Representatives from the European Rohingya Council (ERC) attended the 7th annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy held on February 24, 2015. More than 200 human rights activists, former political prisoners and NGOs from all over the world attended the conference.
Speakers have talked about the ongoing human rights violations on Burmese Muslims committed by Buddhist nationalists. The role of the government is perpetuating this persecution was also discussed. Speakers spoke about the complete failure of the United Nations to take any decisive steps to counter the ongoing human rights violation in the world.
The Rohingya representatives to the summit – Mr. Mohamad Ibrahim (General Secretary of ERC) and Mr. Osman Johar (Council Member and International Lobby Group of ERC) also have met with government and representatives of international NGOs in order to discuss the persecution of Rohingya Muslims in Burma (Myanmar). The organizers have promised to ERC delegation that they will host an exclusive session for Rohingya people in up coming summit next year.
The Geneva Summit for human rights and democracy assembles each year hundreds of dissidents and human rights victims, activists, diplomats, journalists and student leaders to shine a spotlight on urgent human rights situations that require global attention. The summit is held before the United Nations Human Rights Council’s main annual session.
The United Nations Human Rights Council’s main session will be held from March 2 to March 27. March 16 and March 17 shall be set exclusively for discussing the human rights situation in Burma. ERC representatives are expecting to attend this event.
The next day, ERC representatives also met with Slimane CHIKH, permanent observer of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation to the UN and Dina Madani, Professional Muslim Minorities Department in Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.
The OIC delegation assured the Rohingya representatives that they are working forward for the Muslim minority in Burma.
