7 July 2014:The Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia (ABIM) unequivocally and strongly condemn the recent violence attacks against innocent Burmese Muslim civilians in Mandalay. The following are the sequence of events causing the violence and oppression in Mandalay to date: On 25 June 2014, a famous online news portal called Thit Htoo Lwin spread false allegations of rape of a Buddhist woman by 2 muslim brothers. The Muslim men in question owned a well to do café called Sun Café.
Since then the Buddhist mob has been showing up at Sun Cafe and muslim homes and businesses in the area striking fear into the hearts of the Muslim population, damaging and looting property and setting fire to mosques. The above mentioned acts of violence happened in the presence of local police forces and under the watch of the passive authorities. Between the 3rd and 4th of July, the authorities issued a curfew and arrested 2 Muslim Imams and a group of worshippers at a mosque.
On top of not taking action against the thugs and protecting the Muslim residents, the police conducted cordon search operations extensively only in Muslim homes and masjids, seizing items deemed as weapons which were in actual fact being kept for self defense by the Muslims. Later, on the same day, the authorities cut off internet access and electricity, effectively shutting off Mandalay from the rest of the world. Previous incidents of violence against Muslims in Burma were always preceded by the same sequence of events – imposition of a curfew, cutting of internet access and electricity followed by the burning and destruction of Muslim homes and property and killing of innocents.
This is in clear violation of Articles 6 (Right to Life), 9 (Right to Security and Liberty and Due Process of Law), 26 (Right to Equal Protection Law Irrespective of Race or Religion) and 27 (Right of Minorities to Practice Culture and Religion) of the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights. ABIM, and the Muslim world at large strongly condemn these attacks on innocent Muslim civilians in Mandalay, Burma and call upon the International community to place pressure on the Burmese government to curb the violence against the Muslims in Mandalay.
Mohamad Raimi Ab Rahim,
Vice President, Muslim Youth Movement Of Malaysia (ABIM)
