Society for Threatened Peoples

Society for Threatened Peoples (Gesellschaft für bedrohte Völker) is an international human rights organisation which campaigns with and on behalf of threatened and persecuted ethnic and religious minorities, nationalities and indigenous peoples. We stand side by side with the victims of crimes against humanity, identifying the individual perpetrators of such crimes and their accomplices by name. We have no hesitation in speaking out when victims become perpetrators. Because the principle that inspires all our activities is expressed in the slogan "Not Turning a Blind Eye”.

A Voice for the Victims
Take the Rohingya: A Muslim minority, for decades persecuted in their homeland, Burma/Myanmar. They are victims of systemic and widespread human rights violations including restriction on education, marriage and religion, sexual abuses, forced labor, arbitrary arrests, torture and killings. The 1982 Citizenship law does not recognize them as Burmese citizens, the Rohingya are stateless in their own country.

Since 2012 an escalation of violence and religious hatred against the Rohingya has affected Burma/Myanmar, leaving a trail of blood. The Rohingya are not allowed to move freely, to associate, build a family or have a job. Nowadays more than 145,000 Rohingya are living in overcrowded camps across the country. 35,000 Rohingya have already fled Burma/Myanmar in search of a safe place. The journey to neighboring countries is dangerous both by sea and by land; the lack of citizenship renders them easy prey for human traffickers and criminals.

Society for Threatened Peoples is raising awareness on the plight of the Rohingya. We submit written statements and appeals to institutions such as the United Nations, the European Union or ASEAN. We also bring together Rohingya human rights campaigner and politicians in order to press for the recognition of the Rohingya as Burmese citizenship and their full protection under the law.

We also work on behalf of the Tibetans, Moluccans, Adivasi, Kurds, Yezidi, Assyrian-Chaldaean Christians, Baha’i, Southern and Western Sudanese, Sahraouis, Acehans, Yanomami, Navajo, Aborigines, Chechens, Itelmen, Bosnians, Sorbs, Sinti and Roma and many other ethnic groups on every continent.

STP’s consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations enables us to address UN agencies directly and to act as mouthpiece for various minorities. STP also has participatory status with the Council of Europe.