A protest will be held in Auckland today calling for an end to ethnic cleansing in Myanmar.

The crisis has drawn global condemnation, with UN officials demanding Myanmar halt what they described as a campaign of ethnic cleansing that has driven nearly 400,000 Rohingya to flee Rakhine state.

Anayat Ullah's own parents fled Myanmar in the 70s. He now lives in Auckland, where he's organised a rally - to be held this afternoon - calling for the brutality in Myanmar to end.

Ullah said what's happening is heartbreaking.

"When you think about the atrocities...over there, it's devastating."

"If we stand united it becomes easier for us to raise the voice," he added

The rally gets underway at 3pm in Aotea Square.