Indonesia urges Burma to treat Rohingya fairly

July 13, 2013
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BANGKOK, Thailand – During a stop in Thailand on Wednesday (July 10th), Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa called on Burma to end waves of communal violence, continue democratic reforms and recognise the legal rights of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims, local media reported.

"We are now pushing the government to fundamentally solve their internal problem and to give Rohingya legal rights that are similar to other Burmese citizens," Marty said at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand, according to Balkot.com.

Burmese authorities have long considered the Rohingya as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, according to Satu Harapan. Fighting between Buddhists and Rohingya over the past year has left more than 200 dead and tens of thousands homeless, mostly Rohingya Muslims.

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