Please write to your lawmakers on the Rohingya issue

President Obama will be in Myanmar from November 17^th-21^st. By contacting Congressman, Senators, and the State Department, we can let our voices be heard. Allowing the Rohingya to be expelled simply to placate the ruling Burmese junta is unacceptable.

More information on the current situation is here. A long form analysis of the Rohingya’s history in the region can be found here.

Below is a rough template for a letter. Please take the time out to help and make a real difference.

Dear Senator ____/Representative____/Secretary of State___:

Our strategic interests in Myanmar are extremely important and President’s Obama’s policy in this region should be applauded. I request that you kindly bring to his attention the miserable status of the Rohingyas living in the Rakhine State (formerly the independent state of Arakan) before he visits Myanmar next week.

The UN human rights chief called on Myanmar on Friday, November 9^th, to allow Muslim Rohingya to become citizens after deadly sectarian violence in recent months in the western state of Rakhine. I strongly believe this is necessary.

The group’s statelessness is at the heart of two major outbreaks of unrest between Buddhist and Muslim communities that has left 180 dead and forced more than 110,000, mainly Rohingya, into makeshift camps since June.

The Rohingya have no legal status, and were formally stripped of Burmese citizenship in 1982. Attempts at “repatriating” them to Bangladesh make little sense. Although Bangladesh has absorbed thousands of the Rohingya over the years, the Rakhine (Arakan) has been their home for centuries, and Rohingya have every lawful and ethical claim to their dwelling in Myanmar.

If we fail to act the situation will only get worse.

Standing up for the dignity and rights of the Rohingya reflect core American values of citizenship and shared responsibility. I urge you to contact the President and insist that legal residency for the Rohingya be a major part of his agenda with the current Burmese authorities, and with any successive regime there.

Sincerely

_________________

Name:

Address:

email/phone

Please look up the following sites to make contacts with the appropriate lawmaker of your choice or region.

http://www.foreign.senate.gov/
http://foreignaffairs.house.gov/about/