Statments
Continued persecution of Muslims in Myanmar
"Myanmar (formerly Burma) is Located in the Southeast Asia and Malaysia, and bounded on the north by China, and South Bay of Bengal, on the east by China and the Republic of Thailand, and on the West Bay of Bengal and Bangladesh. The majority of Muslims live in the territory of Arakan, in the southwest of Burma, and is separated from the rest of Burma by a mountain range "Arakan Yoma" stretching from the Himalayas.
During the British occupation of Burma Muslims faced the English colonialism violently making Britain fear of them. Therefore, Britain began as usual a campaign to get rid of the influence of Muslims by evoking the different faiths in this country between Muslims and Buddhists.
As a result of that, Muslims were expelled of their jobs and replaced by Buddhists . Muslims' properties were confiscated and distributed to the Buddhists. Muslims, especially their leaders were put to prison or exile outside their home country. In 1942 Buddhists were armed and killed about one hundred thousand Muslims in Arakan massacre.
In 1937 Burma was separated from India after a ballot on being a colony of India or to be an independent British colony. Then Burma gained its independence in 1948 and separated from British colonial rule.
Since then the genocide practices against Muslims and the robbing of their rights were continued . Also the implementation of the Buddhist plan to evacuate the territory from Muslims Arakan still continues by expelling and deporting Muslims to Bangladesh. If Muslims survive of drowning, they will be subjected to be arrested in neighboring countries as being illegal immigrants. They are considered foreigners who came to countries with a high proportion of the poor, then they restate a journey of asylum again and search for a new home, and so on from boat to boat, and from a death trip to Westernization trip.
AAPSO welcomes the condemn made by the President of Myanmar Thein Sein describing it as "criminal acts" between Roheenja Muslims and Rakhine Buddhists in Rakhine State, and promises to deal with perpetrators in accordance with the rule of law.
In addition, AAPSO calls upon Islamic countries, the Islamic Summit Conference, the League of Arab States, and civil society organizations to pay great solidarity and support the Muslims of Burma . AAPSO hopes that the issue of Burma Muslims to take a great attention at the international level and that President Thein Sen to take the right steps to address the problem of escalating violence between Muslims and Buddusts and eliminate it from its roots.
