UK Foreign Secretary stresses need to end violence in Burma

Foreign Secretary William Hague spoke about ongoing violence in Burma.

“The UK, as ever, stands ready to assist the government of Burma in its efforts to develop Rakhine State, to share our knowledge and experience of tackling the many complex and long-standing issues to be overcome and, as Burma continues its path towards establishing full democracy,  to support an inclusive political settlement that protects the rights of all members of the local population.

“Whilst the reform process has already borne many fruits, we remain seriously concerned about the nature and extent of the recent violence. We have urged the government to resolve the crisis by taking effective and lawful steps to prevent any further violence, in accordance with international human rights law. We have also called upon the communities based there to act with restraint. We have done the same with our international partners, and in international institutions, such as the European Union and the United Nations.

“We join Mr Quintana in stressing the need to end the violence; to grant full and unhindered humanitarian access to the areas affected; to allow the affected communities to safely return to their homes; and to support the restitution of property that was seriously damaged or destroyed. We encourage the government to ensure that it treats the affected communities fairly and equitably and to ensure that the authorities prevent any further bloodshed. There is also a need to seek a long term solution to the problems they face in a manner which recognises their human rights, including their right to nationality, and to take effective steps which prevents any further forced or involuntary displacement and which does not leave them permanently displaced.

“Furthermore, we also join Mr Quintana in calling for the release of all those people who have been arbitrarily detained, irrespective of their ethnic background, and express the need for the government to carry out an independent, fair and prompt investigation in to the violence, in particular the allegations of serious crimes within the communities and human rights violations by the security forces, and for those found guilty of such crimes and human rights violations to be held accountable. In addition we repeat our calls on the government to release and rehabilitate all remaining political prisoners.”

Saudi Arabia is to give $50 million for Rohingya

 The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques  King of Saudi Arabia Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz

Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah has ordered $50 million in aid be sent to a Muslim minority in Myanmar which a human rights group said has been targeted by the authorities since sectarian riots in June.

A report on the Saudi state news agency said the Rohingya community had been "exposed to many violations of human rights including ethnic cleansing, murder, rape and forced displacement".

"King Abdullah ... has ordered that assistance of the amount of $50 million be provided to the Rohingya Muslim citizens in Myanmar," said the report which was carried by Saudi media on Sunday. It did not say who was to blame for the abuses.

However, Human Rights Watch said on August 1 that the Rohingyas had suffered mass arrests, killings and rapes at the hands of the Myanmar security forces. The minority had borne the brunt of a crackdown after days of arson and machete attacks in June by both Buddhists and Rohingyas in Rakhine state, the monitoring group said.

Myanmar, where at least 800,000 Rohingyas are not recognized as one of the country's many ethnic and religious groups, has said it exercised "maximum restraint" in quelling the riots.

Saudi Arabia sees itself as a guardian of global Muslim interests thanks to being the birthplace of Islam and home to some of the religion's holiest sites in Mecca and Medina. However, Riyadh also regularly draws criticism from campaigners for its lack of democracy.

Last week the Saudi cabinet condemned the violence against Muslims in northwest Myanmar and at a meeting on July 31, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in the kingdom's second city of Jeddah urged members to send Rohingya Muslims aid.

The OIC is holding a summit in Mecca on Tuesday.

Although the Rohingya have lived in Burma for at least 400 years, they remain stateless. Thein Sein has suggested one solution lies in the Rohingya leaving Burma. 

In recent years, thousands of men and teenage boys have taken berths on ricketty boats to try to flee Burma for Muslim-majority Malaysia, but many boats have landed prematurely on THailand's Andaman holiday coast as occupants run out of food and water. 

Several boats have landed on Phuket, sometimes alongside five-star resorts, heightening the contrast between holidaying tourists and some of the poorest people on the planet. 

All along Thailand's coast, the military and village volunteers have been readying for large numbers of Rohingya boatpeople travelling south between October and April, in what's known as the sailing season. 

The would-be refugees will be ''helped on'' with food and water, and if necessary mechanical or medical assistance. But they will not be allowed to land in Thailand.

The Rohingya crisis has brought an outcry in Muslim countries, condemning the attitude of Buddhist-majority Burma, where outrageous racism - reminiscent of South Africa's appalling apartheid policy - has been ingrained for generations. 

Large-scale protests have been mounting in Indonesia, one of Burma's partners in Asean.

Despite his hard line on the issue, Thein Sein has welcomed the aid from the OIC. 

One of the leading liberal princes in the Saudi Arabian royal family, HRH Talal bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud, arrived on Phuket on Saturday for a private visit. More Middle East visitors are holidaying on Phuket.