Qaanitah Hunter- Cii News, Graphic: akrockefeller.com – August 10, 2012

Planned protest action in South Africa against the torture of Rohingya Muslims in Burma has been postponed.

Cii News reported that a protest march has been planned to the Burma embassy in Pretoria for Thursday, 16 of August 2012.

However according to the organising committee they are due to have another meeting with the Tshwane Municipality and a tentative date for the protest action is August 24.

“This however is subject to confirmation,” the organisers said.

The main objective of the protest, they said, would be to create greater awareness of what is occurring in Myanmar.

Myanmar security forces along with ethnic Rakine Buddhists have reportedly killed, raped or carried out mass arrests of Rohingya Muslims after deadly sectarian riots in the northeast of the country during June. There has also been on going oppression against the minority Rohingya Muslims community for years.

“Our focus is to create awareness in the Muslim community as to what is happening in Burma and to throw more media attention on the issue,” they said.

They further appealed to the Muslim community of the Northern Johannesburg suburbs to volunteer their time and assistance.

“At the protest action we will be handing over a memorandum to the embassy of Myanmar in Pretoria.”

Furthermore they have partnered with the Africa Muslim Agency and the Al Imdaad Foundation who are collecting funds for the displaced Rhohingya Muslims.

More details regarding the planned protest are yet to emerge.