Bravo Aceh! The Rohingya refugee crisis
has spurred human rights activists, normally timid and discouraged by
provincial government officials, to join together to protest the inhumane
treatment of Rohingya Muslims by Myanmar.
Today’s Andalou Agency
post reports that “At a press conference to launch its plea Monday, the Coalition for Caring for Rohingya urged
the government to act decisively against Myanmar's government, which it said
had played a key role in the humanitarian crisis faced by [the] Muslim ethnic
group.”
‘This is not a sectarian conflict, and not a horizontal
conflict... this happened because of strong support from the Myanmar government
on some violent actions such as murder, slaughter, and destruction,’ Coalition
Chairman Adnin Armas told reporters.
Coalition for Caring for Rohingya is made up of members from
several communities in Aceh, where there are currently 1062 refugees in Aceh
Utara and Aceh Timur, who have been living in camps since the latest wave of
refugees arrived two months ago.
The group is petitioning President Jokowi to reconsider
Indonesia's relations with Myanmar, and demands Indonesian businessmen and
state companies suspend investments in the country. It also calls for the
revocation of Myanmar’s membership in ASEAN [Association of Southeast Asian
Nations].
The petition will be posted to the House of Representatives and
given President to Jokowi tomorrow; members of the group are also asking that
the Rohingya be allowed to stay in Aceh until all issues with Myanmar are
resolved.
While I don’t expect Jokowi to issue edicts cutting ties
with Myanmar, I’ll be paying close attention to see what he does do, and how he publicly addresses this petition. It is,
after all, the ASEAN neighbors of Myanmar who will make the biggest impression;
hopefully the threat of economic losses will sway Myanmar; ethics and human
compassion certainly hasn’t done much.
No comments :
Post a Comment