Malaysian Representative Urges UN To Act On Rights Violations
Ahmad Azam gave examples of Muslim minorities being oppressed in India, Myanmar and China.
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Malaysian rights activist Datuk Ahmad Azam Ab Rahman urges the world community to take action over the reported mistreatment of minorities around the world.
Ahmad Azam, who is also Commissioner to the Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC) of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), said discrimination is not acceptable in today’s world.
Ahmad Azam was speaking in response to the release of reports on rights violations including in Myanmar and China.
He addressed the UN Special Rapporteur on Minorities at the 52nd Session of the Human Rights Council in Switzerland recently.
Hate speech, xenophobic rhetoric and incitement to violence against minorities are growing around the world. In Europe and elsewhere, right wing populist and xenophobic propaganda are affecting the human rights of the Muslim minorities.
Malaysian rights activist Datuk Ahmad Azam Ab Rahman on protection of minority rights.
He said IPHRC is concerned about the global rise in religious violence and the absence of an appropriate response by the UN to reverse this worrying trend.
Ahmad Azam cited examples such as the Rohingya minority and Uyghur Muslim minority in Xinjiang, China.
He added that the Muslim minority in India is at risk of becoming stateless is deeply concerning as there had been systematic discrimination against Muslims.
At the same time, Ahmad Azam raised the issue of Islamophobia which he said is the biggest contemporary challenge to ensuring these rights.
The former Foreign Ministry special adviser on Afghanistan said the international recognition by the UN General Assembly of 15 March as the international day to combat Islamophobia is a positive step in the right direction.
However, much more is needed to be done and he assures that IPHRC stands ready to cooperate with the Special Rapporteur and other UN mechanisms on minorities.
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