On behalf of Rohingyas around the worldwide Mohiuddin Mohamad Yusof ( Maung Sein) sent a formal letter to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to postpone the Arakan Rohingya Union (ARU) Conference that took place from July 7-8, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Yusof wrote that it’s important to “not to divide the Rohingyas' unity” by holding the conference when 14 out of 25 ARU signatories won’t be attending. ARU Director General Wakar Uddin “has been misguiding the OIC and EBO in the last two years with false and fabricated information of ARU members” he said.
“The ARU 2nd congress without these 14 ARU members half of the signatories of ARU declaration are meaningless and unjustifiable, unacceptable to the world Rohingyas in which Mr. Wakar Uddin invited only those people who support him and ready to make him legitimate director general for future term.”
The OIC and The Euro-Burma Office (EBO) helped unite leaders, activists and organizations from the Rohingya community with OIC member countries leading to the formation of ARU on May 30, 2011. The ARU that serves as umbrella group for 25 different organizations has become a legitimate organization accepted by many Rohingyas both in Burma and abroad.
Noor Kamal, president of the Chittagong Research and Cultural Society (CRCS), Bangladesh requested for Uddin to explain his reasons for going through with the conference despite the low turnout.
“I would request that Prof. Dr Waker who is foremost responsible person, the only spoke person to ARU, representing not only of allied 25 Organizations, but claimed of 3.5 million Rohingyas in and abroad Arakan as a whole and holding the highest ranking profile of entire community, should come up to explain position to the discontent members of community on the Internet.”
Sending an air ticket without helping in getting a visa is like curry without salt, said Fayas Ahmed, the editor of Kaladan Press Network. Ahmed said there wasn’t enough time given to complete the necessary paperwork to make the trip.
Wakar Uddin should “fix a date after Ramadan or suitable time where all the signatories members will invite to participate in the congress” or risk being “called a dictator”, Fayas Ahmed said.
During the conference discussions took place for adopting the Charter of the Arakan Rohingya Union. There was an election held for officials of the union and the formation of a supreme council and a committee and advisory board. A strategy and action plan for the next session also took place.
