Dunya: Compassion has to be shown to Rohingya Muslims stranded at sea

Minister of Foreign Affairs Dunya Maumoon has called on Muslim countries to show compassion to the large number of Rohingya Muslims stranded in the open seas in South East Asia.

The minister made this remark yesterday in her address to the 42nd Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), underway in Kuwait.

Rohingya people, often described as one of the most persecuted minorities in the world, flee from Myanmar and Bangladesh south by boat to Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Thousands are thought to be stranded at sea while others become victims of human trafficking.

This is the first time Maldives spoke against the persecution of the Rohingya people.

Dunya also expressed concern over the situation in Palestine.

“The Maldives continues to be concerned over the situation in Palestine. President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom and the government of Maldives condemn Israel’s illegal settlements in Palestine. The Maldives calls on countries around the world, to support the State of Palestine and to recognize its sovereignty over its territories”.