Malaysians protest violence in Myanmar

THOUSANDS of Malaysian Muslims and Rohingya refugees marched to the Myanmar embassy in Malaysia yesterday to protest the violence against Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar that left at least 78 dead.

Emotional protesters, many of whom opposition leaders and members of non-governmental organizations, chanted slogans before handing a protest note to an embassy security guard.

The protesters said the embassy had refused to meet them.

The sectarian fight between Rakhine Buddhists and Rohingyas continues to pose threat to Myanmar which has just opened up for reforms.

There were an estimated 30,000 Rohingya refugees living in Malaysia.

Myanmar government banned foreign aid in conflict areas as President Thein Sein reportedly said in the aftermath of the attacks that the only solution to the fighting was to expel the Rohingyas.

Human Rights Watch said at least 90,000 Muslims were stranded in Bangladesh and Malaysia as Muslim rulers worldwide and the United Nations were blamed for ignoring the issue. Xinhua