ID :
48185
Sat, 02/28/2009 - 12:36
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/48185
The shortlink copeid
ROHINGYAS: ASEAN TO TAKE ONE STEP AT A TIME
HUA HIN (THAILAND), Feb 28 (Bernama) - Asean has decided to take one step at a time to deal with the stateless Rohingyas issue by collecting the data on them first, and then on their originality with the help of Myanmar.
Malaysian Foreign Minister Dr Rais Yatim said Friday the Asean Secretariat
has been tasked with the cooperation of Myanmar and other member states to
collect data of the Rohingyas and arrive with a recommendation by July this
year.
"First we do data and information collection," he said, adding that the
issue was not moving in a positive direction, especially now that Myanmar has
come forward to react to the issue.
Rais is here for the 14th Asean Summit.
The issue of the Rohingya people's origins, however should be dealt with
only after data and information collection on the matter is done, he said when
asked if Myanmar has owned up to the community.
"We cannot now suddenly go to the question of recognition. The question of
origins of the Rohingyas themselves because it will become a contentious matter
under the submission of Myanmar," he said.
However, it could be possible that after the collection of data and
information, the questions related to the origins of Rohingyas could be
determined, "but there is a lot of cultural, historical and political matters
that falls under the matter."
Rais said it was time to recognize that the Rohingya people need attention
from the salvaging efforts of Asean.
The fact that Asean is giving attention to this matter was positive as there
was none before.
Beyond that, he said ministers have also stated that Myanmar should play a
positive role in enduring itself to the human rights demands of the day again
and Malaysia has proposed that this should be done through Asean's effort and
not from outside.
"Malaysia has accepted the Rohingyas on humanitarian ground (but) please
don't give us more. We already have a burdensome responsibility," he said when
asked if Malaysia, which has about 14,000 Rohingyas, will accept more of them.
The foreign ministers, he said have also agreed to have a primary focus in
the chairman's statement during the Summit on the need for a united and lasting
peace in Palestine.
He also said that about US$14.3 million has been suggested for Asean
Secretariat's 2009 budget.
Malaysian Foreign Minister Dr Rais Yatim said Friday the Asean Secretariat
has been tasked with the cooperation of Myanmar and other member states to
collect data of the Rohingyas and arrive with a recommendation by July this
year.
"First we do data and information collection," he said, adding that the
issue was not moving in a positive direction, especially now that Myanmar has
come forward to react to the issue.
Rais is here for the 14th Asean Summit.
The issue of the Rohingya people's origins, however should be dealt with
only after data and information collection on the matter is done, he said when
asked if Myanmar has owned up to the community.
"We cannot now suddenly go to the question of recognition. The question of
origins of the Rohingyas themselves because it will become a contentious matter
under the submission of Myanmar," he said.
However, it could be possible that after the collection of data and
information, the questions related to the origins of Rohingyas could be
determined, "but there is a lot of cultural, historical and political matters
that falls under the matter."
Rais said it was time to recognize that the Rohingya people need attention
from the salvaging efforts of Asean.
The fact that Asean is giving attention to this matter was positive as there
was none before.
Beyond that, he said ministers have also stated that Myanmar should play a
positive role in enduring itself to the human rights demands of the day again
and Malaysia has proposed that this should be done through Asean's effort and
not from outside.
"Malaysia has accepted the Rohingyas on humanitarian ground (but) please
don't give us more. We already have a burdensome responsibility," he said when
asked if Malaysia, which has about 14,000 Rohingyas, will accept more of them.
The foreign ministers, he said have also agreed to have a primary focus in
the chairman's statement during the Summit on the need for a united and lasting
peace in Palestine.
He also said that about US$14.3 million has been suggested for Asean
Secretariat's 2009 budget.
