Contents
Background
The continuation of refugees attempting to escape from Arakan, Myanmar, often trapped in boats for weeks, has shown that the genocide is not ending. The Rohingya are still in such a desperate situation that they are willing to do anything to flee the conditions in Myanmar. More than 1.1 million refugees are currently in Bangladesh, where they are suffering horrific police brutality, yet this has not stopped more attempts to reach there, many preferring to jump in the water and drown than die of thirst on the boats. The United Nations has dubbed the Rohingya the “most persecuted minority in the World”, and this is no exaggeration. Yet, the Western media has been more interested in the recent arrest of pro-democracy advocate Aung San Suu Kyi, who defended the genocide at the International Court of Justice. The Rohingya have been forgotten and forsaken to endure this genocide.
However, it is not only the West who have ignored their plight; even Muslim countries have done so, many continuing to do business with Myanmar during this time. Three Muslim-majority countries (Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei) are currently part of a large and powerful trade bloc in South East Asia with Myanmar, known as ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Countries). However, ASEAN has mostly tried to deal with the genocide from a position of not compromising on any relations with Myanmar. Thailand’s foreign minister has even gone as far as saying ASEAN should not “point out who is right or wrong”, and Joko Widodo, Indonesia’s president, said that he would not take part in what he described as: “megaphone diplomacy”. ASEAN’s response to the genocide was to give the case over to their Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management, which deals with humanitarian responses to natural disasters. When ASEAN finally issued a report on Rohingya refugees, it was heavily criticized for not recognising the Rohingya as an ethnic group of Myanmar and not speaking about the genocide.
The excuse used by ASEAN has been that it can’t take punitive action due to the signing of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in South-East Asia (1976). The treaty promotes dialogue rather than punishment in relations between states, and therefore there are no mechanisms within the ASEAN legal framework by which they can punish any countries or suspend them. This, however, is weak considering that a genocide is taking place, and that there are options available. Muslim majority countries, Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei, collectively make up three out of the ten states, and their combined population is 305 million, out of the 667 million people which make up the combined population of the ASEAN countries. This means a combined response from these three countries within ASEAN could hold huge sway, and a threat to leave if Myanmar does not take it very seriously. Especially since in 2021, both Indonesia and Malaysia were willing to break with tradition and vote to condemn Myanmar at the UN General Assembly for the military coup. The second option is that ASEAN are currently unable to agree or form an official position on whether they recognise the military government or the National Unity Government (currently in exile). ASEAN could adopt a policy where the position of the two opposing governments on the Rohingya genocide is the at the forefront of negotiations of which is recognised, and therefore a strong incentive.
Take Action
- Write to the Office of the Secretaries of Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei demanding they take action on this issue.
- Please forward any responses you might have to us at info@ihrc.org, so that we can continue to develop this campaign further.
- Share this alert and encourage others to take part.
- Please share verified stories and information. We need to not let this issue be forgotten.
- Keep visiting our website (https://www.ihrc.org.uk/) to see any updates on this case
- https://www.ihrc.org.uk/donate/rohingya-appeal/ – can you promote our appeal
- Previous event to promote: https://www.ihrc.org.uk/author-evening-the-rohingya-crisis-a-people-facing-extinction-with-dr-muhammad-abdul-bari-2/
- https://www.ihrc.org.uk/rohingya-photo-diary-the-most-persecuted-minority-in-the-world/ – we have a photo diary on our field work
- https://www.ihrc.org.uk/the-most-persecuted-minority-in-the-world-the-genocide-of-the-rohingya/ – also a full report from our field work in 2017 in Bangladesh
Template Letter
[Your name]
[Your address]
[Date]
Dear Foreign Secretary,
Re: ASEAN and the Rohingya Genocide
Asalamu aleykum. I want to express my deep concern over the response by ASEAN towards the Rohingya Genocide and its refusal to take punitive action towards Myanmar. We have seen much rhetoric about helping the refugees fleeing, but nothing to stop the cause of these events. To hide the ugly truth, that what Myanmar is doing to its Rohingya citizens is genocide, only helps cover up the crime that is taking place. The most disturbing issue with the position taken by ASEAN, is that we have not seen a strong enough stance within the bloc by the three Muslim majority countries. Surely you must know that the Muslim Ummah is like one body, if one part of it is hurt, the entire community bleeds.
The fact that the legal mechanisms do not allow ASEAN to take punitive action is a weak excuse when genocide, the greatest of all humanitarian crimes is taking place. Right now, there are two alternative governments who are both claiming to represent Myanmar, the military government and the “National Unity Government”, surely when negotiating which of these governments to work with, the Muslim countries of ASEAN could demand that Rohingya Genocide be at the forefront of ASEANs negotiations. As three out of the ten countries represented in ASEAN and making up over 300 million people, the combined strength of the Muslim countries could have a real influence over ASEAN policy, otherwise it is better to leave the bloc than to be complacent in a genocide, in which tens of thousands of Muslims have been killed and hundreds of thousands have been forced to flee from their homeland.
ASEAN must demand that whichever government they recognise stops the killings, protects the Rohingya community, allows them to return to Arakan and rebuilds their homes and businesses, as well as giving them full citizenship and rights equal to that of the other groups native to the land.
May Allah subhanu wa ta’ala guide you towards making the right decision.
Yours Sincerely
[Your name]
Addresses
Mohamad Hasan
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia
Wisma Putra Complex
No. 1, Jalan Wisma Putra
Precinct 2,
Federal Government Administrative Centre
62602 Putrajaya
Malaysia
Alternatively email: pro.ukk@kln.gov.my
Retno L. P. Marsudi,
Taman Pejambon no. 6,
Central Jakarta,
10110
Indonesia
Alternatively email: kontak-kami@kemlu.go.id
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
International Convention Centre
Jalan Berakas
Bandar Seri Begawan BB3910
Brunei Darussalam
Alternatively email: info@mfa.gov.bn
