Singer Maher Zain visits Rohingya camps in Bangladesh

By Dildar Baykan

ANKARA

Lebanese-born Swedish singer Maher Zain visited Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh, according to a source from the Turkish Red Crescent on Wednesday.

Zain visited the camps on Tuesday as a volunteer of Turkish Red Crescent, the source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the restriction of speaking to the media, said.

During the visit, the famous singer, songwriter and producer participated in a food distribution program, the source said.

The well-known singer has contributed to many humanitarian campaigns of the organization, the source added.

Since Aug. 25 last year, over 656,000 Rohingya have crossed from Myanmar's western state of Rakhine into Bangladesh, according to the UN.

The refugees are fleeing a military operation in which security forces and Buddhist mobs have killed men, women and children, looted homes and torched Rohingya villages. According to Bangladeshi Foreign Minister Abul Hasan Mahmood Ali, around 3,000 Rohingya have been killed in the crackdown.

Turkey has been at the forefront of providing aid to Rohingya refugees and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has raised the issue at the UN.

The Rohingya, described by the UN as the world's most persecuted people, have faced heightened fears of attack since dozens were killed in communal violence in 2012.

The UN documented mass gang rapes, killings -- including of infants and young children -- brutal beatings, and disappearances committed by security personnel.

In a report, UN investigators said such violations may have constituted crimes against humanity.