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Hundreds more migrants rescued off Indonesia as Pope calls for help Breakthrough in Asian migrant crisis as Indonesia and Malaysia agree to help
(about 1 hour later)
Hundreds of starving people were rescued off the Indonesian coast on Wednesday as Burma for the first time offered to help ease a regional migrant crisis blamed in part on its treatment of the ethnic Rohingya minority. Indonesia and Malaysia have agreed to provide temporary shelter to thousands of migrants stranded at sea in the first breakthrough in the humanitarian crisis confronting south-east Asia.
The change of tune from Rangoon came as the foreign ministers of Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand – facing global criticism for turning away rickety boats packed with starving migrants – gathered for talks on the issue near Kuala Lumpur. The announcement was made on Wednesday by the Malaysian foreign minister, Anifah Aman, after a meeting with his counterpart from Indonesia and Thailand to address the plight of the migrants.
Following appeals by UN chief Ban Ki-moon and Washington last week for the Rohingya and Bangladeshi migrants to be rescued, Pope Francis issued his first comments on the issue Tuesday, likening the plight of the “poor Rohingya” to that of Christian and ethnic Yazidi people brutalised by the Islamic State group. Most of them are the long-persecuted Rohingya Muslim minority in Myanmar and others are Bangladeshis fleeing poverty.
Around 3,000 people have already have swum to shore or been rescued off Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand over the past 10 days after a Thai crackdown disrupted long-established smuggling routes, prompting some of the gangs responsible to abandon their human cargo at sea. Anifah said the two countries agreed to give the estimated 7,000 stranded migrants temporary shelter “provided that the resettlement and repatriation process will be done in one year by the international community”.
“I urge all NGOs, of all races and religions to step forward to volunteer to help these Rohingya migrants,” Malaysia’s home minister, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, said.
“Even though they are a migrant community that is trying to enter the country illegally, and breaking immigration laws, their wellbeing should not be ignored.”
The breakthrough came as hundreds more starving people were rescued off the Indonesian coast on Wednesday and Burma for the first time offered to help in the crisis which has been blamed in part on its treatment of the ethnic Rohingya minority.
Following appeals by the UN chief, Ban Ki-moon, and Washington last week for the Rohingya and Bangladeshi migrants to be rescued, Pope Francis also issued his first comments on the issue on Tuesday, likening the plight of the “poor Rohingya” to that of Christian and ethnic Yazidi people brutalised by the Islamic State group.
About 3,000 people have already swum to shore or been rescued off Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand over the past 10 days after a Thai crackdown disrupted long-established smuggling routes, prompting some of the gangs responsible to abandon their human cargo at sea.
A total of 426 migrants believed to be from Burma were rescued in the early hours of Wednesday off Aceh in Indonesia, local officials said.A total of 426 migrants believed to be from Burma were rescued in the early hours of Wednesday off Aceh in Indonesia, local officials said.
“Their condition is very weak. Many are sick, they told me that some of their friends died from starvation,” said Teuku Nyak Idrus, a local fishermen involved in the rescue.“Their condition is very weak. Many are sick, they told me that some of their friends died from starvation,” said Teuku Nyak Idrus, a local fishermen involved in the rescue.
Those saved in the Malacca Strait between Malaysia and Indonesia’s huge Sumatra island included 30 children and 26 women, he added. Those saved in the Malacca strait between Malaysia and Indonesia’s Sumatra island included 30 children and 26 women, he added.
With food and water supplies running low, some boats have drifted back and forth as Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand refused to accept them, drawing international condemnation.With food and water supplies running low, some boats have drifted back and forth as Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand refused to accept them, drawing international condemnation.
Burma also has come under growing pressure to help stem the outflow of Muslim Rohingya, who are fleeing their homes in the country’s western Rakhine state after years of violence and discrimination at the hands of the Buddhist majority. Most head for Muslim-majority Malaysia.Burma also has come under growing pressure to help stem the outflow of Muslim Rohingya, who are fleeing their homes in the country’s western Rakhine state after years of violence and discrimination at the hands of the Buddhist majority. Most head for Muslim-majority Malaysia.
Burma state media quoted a foreign ministry statement on Wednesday saying the government “shares concerns” expressed by the international community and is “ready to provide humanitarian assistance to anyone who suffered in the sea”.Burma state media quoted a foreign ministry statement on Wednesday saying the government “shares concerns” expressed by the international community and is “ready to provide humanitarian assistance to anyone who suffered in the sea”.
That marked the most conciliatory statement yet from the Burma government, which considers Rohingya to be foreigners from neighbouring Bangladesh and disavows all responsibility for them. That marked the most conciliatory statement yet from the Burmese government, which considers Rohingya to be foreigners from neighbouring Bangladesh and disavows all responsibility for them.
Burma has previously said it may snub Thailand’s call for a regional summit on the issue, and was not present at Wednesday’s meeting of foreign ministers in Malaysia.Burma has previously said it may snub Thailand’s call for a regional summit on the issue, and was not present at Wednesday’s meeting of foreign ministers in Malaysia.
In a mass at the Vatican, Pope Francis compared the Rohingya to those victimised in the Islamic State group’s brutal jihad in Syria and Iraq.In a mass at the Vatican, Pope Francis compared the Rohingya to those victimised in the Islamic State group’s brutal jihad in Syria and Iraq.
“We think of the poor Rohingya of Myanmar. As they leave their land to escape persecution they do not know what will happen to them,” he said.“We think of the poor Rohingya of Myanmar. As they leave their land to escape persecution they do not know what will happen to them,” he said.
The UN’s refugee agency told AFP on Tuesday it had received reports that at least 2,000 migrants had been stranded at sea for weeks on boats near the Burma-Bangladesh coasts.The UN’s refugee agency told AFP on Tuesday it had received reports that at least 2,000 migrants had been stranded at sea for weeks on boats near the Burma-Bangladesh coasts.
They are being held on board amid horrid conditions by human-traffickers who are demanding payment from the passengers to release them, a spokeswoman said. They are being held on board amid horrid conditions by human traffickers who are demanding payment from the passengers to release them, a spokeswoman said.
Malaysian Foreign Minister Anifah Aman went into the talks Wednesday morning with his counterparts Retno Marsudi of Indonesia, and Thailand’s Tanasak Patimapragorn in Malaysia’s administrative capital of Putrajaya.
The UN’s human rights and refugee chiefs have called on all three countries to launch search-and-rescue operations, bring boatpeople to land and begin procedures for assessing any refugee claims.
Anifah called Sunday on Burma to engage in talks on the crisis, warning the Malaysia may use its power as this year’s chair of the 10-country Association of Southeast Asian Nations – to which Burma also belongs – to call an emergency regional meeting on the issue.
While many Rohingya flee systematic persecution in Burma, the Bangladeshis are believed to be mainly economic migrants.