The Rohingya, a persecuted Muslim community in western Burma, are under attack, with untold numbers killed by vigilantes and security forces. Tens of thousands have now fled to neighboring Bangladesh, but the government there is blocking aid — if we act together now, we can pressure Bangladesh to reverse course and offer Ramadan relief to those in need.
International relief charities were coming to the aid of Rohingya refugees, but now the Bangladeshi government is shutting them down, saying the refugees aren’t Bangladesh’s responsibility. Without this aid, the refugees, many of them children, are at grave risk of disease and starvation. But the important Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) could push Bangladesh to reverse the aid ban and rescue the Rohingya.
Next week all 57 OIC member countries, including Bangladesh, are meeting in Saudi Arabia for an emergency summit to address the crisis. OIC Chief Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu will urge Bangladesh to show mercy and compassion towards Rohingya refugees and could offer financial backing, but he needs a strong show of public support to make Bangladesh heed his call. Sign the urgent petition now and share with everyone you know – it will be delivered directly to the OIC meetings next week when we reach 50,000 signers.