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Your letters: Action needed to resolve Rohingya issue
It is true that some international groups shy away from using the term âgenocideâ to describe the harsh persecution of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar, and others do not
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t is true that some international groups shy away from using the term 'genocide' to describe the harsh persecution of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar, and others do not. It is a question of communication strategy.
Some diplomats and United Nations personnel have faith in a softer public discourse and the ability of international investment to change local politics and culture to a more inclusive one.
But the Rohingya cannot afford the luxury of wishful thinking.
Strong language is called for and 'genocide' is not wrong.
A Former UN special rapporteur on the human rights situation in Myanmar, Tomas Ojea Quintana, has spoken of the movement towards genocide, and the current special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar, Yanghee Lee, speaks of 'worrying signs' of genocide. Seven Nobel peace prize winners (including South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu) have called it genocide.
Whatever it is called, it must stop in order for Myanmar to develop into a free and peaceful society. The issue is how to make this deadly social and political movement stop, and this is what must be discussed in the most serious and urgent way.
P. Adem Carroll
The Straits Times/ANN/Singapore
