Arakan News Agency
Representatives of the ethnic Rohingya on Monday called on the European Parliament to put pressure on Myanmar’s military and civilian leadership to end violence and ethnic cleansing of the Muslim minority.
The call coincides with the start of a nine-member European Parliament delegation to Myanmar and Bangladesh to get a first-hand look at current developments in the region.
The delegation is scheduled to visit the Rohingya camps and meet representatives of international NGOs operating in Arakan, civil society organizations in Myanmar, religious and political leaders, as well as members of civil society and the media.
“This is an important opportunity for EU officials to see for themselves the tragic situation facing the Rohingya and carrying unimaginable devastation by the Burmese army (in relation to Burma, the old name of Myanmar),” said Anita Schog, spokeswoman for the European Rohingya Council.
“The visit is a unique opportunity for EU representatives to stress the military and civilian leadership in Myanmar to comply with the demands of the Rohingya population and the international community to end violence and stop ethnic cleansing,” she said.
The council, set up by representatives of the Rohingya in Europe at a meeting in Denmark in 2012, called for full access to the Arakan mandate by United Nations relief agencies, the United Nations Fact-Finding Mission, UN Special Rapporteur Yanghee Lee and local and international media.
“If the authorities do not comply with these demands, the EU must apply targeted sanctions and other punitive measures,” the statement said.
The visit of the European Parliament delegation came at the height of the dispute between the Government of Myanmar and the international community.
