Tun Khin met several high level officials from the government of Norway, including the former Prime Minister, Mr. Kjell Magne Bondevik, who is also Director of the Oslo Centre for Peace and Human Rights and highlighted discrimination against Rohingyas in northern Arakan, according to a BROUK press release.

“I had an extremely valuable discussion with the former Prime Minister of Norway. I expressed our gratitude for his long time efforts to support human rights and democracy for Burma. I urged him to continue to put pressure on the Thein Sein regime to stop human rights violations in ethnic areas, particularly in Arakan State, where Rohingyas are facing serious persecution,” Tun Khin said.

Recently, the Norwegian government has been engaging with the Thein Sein regime and cancelled its earlier calls for Norwegian Companies not to do business with or invest in Burma.

The BROUK President also called the government of Norway to urge the regime to restore Rohingya citizenship rights, ethnic rights, to lift restrictions on marriage, movement and education, and to find a permanent solution for Rohingya refugees who are living in Bangladesh, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Thailand and Malaysia.

“I am extremely satisfied with the meeting with various officials from the Norwegian government, parliamentary members and NGOs, including Norwegian People's Aid – the largest NGO in Norway and  is currently planning to support development in Burma-- in which we were able to raise awareness about the suffering of all the people of Burma, and particularly the plight of the Rohingyas who are not receiving much international attention and less International NGOs are  working to alleviate the suffering of the Rohingya in northern Arakan,” the BROUK President said.

“I delivered the message that if the Thein Sein regime wants genuine reform the Burmese government has to stop human rights violations in all ethnic areas, including the Rohingya’s areas.”

He said, “The regime is not showing even a little sign of change on the Rohingyas, instead tagging Rohingyas as foreigners, ignoring their glorious past and accomplishments in our own homeland.”

He also added, “Recent changes might be just to ease sanctions by western governments and I must say it is too early to lift the sanctions on Burma.”

In the evening, the BROUK President participated in a panel discussion wearing Rohingya traditional dress, at the viewing of the documentary entitled “The Exodus of Rohingyas”, at the Human Rights Human Wrongs Documentary Film Festival, in Oslo , attended by about 70 people, including government officials  and staff fromNorwegian NGOs.

Tun Khin explained the history of the Rohingya, who were recognized by the democratic government of President U NU, in Burma.

He also explained about Rohingya traditional dress which was openly worn in the era of President U NU but was discouraged by the dictator, Ne Win, and it has almost disappeared in recent times.

“I also shared the situation of Rohingya in northern Arakan, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia and Bangladesh with the Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB) in Oslo after the event,” Tun Khin said.

According to reviews, the film "The Exodus of the Rohingyas" describes the nightmarish legal limbo they are living in. It says the Rohingyas, a Muslim minority group in Burma, were made stateless in 1982 by the military dictatorship. Thousands of Rohingyas have fled brutal suppression in their home country to poverty, misery and abuse in neighboring Bangladesh. Bangladesh does not accept them as refugees while Burma does not want them back.  The Rohingyas of Burma are stateless and have been living in misery for decades. They are a forgotten people.