Hear the Rohingyas cries

When a Bengali speak about the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, you will often hear statements like "the world watched while a genocide was unleashed on us killing millions". Well, now is the Rohingyas genocide and the world watches again. Worst still, Bangladesh is watching too, as if they cannot remember their own suffering when staring into the eyes of crying Rohingyas. How sad is this world?

The Rohingyas are the most persecuted minority according the the UN. They have lived in Rakhine state of Myanmar for centuries. They are as Burmese as Aung San Suu Kyi, yet Burma's majority Buddhists have unleashed a wave of violence and Aung San Suu Kyi stays silent. How sad is this world?

Bangladesh refuses to help them because they are not Bengalis and Burma's law excludes them from citizenship, therefore they are stateless. Freedom loving western counties including Britain and USA are silent as there is money to be made when Burma opens up its vast natural resources to big foreign companies. How sad is this world?

Banglades's behaviour is shameful but to be fair, they already have an estimated 400,000 Rohingya refugees in camps and if it continues then Burma will achieve its aims of getting rid of the Rohingyas. The whole world must act and build camps in Burma to help the Rohingyas. And pressure the Burmese government to allow the Rohingyas to live as equal and in security.

The major media outlets in Britain have been silent on the plight of the Rohingyas but the Muslim community have defeated them in spreading the news. They used the tools at their disposal like mobile phones, e-mails, social media like Twitter and word of mouth to spread the news like wild fire especially during the holy month of Ramadan. Protest were held up and down the county and outside the Bangladesh High Commission to draw attention. The politicians have been lobbied. They donated their money to charities helping the Rohingyas. Even the elderly Muslim woman who does not work or lack education have heard and sympathised with the plight of the Rohingyas. The youths remembered the suffering in Burma, Syria and Gaza in their prayers.

But the worst are the so called Muslim leaders in Britain. As usual they are scared to upset their masters (British establishments) and remain silent in such a major issue. The Friday sermons at Mosques up and down the country remained largely silent, and you wonder why the youth is disenfranchised?

The ordinary Muslims, we hear the Rohingyas cries and we tell others about it. It's the least we can do.

“In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”  Martin Luther King Jr.

Articles

The Financial Express: Rohingya issue: Bangladesh should play a more proactive role
Human Rights Watch: Bangladesh: Assist, Protect Rohingya Refugees
Bradford Rohingya Community

Videos

George Galloway at the Bradford Burma Demo

Channel 4 News - 25 June 2012
Dangerous waters for Burma's Rohingya minority
http://www.channel4.com/news/dangerous-waters-for-rohingyas-forgotten-people
Channel 4 News - 26 June 2012
Refugees 'should go back to Burma'
http://www.channel4.com/news/refugees-should-go-back-to-burma
Al Jazeera - 23 July 2012
Inside Story - Why is the world ignoring Myanmar's Rohingya?
http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/insidestory/2012/07/201272383656931979.html
Al Jazeera - 01 August 2012
Report blasts Myanmar treatment of Rohingya
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia-pacific/2012/08/20128154245751775.html
Channel 4 News - 14 August 2012
Inside Burma's forbidden camps
http://www.channel4.com/news/inside-burmas-forbidden-camps