NAJIB’S PIVOTAL ROLE IN DRAWING WORLD ATTENTION TO ROHINGYA PLIGHT

Najib’s efforts have spurred world leaders to take action to end community’s persecution

MALAYSIA’s unceasing efforts to get the world’s attention to end the plight of the Rohingya in Myanmar have gained momentum in shifting global opinion.

It has spurred world leaders to speak up on the issue and the Myanmar government to stop its aggression against the ethnic minority.

In recent months, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has not only raised the issue during his meeting with United States President Donald Trump, which resulted in a considerable hardening of the US position, but he also highlighted problems faced by the Rohingya during the recent 31st Asean Summit in Manila, the Philippines.

But before that, Najib instilled the first inspiration for Malaysia and the world to take notice of the Rohingya in December last year.

He led a rally here to protest against the ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya community in Rakhine State, and called on world leaders to take action on the matter.

He attended the rally despite being warned by the Myanmar authorities not to do so.

“Do you expect me, a leader of over 30 million people, to close my eyes? To stay silent? I will not!

“Someone tell Myanmar that the Asean Charter also protects human rights. They cannot just interpret whatever they like. What do you expect us to do? We are a community of nations. We need to protect the Rohingya, not because they are of the same religion as us, but because they are humans. Their lives matter,” Najib had said.

Despite protests among antiRohingya elements in Myanmar, this pressure led to the meeting of Asean foreign ministers to discuss the ongoing military campaign in Rakhine State on Dec 19 last year.

The meeting led to an Extraordinary Meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation on Jan 19, where Najib vowed that it was time to end the crisis.

“How should it be resolved? For a start, the killing must stop. The burning of houses must stop. The violation of women and girls must stop. The persecution of your fellow men and women, simply on the grounds that they are Muslims, must stop. The denial of basic rights to your fellow human beings must stop,” he had said. Najib had challenged Myanmar to prove themselves worthy of their great traditions and history, as he called on the Myanmar government to cease all discriminatory actions and attacks against the Rohingya, and for the perpetrators to be brought to justice.

Najib then took action to alleviate the suffering of the Rohingya.

This included sending food aid to Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, giving support on the ground as well as providing a field hospital with 100 beds.

Malaysia also disassociated itself from the Asean statement on the humanitarian crisis in Rakhine in September as it made no mention of the Rohingya as one of the affected parties.

Najib gave assurances that he would raise the Rohingya’s plight with Trump, which at the time was not addressed by the White House.

True to his word, the prime minister raised this matter in his meeting with Trump and US officials, including Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, which was reflected in the joint statement released by Malaysia and the US following their bilateral discussions calling for the Myanmar government to end violence against innocents and ensure that humanitarian relief reached victims.

The statement read: “They discussed the need to end the humanitarian crisis in Myanmar. Both leaders called for an end to the violence targeting civilian populations, and discussed the need for a strong international community response for the hundreds of thousands of individuals who have been victimised and displaced by violence.”

Following Najib’s visit, Tillerson made a remark about the crisis at Lancaster House in London, saying that the violence must stop and it was vital for Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi to make clear that it was an abomination and the Rohingya should be allowed back.

US Vice-President Mike Pence also issued a response at a United Nations Security Council meeting, saying that he and Trump called on the council to take strong and swift action to bring the crisis to an end and bring hope and help to the Rohingya people in their hour of need or it would get worse.

Tillerson visited Myanmar and met Suu Kyi and Myanmar’s army chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing on Nov 22.

“After a careful and thorough analysis of available facts, it is clear that the situation in northern Rakhine State constitutes ethnic cleansing against the Rohingya. Those responsible for these atrocities must be held accountable,” Tillerson said in a statement, adding that the US would pursue accountability through US law, including possible targeted sanctions.

At the 31st Asean Summit in Manila, Najib had said when he raised the issue of Rakhine, Suu Kyi subsequently announced that several efforts were being taken.

Malaysia was one of the first countries to call for action, and it had yielded results.

Najib had said he would continue to fight their persecution and displacement.

“Religion should be about peace, brotherhood and mutual respect. Alas, that has not been the case in Rakhine State. Such persecution not just leads to refugee influxes into neighbouring countries, but also incites radicalisation and regional instability. We cannot stand by and do nothing.”