A month since the escalation of the Rohingya crisis hit our headlines and the world remains outraged.  By Jasvir Singh OBE.

Not only is there anger at what appears to be the unjustifiable persecution of the Rohingya people, there is anger and disappointment towards Aung San Suu Kyi, the country’s de facto leader.  

Many feel that the Nobel Peace Prize winning politician who just last year gave a landmark speech to the UN promising to defend the rights of minorities, has failed to live up to those expectations with her interventions in the crisis. 
 
The inadequate response of one figure – albeit such an important one, should not blind us to the importance of the world’s collective condemnation of the events. 

At Faiths Forum for London we empower religious communities to work together and within our organisation leaders from different faiths, including Muslims, Jews, Christians and Buddhists have been clear and unanimous that the persecution of the Rohingya must end.
 
Empassioned demands continue to come from communities across the world.  From Desmond Tutu to the Dalai Lama, Malala Yousafzai to the Pope – the world’s eyes are on the Rohingya. The Pope has appealed for an end to the violence and persecution while leading Rabbis from the United States  have called for more aid.
 
As a Sikh and as a human being, I am repulsed by this violence and any violence against any community whatever their ethnicity or religion. Archbishop Desmond Tutu reminded us last week that while human beings may look and worship differently – none are superior and none inferior.  

Moreover the notion that the only suffering that would matter is the suffering of those from the same faith, is absurd. Discrimination or violence should never be tolerated. We must dispel any myth the world does not care.
 
Communities of all backgrounds are demonstrating that sitting in silence is not an option. Powerful images of Sikhs helping the Rohingya have been shared thousands of times online. Khalsa Aid, a Sikh organisation based in the UK and in India has travelled to the refugee camps in Bangladesh and set up community kitchens called “langar” to feed the hungry.  

Langar is about more than just food, it’s a form of prayer for Sikhs and a statement of faith and humanity. By setting up kitchens to feed some of the most vulnerable people in the world today they are practising their faith as they have done for centuries.
 
At a national level, countries including the UK, India and Turkey have responded to the plight of the Rohingya by sending food, shelter, money and other support to the region. 

Last week the UK government announced £25 million in aid for the victims providing life-saving assistance such as food, water and sanitation. 

This humanitarian aid is essential to stop them starving or dying from disease.

Speaking at the UN general assembly in New York Theresa May also announced the UK would cease all engagement with the Burmese military until military action against civilians had stopped.
 
Longer term, an international diplomatic solution is required.  After all the Rohingya must be able to access the basic rights, security and stability they deserve. 

The UN has described the Rohingya as being “the most friendless people in the world”.

They now need to go beyond that and show them what a friend looks like. The lives of hundreds of thousands of people depend on how robust the UN and others are willing to be at this juncture.
 
Some may worry our that our solidarity and aid is not enough given the scale of suffering being experienced by the Rohingya. But I would challenge this. 

Even if we are separated by continents, speak different languages and pray in different ways, our collective action carries real weight. 

It is proof that the world not only cares but is willing to act.

It is also an important opportunity to use the gravitas of cross-cultural unity to increase global pressure on the military to reconsider its conduct.
 
We must call this out for what it is: the unacceptable persecution of a minority community.

Does more need to be done – yes, of course. But as the world’s eyes remain firmly focused on the Rohingya, we have an opportunity to make a start.  
 
The eyes of the world are now fixed upon the Rohingya. They depend on us, as individuals in our community and as leaders of different faiths to use our voices to challenge these acts of callous persecution.

The Rohingya need a future freed from violence, and have seen too much of this already. What they need is some humility:  a human response to what is otherwise an inhumane situation.
 
Jasvir Singh OBE is Co-Chair of the Faiths Forum for London and the Chair of City Sikhs, a national representative body for British Sikhs. He is a regular contributor to Radio 4’s Thought for the Day. He is also a practising family law barrister.