‘Clashes may jeopardise Buddhist and Muslim ties abroad’

PETALING JAYA: The latest flare-up in Myanmar has given rise to fears that it would further exacerbate Buddhist-Muslim relations in the region and beyond, according to the International Movement for a Just World.

Its president Dr Chandra Muzaffar said the brutality of renewed violence in Myanmar underscored the need to address the situation urgently.

“Tens of thousands of Rohingya have fled to neighbouring Bangla­desh. Thousands of others are struggling to survive in dire and desperate circumstances.

“There have been strong reactions against the Myanmar government in other Asean countries,” he said in a statement yesterday.

He said an international tribunal on the situation of the Rohingya, Kachins and other minorities in Myanmar would convene in Kuala Lumpur from Sept 18 to 22, at Universiti Malaya’s Faculty of Law.

Dr Chandra said the convener of the tribunal was the Rome-based Permanent People’s Tribunal (PPT), an internationally recognised public opinion tribunal which operates independent of state authorities.

Set up in 1979, PPT has held hearings on collective human rights violations around the world.

Dr Chandra said although there had been no meaningful response from the United Nations or Asean on the Myanmar issue, the importance of addressing the challenges confronting the two communities remained as urgent as ever.