Saudi population reaches 35.3 million in 2024, majority under 65    Makkah Deputy Emir leads washing of Holy Kaaba    Al-Jadaan: Economic transformation thrives on partnership    Saudi citizen and Yemeni resident convicted in perfume trade concealment case in Riyadh    GASTAT: Industrial Production Index rises by 1.5% in May    Saudi Arabia to introduce AI curriculum across all school levels starting 2025    At Geneva World Summit, Saudi Arabia highlights great strides in digital leadership    Saudi Arabia updates road code to support autonomous vehicles and smart mobility    Children queuing for supplements killed in Israeli strike in Gaza    North Korean defector to sue Kim Jong Un for abuse    Theo Hernández: Al Hilal can compete with Europe's best    Abdullah Al-Qaisoom wins silver at Asian Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championship    Aubameyang's future at Al Qadsiah in doubt after cryptic post comparing Saudi League strikers    SFDA approves 'Winrevair' for rare pulmonary hypertension treatment    Trump threatens 50% tariffs on Brazil if it doesn't stop the Bolsonaro 'witch hunt' trial    Trump praises 'good English' of Liberian president, prompting criticism across Africa    HONOR returns to Esports World Cup as Official Smartphone Partner for 2025 The renewed commitment will see HONOR elevate mobile esports competition with cutting-edge AI technologies and industry-leading hardware    Michael Madsen, actor of 'Kill Bill' and 'Reservoir Dogs' fame, dead at 67    BTS are back: K-pop band confirm new album and tour    'How fragile we are': Roskilde Festival tragedy remembered 25 years on    Sholay: Bollywood epic roars back to big screen after 50 years with new ending    Ministry launches online booking for slaughterhouses on eve of Eid Al-Adha    Shah Rukh Khan makes Met Gala debut in Sabyasachi    Pakistani star's Bollywood return excites fans and riles far right    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Obama in Burma
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 20 - 11 - 2012

PRESIDENT Obama's historic visit to Burma came at a time when there is mounting pressure on the Burmese government of President Thein Sein to take positive action to end the blatant and bloody persecution of his country's 800,000 Rohingya Muslims, along with other Muslim minorities.
Obama's aides said that the president would be raising the issue. However given the White House's depressingly craven backing for the renewed Israeli assault on Gaza, it seems unlikely President Sein will take Obama's protests too seriously. Sein will assume that, just as Washington has allowed Israel to declare open season on the two million Palestinians in Gaza, it is not going to be overly bothered about the savage assaults on Burmese Muslims.
Yet there is mounting pressure on the Burmese government, not only to stop the murderous attacks in the northwest of the country, but also to investigate growing evidence that the Burmese army and police have been actively involved in the slaughter and oppression of Muslims.
The latest to add their voice to the international disquiet are members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), holding their annual meeting in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh.
ASEAN Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan warned: “If that issue is not handled well and effectively, there is a risk of extremism.” The idea that Al-Qaeda-linked terrorists might seek to open another front in their war against civilized society is deeply disturbing. Yet wittingly, or unwittingly, the Burmese government has created just the sort of toxic environment in which terrorism can flourish. The siren message of the bigots would be that the Rohingya people are suffering at the hands of Buddhist extremists, aided and abetted by the authorities. Therefore it is entirely right that the beleaguered Muslims should fight fire with fire.

The radicalization of young Rohingya might light a fuse of violence that could burn its way to Burma's major cities, setting off a chain of explosions and suicide bombings, which would begin to turn even moderate Buddhist opinion against Muslims. From Burma the terrorism could spill over into neighboring countries, not least Bangladesh, as Al-Qaeda's poisonous and nihilist ambitions were embraced by an ever greater number of desperate dupes.
Obama's opportunity in Burma was to tell its government, in no uncertain terms, that Buddhist extremists have to be brought to heel. Those guilty of terrible crimes against helpless Muslims should be prosecuted, not least those members of the security forces complicit in these ethnic and racist crimes. For good measure, he should have insisted the Rohingya be given the protection of Burmese citizenship, regardless of when these unfortunate people actually established themselves in the country. This would at least give them access to the legal system, national identity cards, passports to travel and with a vote, the chance to have their voices heard in the Burmese parliament.
Unfortunately Obama has bigger fish to fry. His second term is undoubtedly going to involve increased focus on the growing political and military power of China in Asia and the Pacific. The Chinese backed the old military junta that placed President Sein in power, and which still hovers in the background. Obama wants to secure Burma's support in the struggle to retain US regional hegemony. In such circumstances, the disaster befalling less than a million Burmese Muslims is of marginal consequence, just as, it seems, is the fate of two million Palestinians in Gaza.


Clic here to read the story from its source.