Photo by Dan Kitwood

The Rohingya people are been forced out of their home country of Myanmar in a ruthless ‘ethnic cleansing’ campaign by the state’s army.

The Muslim-minority ethnic group has for decades been denied citizenship and access to government services as well as other forms of socio-political and economic discrimination in the Buddhist majority state.

As of October 21, an estimated 603,000 people have fled violence and persecution from Rakhine State to East Bangladesh in one of the fastest refugee crises in the world.

The influx of Rohingya refugees has led to an international humanitarian crisis with men, women and children lacking critical access to shelter, food and sanitation.

Women and girls in particular have borne the brunt of a devastating human cost, with reported cases of rape, human trafficking, assault and trauma.

ASRC stands with the Rohingya communities seeking protection and asylum and for an immediate end to the genocide.

Although the Australian government has pledged $30 million to address the humanitarian needs, we call upon Foreign Minister Julie Bishop to show regional leadership:

• Grant protection to all Rohingya seeking asylum in Australia and detained offshore
• Bring 40,000 Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh and/or elsewhere to Australia urgently
• Use Australia’s influence on the Human Rights Council to call upon the UN to
  • Upgrade category of crisis from ‘ethnic cleansing’ to ‘Genocide’
  • Send a peacekeeping force to the region to protect Rohingya from violence
  • Ensure aid gets to those who need it not Myanmar government forces

Contact Julie Bishop today with the above requests and your personal message:

• Phone: (08) 9388 0288
• Email: julie.bishop.mp@aph.gov.au