Malaysia's Najib calls on Myanmar to cease discrimination against Rohingya Muslims

Record ID: 164874

  • Title: Malaysia's Najib calls on Myanmar to cease discrimination against Rohingya Muslims
  • Date: 19th January 2017
  • Summary: KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA (JANUARY 19, 2017) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** MALAYSIA'S PRIME MINISTER NAJIB RAZAK STANDING AT PODIUM DELIVERING KEYNOTE SPEECH DURING THE OPENING OF THE EXTRAORDINARY SESSION OF THE ORGANISATION OF ISLAMIC COOPERATION (OIC) COUNCIL MEETING PHOTOGRAPHER'S TAKING PHOTOS REPORTERS LISTENING TO NAJIB'S SPEECH REPORTER TAKING NOTES (SOUNDBITE) (English) MALAYSIA'S PRIME MINISTER, NAJIB RAZAK, SAYING: "We call on the government of Myanmar to cease all discriminatory actions and attacks against the Rohingyas immediately, and for the perpetrators to be brought to justice." MALAYSIAN DELEGATES SITTING DELEGATE TAKING PHOTO WITH SMARTPHONE (SOUNDBITE) (English) MALAYSIA'S PRIME MINISTER, NAJIB RAZAK, SAYING: "Having said that, I wish to emphasise that if the domestic affairs of a country results in instability which affects other countries in the region, they cannot be expected to remain silent, or hope for the best and pray that it does not get worse." NAJIB STANDING AT PODIUM (SOUNDBITE) (English) MALAYSIA'S PRIME MINISTER, NAJIB RAZAK, SAYING: "The government of Myanmar disputes the terms "genocide" and "ethnic cleansing". But whatever the terminology, the Rohingyas cannot wait." DELEGATES CLAPPING CAMERAMEN FILMING SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE OIC, YOUSEF AHMED AL -OTHAIMEEN (LEFT), NAJIB (CENTRE), AND MALAYSIA'S DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER, AHMAD ZAHID HAMID (RIGHT), STANDING FOR PHOTO PHOTO SESSION IN PROGRESS CAMERAMAN FILMING DELEGATES GREETING ONE ANOTHER
  • Embargoed: 2nd February 2017 07:24
  • Keywords: Malaysia Rohingya OIC Myanmar Muslims OIC meeting
  • Location: KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA
  • City: KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA
  • Country: Malaysia
  • Topics: Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA0015ZQX2DH
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak called on Myanmar on Thursday (January 19) to stop all discrimination and attacks on Rohingya Muslims, and urged the world's Islamic countries to act to end an unfolding "humanitarian tragedy".
    "We call on the government of Myanmar to cease all discriminatory actions and attacks against the Rohingyas immediately, and for the perpetrators to be brought to justice," Najib, the leader of Muslim-majority Malaysia told a meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) called by Malaysia to discuss the Rohingya.
    Malaysia has spoken out strongly against mostly Buddhist Myanmar over its treatment of its Rohingya minority, especially since October, when security forces launched a crackdown in the north of Rakhine State on the Bangladesh border, where many Rohingya live.
    At least 86 people have been killed and an estimated 66,000 have fled into Bangladesh since nine Myanmar policemen were killed on Oct. 9 in attacks on border posts the Myanmar government blamed on Rohingya supported by foreign militants.
    Refugees, residents and human rights groups say Myanmar forces have committed summary executions, raped women and burned homes.
    But the Myanmar government led by Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi has denied the accusations, saying many of the reports are fabricated. It insists the strife in Rakhine State is an internal matter.
    "The government of Myanmar disputes the terms "genocide" and "ethnic cleansing". But whatever the terminology, the Rohingyas cannot wait," Najib said.
    Rohingya have faced discrimination in Myanmar for generations. They are not classified as a distinct group under citizenship law and are regarded instead as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, entitled only to limited rights.
    The violence in the north of Rakhine State since October is the most serious since communal clashes in 2012 in which hundreds of people were killed.
    Malaysia summoned Myanmar's ambassador last year to protest against the treatment of Rohingya, breaking a tradition of non-intervention by members of the Association of South East Asian Nations in each other's affairs.
    On Thursday, he told the fellow Muslim countries of the OIC they could not "stand by and do nothing".
    "I wish to emphasise that if the domestic affairs of a country results in instability which affects other countries in the region, they cannot be expected to remain silent, or hope for the best and pray that it does not get worse."
    The OIC represents 57 states with a population of more than 1.6 billion people, and acts as the collective voice of the Muslim world.
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