Christians in Bangladesh and Pakistan declare their support for Rohingya Muslims

Christians in Bangladesh and Pakistan are declaring their support for Rohingya Muslims, who are currently experiencing persecution in the predominantly Buddhist country of Myanmar.

Rohingyas have been fleeing from Myanmar since August to escape what has been described by the U.N. as a "textbook example of ethnic cleansing" being perpetrated by the Burmese military.

Last month, dozens of Pakistani Christians gathered in front of the National Press Club in Karachi to protest Myanmar's treatment of the minority group, and a press conference was held in Islamabad earlier this month to address the crisis.

"Our Christian leadership and community stand in solidarity with our Muslim brothers and sisters in Rohingya," said Christian politician Asiya Nasir at the press conference in Islamabad.

"Our prayers are with them in this difficult time. Daily prayers will be offered for protection and safety of innocent lives. Christian leadership of Pakistan requests the international community and human rights leaders to speed up the efforts to save our Muslim brothers and sister in Rohingya," he added.

The All Pakistan Christian League decried the "inhumane treatment" of the Rohingyas and urged world leaders to "unite and put an end to these atrocities."

Sheheryar Shams, chairman of Pakistan's Christian Citizens Forum and a lawyer, decried Myanmar's decision to classify the Rohingya population as foreigners and called on the Pakistani government to provide security to the minority group.

About half a million Rohingya have fled Myanmar to move to Pakistan, most from a former exodus back in the 1960s and '70s.

The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council and the Bangladesh Christian Association are also staging rallies on behalf of the Rohingya.

About 809,000 Rohingyas are now taking shelter in Bangladesh after fleeing the violence that began in Myanmar's Rakhine state at the end of August.

Other Christian organizations are also trying to do their part to support the Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.

The evangelical aid group World Vision had been providing food to the Rohingya in Rakhine, but the group decided to leave the country after the fighting broke out in the area on Aug. 25.

The group is now asking permission from the Bangladeshi government to set up further assistance for the refugees. Christian public health nonprofit Medical Teams has already deployed its staff in the informal refugee settlements to prevent disease outbreaks.

A representative from a Christian organization, which asked not to be identified due to the security threats in Myanmar, has noted that while the majority of the Rohingya population are Muslims, at least 165 families are Christians.

"The military and the Buddhist Rakhine hate all Rohingya, so these families of Christians are targeted because of their ethnicity and not necessarily because of their conversion to Christianity," the representative told Christianity Today.

The organization has since rented land in Bangladesh for the Rohingya community and connected them with shelter and food.