Rohingya American Society (RAS)

(Rohingya Community Center)

1575 W. Oklahoma Avenue Milwaukee, WI 53215
Telephone/Fax: (414) 643 8001, (414) 736 4273, (414) 306 1751
E-mail: info.rasoffice@gmail.com
To,
His Excellency Umut Acar
(Consul General)
Turkish Consulate General
455 N. Cityfront Plaza Dr. (NBC Tower), Suite: 2900
Chicago, IL 60611

Date: February 04, 2016

A Memorandum to the Government and People of Turkey

WE, THE LEADERSHIP AND MEMBERS OF THE ROHINGYA AMERICAN SOCIETY
(RAS) would like to introduce that RAS is a non-profit community Development organization
duly registered and based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is serving the Rohingya community and
Burmese Muslim for upliftment and development.
In 2014, under the program of the RAS, we established a Rohingya community center and a
mosque in the name of Masjid Mubarak in which various programs for youths, children and women
were undertaken weekly and bi-weekly basis on self-help basis. Now 175 children are studying
basic Islamic teaching and Al-Quran daily in evening classes.
Taking this opportunity, we would like express our heart-felt thanks and appreciation to the people
and Government of Turkey to come forward with helping hand to the violence torn Sittwe in
Arakan state, Burma. We are very much thankful to the former Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu
(Current Prime Minister) along with the Former First Lady Mrs. Emine Erdogan and her daughter
to visit the refugee camps in the year 2012.
Since then, Turkey was tirelessly working for the Rohingyas in Arakan state still today including
the tough action of sending Frigate navy ships to oversee and rescue of fleeing, floating Rohingya
boat people in the sea.

Rohingya American Society (RAS)

(Rohingya Community Center)
1575 W. Oklahoma Avenue Milwaukee, WI 53215
Telephone/Fax: (414) 643 8001, (414) 736 4273, (414) 306 1751
E-mail: info.rasoffice@gmail.com
In this regard, we would like to inform you that recently there was a one sided and one of the most
unjustifiable elections (Nov.08 2015) was held in Burma totally excluding 1.3 million Arakan
native Rohingya people with deprivation of the voting rights of Rohingyas.
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi led the National League for Democracy (NLD) won with majority votes
and the first parliamentary session was held on February 02,2016, the dirtiest parliament ever held
since the independence of Burma (Jan-04, 1948) in which there was not a single Muslim and
Rohingya MP.
The whole world is praising the free and fair Burma election 2015 and election winner party NLD
under the leadership of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi whereas we, the Rohingyas cannot accept it based
on injustice, cruelty and state sponsored slow burning genocide against the Rohingya ethnic
minority people who are living on their ancestral homeland for many centuries.
Only few countries and some human rights NGOs expressed concern about the exclusion of
Rohingyas in voting and election process but, no practical result was yielded and the suffering of
Rohingyas increased in many folds.
On the basis of available update information, the current new Government of Daw Aung San Suu
Kyi is powerless to change the fate and status of the native Arakan Rohingya people under the
current Myanmar Constitution which is run by top brass military Chief and the Army (Tetmaddaw)
taking the four important Ministries, Defense, Home Ministry, border control Ministry and the
Treasury.
The NLD spoke person recently announced that NLD Govt. has no any plan in the agenda about
the Rohingya people and the current Commander in chief said Rohingyas are Bangladeshis and
they are not citizens of Burma.
The situation of Rohingyas in Arakan state, Burma (Myanmar) is very serious now, currently,
there are gross human rights violations towards Rohingya people. The Rohingyas are being beaten
severely, tortured and killed. The Rohingya women and girls are being raped and killed. They were
not given any treatment for their injuries and health problems even if they go to Govt. hospitals.
The day to day lives have become like in hell for Rohingyas. The state sponsored slow burning
genocide is going on still today.
We, our people, the Rohingyas in Burma become helpless and hopeless and we are at the brink of
extinction. We have become the victims of Genocide and human rights abuses by the Burmese

