Myanmar gov't reputation at stake over Rohingya crisis, UN warns

The reputation of Aung San Suu Kyi's government in Myanmar is at stake amid international concerns over how it is dealing with violence in the country's divided northwest, a senior United Nations official warned on Tuesday.

The conflict in Myanmar's Rakhine State has sent hundreds of Rohingya Muslims fleeing across the border to Bangladesh amid allegations of abuses by security forces. The crisis poses a serious challenge to Nobel Peace Prize winner Suu Kyi, who swept to power last year on promises of national reconciliation.

In a statement, Adama Dieng, the U.N.'s special adviser on the prevention of genocide, said the allegations "must be verified as a matter of urgency" and urged the government to allow access to the area. (Courtesy of dailysabah.com)

AP Explains: What’s behind persecution of Myanmar’s Rohingya

Abdul Razak Ali Artan, the Somali-born student accused of carrying out a car-and-knife attack at Ohio State University this week, reportedly protested on his Facebook page about the killing of minority Muslims in Myanmar. Muslim Rohingya face discrimination and violence from the Buddhist majority in the country, also called Burma. Their plight generally goes unnoticed by the world at large, even though some rights activists say their persecution amounts to ethnic cleansing. Here are several things to know about the group (Courtesy of washingtonpost.com)

Malaysia cancels two soccer matches with Myanmar over Rohingya crackdown

Malaysia's national soccer team has canceled two friendly under-22 matches with Myanmar, in protest against the Southeast Asian nation's bloody crackdown on ethnic Rohingya Muslims, a team spokesman said on Thursday.

Muslim-majority Malaysia has been increasingly critical of Myanmar's handling of violence in northern Rakhine state that has sent hundreds of people fleeing across the border to Bangladesh, amid allegations of abuses by security forces.

The violence is the most serious bloodshed in Rakhine since communal clashes in 2012 that killed hundreds.

Referring to the cancellation of the games set for later this month, the spokesman told Reuters, "It was a political decision because of the Rohingya issue." (Courtesy of reuters.com)

Ethnic cleansing of Rohingya Muslims as world watches in silence

Rohingya Muslims have been subjected to massive ethnic cleansing and genocide in Myanmar, a predominantly Buddhist country. This crime is taking place as the whole world watches in silence. It is a shame that these atrocities are being perpetrated under the elected government of the National League for Democracy (NLD), headed by Aung San Suu Kyi.

Furthermore, it is a disgrace as Suu Kyi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of her heroic struggle for freedom and democracy, defying the torture and persecution of the previous military regime.

It was thought that she would come forward to defend human rights, especial the rights of the minority Rohingya Muslims, who represent an integral part of the Myanmar people. Instead, it seems that she has given her people a free hand to kill the Rohingya, rape their women, demolish their homes and set their mosques on fire, as well as looting their property. This has forced many Rohingya to flee their homes to escape the killing spree. (Courtesy of saudigazette.com.sa)

Burma Edges Closer to Ethnic Cleansing

A human tragedy approaching ethnic cleansing is unfolding in Burma, and the world is chillingly silent.

In recent weeks, hundreds of Muslim Rohingya people have been killed, and more than 30,000 displaced. Houses have been burned, hundreds of women raped and many others arbitrarily arrested. Access for humanitarian-aid organizations has been almost completely denied. Thousands have fled to neighboring Bangladesh, only to be sent back. Witness all the hallmarks of past tragedies: Bosnia, Darfur, Kosovo, Rwanda. (Courtesy of wsj.com)