Myanmar Must Ensure the Safety of All Its Communities

Washington, DC (September 6, 2017) — Expressing sympathy with all victims of the ongoing violence in Myanmar and urging a prompt, peaceful resolution to the conflict, the Hindu American Foundation today condemned the killing of 86 Hindus in Mangdu district and urged the government to bring the perpetrators to justice.

“The small and vulnerable Hindu community remaining in Myanmar must be provided with adequate protection from further violence,” HAF Senior Director Samir Kalra said. “Furthermore, the UNHCR must ensure that the basic shelter and survival needs of Hindu refugees are protected, until they can safely return to Myanmar or are resettled, in Bangladesh or elsewhere,” Kalra added.

In the past 10 days some 90,000 people have fled from Myanmar into Bangladesh, with 500 of them being Hindu. Thousands more are trapped at the border, according to media reports. The recent bout of violence started on August 25 after Rohingya militants reportedly attacked police in Rakhine state, leading to a counter offensive by the military.