International community should work together to resolve Rohingya issue in Myanmar – M’sia
KUALA LUMPUR: The international community should come together and discuss how they could join hands to alleviate the dismal situation of the Rohingya Muslim minority in Myanmar.
Malaysia’s Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman said it was also to find a just and sustainable solution to the Rohingya issue.
“Malaysia strongly believes that addressing the root causes of the plight of the Rohingya Muslim minority should be an integral part of that solution,” he said in his opening remarks at the Extraordinary Session of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation ( OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers on The Situation of The Rohingya Muslim Minority, here, yesterday.
Therefore, Anifah who is also chairman of the extraordinary meeting, said today’s meeting should provide a sharper focus on the plight of the Rohingya Muslim minority as the OIC Charter compelled its members to safeguard the rights, dignity, and religious and cultural identity of Muslim communities and minorities in non- member states.
He said there was an urgent need for the international community to extend humanitarian assistance to the Rohingyas.
In this respect, the Myanmar government was called upon to ensure unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance by the donor community to those in need.
Furthermore, Anifah said, the continuous influx of Rohingyas to other countries in the region including Malaysia posed immense economic costs and social challenges.
“However, when they landed on Malaysian shores, sympathetic to their plight, we were moved to provide them with temporary shelter on humanitarian grounds,” he said, adding that if left unaddressed, the issue would undoubtedly impact peace and stability in the region.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, and OIC SecretaryGeneral Dr Yousef Ahmed AlOthaimeen were among those who attended the session. — Bernama