Open letter from MERHROM to President Biden

 

DEAR HONORABLE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN AND ASEAN LEADERS,

 

MERHROM REQUEST THE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN, WORLD LEADERS AND ASEAN LEADERS TO CONTINUE TAKING ACTIONS AND PRESSURE THE MYANMAR MILITARY JUNTA TO STOP THE ROHINGYA GENOCIDE AND ATROCITIES, RESTORE DEMOCRACY, RULE OF LAW AND HUMAN RIGHTS.

 

My name is Zafar Ahmad Abdul Ghani, President of Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organization in Malaysia (MERHROM). MERHROM would like to welcome the Hon. President Joe Biden to the 40th & 41th ASEAN Summit on 8-13 November, 2022 in Cambodia

 

Honorable Mr. President, we the people of Myanmar request the Hon. President together with United Nations member states and ASEAN Leaders to stop the Rohingya Genocide and atrocities in Myanmar without delay. This is what we urgently need. While the ASEAN Summit is ongoing, the people of Myanmar being killed, arrested, rape, kidnapped and forced into forced labour.

 

Since the military coup in 1^st February 2021, the military has continued its attack on all States including Arakan States, Chin State, Kachin State, Kayah State, Kayin State, Mon State, Shan State etc. The military also attacked some divisions including Mandalay, Sagaing and Magwe. This has caused major destruction to the people and important buildings such as hospitals, schools, religious buildings and shops. The situation in Arakan State is even worse due to the ongoing fight between the Myanmar military and Arakan Army (AA) for many years which resulted in the killing of the innocent Rohingya villagers.

 

Honorable Mr President, UN member states and All Asean Leaders, as long as Genocide occurs, there will be no democracy in Myanmar. Therefore, we ask for your sincere and earnest commitment to stop the Rohingya Genocide and atrocities as the first step in realizing real democracy in Myanmar and saving the lives of the people. The road to democracy must start from the root by restoring the citizenship of the Rohingya and guaranteeing the rights of all ethnic groups in Myanmar. There is no democracy as long as the Rohingya are not allowed to vote because the Rohingya were legitimate Myanmar citizens before being stripped of their citizenship in 1982. There is no democracy as long as the people are oppressed.

 

 

Following the coup, more and more people of Myanmar fled to neighboring countries. This will increase the case of human trafficking and boat people tremendously. The military continues targeting the people of Myanmar throughout the country regardless of ethnicity and religion despite the pressure from the United Nations and the international community. Thousands of Chins have fled to India following recent military attacks. Since the military coup thousands of ethnic Kachin have fled to Thailand to seek refuge with no guarantee when they can return home. Similarly, the Rohingya in the Cox's Bazar refugee camps, in IDP camps and in exile have no guarantee when they can return home. We need your active actions against Myanmar for Trafficking in Persons.

 

Honorable Mr President, UN member states and All Asean Leaders, we are very worried that democracy and human rights will disappear in Myanmar. Democracy and human rights are the only hope for the people of Myanmar. Therefore, there must be strong political will to end the Genocide and atrocities in Myanmar. As we have very little hope of a Five-Point Consensus, we hope a new mechanism will be created to end the suffering of the people.

 

We thank you very much for your commitment and intervention to stop the Rohingya Genocide and atrocities in Myanmar including establishment of real democracy and human rights in Myanmar. We look forward to your active interventions to end the genocide and atrocities in Myanmar as well as upholding democracy and human rights. We look forward to your active interventions to stop the Rohingya Genocide and atrocities in Myanmar and persecutions of Myanmar people as well as to restore democracy and human rights in Myanmar.