“Each day they wait, more lives are lost.”
HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum and HRH Princess Haya bint Al Hussein have both called for world powers to step in to help the Rohingya people fleeing persecution in Myanmar.
The Muslim group have been crossing the border into Bangladesh since August 25, Reuters reports, to escape attacks from the Myanmar army and mobs of Rakhine Buddhists.
In September, the UAE royals sent a plane full of emergency supplies to Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh. The following week, Sheikh Mohammed dedicated his own private plane to humanitarian aid in the area.
Now, Princess Haya has with her husband’s backing called out for more to be done.
“Over the past week alone, more than twenty thousand Rohingya have fled brutal persecution in Myanmar — their homes burned, many brutally beaten, family members murdered,” she wrote on Instagram, in a post Sheikh Mohammed then re-shared.
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“HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum generously created an open air bridge which continues to deliver humanitarian items to those who need it most,” the Princess continued. “But this is not enough! The UN and global powers must stop this ethnic cleansing now or thousands more will surely die in the weeks ahead. Each day they wait, more lives are lost.”
It’s a passionate cry, and one we hope will be heard.
It’s also not at all out of character for the UAE, especially in the Year of Giving.
The Emirates has been declared a top foreign aid donor of 2016, with an Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) report stating the UAE gave Dh15.23 billion in official development assistance last year.
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“The UAE does not provide conditional assistance and does not wait for any returns. We only want the good and stability of all people,” said Sheikh Mohammed when the report was released.
Princess Haya also addressed the UAE’s generosity in a speech earlier this year, adding that the nation’s contributions would continue.
“The UAE gave Dhs32 billion in aid [in 2015],” the royal said. “The UAE will continue in line with the Year of Giving to be one of the most humanitarian countries in the world.
“The goal of our leadership is clear, which is to build a future city of security and humanitarian. It is our responsibility, it is our humanity that future generations will hold us accountable for.”
Images: Dubai Media Office, Getty
