OIC decries aggressions against Muslims in Myanmar

The Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) has denounced aggressions perpetrated by extremist Buddhists against Muslims in the Republic of Myanmar.

The OIC secretary general Abdelouahed Belkziz (Morocco) said in a statement he is following with great concern the aggressions against Muslims, nurtured by ethnic rifts, as well as the persecution, deportation and slaughter of Muslim women and children.

The statement, deploring the serious escalation of aggressions against Muslims these past days, said Buddhist extremists burnt down and destroyed eight historical mosques in the region of Tongo and sixteen others in Mandino and governmental authorities made no move to stop the barbarous aggressions.

These aggressions and acts of destruction threaten the very identity and existence of the Muslim community, the statement said, calling the international community and human rights organizations to endeavor with the Myanmar government to put an end to the destruction of historical mosques and places of worship, stop the aggressions against the Muslims, ensure the protection of the Muslim community and guarantee Muslims' political, social and cultural rights.