US seeks urgent action for Myanmar, while UN eyes US$200 million for refugees

YANGON/DHAKA/NEW YORK — The United States wants Myanmar to take urgent action to end violence in Rakhine state, where a military offensive has created a crisis that could jeopardise its economic and political transition, an American official said on Friday (Sept 22).

“We think, urgently, actions need to be taken to stop this violence and facilitate humanitarian assistance, lower the rhetoric, lower the tension and ... start doing the hard work to solve the longer-standing problems,” US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Patrick Murphy told reporters.

Bangladesh and aid organisations are struggling to help 422,000 Rohingya Muslims who have arrived since Aug 25, when attacks by Rohingya militants triggered a Myanmar crackdown that the United Nations (UN) has branded ethnic cleansing.

A senior UN official said an estimated US$200 million (S$269 million) would be needed to help the refugees in Bangladesh for six months. Aid workers fear a humanitarian crisis is also unfolding in Rakhine state, though Myanmar has restricted access.

The UN made an emergency appeal for US$78 million on September 9, but UN resident coordinator in Bangladesh, Mr Robert Watkins, said much more would be needed as the exodus grows.

“Our best estimate at this point is US$200 million. We are putting together a plan right now that will be ready in about four or five days,” he told AFP.

He said aid workers were already struggling to get food, medicine and drinking water to the refugees, many of whom were limited to one meal a day.

The Doctors Without Borders (MSF) group has warned that refugee camps are on the brink of a “public health disaster”, saying filthy water and faeces flow through shanties now bursting with Rohingya.

“The fact that there are (almost) 430,000 refugees here is in fact a catastrophic event. There is no question about that. We are coping the best we can,” Mr Watkins said.

“We are working very hard with the government to get out assistance to all the people, to make sure that everyone is covered with shelter, getting food and getting access to healthcare and pure water and sanitation. This is our priority right now.”

Some 100 tonnes of food, tents, sleeping mats and blankets sent by Saudi Arabia have started arriving in Cox’s Bazar. The United States has also pledged US$32 million to help Bangladesh cope with the influx which started on Aug 25 when militants from the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (Arsa) attacked police and army posts, killing a dozen security officials in Myanmar’s eastern state of Rakhine.

The military responded to those assaults with what it called “clearance operations.”

Human-rights groups have accused security forces and Buddhist vigilantes of indiscriminately attacking Muslims and burning their villages, while UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described the violence as “ethnic cleansing.” Some groups have criticised the Trump administration for not speaking out forcefully against the violence.

Myanamar leader Aung San Suu Kyi has also come under fire for not speaking out against the violence. In a televised address this week that “we condemn all human rights violations and unlawful violence” and that her government was ready to welcome back Rohingya refugees.

China, which has close economic and diplomatic ties with Myanmar on Friday welcomed measures taken by Naypyidaw to alleviate the situation in Rakhine, said Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

But Mr Murphy said the response from Myanmar’s security forces was “disproportionate.”

He called on security forces to end the violence, protect civilians and work with the civilian government to implement the recommendations of a committee headed by former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

He warned about potential repercussions if Myanmar does not address the crisis. This includes threats to the stability of its borders, the risk of attracting international terrorists, scaring off investment, and ultimately stunting its transition to democracy.

His comments came after US President Donald Trump asked his national security advisers to find ways to help end violence, said UN Ambassador Nikki Haley.

“The president is very concerned about Burma,” Ms Haley told reporters in New York, using Myanmar’s former name. “Everybody is trying to figure out who can move the officials in Burma. You have almost half a million people who have left, and the tragedies and the abuse that’s happened there is something not a lot of us can stomach.”

Ms Haley said US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has contacted Ms Suu Kyi to express the President’s concern.

She said Marine General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has urged the country’s military leaders to end the violence.

The growing crisis also threatens Myanmar’s diplomatic relations, particularly with Muslim-majority countries in South-east Asia where there is profound public anger over the treatment of the Rohingya.

Public protests have been held in Indonesia and Malaysia.

Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi met with Ms Suu Kyi as well as the country’s army chief General Min Aung Hlaing in Naypyidaw earlier this month in a bid to pressure the government to do more to alleviate the crisis, while Malaysian leaders, led by Prime Minister Najib Razak, have been outspoken regarding the matter.

Mr Najib claimed on Friday that Malaysia’s unwavering pledge to uphold humanitarian rights is producing results, with the US approving US$32 million aid for the Rohingya.

He said his administration had always advocated humanitarian efforts for the victims of violence such as the Palestinians and Rohingya.

“Despite all these efforts, I am baffled and feel slighted when an opposition leader lies by saying I did not raise the Rohingya’s plight when I met United States President Donald Trump at the White House,” he said in reference to his visit to Washington last week.

“Because of Malaysia’s commitment to highlight this issue to the president himself, the US government has approved US$32 million (aid) for the Rohingya people.”

His comments came a day after Malaysian deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi delivered a stinging rebuke to Myanmar and Ms Su Kyi over the treatment of the Rohingya, questioning Naypyidaw’s blockade of humanitarian aid by international organisations from being delivered to the persecuted community. AGENCIES