REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA - The Indonesian Ulama Council (MUI) has condemned the violence against Rohingya Muslims in Arakan (Rakhine), Myanmar."MUI also criticized the Myanmar government for not stopping the genocide against the Rohingya Muslims," MUI Chairman Ma`ruf Amin said at a press conference on Wednesday.

"Around 6,000 Rohingya Muslims were killed in Arkan. This is a gross violation of human rights and a crime against humanity," he added.

Ma`ruf expressed disapproval of Myanmar President Thein Sein`s recent statement that the Rohingya Muslims did not belong to Myanmar because they were illegal immigrants. "This is contrary to its history because Rohingya Muslims had been living in Arakan long before Burma became Myanmar, which achieved independence from Britain in 1948," he pointed out.

Ma`ruf urged the Indonesian people to push the government to make efforts to stop the violence against the Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar. "All Muslims in the world are brothers and sisters, so we must help the Rohingya Muslims who are being treated unjustly in Myanmar," he said.

MUI had earlier called on the United Nations to take steps to stop the human rights violation against the Muslims in Myanmar. "It`s very regretful that the UN Security Council has not sent any peacekeeping forces yet to protect the Rohingya Muslims," Ma`ruf stated.