

Myanmar National Human Rights CommissionChairman U Win Mra chmyanmarnhrc@gmail.com
Dr. Myint Kyi profdmktdm@gmail.com

Scot Marciel, US Ambassador to BurmaPhone: (95)-(9)-512-4330
Address: 110 University Avenue Road, Yangon, Myanmar (Burma)
Twitter: @USEmbassyBurma
Facebook: click here

Ask

• Mamedullah should be immediately freed.
• The Burmese military and Border Police must stop its documented arbitrary arrests, detentions and the use of torture.
• The Burmese President’s office should not be posting prejudicial FB posts that picture so-called “captured militants” when a case has not even begun, nor evidence gathered.

Talking Points

• Mamedullah has no record of espousing or participating in militancy.
• Villagers have related that there are no weapons in their village.
• All members of Mamedullah’s community and village attest that he is upstanding.

            

Background

The Rohingya Muslims are indigenous people who have lived in their ancestral lands for hundreds of years. Since Burmese independence they have faced discrimination and bigotry, but over the last three decades discrimination has transformed into severe persecution. In fact, 22 Nobel Prize laureates, Yale Law School, The London School of Economics, Queen Mary Law School and a number of human rights groups have described their suffering as evidence of slow-burning “genocide.” 

Orchestrated by the state, the persecution has resulted in internal displacement and led thousands of Rohingya to flee their native land. In their desperation they often resort to the “services” of what are essentially violent, criminal human traffickers; hoping against hope to find refuge and security in a regional country or abroad.

What can we do for the Rohingya Muslim population?  Burma Task Force: