Author: mobinah-ahmad

Chris Hayes MP continues to not let the deteriorating human rights situation in Myanmar be forgotten. He spoke in Parliament on 20 August 2018 about the ongoing crisis involving the Myanmar security forces and those in the Rakhine State, the Rohingya Muslims.  His speech was days before the one year anniversary since the escalation of violence in the Rakhine State on Saturday 25 August “One year since the situation escalated from violence and abuse to atrocities and a humanitarian crisis of catastrophic proportions which has resulted in the displacement of over 700,000 people from the Rakhine State.” The United Nations and Human Rights Watch have described the situation as a ‘textbook example of ethnic cleansing’ and ‘crimes against humanity’. “Clearly, there have been atrocities committed against the Rohingya. Evidence from a number of investigations carried out by Human Rights Watch has documented a series of brutal crackdowns by the security forces against the ethnic Rohingya Muslims, involving extrajudicial killings; the torture and suffering of men, women and children; arson; and the destruction and takeover of more than 300 villages by the Myanmar military. It is important to note the long history of discrimination that has existed against the Rohingya. The Myanmar government continues to deny the Rohingya citizenship and basic government services such as health and education. It is this abhorrent denial of basic human rights that has legitimised the treatment of...