Ramsco's Women Empowerment Initiative Recognized Among Top BRICS Businesswomen Practices for 2025    Egypt, Elsewedy review progress on Ain Sokhna phosphate complex    Gold prices end July with modest gains    Pakistan says successfully concluded 'landmark trade deal' with US    Egypt's FM, US envoy discuss Gaza ceasefire, Iran nuclear talks    Modon Holding posts AED 2.1bn net profit in H1 2025    Egypt's Electricity Ministry says new power cable for Giza area operational    Egypt's Al-Sisi, Italian defence minister discuss Gaza, security cooperation    Egypt's FM discusses Gaza, Nile dam with US senators    Aid airdrops intensify as famine deepens in Gaza amid mounting international criticism    Health minister showcases AI's impact on healthcare at Huawei Cloud Summit    On anti-trafficking day, Egypt's PM calls fight a 'moral and humanitarian duty'    Federal Reserve maintains interest rates    Egypt strengthens healthcare partnerships to enhance maternity, multiple sclerosis, and stroke care    Egypt keeps Gaza aid flowing, total tops 533,000 tons: minister    Indian Embassy to launch cultural festival in Assiut, film fest in Cairo    Egyptian aid convoy heads toward Gaza as humanitarian crisis deepens    Culture minister launches national plan to revive film industry, modernise cinematic assets    Rafah Crossing 'never been closed for one day' from Egypt: PM    I won't trade my identity to please market: Douzi    Two militants killed in foiled plot to revive 'Hasm' operations: Interior ministry    Egypt's EHA, Huawei discuss enhanced digital health    Egypt, Oman discuss environmental cooperation    Egypt's EDA explores pharma cooperation with Belarus    Foreign, housing ministers discuss Egypt's role in African development push    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Three ancient rock-cut tombs discovered in Aswan    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Egypt's Irrigation Minister urges scientific cooperation to tackle water scarcity    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



OIC fear Myanmar violence may spread
Published in Daily News Egypt on 15 - 04 - 2013

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) hosted a meeting in Jeddah on Sunday with the Contact Group for the Rohingya community of Myanmar. The secretary general of the organisation expressed concern over “the spill over of violence against Muslims, to affect other areas adjacent to it" following reports of violence between Buddhists and Muslims in Sri Lanka.
Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu was speaking at the meeting that was attended by Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohamed Kamel Amr along with other ministers from OIC member states.
Kamel Amr posted on his official Facebook page on Sunday after the meeting an outline of Egypt's position regarding the crisis in Myanmar and proposed a four-point plan.
“There are no arguments or excuses to justify this tragedy, and it requires urgent and effective action by the Myanmar government regarding the crimes committed against humanity and violations of the rights of the Rohingya and many of the country's Muslims," the minister wrote.
Kamel Amr's four-point plan calls on the Myanmar government to reopen the office of the Organisation of Humanitarian Affairs in Yangon. This would hold the government accountable to the memorandum of understanding signed in 2012, which stated that the government should “provide material and humanitarian support necessary to improve living conditions" of the Rohingya Muslims.
Kamel Amr also called for increased communication with the Myanmar government and the organisation of a humanitarian visit by the OIC contact group. He added that Egypt has “had numerous contacts with the Myanmar authorities" in regards to the visit, and recommended that the other members of the group “intensify efforts in this regard".
He also highlighted the need to pressure the United Nations Human Rights Council “to condemn the ongoing violations and to intensify efforts to push the government of Myanmar to assume its responsibilities towards its citizens from the Rohingya ethnicity". The final part of Kamel Amr's plan is for the countries that are hosting refugees to launch an “intensive media campaign to highlight the suffering of the displaced people due to the difficult humanitarian conditions in the camps".
The plight of the Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar is an issue that many groups in Egypt want the government to pay more attention to. Last Friday a group of Salafi protesters demonstrated against the violence outside the Myanmar embassy in Cairo. In November the Free Egyptians Party attempted to march against the violence but security forces prevented them from reaching the embassy. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the renewed violence at the beginning of April.
The conflict between Buddhists and Muslims in Myanmar resurfaced in March in the state of Arakan in the western region of the country. At the end of March Human Rights Watch (HRW) called on the Myanmar government to “permit unfettered access to humanitarian agencies" as a way to help end the crisis.
HRW reported that violence in Arakan started in June 2012 and has been “facilitated by and at times involving state security forces and government officials". The rights group believes more than 125,000 Rohingya and Kaman Muslims have been displaced as a result of the violence.
The humanitarian situation in the country is dire, according to HRW. Camps for the displaced people “are located in paddy fields and lowland areas that face heavy flooding during the rainy season, which will begin in May". HRW added that the government has not made any attempt to relocate these people. The rights group also reported that the Muslims in Myanmar are subjected to “discriminatory policies".
Kamel Amr also held a number of meetings on the sidelines of the main meeting. He met with his counterpart from Bangladesh to discuss “political and economic relations". He also met with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu to discuss the Syrian Crisis.


Clic here to read the story from its source.