Bailey Road fire: Ukhiyar Shahjalal lost his life along with his wife and children
Shahjalal Uddin (34), a resident of Morichya Bazar, Haldia Palang Union, Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar, along ...
Dhaka: Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi on Tuesday expressed her country’s readiness to help Bangladesh “ease burden” on it over the Rohingya issue.
She said they will continue to discuss with Bangladesh about what sort of support Indonesia can provide in this regard.
“This humanitarian crisis shall be ended,” she said in a statement before the media in a Dhaka hotel wrapping up her less than 10-hour visit to Dhaka.
Earlier, Retno held meetings with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Bangladesh counterpart AH Mahmood Ali.
She said they discussed the current situation on the ground “in depth” and conveyed her country’s sympathy to Bangladesh over the refugee issues.
The Indonesian Foreign Minister arrived at 12:10pm by a flight of Thai Airways and is scheduled to depart at 10:00pm by a flight of Singapore Airlines.
As of now, around 123,000 Myanmar people — mostly women and children — entered Bangladesh after the attacks on police and army bases in Rakhine on August 25 and the Myanmar military began a crackdown.
The Indonesian minister earlier in December last visited Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar and discussed with Bangladesh authorities for finding a lasting solution to the Rohingya crisis.
‘Formula 4 + 1’ for Rakhine
In Myanmar, Indonesia has submitted a proposal to Myanmar named ‘Formula 4 + 1’ for Rakhine State to restore peace and allowing immediate access to humanitarian assistance there.
These four elements consist of (i) restoring stability and security; (ii) maximum restraint and non-violence; (iii) protection to all persons in the Rakhine State, regardless of race and religion; and (iv) the importance of immediate access to humanitarian assistance.
Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi had a meeting with Myanmar State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi in Myanmar’s capital on Monday and placed the proposal.
“The first four elements are the main elements that must be done immediately so that the crisis of humanity and security does not worsen,” explained the Indonesian Foreign Minister.
Another element is of importance for the recommendation of the Advisory Panel Report for the Rakhine State headed by Kofi Annan which she suggested implementing immediately.
The Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs at the meeting also expressed the concern and high commitment of Indonesian Humanitarian NGO to Myanmar.
In this regard, she said it has just launched the Humanitarian Alliance of Indonesia for Myanmar (AKIM) on August 31.
The Alliance consists of 11 humanitarian organizations, which prioritise its assistance on four issues, namely (i) education; (ii) health; (iii) livelihood (economy); and (iv) relief. The assistance commitments given by the Alliance amounted to US 2 million.
“I hope that the government of Myanmar can continue granting access to AKIM as it has been with the government of Indonesia in implementing several programmes,” the Indonesian Foreign Minister was quoted as saying in a text UNB obtained on Tuesday.
পাঠকের মতামত