- Title: Myanmar monks protest against Malaysia PM over 'genocide' comments
- Date: 4th December 2016
- Summary: VARIOUS OF PEOPLE CLAPPING
- Embargoed: 19th December 2016 13:46
- Keywords: Myanmar monks protest Malaysia prime minister Yangon Muslim
- Location: YANGON, MYANMAR
- City: YANGON, MYANMAR
- Country: Myanmar
- Reuters ID: LVA0035BGX5XH
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Protesters in Myanmar rallied against Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak on Sunday (December 4) after he called for foreign intervention to stop the 'genocide' of Rohingya Muslims in the country.
About 150 people, led by Buddhist monks from the Nationalist Monk Association, gathered in Sule Pagoda in the city of Yangon, holding banners and chanting.
Muslim-Majority Malaysia has been increasingly critical of Myanmar's handling of violence and allegations of state abuses in northern Rakhine state, which has driven hundreds of ethnic Rohingya to flee across the borders to Bangladesh.
It described the violence as "ethnic cleansing" on Saturday (December 3).
Najib called on the United Nations, the International Criminal Court and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation to intervene.
Myanmar's government does not recognise the Rohingya as its citizens.
The violence in Myanmar is the most serious bloodshed in Rakhine since communal clashes in 2012 that killed hundreds.
Persecution and poverty led thousands of Rohingya to flee Myanmar following the violence between Buddhists and Muslims there four years ago.
Many of them were smuggled or trafficked to neighbouring countries, mostly to Thailand and Malaysia. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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