Background: The Rohingya are a minority ethnic group from Myanmar’s Rakhine State – they are mostly Muslim but there are also some Hindu. The Rohingya population are denied citizenship under the 1982 Myanmar nationality law, despite being able to trace Rohingya history to the 8th century. They are restricted from freedom of movement, state education and civil service jobs. Their condition in Myanmar has been widely compared to apartheid.
Recently: Since August 2017, the Myanmar military have been burning Rohingya homes and villages, raping women and murdering children. Over 600,000 Rohingya people have been systematically attacked and forced to flee their homes into neighboring Bangladesh; bringing the total Rohingya population in Bangladesh to more than 800,000.
Despite a recent visit to Rakhine State, civilian leader of Myanmar and Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi has been criticized for her reluctance to denounce the atrocities and for not doing more to stop the violence against the Rohingya.
We are gathering on the sidewalk in front of the Myanmar Consulate to demand that the Myanmar government end its brutal attacks on the Rohingya population, attacks which are tantamount to genocide.
Our mission compels us to speak out against the atrocities that are occurring — we cannot remain silent as ethnic cleansing takes place before our eyes. The purpose is 3 fold:
- To demand the Myanmar government end their brutal campaign against the Rohingya.[break][break]
- To urge Myanmar leader and Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi to speak out and do more to stop the violence against the Rohingya.[break][break]
- To call on the U.S. government to take action. On November 2 a Senate bill was introduced: S.2060 – the Burma Human Rights and Freedom Act of 2017, which would impose sanctions, authorize humanitarian assistance, and more. A similar bill is in the House: H.R.4223 – the BURMA Act of 2017. These bills must be reconciled and passed into law.[su_spacer size=”10″]
Do not stand idly by – join us!
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Rally for the Rohingya
Wednesday, Nov 8 at Noon
Myanmar Consulate
3435 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles
Click here to view our Facebook Event page for the rally
Click here for more information on the Rohingya
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Support Human Rights in Myanmar
In response to the ongoing genocide being perpetrated against the Rohingya people of Myanmar (Burma), Congress has introduced bills (in the House and Senate) that would, among other things:
- Call for an end to the violence against the Rohingya, and the right of Rohingya to return home
- Set clear direction on US Myanmar policy promoting democracy and human rights in Myanmar
- Sanction military leaders responsible for the violence
- Suspend any military training or support given by the US to Myanmar
Tell Congress: ending genocide against the Rohingya must be a priority.
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