23-9-2023 (JAKARTA) Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi has issued a compelling call for a political resolution to the Rohingya crisis, emphasizing its intrinsic link to resolving Myanmar’s ongoing turmoil. Speaking at a meeting addressing the Rohingya issue, which convened on the sidelines of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly in New York, the United States, Minister Marsudi highlighted the precarious fate of Rohingya refugees.
The complex global landscape and the prevailing conditions in Myanmar have compounded the challenges associated with resolving this protracted issue.
Minister Marsudi asserted that, “The resolution of the Rohingya crisis should be a pivotal component of mitigating the political maelstrom in Myanmar.” Her words were conveyed during an online press briefing, which was broadcast via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ YouTube channel.
Furthermore, Minister Marsudi stressed the imperative of incorporating the reintegration of the Rohingya people into Myanmar society as an integral facet of an inclusive national dialogue agenda, as per the Five-Point Consensus encouraged by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). This consensus had been reached as a strategic response to the ongoing political turmoil in Myanmar.
In the same breath, the Foreign Minister underscored the necessity of facilitating the voluntary, safe, and dignified repatriation of Rohingya refugees from Bangladesh. She elucidated, “I also stated that ASEAN will continue to contribute, and ASEAN will not forget about the Rohingya.”
She then placed significant emphasis on ensuring the availability of humanitarian assistance, given the harrowing circumstances faced by over a million displaced Rohingya individuals, many of whom have sought refuge far from their homeland. Those who remain in Myanmar’s Rakhine region confront an exceptionally precarious situation, vulnerable to falling prey to organized criminal activities.
The meeting, titled “Have they Forgotten Us? Ensuring Continued Global Solidarity with the Rohingya of Myanmar,” convened on Thursday, driven by the joint sponsorship of Bangladesh, Indonesia, Canada, the Gambia, Malaysia, Türkiye, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Its central objective was to rekindle the international community’s attention and commitment to the Rohingya cause, in a bid to mitigate their ongoing plight and extend much-needed solidarity to their struggle.
