Asean must engage more with the Rohingya issue

Myanmar should take the grouping’s help to address the crisis. Opposing it will attract international criticism

The issue of over 700,000 Rohingya refugees from Myanmar who are currently in neighbouring Bangladesh is one of the worst humanitarian crises of recent times. A UN fact-finding mission report released in September this year concluded that there was a “genocidal intent” and called for the Myanmar military commander-in-chief and five generals to be prosecuted.

While governments and international organisations have condemned the disproportionate use of force by the Myanmar military and or the inaction of the Myanmar civilian government led by Aung San Suu Kyi, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) has largely been silent on the issue.

Governments and activists want to see Asean playing an active and constructive role in helping address this humanitarian crisis. Still, the complexity of Asean’s organisational structure makes it difficult for the body to play such a role.

The fundamental principles of Asean require member states to show mutual respect for the independence, sovereignty, equality, territorial integrity, and national identity; recognise the right of every state to lead its national existence free from external interference, subversion or coercion; and not interfere in internal affairs. These principles have prevented not only individual member states but the organisation as a whole from engaging with the issue since Myanmar hasn’t invited them to do so.

Thatdoesnotmean Aseanmemberstates have completely shied away from the issue. For example, the two Muslim-majority countries —Malaysia and Indonesia— have spoken out. The Malaysian government, in particular, has been quite vocal on the issue and criticised Myanmar. And as the Rohingya issue continues to overshadow important issues of the region, Asean leaders have begun taking a visible position, under the chairmanship of Singapore.

On the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York in September this year, Singapore foreign minister Vivian Balakrishnan said that Myanmar should start repatriating Rohingya refugees from Bangladesh and ensure security, peace, justice and better prospects for everyone.

The regional grouping’s frustration was also evident during the 33rd Asean summit in Singapore in November, when, unlike previous Asean summits, the Rohingya issue was discussed in almost every forum. Thai prime minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said that Thailand, which will chair the regional grouping next year, sees the regional bloc as capable of playing an important role in addressing the situation in Rakhine state.

The key question is whether Myanmar would welcome such diplomatic interventions, and not construe such moves as an attempt to interfere in its internal affairs.

But Myanmar has to understand that it has internationalised the Rohingya issue following the constitution of the Kofi Annan Commission in 2016, and then the formation of an Advisory Commission for the Implementation Committee of Rakhine State last year with experts from home and abroad.

Moreover, in June, Myanmar signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the UN Development Programme (UNDP) to create conditions conducive for a voluntary, safe, and sustainable refugee returns from Bangladesh.

Myanmar should welcome Asean’s goodwill gesture to help address the crisis. An attempt to oppose Asean’s intent to engage will hamper the cohesion and strength of the organisation, and invite criticism from the international community.

Platforms such as the Asean Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) and the ADMM-Plus should also be utilised to explore ways for the body to cooperate with the Myanmar military, which not only controls the security matters of the country but also retains significant political power.

While it is true that Asean has not taken any substantive measures on the Rohingya issue in the past, the signs are that we can hope for a more active and engaging role from it, although the results of this will largely depend on the openness and receptiveness of Myanmar, as well as the level of commitment from member states.

AS THE ROHINGYA ISSUE CONTINUES TO OVERSHADOW IMPORTANT ISSUES OF THE REGION, ASEAN LEADERS HAVE BEGUN TAKING A VISIBLE POSITION, UNDER THE CHAIRMANSHIP OF SINGAPORE