5^TH DECEMBER 2022

PRESS STATEMENT

Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organization in Malaysia (MERHROM) is deeply saddened and heartbroken with the death sentences to 7 Dagon University students in Yangon who took part in anti-regime protests. The Myanmar junta on Wednesday handed down death sentences to Ko Khant Zin Win, Ko Thura Maung Maung, Ko Zaw Lin Naing, Ko Thiha Htet Zaw, Ko Hein Htet, Ko Thet Paing Oo and Ko Khant Linn Maung Maung in closed trials by a military tribunal. This is indeed a great loss not only to the family members and friends but to the people of Myanmar.

We must emphasize that pro-democracy activists are not terrorist but the real terrorist is Myanmar junta who murdered its own people in barbaric ways. Myanmar junta has conducted long decades of genocide against the Rohingya where millions of Rohingya were killed as direct and indirect consequences of genocide. Since the military coup in 2021, more people of Myanmar have been persecuted, tortured and killed.

Myanmar military is a real terrorist. Ironically, Myanmar military executes its own people by accusing them of being terrorists. The people of Myanmar are the freedom fighters for the country. The military junta can kill our bodies, but the military junta can never kill our belief and what we stood for. The new generation of Myanmar will continue their struggles to fight for freedom, peace and justice.

Previously, 4 pro – democracy activists namely Kyaw Min Yu, Phyo Zeyar Thaw, Hla Myo Aung and Aung Thura Zaw were executed by the Myanmar junta in July 2022. MERHROM believes that the 7 activists who were executed on Wednesday are part of the 113 persons under the Myanmar junta’s execution list. Meaning that there will be a lot more executions onwards. This must be stopped.

Therefore, we urge the United Nations, its agencies and member states as well as NGOs, CSOs, FBOs, CBOs, and the rest of the people on earth to commit to end genocide and atrocities in Myanmar. The United Nations must speed up the process at the International Criminal Court (ICC) and International Court of Justice (ICJ) for the Rohingya Genocide case. Similarly, the Myanmar junta must be tried at the ICC and ICJ for the atrocities in Myanmar.

We strongly urge every UN member state to stop business and military deals with Myanmar as manifestation of their political will to save the life of the Myanmar people from the genocidal regime. We urge the United Nations and ASEAN to be more committed to end the Rohingya Genocide and persecutions of Myanmar people and to stop Myanmar from producing refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) indefinitely.

These are the real challenges for the United Nations leaderships as the mandated body to stop the Rohingya Genocide and Save People of Myanmar. We have been watching worldwide the impact of Rohingya Genocide but until now the Genocide continue. This meant we have not learnt anything from the Rwanda Genocide. The failure for the United Nations to stop Rohingya Genocide is the failure of the United Nations leaderships and the rest of world leaders in this 21st century to restore peace and humanity. The world will be watching who will take the challenge and make a difference to the world.

We urge United Nations all members states countries fully supporting Rohingya Genocide Gambia filed the case against Myanmar in International Court of Justice (ICJ) and also International Human Rights Organization filed the case in International Criminal Court (ICC) against Myanmar government.

The Rohingya continues to be the most prosecuted ethnic in the world and suffer ongoing Genocide. The international pressure to Myanmar is very crucial in order to stop the Rohingya Genocide and atrocities and to restore democracy in Myanmar in order to save the lives of civilian and to stop the people from fleeing the country.

MERHROM would like to reiterate the call by Mr. Thomas Andrews, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar that the U.N. Security Council should “pass a strong resolution of not only condemnation, but clear strategic plan, sanctions, economic sanctions and arms embargo”. (Reuters)