France marked global day to support Myanmar's Rohingyas

Source Presstv, 11 Nov

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Activists in France take part in a global day of protests to raise awareness about anti-Muslim atrocities in Myanmar. As a Muslim minority in an overwhelmingly Buddhist country, Rohingyas continue to be persecuted.

Activists in Paris rallied on the worldwide day to support the embattled Rohingyas of Myanmar, often referred to as the most persecuted group in the world.

As a Muslim minority in an overwhelmingly Buddhist country, the Rohingyas have suffered generations of mistreatment, but a state-sponsored campaign of ethnic cleansing has led to a humanitarian crisis. Since June thousands of Rohingyas have been forcibly relocated to refugee camps, hundreds have been killed and dozens more are missing.



Despite living in Myanmar since the 7th century, the government has classified some 800,000 Rohingyas as "illegal" immigrants, hoping that they will be taken in by neighboring Bangladesh.


US President Obama has selected Myanmar as the site of his first post-election overseas visit. This comes after his controversial decision in July to lift a ban on US companies from working with oil-rich Myanmar.



Many observers wonder how a visit by Obama will encourage leaders of the newly reformed military dictatorship to end their atrocities against the Rohingyas.



For a long time international support for the Rohingya was almost non-existent, but awareness of their dire situation is steadily increasing. Activists hope that more days like this will eventually put pressure on Myanmar's government to stop their shocking treatment of Rohingya.