MUI Expresses Concern over Myanmar Coup

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) has voiced support for the government’s stand on the Myanmar military’s seizure of power in a coup against the civilian government led by Aung San Suu Kyi.

“As a representative of Indonesian Muslims, MUI supports the Indonesian government’s statement on February 1, 2021, which expresses concern about the political situation in Myanmar,” chief of MUI’s commission on foreign relations and international cooperation, Bunyan Saptomo, told reporters here on Friday.

He urged all sides to exercise restraint and stressed on the need for a dialog to settle the issue to ensure the situation does not deteriorate.

The dialog should involve all sections of the community in Myanmar, including the Muslim community in the country, such as the Rohingya ethnic group, which has experienced discrimination, assassination, and forced expulsion, Saptomo said.

“As per media reports, more than 700 thousand Muslims have forcibly taken refuge in Bangladesh and several other countries, including Indonesia," he noted.

Bunyan said the MUI has urged Myanmar to implement the UN Resolution on protecting all minority groups, including Muslims, in the country.

"And (they) should ensure the trial of those violating the Rohingya Muslim minority group’s human rights,” he added.

The MUI has also asked Myanmar authorities to follow up on the International Court of Justice’s January, 2020 decision ordering Myanmar to prevent the likelihood of continued genocide against the Muslim minority in the country, he said.

“The MUI hopes the (Indonesian) government will forge cooperation with other ASEAN, OIC, and UN member states to ensure that the political upheaval in Myanmar does not worsen the condition of Indonesian citizens in Myanmar and the Muslim community in the country, including Rohingya Muslims,” he added.

On Monday, the Myanmar military staged a coup d'etat against the nation’s civilian government and declared a one-year state of emergency following escalation of tensions over the results of parliamentary elections held in November, 2020.

The military also detained Aung San Suu Kyi, President Win Myint, and other senior members of the National League for Democracy (NLD) party in the national capital, Naypyidaw.

During the one-year state of emergency declared by the Myanmar military, the executive, legislative, and judicial power will remain under the control of its military chief, General Min Aung Hlaing.

In an official statement broadcast live by Myawaddy Television (MWD), the Myanmar military said the emergency is aimed at preventing a rift among community groups, as stipulated in Article 417 of the country's 2008 Constitution.

While the Myanmar military has claimed the government failed to settle disputes over voter lists in November 8, 2020, some human rights and democracy activists have said the coup is a move by General Min Aung Hlaing to retain power five months before he retires in July, 2021.

Also Read: Myanmar Junta Extends Social Media Blockade as Protests Spread

ANTARA