We want ASEAN- Bangladesh-China summit on Rohingyas

ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR), a platform of former and current lawmakers of Southeast Asian countries, yesterday proposed an international conference involving Bangladesh, China and ASEAN countries to resolve the Rohingya issue.

The APHR made the proposal when a delegation from the advocacy group called on Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus at the Jamuna, his Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder said.

"Two things should be done on a priority basis. One is an ASEAN-led effort to raise funds for Rohingyas. The other is a high-level ASEAN-Bangladesh-China political summit to resolve the Rohingya issues," said Charles Santiago, a former member of the House of Representatives, Malaysia, and co-chairperson of APHR.

Seeking ASEAN co-operation to resolve the Rohingya crisis, the chief adviser reiterated his call for Bangladesh to be included as a member of the regional body.

"We want to be a sectoral dialogue partner of ASEAN. This is one thing we keep repeating. Since we are not part of ASEAN, we cannot bring the issue to ASEAN. It is important for us because the issue needs to be addressed," said the chief adviser.

The chief adviser also urged APHR to form a new ASEAN parliamentary group and allow Bangladesh to join it as an invitee.

"It is also important for us because the issue has become a burden for us…. ASEAN should tell the rest of the world about the crisis we are facing," he added.

Charles Santiago said ASEAN parliamentarians visited Rohingya camps in 2018 and have since been following the issue.

"We are always trying to flag the Rohingya issue as an ASEAN issue. But I must confess, for the last two-three years we had been quiet because we were focusing on restoring democracy in Myanmar," he said.

The delegation also included Wong Chen, member of Malaysia's House of Representatives; Raoul Manuel, former member of the Congress, Philippines; and Chonlathan Supphaiboonlerd, the programme director of APHR.