M'sia regrets Asean statement on Rohingyas
Published on: Tuesday, September 26, 2017
NEW YORK: Malaysia has disassociated itself from Asean Chairman Philippine's statement on the humanitarian situation in Rakhine State, saying it is a misrepresentation of the reality of the situation."Malaysia has made known its concerns but they were not reflected in the Chairman's Statement. Hence, the Chairman Statement was not based on consensus. The statement also omits the Rohingyas as one of the affected communities," Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman said.
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While Malaysia condemns the attacks against Myanmar security forces on Aug. 25 launched by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), he noted that subsequent "clearance operations" efforts by Myanmar authorities was disproportionate and has led to deaths of many innocent civilians and caused more than 400,000 Rohingyas to be displaced.According to Anifah, Malaysia on its part had dispatched humanitarian aid to Bangladesh on September 9, 2017 and will continue to do more. The Asean chairman's statement issued issued by Philippine Foreign Secretary and current Association of South East Asian Nations Chairman Alan Peter Cayetano on behalf of the Asean at the sidelines of the ongoing United Nations General Assembly, here, "condemned the attacks against Myanmar security forces" and "all acts of violence which resulted in loss of civilian lives, destruction of homes and displacement of large numbers of people."As this year's leader of the 10-member regional bloc, which also includes Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Brunei, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar, the Philippines has leeway in setting the language of the Asean Chairman's statement on all kinds of issues.
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In contrast, a joint communique, usually issued at the annual Asean Foreign Ministers meeting, is a negotiated document where members can argue their views on any concern.Cayetano's statement said that "Foreign Ministers acknowledged that the situation in Rakhine State is a complex inter-communal issue with deep historical roots."
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It also urged all parties to "avoid actions that will further worsen the situation on the ground."The statement also said the ministers welcomed the commitment by Myanmar authorities "to ensure the safety of civilians, take immediate steps to end the violence in Rakhine, restore normal socio-economic conditions, and address the refugee problem through verification process."Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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