Rohingya Crisis: ASEAN to send joint delegation to Myanmar in bid for peace
Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has revealed that a high-level joint ASEAN delegation will visit to Myanmar in the coming weeks in an effort to promote peace and address ongoing human rights abuses against ethnic minorities, including the Rohingya.
The mission, to be coordinated by Malaysia’s Foreign Minister in partnership with counterparts from Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand, is aimed at engaging Myanmar’s military authorities and other stakeholders in dialogue to end the violence and pave the way for a sustainable political solution.
Anwar made the announcement on 12 August during a joint press conference in Kuala Lumpur with Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, following bilateral talks that focused heavily on the Rohingya refugee crisis.
Professor Yunus appealed for Malaysia’s continued diplomatic and humanitarian support, describing the influx of Rohingya refugees as one of Bangladesh’s most pressing challenges.
“You [Anwar] have just mentioned Rohingya. This is a big problem for us. We are seeking help from Malaysia, particularly as chair of ASEAN countries. So, we need all the help we can get from our good friend Malaysia,” Yunus said.
Anwar acknowledged the immense strain placed on Bangladesh, which currently hosts more than a million Rohingya refugees — the majority of whom fled in 2017 following a brutal military crackdown in Myanmar’s Rakhine State.
“On regional issues, of course, we are concerned with the burden placed on Bangladesh of having to cater for enormous numbers of Rohingya refugees,” Anwar noted.
He underscored that restoring peace in Myanmar is a top regional priority for Malaysia, alongside delivering humanitarian relief to displaced persons and communities affected by conflict and natural disasters.
The Rohingya crisis, which the UN and rights groups have described as ethnic cleansing, remains one of Southeast Asia’s most intractable humanitarian emergencies. Despite repeated international appeals, conditions in Myanmar have not improved, and prospects for repatriation remain bleak.
ASEAN’s planned delegation — a rare show of coordinated diplomacy from the bloc’s key members — is expected to press Myanmar’s military junta to implement the Five-Point Consensus agreed in April 2021, which calls for an immediate cessation of violence, constructive dialogue among all parties, and the delivery of humanitarian assistance.
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