Top diplomats of Southeast Asian nations reiterate “continued support” to security for all communities in Myanmar’s Rakhine state, as effectively as possible and facilitating the voluntary return of the displaced Rohingya people.
They stressed the “safe, secure, and dignified” repatriation of the Rohingya, who are mostly Muslims and have fled Myanmar due to oppression and genocide, particularly since 2017, with over a million of them now living in neighbouring Bangladesh.
The reiteration of support came after foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) met this week in Malaysia’s capital, Kuala Lumpur.
“We reaffirmed ASEAN’s continued support for Myanmar’s efforts to bring peace, stability, and the rule of law, promote harmony and reconciliation among the various communities, as well as ensure sustainable and equitable development in Rakhine State,” the top diplomats said in a joint statement.
Without directly identifying the displaced people as Rohingya, the bloc’s top diplomats also welcomed “continued engagement and cooperation” between Myanmar and Bangladesh, including bilateral repatriation initiatives for the verified displaced persons from Rakhine state.
“We looked forward to ASEAN’s continued facilitation of the repatriation process,” the joint statement said.
On internal conflicts in Myanmar, the bloc reaffirmed “continued support” to the nation’s “efforts to bring peace, stability, and the rule of law, promote harmony and reconciliation among the various communities, as well as ensure sustainable and equitable development in Rakhine State.”
The United Nations refugee agency on Friday said essential services for the Rohingya refugee population in Bangladesh are at risk of collapsing unless more money is found.
"There is a huge gap in terms of what we need and what resources are available. These funding gaps will affect the daily living of Rohingya refugees as they depend on humanitarian support daily for food, health and education," UNHCHR spokesperson Babar Baloch told reporters in Geneva.
Myanmar, ruled by a military junta since February 2021, is currently facing a case over the genocide of Rohingya at the International Court of Justice.
Following the military coup, ASEAN decided to disinvite Myanmar from its annual meetings.
The junta has, however, said it will hold elections in the Buddhist-majority nation towards the end of this year or early this year.
