A group called Protect the Rohingya has called on South Africans to highlight the plight of the Rohingya by wearing black on Saturday 13th June. According to the UN, the Rohingya in Burma are one of the world’s most persecuted ethnic minorities.
Human rights violations against the Rohingya have been recorded since the late 1970’s and in 1982 the Burmese regime revoked their citizenship. They are denied their rights to education, land, freedom of movement, employment and to marry without state permission. They are also subjected to both forced labour and forced sterilisation.

The eruption of violence in 2012 is symptomatic of a long and oppressive history of discrimination and left most Rohingya inside Burma confined to IDP camps, under the worst possible conditions. The persecution has forced more than 88000 Rohingya to flee, since the start of 2014 alone, risking their lives on the sea. Last month approximately 8000 refugees, mainly Rohingya, were left adrift on the Andaman Sea when Thai officials cracked down on human trafficking rings.

Subsequently hundreds of graves have been found in smuggler’s camps along the Thai-Malaysian border and some officials have been arrested for being complicit in the trafficking. Few Asian countries have offered assistance on resettlement programs for refugees and come forward with humanitarian aid however the situation remains dire.

“As South African’s having lived through a racist and brutal oppressive regime it is our duty to stand up for those still living under apartheid. Burma should not be allowed to continue this genocide of Rohingya, every voice counts,” said Advocate Shabnam Mayet from Protect the Rohingya.

Protect the Rohingya is an awareness group which began in July 2012 with the aim of creating awareness on the plight of the Rohingya.

Activists wearing black can tweet photos and sloagans with the hashtag #Black4Rohingya. Tweet all photos to @ProtectRohingya