Centre urges maturity in handling Rakhine situation
India on Saturday said it is “deeply concerned” about what is happening in Rakhine state in Myanmar and urged that the situation should be handled with “restraint and maturity” focusing on the welfare of the civilian population alongside those of the security forces.
Over 125,000 Rohingyas have fled the military crackdown in the north-western Rakhine state.
A statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his recent visit to Myanmar had expressed concern at the causalities of security forces as well as other innocent lives. “…..It is imperative that violence is ended and normalcy in the state restored expeditiously,” MEA said.
There are 40,000 Rohingya Muslims in India. Of them, 16,500 carry United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees cards.
According to the statement, the PM had urged a solution based on respect for peace, communal harmony, justice, dignity and democratic values. It was agreed during the PM’s visit that India would provide assistance under the Rakhine State Development Programme in conjunction with the government of Myanmar, MEA said.
Earlier in the day, Bangladesh High Commissioner Syed Muazzem Ali also called on foreign secretary S Jaishankar to discuss the issue of Rohingya Muslims. Sources said Muazzem Ali explained Bangladesh’s situation and the pressure the country was facing due to migration of Rohingyas Muslims from Myanmar.
During the meeting, the Bangladesh High Commissioner also spoke about the need for the international community to intervene and put pressure on Myanmar to address the exodus, sources said.
The sources added that the Bangladesh government was providing shelter to these refugees out of humanitarian considerations but it was putting a lot of pressure on the country. “Thousands of Rohingya Muslims are coming to Bangladesh daily. It is creating a lot of problem for the country,” an official in the Bangladesh High Commission said.
According to the United Nations, nearly 300,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled Myanmar’s Rakhine state into Bangladesh since August 25 when fresh wave of violence erupted.