ASEAN open to Myanmar raising Rohingya crisis before leaders

FILE: Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Acting Spokesperson Robespierrre Bolivar on Friday said Myanmar is most welcome to raise the Rohingya crisis before meetings at the 31st Associations of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). (Photo: UNHCR/Saiful Huq Omi)

MANILA — Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Acting Spokesperson Robespierrre Bolivar on Friday said Myanmar is most welcome to raise the Rohingya crisis before meetings at the 31st Associations of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

According to Bolivar, the ASEAN, as a collective bloc, and the Philippines, as a member-state, “have offered to Myanmar any assistance it would deem appropriate for ASEAN to give.”

The official said ASEAN is trying to avoid “too much of a structured discussion’’ where agenda will be limited to two or more topics.

“We’re looking for a leaders-led forum so the leaders can raise issues they want to,” he stressed.

Myanmar’s State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi will be attending the ASEAN engagements this week.

The United Nations refugee agency in October expressed concern about the humanitarian condition of up to 15,000 Rohingyan refugees presently stranded in paddy fields near the Bangladesh-Myanmar border.

“An estimated 10,000 to 15,000 Rohingya refugees have entered Bangladesh through the Anjuman Para border crossing point in Ukhia district in the country’s south-east,” Andrej Mahecic, spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees has said.

“Many say they had initially chosen to remain in their homes in Myanmar’s northern Rakhine state despite repeated threats to leave or be killed. They finally fled when their villages were set on fire,” he added.

Tensions have escalated into violence in Myanmar’s northern Rakhine state.

As per the agency, an estimated 582,000 Rohingya Muslims have arrived in Bangladesh as of August 2017.