Statement of Solidarity for Rohingya Community from Timor-Leste

We stand in solidarity with the Rohingya community who are currently facing death and suffering in Myanmar (Burma)

Dili, Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste

For immediate release:   11 September 2017 | For more information, contact: Celestino Gusmão, atino@laohamutuk.org, +670 7743 2621

Through this press release, we, the members of Timor-Leste International Solidarity Movement, declare that we stand together with people everywhere to protest the persecution of the Rohingya community in Myanmar.

Since October 2016, the Myanmar government’s military forces have inflicted violence against the Rohingya people, causing a humanitarian tragedy. The military has killed many Rohingya civilians, and forced others to abandon their homes and seek shelter in Bangladesh. During the past two weeks alone, Myanmar’s actions have forced more than 250,000 people to flee to escape persecution.

We hereby call on the Government of Myanmar to immediately stop all acts of military persecution of the Rohingya people. To show its commitment to human rights, we also encourage the Government of Myanmar to sign the international treaties, particularly, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; to become a signatory to the International Criminal Court, and the other international human rights conventions on Torture, Refugees, Slavery, Racial Discrimination, Statelessness and Forced Disappearances.

 A few years ago, we joined with other human rights advocates in Southeast Asia and around the globe to support democracy and human rights for the people of Burma who were oppressed by military dictatorship. Today, we urge the democratic Government of Myanmar to respect the Human Rights of the Rohingya people and everyone else within its borders.

We call on the United Nations and national governments to pressure the Government of Myanmar to fulfil its obligations in accordance with international law. We suggest that the Government of Myanmar promote dialogue, not violence, to achieve peace.

We call on international solidarity activists to come together and respond to these acts of persecution and to continue promoting Human Rights in every country where they are being violated.

We call on all countries that have been asked to give protection to those persecuted – not to deny people their rights to life and safety, but to give them a place and provide themn with what they deserve, as the persecution against them in Myanmar has forced them to require international humanitarian assistance. 

Article 10 of Timor-Leste’s Constitution provides for solidarity with people who are struggling for national liberation. The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste offers political asylum, in accordance with the law, to people being persecuted as a result of their struggle for national and social liberation, defense of human rights, democracy and peace. These legal principles were adopted based on the historical foundation of our people’s victory over oppression. 

For these reasons, we express our concern and solidarity for the Rohingya community who are enduring killing and suffering. We call on the State of Timor-Leste to exercise its moral and legal obligation to speak out against the humanitarian crisis and urge an immediate end to the humanitarian crisis in Myanmar. 

It is our hope that those who have been killed will be treated with due respect, and their bodies will be buried with dignity, and that those who seek protection are provided with safety in the lands in which they seek it.

Signed by more than 80 civil society leaders and human rights activists from Timor-Leste. List attached