In the first statement of its kind, Myanmar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs says the government is ready to provide humanitarian assistance to “anyone who suffered in the sea.”
The remarks, published on the front page of the state-backed Global New Light of Myanmar on Wednesday, refer to the thousands of Muslim Rohingya and Bangladeshi refugees stranded at sea after a crackdown on human trafficking in the region.
Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia have pushed the boats away, and Myanmar has refused to shoulder much blame for the exodus, even as many of the Rohingya are fleeing from internal displacement camps in western Rakhine state.
However, in the published statement, the ministry says Myanmar is following the news closely, is patrolling the coast and, most shockingly, is “fully prepared” to work with the international community, on humanitarian grounds, to solve the crisis.
Here is the full statement:
1. Recently, there have been reports by the international media on migrants and boat people in the Andaman Sea and the Straits of Malacca. In this connection, Myanmar shares concerns expressed by the international community, and is closely following the news.
2. Myanmar deeply concerns with the sufferings and life-threatening fate of innocent people as the consequences of human smuggling and illegal migration in the region.
3. Against this backdrop, Myanmar is making serious efforts on the prevention of smuggling and illegal migration. One such activity is the regular patrolling in Myanmar territorial water by the Myanmar Navy and Air Force to deter any illegal trespassing in the territory and to provide safety for the trespassers, if any, in the sea. Myanmar stands ready to provide humanitarian assistance to anyone who suffered in the sea.
4. Preventive measures on human smuggling and illegal migration are being implemented throughout the nation. Likewise, the Rakhine State Government and concerned departments are endeavoring diligently to prevent illegal migration by sea. Measures are also in place to maintain rule of law and security for all individuals there.
5. Myanmar has been extending its full cooperation with countries in the region in regional mechanisms including the Bali Process on People Smuggling, Trafficking in Persons and Related Transnational Crime. Myanmar is fully prepared to work with the international community, on humanitarian ground, to alleviate the sufferings of the smuggled victims.
Photo via Wikicommons: View of Langkawi, Malaysia, where many refugees have ended up
