Islamic nations on Wednesday called on U.N. leader Ban Ki-moon to do more to halt the “tyranny” they say Muslims are enduring in Myanmar.
Religious riots in Buddhist-majority Myanmar have cast a shadow over heralded political reforms since military rule ended two years ago. Envoys to the U.N. from Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) countries say the global body should pressure the Myanmar government over the troubles.
“Myanmar is having a honeymoon with the world. The only problem is that that honeymoon is being built on the bodies of the Muslim victims in that country,” said Saudi Arabia’s UN ambassador Abdullah al-Mouallemi.
Mouallemi and other ambassadors from OIC members met Ban on Wednesday to demand more action by the United Nations, particularly over Rohingya Muslims.
In March at least 44 people, mainly Muslims, were killed in sectarian strife in central Myanmar.
Communal unrest last year in the western state of Rakhine left about 200 people dead and up to 140,000 displaced, mainly Rohingyas, minority Muslims who are rejected by many in Myanmar.
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