1. Although Myanmar is ruled by the Burmese people, the fact is that there are many different ethnic groups living in Myanmar.

2. All the people of different races are citizens of Myanmar. They should all have the rights of the citizens of the country.

3. Unfortunately some are not treated as citizens with equal rights. They are separated, each ethnic group living in its own area.

4. As is usual the different people profess different religions, this should not affect their loyalty to the country.

5. But the majority of the Burmese people are Buddhists.

6. The Buddhist are usually tolerant of people of other religions. In Myanmar however they are not tolerant especially of the Muslims.

7. The Rohingyas are Muslims. They have been living in that area of Myanmar for centuries. They have done no harm to the other ethnic groups in Myanmar. Certainly, they have not been opposed to the Myanmar Government. Unlike the other ethnic groups, they have not been fighting to set their own nation.

8. Yet the Myanmar military have attacked their villages and towns, killing them, burning their homes. They have been forced to flee to neighbouring Bangladesh.

9. The sufferings of these Rohingya migrants are terrible. The old and the sick often could not make the journey. They had to carry their belongings with them.

10. At the end of the journey, they had to rig pitiable huts to shelter them from the weather. There was no water supply, no electricity. Sometimes the huts caught fire. Floods render the tent camps uninhabitable. And many would get sick. There are no hospitals.

11. Why do people do this to their fellow human beings? Wouldn’t it be better if the Myanmar military treat their Rohingya citizens as fellow citizens, entitled to normal treatment.

12. We are all concerned over the genocide of the Palestinians in Gaza. And we should be concerned. But we must not forget the sufferings of the Rohingya. Many have died as the boats they were travelling in, hopeful of asylum in more friendly country, sank in the seas.

13. Malaysia has provided asylum to many refugees. But other countries should also help the Rohingya refugees. They should eventually be settled in some countries.

14. But most of all we would like to appeal to the military Government of Myanmar to allow the Rohingyas to return to their villages in Myanmar. Of course they should be treated like other citizens of Myanmar.