Obama's Concern over Violence Against Muslims in Myanmar

In talks with Myanmar President Thein Sein, President Obama voiced his concern over the violence against Muslims in Myanmar. He insisted that the violence needs to be stopped and that the government should take immediate steps to end the massacre of Muslims. Obama said that Thein Sein spoke of real efforts he is making to stop sectarian riots.

The general impression prevailing in the Muslim world is that America, along with other influential countries and the U.N., adopts a policy of silence on issues of atrocities against Muslims. Complaints from the Muslim world appear justified in the context of Myanmar, occupied Kashmir and Palestine. The Muslims of occupied Kashmir and Palestine are still waiting for the kind of accelerated response that the U.N. showed when helping secure rights for separatists in East Timor and South Sudan.

However, the fact that Obama is taking notice of the violence in Myanmar is an important step towards saving the country’s Muslims from atrocities. If Obama continues to place pressure on Thein Sein and his administration in this way, there may be hope of saving the Muslims from local government operations and extremist Buddhists.

According to new reports, Buddhists have initiated similar activities in Sri Lanka. This only underlines the urgent need for remedial measures.