On the 22nd of July, the South China Morning Post reported that 18 Rohingya Muslim women and children had fled the Phang Nga refugee shelter in Phuket, Thailand to Malaysia. The appalling overcrowded conditions of these Thai refugee camps have been described as worse than Thai prisons. One of the refugees who fled was reportedly pregnant. A day earlier Phuketwan reported that their escape was impossible without the help of traffickers, raising fears the women could fall prey to trafficking syndicates. The Malay proverb, out of the crocodile’s mouth into the tiger’s mouth – aptly describes the ordeal that Rohingya Muslims have suffered, that is now continuing relentless within the new countries that they have sought refuge, including in Thailand where they have been subject to human trafficking and mistreatment by the Thai government. There have even been reports that Thai police have been complicit in the trafficking of Rohingya women from the camps.

Despite all this, the international community and Muslim regimes continue to watch on silent, continuing their friendly relations and economic links with the oppressive Burmese regime. Or offering superficial, barren solutions such as placing the Rohingya in camps and shelters where they continue to live as stateless people, deprived of basic rights and a dignified life. It illustrates that the world order today which is dominated by the capitalist, secular, democratic nation-state system gives no regard to the welfare of the Rohingya or to human suffering, preferring instead to protect economic and political interests.

In contrast to the paralysed and muted response of Western states, the UN, and Muslim rulers to the heartbreaking conditions of the Rohingya Muslims, Hizb ut Tahrir launched an international campaign in June 2013 and organized a vital women’s seminar on the 7th of July in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to raise awareness about the plight of Rohingya women and children, and to demand of the Muslim countries that they provide them safe refuge. It also highlighted that it is the Khilafah system alone; implementing purely Islam that can provide the Rohingya women and children dignified and protected lives as equal citizens of the state. The seminar produced a declaration signed by the influential female attendees that expressed their commitment to support the cause of the Rohingya and to unite as Muslims and not be divided by borders and distances. It also expressed their desire to work conscientiously and productively with Hizb ut Tahrir to establish the Khilafah which will unite our Muslim lands, and reject nationalism that has dehumanized Muslims. It is the ultimate solution by which to protect women across the Muslim world from oppression and attacks from aggressors. Hizb ut Tahrir will continue its campaign to raise awareness about the plight of the Muslims of Burma and exert its utmost efforts to establish the Khilafah with urgency that will protect the blood and dignity of this Ummah and provide a safe haven to all persecuted Muslim minorities across the world. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said,

المسلم أخو المسلم ، لا يظلمه ، ولا يخذله

“The Muslim is the brother of his fellow Muslim. He does not oppress him, nor does he abandon him…”

Women’s Section in The Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir

Friday, 17 Ramadan 1434 AH

26-07-2013 CE

Issue No : 1434 AH /71