Arakan News Agency
Hundreds of Rohingya refugees in Malaysia staged a protest outside the Myanmar embassy in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday (May 21), demanding full citizenship and return of their land and assets from President Thein Sein’s government.
The protest came a day after Malaysia and Indonesia, in the face of calls by the international community, offered temporary shelter to migrants and refugees stranded at sea.
Around 7,000 Rohingya and Bangladeshis are stranded in waters of the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea after they were abandoned by people smugglers following a recent crackdown by the Thai authorities.
Protesters say that as a Muslim-majority country, Malaysia should do more to ease the plight of Rohingya Muslims.
Also joining the protest were Malaysian NGOs and members of the opposition Islamic party PAS. The protesters said that as a Muslim-majority country, Malaysia should do more to ease the plight of Rohingya Muslims.
They also urged Malaysia – as ASEAN chair – to take the lead and pressure the Myanmar government to stop atrocities against the Rohingya, as well as to grant citizenship to the Rohingya so they can go home.
But the NGOs’ letter of demand was rejected by the embassy. Angry protesters then called for the country to cut ties with Myanmar and sought the return of all Myanmar workers. They also called for the boycott of Myanmar products and businesses.
