Rohingya crisis: 100,000 people targeted for peaceful protest

The Malaysia Islamic Organisations Consultative Council (MAPIM) is targeting at least 100,000 people to attend a peaceful protest gathering over the oppression and atrocities against the ethnic Rohingya minority in Myanmar.

Its president, Mohd Azmi Abdul Hamid said the rally was expected to be held at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur on Oct 28 or Nov 4, and to be attended by the nation's top leaders and members of about 30 non-governmental organisations.

"We will name this gathering, 'A Million People and World of Anger - Rohingya'. If possible, we want one million Malaysians to gather to protest the brutality against the ethnic Rohingya.

"We have one of the two dates to choose from as we are still waiting to know whether Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and other political leaders agree to come or have the time to be with us at the gathering," he told a press conference, here, today.

Mohd Azmi said MAPIM also planned to invite some of the world's eminent figures, especially from major cities like New York, London, Paris, Moscow, Istanbul, Jordan, Jakarta, Bangkok, Manila and Singapore to join the protest gathering in Kuala Lumpur.

He said following the gathering, a declaration representing the voice of the world would be made and sent to the Myanmar government, calling for a quick end to the oppression and atrocities against the ethnic Rohingya.

-- BERNAMA