Brussels,
14 September 2017 (ITUC OnLine): The ITUC has expressed grave concern
over the fate of more than 300,000 stateless “Rohingya” people who have fled
Myanmar into neighbouring Bangladesh in the face of violent clashes between
Myanmar security forces and militants. United Nations Human Rights High
Commissioner Zeid Ra‘ad al-Hussein has described the situation as a “textbook
example of ethnic cleansing”.
“For
decades, the international community stood with those in Myanmar who opposed
the military dictatorship, and now that the absolute grip of the military on
power has been loosened and political reform is firmly on the agenda, Myanmar
must show that it respects international law. The situation of the
Rohingya is not new, and it is of the gravest concern that not only has there
been no progress, but now hundreds of thousands of people are being forced to
flee the country where they have lived, in the most terrible
circumstances. These people need urgent humanitarian assistance.
While extremism in any form must be condemned, at the same time the Myanmar
authorities must show that they respect their international human rights
obligations. Right now, all sides need to renounce the use of violence,
to ensure that there are no further victims and to enable dialogue to resolve
the situation with full respect for the human rights of those concerned,” said
ITUC General Secretary Sharan Burrow.
The ITUC
represents 181 million workers in 163 countries and territories and has 340
national affiliates.
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