EP calls for stronger int'l action to end atrocities against Rohingya

BRUSSELS, Oct 16 (KUNA) -- Speakers at a conference on Rohingya hosted by the European Parliament (EP) urged the international community and the European Union to take stronger action to stop the persecution and atrocities against the Rohingya community in Myanmar.
Tanja Fojan, a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from Slovenia, in her speech at the conference held Tuesday afternoon called for immediate sanctions against Myanmar officials, police and border guard, who are responsible for crimes committed against the Rohingya.
She noted that the fundamental human rights of the Rohingya were and still are tremendously violated. "Shocking confessions of ethnic cleansing and harassment of any kind have absolutely no place in this world," she said.
Fojan called on the Government of Myanmar to create safe returns of Rohingya refugees from Bangladesh and to recognize their full citizenship She expressed her sadness to see that Aung San Suu Kyi the winner of the Nobel peace prize winner and the EP's Sakharov human rights award and as the prime minister of Myanmar refuses to take action and is complicit in the systematic violation of the rights of the Rohingya.
Fojan said her Socialist group has joined forces with other political groups in the EP to strip the Myanmar leader of the prizes.
She called on the UNSC to impose a comprehensive arms embargo on Myanmar and welcomed the decision by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to open an investigation into crimes committed against Rohingya people.
"It is time for justice to be done," stressed the Slovenian MEP Neena Gill, a British MEP of Indian origin, lamented that the suffering of Rohingyas has fallen down on the priority of the international community due to other crises.
She noted that 1.5 million Rohingyas were forces out of their homes due to the atrocities committed against them.
"We really value what Bangladesh has done in hosting them in Cox Bazar," said Gill and stressed that Bangladesh cannot be left alone to provide for the refugees.
She regretted that all resolutions made by the EP have not made any difference in Myanmar and stressed that "we need to do stronger actions to improve the situation in the Rakhine state." Jackie Jones, another MEP from the UK, called for greater pressure on the Myanmar authorities to stop the atrocities and said the European Union needs to focus on long term concerns than just delivering humanitarian aid.
Ismat Jahan, ambassador of the Organisation Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to the EUm thanked the European Parliament for keeping the issue of Rohingya high on its agenda as evident by several meetings organised by the EP and its resolutions on the Rohingya.
She noted that the recent resolution three weeks ago by the EP supports the decision by the ICC prosecutor to open an investigation into crimes committed against Rohingya.
Jahan elaborated on the position of the OIC saying on the issue and noted the OIC played a crucial role in prioritising the sufferings of the Rphingya on the international level.
Ambassador of Bangladesh to the EU Shahadat Hossein said his country will not push back the Rohingya refugees to Myanmar and regretted that there is no action from the Myanmar side to resolve the situation.
He called on the EP and the international community to give stronger support and action to help the Rohingya refugees for a safe return to their country.
The conference was organised by the Group of Social Democrats and Progressive Alliance (S&D) in the EP with the support of a think-tank called Hand in Hand Foundation and the Belgium Awami League. (end) nk.mb