FOURTEEN Rohingya-led rights groups in Cox’s Bazar have demanded that Myanmar ensures voting rights of all Rohingyas including those in Bangladesh to make possible their participation in Myanmar’s November 8 national elections. The demand was made in an open letter to the Union Election Commission (UEC) of Myanmar by the Roingya groups on Thursday.
Rohingyas have been disfranchised by Myanmar government in 1982 striping their citizenship rights. Over one million Rohingyas have been expelled – the biggest influx occurred in 2017 forcing these people to live here in Teknaf refugee camps. The Myanmar government is executing an ethnic cleansing plan murdering people and razing their villages to the ground. The election is going to take place in this background.
Rohingyas are fighting for their political rights and the right to return home. Therefore before the elections Rohingya right groups have legitimately demanded their right to vote. Myanmar Union Election Commission has said all Myanmar nationals abroad are eligible to vote through absentee ballots so Rohingyas said they can’t be denied of their right to vote. The entire international community has opposed such barbaric act and we must say Myanmar must pay heed.
But need no mention that Rohingyas are far apart from their land to vote while the government disown them. Recently, the Myanmar Union Election Commission rejected at least five Rohingya candidates from competing in the elections saying they are not Myanmar citizens. Evidently all voter lists have also deleted all Rohingyas inside and outside country to claim the right to vote. It appears the Myanmar government is going to exclude all Rohingyas as voters to establish their claim that they are not Myanmar citizens.
Myanmar election is taking place at a time when global political landscape has dramatically changed and consequently international backing for Rohingya cause is not enough forthcoming. Meanwhile, Arabs are abandoning Palestinian cause making alliance with arch enemy Israel. They are abandoning Kashmir issue when India is pushing the NRC law to create another Rohingya like crisis baselessly making millions of Bengalis homeless in Indian state of Assam. We are saddened by the apathy of some wealthy Muslim states who should have been vocal and failure of our government in this respect.
