The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the massacres against Rohingya Muslims in Myanmarduring operations by the Army of Myanmar in the state of Arakan, which led to the deaths and displacement of thousands of local Muslims.

In a statement issued today, the Council said that it is seeking cooperation with Al-Azhar Al-Sharif to end the tragedy being witnessed by the Rohingya people, by communicating with representatives of the Myanmar community and meeting with them at a peace conference in Cairo, as well as reaching out to influential international and regional parties and performing unbiased mediation. The Council has also called for an immediate end to all forms of violence, to proceed with their desired peace talks.

The Council stressed that the authorities in Myanmar are ignoring all efforts to promote peace by continuing the use of violence and ethnic cleansing against local Muslim while adding that it is the responsibility of the international community to combat this policy, which violates all human rights conventions and treaties.

The Muslim Council of Elders called on the United Nations, the Security Council, and influential regional and international authorities to issue immediate decisions to end this humanitarian tragedy, which is being witnessed by the entire world.

The Council further stressed that the tragedy facing the Rohingya people would stain the whole of humanity and declare the death of its conscience if it does not attempt to end the atrocities. It also called on Islamic institutions, including the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation and its member countries, to work together in issuing an international resolution to end this tragedy.

It called on Myanmar’s neighbouring countries to ease the suffering of Muslims fleeing from ethnic cleansing and shelter them and urged all humanitarian rescue organisations to perform their duties by aiding Rohingya refugees and reaching out to Muslims still trapped in Arakan.