2017 worst year in history of Rohingya Muslims: ERC

CAIRO – 25 December 2017: The European Council of Rohingya (ERC) said on Sunday that 2017 is the worst year in the history of the Rohingya Muslims, who have been subjected to genocide and brutality by the Myanmar army and Buddhist militias since last August.

During 2017, more than 650,000 Rohingya children, men and women were forced to flee to neighboring Bangladesh, the ERC said in a statement.

The ERC pointed out that over 65 percent of them are exhausted and suffered from infected burns, bullet wounds and landmine injuries. In addition, many have been victims of gang rape by the Myanmar Armed Forces under Aung San Suu Kyi’s government.

“The Rohingya have no future to look forward to, but it is the kindness and generous hearts of people around the world who have endlessly worked to help us in one of the worst man-made humanitarian disasters in human history,” noted the statement.

ERC urged for global attention to help members of the Rohingya community who are most in need of solidarity, justice, relief and solace.

On the occasion of Christmas and New Year, the ERC and the whole Rohingya community thanked everyone all over the world who has tried to help them in their dire conditions and sought to make many hungry and innocent Rohingya children happy, the statement explained.

The UN General Assembly on Sunday urged Myanmar to end a military campaign against Muslim Rohingya, calling for the appointment of a UN special envoy, despite opposition from China, Russia and some regional countries.

The resolution calls on the government to allow access for aid workers, ensure the return of all refugees and grant full citizenship rights to the Rohingya.

The authorities at Myanmar insist that the campaign aims to root out Rohingya militants who attacked police posts on August 25, but the United Nations said that the violence equates to ethnic cleansing.

Last week, the UN special rapporteur for Myanmar, Yanghee Lee, said she had been banned from entering the country and that the government cut off all cooperation with her.