Iran’s FM Urges Int’l Community to Prevent ‘Ethnic Cleansing’ of Rohingya Muslims

TEHRAN (defapress)– Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif called on the international community to help prevent Myanmar’s ongoing “ethnic cleansing” agenda against its Muslim community.

News ID: 65779

Date: 30 August 2017 - 18:26

"Global silence on continuing violence against #Rohingya Muslims. Int’l action crucial to prevent further ethnic cleansing—UN must rally,” Zarif said in a message posted on his Twitter account on Wednesday.

Also, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi on Monday expressed grave concern about the continuation of discrimination and violence against Muslims in Myanmar that has resulted in the killing and forced displacement of thousands of Rohingya Muslims.

"Within the framework of respect for basic human rights and dignity as an internationally recognized norm, the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran expresses deep concern about the continued violation of Muslims’ rights in Myanmar, which has led to the death and forced immigration of many of them," he said.

Qassemi also expressed Iran’s dissatisfaction with the continuation of the "miserable situation and the slaughter and displacement of Myanmar Muslims.”

The Rohingya have long faced severe discrimination and were the targets of violence in 2012 that killed hundreds and drove about 140,000 people from their homes to camps for the internally displaced.

Over the past days, intensifying clashes between security forces and insurgents in western Myanmar have sent terrified civilians scrambling toward the Bangladesh border in a desperate search for refuge.

Bangladesh has detained and forcibly returned at least 90 Muslim Rohingya refugees back to Myanmar, as thousands of civilians from the ethnic minority area, on the other side of the border, attempt to escape from continuing violence that has killed scores of people.

A United Nations report in February said the military crackdown on the Rohingya had led to gang rape, the killing of hundreds of civilians and the forced displacement of as many as 90,000 people.