THE EUROPEAN ROHINGYA COUNCIL
Press Release
23 November 2016
The European Rohingya Council (ERC) Earnest request to Bangladesh government and public to give temporary shelter to the Rohingya, who are fleeing rape, alive-burning, helicopter gunships firing and indiscriminate shooting by notorious Myanmar army.
Since October 9, Myanmar arm forces – military, paramilitary, police force and border guard forces combined– launched a fierce and hate-filled cleansing of Rohingya in Maungdaw Township, which is border to Bangladesh. According to the credible information including eye-witness, which the ERC have collected, Myanmar arm forces so far burnt down more than 2500 houses of Rohingya; killed at least 400 Rohingya, including burning children alive; and raped more than 200 women and girls as young as 10 years old. According to our analysis, the report of destruction, killings and rapes what surfaced into our spotlight are simply the tips of the iceberg because the whole area is completely blocked from access to the media and aids agency.
The Rohingya tried to stay at their homeland in spite of inhumane brutality by Myanmar arm forces until recently. As Myanmar arm forces show no sign of stopping the brutality against Rohingya, and rapes of women continue to such an extent Rohingya can no longer afford to bear, they reluctantly started to flee to Bangladesh to save the lives and dignity of their women, children, and the elderly since a few days ago. According to an eye witnesses, a woman was brutally raped by 5-6 military. This illustrates the extent of hostility and brutality by Myanmar arm forces.
We have heard credible reports of looting money and jewelry from Rohingya who fled to the Bangladesh. Some Rohingya were deported to Myanmar by Bangladesh Border Guard Force, according to our source. We would like to stress that Myanmar arm forces would certainly kill those Rohingya deported by Bangladesh Border Guard Forces.
Therefore, we kindly request the people and government of Bangladesh to stand with Rohingya; to show solidarity and to give a temporary shelter to the Rohingya, who are fleeing torture, rapes and killings in this time of sorrows and grief. We also urge Bangladesh mainstream media community to raise awareness of the horrendous situation of Rohingya and to cover the Myanmar army’s brutality against Rohingya, the most persecuted and the most friendless people on earth.
For more information:
Mr. Mohammed Ibrahim
General secretary of ERC
Mobile: +49 1520 9444880
Email: gs@theerc.net
