West media silent on systematic genocide of Rohingyas: Expert

Source Presstv, 28 Oct

 

 

Here we have an entire community being wiped out, a genocide, a holocaust is taking place and people are still making simple statements."

Adnan Rashid, a historian and Islamic Studies expert

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The Western mainstream media have imposed a news blackout on the systematic "genocide" of the Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar, an expert tells Press TV.

"It appears that the Western media and the Western governments have turned a blind eye to the plight of the Muslims in Burma," said Adnan Rashid, a historian and Islamic Studies expert, in an exclusive interview with Press TV.

"It was clearly seen that the mainstream media machines in the West failed to address this issue satisfactorily in the month of June when all this violence started and the language which is being used in this case is very, very well calculated," he added.

"Here we have an entire community being wiped out, a genocide, a holocaust is taking place and people are still making simple statements," the analyst pointed out.

Rashid lashed out at the Myanmarese government for its stance towards the Muslims in the country and pointed out that in practice Naypyidaw treats the Rohingyas as "illegal citizens," who "should be wiped out."

"On the other hand, we have a systemic attempt to wipe these people out with the support of the army, the police and the media and even the Buddhist religious clergy is also inflating a lot of this violence and hatred against Muslims," he added.

Rashid called on the West and the UN to change their hypocritical position and take "some solid action" to put an end to the genocide of Muslims in Myanmar.

Sectarian violence re-emerged between Arakan Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims on October 21 and continued all week in at least five townships of Minbya, Mrak-U, Myebon, Rathedaung, and Kyauk Pyu.

Rakhine State spokesman Win Myaing said on Friday that 112 people had been killed in the latest clashes between members of the Buddhist Rakhine and the Muslim Rohingya communities. He said 72 people were reported injured, including 10 children.

The Myanmarese government says more than 2,800 houses were burned down in the violence.

Communal violence and related abuses by state security forces against Rohingya Muslims began in early June.

Myanmar refuses to recognize Rohingyas as Myanmarese citizens and classifies them as illegal migrants, although the Rohingyas have resided in the country for centuries.