Iran President warns against rise of extremism in Myanmar

'The government of Myanmar should be aware that deporting people from their homeland and displacing them in other countries, are not the solution to the rooted crisis, rather the government must try to heal the old wounds suffered by the Muslim community in the country by restoring the civil rights effectively,' President Rouhani said, addressing the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Myanmar Contact Group at the UN Headquarters in New York.

Widespread violence against the Muslim community in Myanmar began nearly a month ago. The heavy-handed suppression of the minority has forced more than 400,000 Rohingya Muslims to flee to the neighboring Bangladesh.

Around 400 Muslims have been killed in the recent wave of violence in Myanmar, with satellite images showing that 214 villages have been totally destructed.

President Rouhani, who is in New York to participate and address the 72nd UN General Assembly, also called on the international body and OIC to give due response to the dire situation of the Muslims in Myanmar.

'The international community, particularly the OIC, should take all possible actions so that the government of Myanmar put an immediate end to the violence against Muslims and bring the perpetrators to justice,' he said on Tuesday evening.

'The situation in Myanmar indicates the fact that extremism always prepares an optimal ground for the most horrible crimes against humanity,' he said.

Emphasizing the urgent need for providing humanitarian aids to the community of Rohingya Muslims, President Rouhani said that Iran is ready to offer help to the 'oppressed' minority and 'will support any effort for finding a permanent, peaceful solution to the crisis, a solution that guarantees the full respect for human rights and dignity of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar and their security.'

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