Arakan News Agency
The Malaysian Consultative Council of Islamic Organisation (Mapim) urges the special meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Foreign Ministers due to be held on Jan 19, 2017 to issue a statement to endorse and support the NGO-initiated Food Flotilla for Myanmar.
Mohd Azmi Abdul Hamid is president, Malaysian Consultative Council of Islamic Organisation (Mapim) said “The meeting should seriously consider the importance of this endeavor by supporting and facilitating the flotilla in the context of an international obligation for Myanmar to heed the urging to stop the oppressive policy inflicted against the Rohingya minority ethnic.”
He adds on “the flotilla is indeed a show of international solidarity for humanity. It represent the voice of the world to put peace as the top agenda in any multilateral or bilateral relations among nations.’
The flotilla is a collective humanitarian effort galvanised to include participation from all levels of the people from different countries.
Its aim is to deliver humanitarian aid and to solicit world attention to focus on the plight of the Rohingya.
It is scheduled to depart from Port Klang in Malaysia on Feb 3, 2017 for an estimated 20-day mission, seeking to be granted access from the Myanmar authority to land and distribute 1,500 tonnes of aid to the affected area in Maungdaw, north of Rakhine state (Arakan).
Azmi Abdul Hamid further added “The thousands of Rohingyas facing harsh realities in Myanmar and living in squalid refugee camps in Bangladesh could barely survive on a daily basis. Their suffering is compounded by forced eviction, killings, rape, arbitrary arrest, arson and denial of socio-economic rights.”
He concludes “We reiterate that the OIC should give its undivided support for the success of the flotilla and to assist in anyway possible to chart a long term strategy to rehabilitate the Rohingya victims and to work closely with the Asean member states on the issue of the Rohingya.”
