Thousands of Rohingya Muslims who have fled to Bangladesh from Myanmar, after being attacked by security forces are being pushed back by the Bangladeshi authorities, according to Amnesty International.
Those that do make it to makeshift camps in the town of Cox’s Bazaar are facing shortages of food and water, and some are suffering from severe malnutrition. (The Guardian Newspaper)
Comment:
Up to 30,000 members of the ethnic community have abandoned their homes in Myanmar to escape the unfolding violence, the UN said, after troops poured into the narrow strip where they live earlier this month. The Rohingya Muslims are recognized as the world’s most oppressed minority. In a world where endangered animals and plants have recognition and protection the situation that has been highlighted once more on social and mainstream media is of complete horror. Reports of rapes, violence, burning of home and starvation of children are now posted daily on social media.
Alhamdulilah, the voices are getting louder to address this problem both in Muslim and non-Muslim lands. Muslims in many majority Muslim countries have taken to the streets and demanded action, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Malaysia and Thailand have all seen the people come out in support of their fellow Muslims. The plight of the Muslims in Myanmar is not new and has been in and out of the media many times. Instead of feeling upset, posting information and then naturally moving onto the next news item, one needs to ask who will take ownership of this situation? Who will stand up for the oppressed? Who can actually do something?
Aung San Suu Kyi the head of government of Myanmar, a Noble Peace Prize winner, and champion of democracy chose many times to stay silent on this issue until recently with the UN declaring ‘genocide’ in Myanmar. Her good actions are measured by Western standards, to see the good in that which the West sees as good and democracy is the peak of greatness. The government in Myanmar gives no rights to this group, treating them like refugees and viewing them in the most derogatory way.
Many of those who manage to escape Myanmar head to Bangladesh by boat. Interviewed by Al Jazeera in 2012 Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh was clear that this situation has nothing to do with Bangladesh. It is the secular nationalistic basis of her thinking which allows her to behave like this.
If we scan the globe and ask who else can possibly help, we know that it is impossible that any of the Muslim rulers today will move an inch to assist the Ummah. Turkey quickly stepped up to help the Jewish Entity with tackling fires, Pakistan is not moved to assist the Muslims of Kashmir in anymore than dialogue and summits, Aleppo is being obliterated and all the Arab regimes are at a standstill. Today there is not a single one who will stand up from those who can!
It is only this Ummah’s sincere son and daughters, who protest, who post comments, who do dua and ask what is happening. From us alone we can see a spark of hope. The Ummah needs to stop being the victim and not demand undefined action but demand a clear decisive action, which is the re-establishment of the entity which will take responsibility to protect the Muslims in Myanmar and all Muslim lands. This is the only entity which can unite Muslims and remove the secular nation state model. This is the only entity which can release the armies to defend the Muslims and this is the only entity which the Kuffar enemies will fear as they should. The time is clearly for the energies of the Muslims who are watching in horror to fix firmly on the goal of calling and working for the Khilafah (Caliphate) upon the Method of the Prophethood.
We should all listen to the cries of the oppressed and respond in the correct way,
رَبَّنَا أَخْرِجْنَا مِنْ هَـذِهِ الْقَرْيَةِ الظَّالِمِ أَهْلُهَا وَاجْعَل لَّنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ وَلِيًّا وَاجْعَل لَّنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ نَصِيرًا
“Our Lord, take us out of this city whose inhabitants are wrongdoers! Give us a protector from You! Give us a helper from You!”
(Surah an-Nisa:75)
Nazia Rehman