October 14, 2017 -- Fareed Khan, a resident of Gatineau, Quebec who sponsored a petition calling on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to take decisive action to help the Rohingya people, will be presenting his petition to Parliament in a media conference on Tuesday, October 17th in the Centre Block of the Parliament Buildings. The petition, which is supported by more than 43,000 people, calls on the Prime Minister to: * revoke the honourary Canadian citizenship given to Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi for her complicity in atrocities committed against the Rohingya; * unequivocally condemn the atrocities committed by Myanmar's military and nationalist groups who have been responsible for crimes against humanity and genocide, and work with international partners and agencies to bring the perpetrators of the crimes (both military and civilian) to justice; * take leadership in the United Nations and on the international stage to impose an arms embargo on Myanmar; * work with international partners to create a safe haven for the Rohingya in their homeland under the U.N. protocol of “Responsibility to Protect”; and * work with the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees and leaders of other nations to address the humanitarian crisis, and work to facilitate efforts to help those refugees who choose to settle in other countries. The U.N. has called the Rohingya “the world’s most persecuted minority”. Since late August Myanmar military forces have brutally killed thousands of Rohingya, burned to the ground more than 200 Rohingya villages, and created a refugee exodus that has resulted in more than 500,000 Rohigya fleeing to Bangladesh. Mr. Khan and supporters of the petition believe that Canada can and should play a major role in helping the Rohingya, and live up to its international reputation as a defender of human rights, democracy and the rule of law. “Canada cannot be inactive when innocent people are having their human rights violated and are victims of genocide,” said Khan. “If we remain silent and don’t act then we are complicit in what happens to the Rohingya,” he added. DETAILS WHAT: Parliamentary Presentation of the Rohingya Petition WHEN: Tuesday, October 17, 2017 @ 11:30 AM WHERE: Parliamentary Media Room WHO WILL BE SPEAKING AND AVAILABLE FOR COMMENT SPEAKER – Fareed Khan: A government relations and communications consultant from Ottawa-Gatineau, and social justice activist who is the sponsor of the petition. SPEAKER – Raees Ahmed: A Rohingya Canadian whose family originates from Myanmar, who has been actively campaigning for justice for the Rohingya for years. SPEAKER – Dr. Monia Mazigh: Canadian author, academic and human rights activist. AVAILABLE FOR COMMENT – Ahmed Ramadan: Canadian Outreach Director for Burma Task Force. AVAILABLE FOR COMMENT – Sadia Masroor: Human rights activist and Ottawa representative for Burma Task Force. AVAILABLE FOR COMMENT – Alexandra Mendes: Liberal M.P. for Brossard–Saint-Lambert. AVAILABLE FOR COMMENT – Garnett Genuis: Conservative M.P. for Sherwood Park–Fort Saskatchewan. AVAILABLE FOR COMMENT – Charlie Angus: NDP M.P. for Timmins–James Bay AVAILABLE FOR COMMENT – Salma Ataullahjan: Conservative Senator for Ontario (To be confirmed)