Govt giving $2.5m more for Rohingya

WELLINGTON: The Government will give an extra $2.5 million for the Rohingya refugee crisis in Myanmar, where more than 600,000 ethnic Rohingya have fled their homes and sought refuge in Bangladesh.

Foreign Minister Winston Peters made the announcement yesterday afternoon, bringing the total amount of New Zealand money to help those caught up in the crisis to $4 million.

It is understood the additional funding is the reason United States Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who was in Myanmar yesterday, sought meetings with Mr Peters on the sidelines of the Apec meeting earlier this week.

Earlier yesterday, Mr Peters said he was not in a position to reveal the substance of his meetings with Tillerson, but Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said it would be revealed in due course.

Mr Tillerson met Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi yesterday and called for an independent investigation into Myanmar’s treatment of the Rohingya Muslim people.

He expressed concern, but stopped short of calling for sanctions on Myanmar or suggesting that it ‘‘looks like ethnic cleansing’’, as British Prime Minister Theresa May did.

Mr Peters also expressed concern.

‘‘The New Zealand Government is very concerned with the violence and humanitarian crisis in Rakhine State and we continue to urge the Myanmar Government to do all it can to safeguard those affected.’’

Of the additional funding, $500,000 will go to the World Food Programme and $1 million to the UN Population Fund for food, nutrition, protection and healthcare assistance among displaced families in the Cox’s Bazar District of Bangladesh.

The New Zealand money will also help address the sexual and reproductive health needs of women and girls, and the needs of survivors of sexual violence. An estimated 58,000 displaced women are pregnant.

The Government also pledged to match funds raised by New Zealand NGOs dollar for dollar, up to $1 million.

Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Fletcher Tabuteau will head to Myanmar this weekend to attend the 13th AsiaEurope Meeting, which will be chaired by Suu Kyi. Among issues to be discussed will be North Korea, nuclear nonproliferation, economic development, and connectivity.

‘‘I look forward to the meeting with the Asia and European representatives from two regions which are of great importance to New Zealand,’’ Mr Tabuteau said.

‘‘I will also take the opportunity to discuss the crisis in northern Rakhine with the Myanmar authorities.’’ — NZME