Published on 12:15 PM, September 11, 2017

Rohingya persecution is akin to genocide: NHRC

Rohingya Muslim refugees rest after crossing the border from Myanmar, near the Bangladeshi town of Teknaf on September 10, 2017 Rohingya militants, whose August 25 raids in Myanmar's Rakhine State sparked an army crackdown that has seen nearly 300,000 of the Muslim minority flee to Bangladesh, on September 10 declared an immediate unilateral one-month ceasefire. Bedraggled and exhausted Rohingya refugees have arrived in huge numbers in Bangladesh's Cox's Bazar area for over two weeks, while tens of thousands more are believed to be on the move inside Rakhine, many in desperate conditions after more than a fortnight without shelter, food and water. Photo: Munir Uz Zaman/ AFP
Star Online Report

Blasting the atrocities on Rohingya people, National Human Rights Commission Chairman Kazi Reazul Hoque said Myanmar's persecution was tantamount to genocide.

"This genocide needs to be tried at international court if needed," he said during a press briefing at the Deputy Commissioner's office in Cox's Bazar.

"The killing, arson, torture and rape of Rohingya people by the Myanmar military and border guards is an unprecedented incident in the history of the world," he added.

He made the statements after visiting Rohingya refugees at registered and unregistered camps in Ukhia and Teknaf upazilas of Cox's Bazar.

The exodus of Rohingyas was nearing 300,000 as last reported by UN, who has appealed for an aid of USD 77 million for emergency support for the refugees.

Bangladesh has repeatedly urged Myanmar to take back the Rohingyas. The international community has lauded Bangladesh's efforts in sheltering the refugees.

"The Rakhine state of Myanmar is a place of abundant natural resources and thus superpowers have their eyes on it," Reazul said

This superpower wants to take control of it and that is why they are trying to eliminate the Rohingya people, Reazul added.

Myanmar border guards and military are still continuing the barbaric torture and attack on the Rohingya people and the international community needs to take quick action and build pressure on the Myanmar government, Kazi Reazul Hoque said.

United Nations, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and Association of Southeast Asian Nations have to take up roles in addressing this problem, he added.

"Neighbours India and China also have to address this crisis," Reazul said.

National Human Rights Commission member Nurun Nahar Osmani and Additional Deputy Commissioner Anwarul Naser were also among others present during the briefing.

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