Malaysia urges aid for Rohingya

It calls on Asean states to resolve the Myanmar crisis

YANGON // Malaysia yesterday called for regional coordination to provide humanitarian aid to Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar and investigate alleged atrocities committed against them.

“We believe that the situation is now of a regional concern and should be resolved together,” Malaysian foreign minister Anifah Aman told a meeting of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (Asean). Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi called the meeting of the 10-nation bloc in Yangon after weeks of reports that troops had killed, raped and arbitrarily arrested Rohingya civilians.

Myanmar denies the accusations, saying many of the reports were fabricated. It also insists that the strife in Rakhine state, where many Rohingya live, is an internal matter.

But Mr Anifah said the events there were a matter of regional security and stability, noting that about 56,000 Rohingya now lived in Muslim-majority Malaysia, having fled earlier unrest in Myanmar.

“We believe that the situation is now of a regional concern and should be resolved together,” he said.

Mr Anifah also warned that ISIL “could be taking advantage of this situation”.

The majority of the population in northern Rakhine state are Rohingya Muslims. They are denied citizenship in pre- dominantly Buddhist Myanmar, where they are considered illegal immigrants from neighbouring Bangladesh.

At least 86 people have died and an estimated 27,000 Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh since Myanmar troops poured into the area after attacks on border posts on October 9 that killed nine policemen. The government has said that militants with links to extremists overseas were behind the attacks. Refugees, residents and human rights groups say soldiers have committed summary executions, raped Rohingya women and burnt homes in Rakhine. Independent media and observers have been denied access to the area. Access to some Rohingya communities has also been restricted for aid agencies for more than two months on security grounds, raising fears about the welfare of a population that was already suffering high rates of malnutrition.

Myanmar’s ministry of foreign affairs said Ms Suu Kyi reiterated to the Asean ministers “the government’s serious commitment to the resolution of the complex issue and the need for time and space for the government’s efforts to bear fruit”. Malaysia’s comments on the crisis in Rakhine mark a break with Asean’s tradition of non-intervention in the internal affairs of its member states.

Retno Marsudi, Indonesia’s foreign minister, said Myanmar had agreed to provide regular updates to Asean members.