Rohingya American Society (RAS)

(Rohingya Community Center)
1575 W. Oklahoma Avenue Milwaukee, WI 53215
Telephone/Fax: (414) 643 8001, (414) 736 4273, (414) 306 1751
E-mail: info.rasoffice@gmail.com
security forces and extremist Buddhist people because of our faith in Islam and our identity
Rohingya name.
The Rohingya face massive violence and lack of basic fundamental human rights such as, access
to healthcare, education and employment. They live in apartheid-like conditions due to, among
other things, successive Burmese Govt.s refusal to recognize them as citizens.
But, this is nothing new. Between May, 1991 and March, 1992, more than 260,000 Rohingya fled
the country over human rights abuses committed by the Burmese military, including the
confiscation of land, forced labor, rape, torture, and summary executions.
Even Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel Laureate who fought for decades for democracy, human
rights and reform in Myanmar, has been conspicuously quiet on the issue of Rohingyas national
citizenship status.
So, we fervently appeal the Turkey Government to take active part for the protection and
prevention of Genocide against the Rohingya people in Burma taking leading role.
We also appeal for the continued efforts of Turkey Government for providing humanitarian aids
and relief in all available forms to the suffering Rohingyas in Sittwe and other refugee camps in
Arakan State of Burma (Myanmar).
We have to continue raise our voice to highlight the injustices and gross human rights violations
towards the minority Rohingya and other Muslims in Burma. We have to continue urging and
demanding the United Nations, Powerful World Leaders and International Communities to take
REAL ACTIONS to end the GENOCIDE against minority Rohingya Muslim in Arakan, Burma.
At this critical situation of Rohingya people, we need the continued help and assistance of the
people and Govt. of Turkey along with other members of the OIC to survive on our native
homeland Arakan as dignified people enjoying freedom, justice, equality, human rights,
citizenship rights from the newly emerging NLD led Suu Kyi Government.

Rohingya American Society (RAS)

(Rohingya Community Center)
1575 W. Oklahoma Avenue Milwaukee, WI 53215
Telephone/Fax: (414) 643 8001, (414) 736 4273, (414) 306 1751
E-mail: info.rasoffice@gmail.com

In conclusion, the RAS humbly urge the United Nations Security Council, the Government of the
United States of America, the British Government, European Union and the Turkish government
to:
1. Prosecute all those responsible for Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity against the
Rohingya minority. They must be brought to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for
killing, raping, torturing, detaining and abusing Minority Rohingyas and other ethnics.

2. Urge the Burmese government to amend or repeal the 1982 Citizenship Law to recognize
the Rohingya people as a citizen of Myanmar.

3. Urge the United Nations to establish an Independent Commission of Inquiry immediately

to specifically investigate the gross human rights violations towards the Rohingya people
in Arakan, Burma.

4. Urge the United Nations Security Council to send their Peace Keeping Mission to Arakan
State urgently to control and monitor the human rights abuses on daily basis.

5. Urge the Turkish government and international community to more increase humanitarian
aid to assist Rohingyas in Arakan State of Burma, both those who are in the IDP camps
and Rohingya still in their villages under governments restrictions. Assistance should also
be provided to Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh camps.

6. There should be a significant increase in the number of international observers and news
media groups on the ground in Arakan, and they should provide regular reports of situation
of the suffering and vulnerable Rohingya people to the UN Secretary General and Geneva
based UN Human Rights Council office.

Rohingya American Society (RAS)

(Rohingya Community Center)
1575 W. Oklahoma Avenue Milwaukee, WI 53215
Telephone/Fax: (414) 643 8001, (414) 736 4273, (414) 306 1751
E-mail: info.rasoffice@gmail.com

We thank your Excellency for your time and patience listening to us and do hope you will do the
best to save the minority Rohingya Muslims from the state sponsored ethnic cleansing and
GENOCIDE.

Sincerely yours,
The Executive Committee Members
Rohingya American Society (RAS)
Milwaukee, Wisconsin,
USA.