Al Qaeda warns Myanmar of ‘punishment’

Al Qaeda militants have called for support for Myanmar’s self-identifying Rohingya Muslims, who are facing a security crackdown that has sent about  400,000 of them fleeing to Bangladesh, warning that Myanmar would face “punishment” for its “crimes”, according to wire service Reuters.

 Over 370,000 Rohingyas, mostly women, children and old people, fled violence to seek safety in Bangladesh since August 25 when Myanmar security forces launched attacks on Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine State, sparking off a huge global criticism.

Last week, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres took the rare step of writing a letter to the council urging members to send a message to Myanmar authorities to end the security operation.

Guterres spoke to Myanmar’s de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi last week and is expected to once again make an appeal to end the crisis during a press conference at UN headquarters on Wednesday, his spokesman said, reports AFP.

Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International said they were disappointed with Suu Kyi, a Nobel peace prize laureate and once a darling of the rights movement who has been accused of turning a blind eye to the violence.

“Silence is not helping the fact that we have a growing xenophobic rhetoric and climate which is whirling around Yangon at the moment,” said Tirana Hassan, Amnesty’s crisis response director.

Al Qaeda warns Myanmar of punishment

Al Qaeda militants have called for support for Myanmars self-identifying Rohingya Muslims, who are facing a security crackdown that has sent about 400,000 of them fleeing to Bangladesh, warning that Myanmar would face punishment for its crimes, according to wire service Reuters. Over 370,000 Rohingyas, mostly women, children and old people, fled violence to seek safety in Bangladesh since August 25 when Myanmar security forces launched attacks on Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine State, sparking off a huge global criticism. Last week, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres took the rare step of writing a letter to the council urging members to send a message to Myanmar authorities to end the security operation. Guterres spoke to Myanmars de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi last week and is expected to once again make an appeal to end the crisis during a press conference at UN headquarters on Wednesday, his spokesman said, reports AFP. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International said they were disappointed with Suu Kyi, a Nobel peace prize laureate and once a darling of the rights movement who has been accused of turning a blind eye to the violence. Silence is not helping the fact that we have a growing xenophobic rhetoric and climate which is whirling around Yangon at the moment, said Tirana Hassan, Amnestys crisis response director.