Statement of Hizb ut Tahrir / Indonesia:
Rally To Express Solidarity for Rohingya Muslims

As reported, Muslims in the area of Rakhine or Arakan, Myanmar, have again been persecuted. According to official data, 67 people were killed in the latest unrest during the past few days. AFP reported on Sunday (27/10/2012), Spokesman of Rakhine state said that nearly half of the dead were women. The United Nations said the latest clashes forced around 3,200 people to live in refugee camps in Sittwe, the capital of Rakhine, which is organized by the UN. Including another 2,500 people were reportedly on their way to the camps.

After decades of discrimination, Muslim Rohingya have lived in the Rakhine or Arakan region since the 8th century, have now become stateless. The Burmese government continues to persecute them ruthlessly, restrict their movements, deny them the right to possess land, deny access to education and public services. The government forces them to flee to different countries such as Bangladesh, Malaysia or Thailand. It is estimated that there are more than 500,000 Rohingya people living in the country. According to UNHCR, around 1 million Muslims Rohingya are now forced to live outside Myanmar, but there is not a third country willing to accept them permanently.

With all of its policies, it is clear that the Myanmar government has the intention to make the Muslims suffer and carry out a religious cleansing of the Rohingya Muslims. It is clear from the statement of the President of Myanmar, Thein Sein, that Myanmar will make the Rohingya Muslim flee "if there is a third country willing to accept them". For this ruthless president who acts cruelly to his own people, there are only two solutions for Rohingya Muslim: living in refugee camps or being deported.

Certainly, this reality brings sadness. The Rohingya Muslims are an integral part of the Muslim world that is now more than 1.5 billion people. How are so many Muslims could are unable to protect their own brothers who are being persecuted brutally. Where is the Izzah or the glory of the Ummah? This fact, together with the similar affliction experienced by Muslims in Pattani, in southern Thailand, Moro, in Southern Philippines and Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine, shows one thing: that Muslims weak and powerless after the collapse of Khilafah "Caliphate", the protector of the Ummah, in 1924.

Regarding this issue, on Wednesday, October 31st, 2012, Hizb ut-Tahrir Indonesia staged a rally to express solidarity for the Rohingya Muslim in front of Myanmar Embassy in Jakarta, and states:

1. Strongly condemns the acts of violence, destruction of property belonging to the Rohingya Muslims, massacres and expulsions carried out by the Buddhist extremists, backed by the priests and the Burmese government against the Rohingyas Muslims in Arakan, Burma, as an act of barbarism. Such actions should not be done by any civilized human beings.

2. Urge the Myanmar government to immediately stop this ruthless act and stop all policies that aims for the genocide of the existence of the Rohingya Muslims in Arakan region. Rohingya Muslims have been in Arakan region several centuries before Myanmar existed as a state and therefore, they should be recognized as the legitimate residents of the territory with all of their rights.

3. Urge the Indonesian government, as a country with the largest Muslim population, to take effective measures to stop the cruelty as well as provide protection to Rohingya immigrants who arrived in the territory of Indonesia.

4. Call upon the Muslims everywhere to act hand in hand to express solidarity for Rohingya Muslim in all its forms. In addition, call upon the people to work hand in hand earnestly for the enforcement of Sharia and the Khilafah "Caliphate". Only under the shade of the Khilafah "Caliphate" will the 1.5 billion Muslims be strong and united, so that the protection of the dignity of Muslims in many areas, including that of the Rohingya Muslims can be attained realistically, and avoiding similar oppressions in the future. Insha Allah.

Hasbunallah wa ni'mal wakiil, ni'mal mawla wa ni'man nasiir.

Spokesperson of Hizb-ut Tahrir in Indonesia
Muhammad Ismail Yusanto