Arakan News Agency
Prayut calls for summit on Rohingya problem
Australia on Friday agreed to join a multi-lateral summit hosted by Thailand aimed at tackling the issue of undocumented Rohingya not only in Thailand but also in the region.
Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop agreed to the proposal during meetings on Friday with Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and deputy premier and Foreign Minister Tanasak Patimapragorn.
“I certainly committed Australia to attend. We think [the summit] is a good idea and if Thailand wishes to host it we will certainly be supporting it,” Ms Bishop said after the meetings.
Ms Bishop’s visit was the first by a top Australian minister since the May 22 coup last year.
Australia expressed “grave concerns” following the coup and “reduced engagement” with the Thai military and lowered its “interaction” with the Thai military leadership.But she said last night, “The issue of human trafficking has drawn greater focus as a result of the discovery of the detention camps and graves in Thailand. It’s a shocking discovery.
I acknowledge the efforts of the Thai government to respond in a timely fashion and to announce an investigation that I understand will be very thorough. I was encouraged by the discussion today by the deputy prime minister and the prime minister about a regional forum.”
Although details and the timing of such a summit have not yet been worked out, Thailand hopes to be able to host the summit this month. Ms Bishop said Thailand and Australia are part of the Bali Process on People Smuggling, Trafficking in Persons and Related Transnational Crime (Bali Process) founded in 2002.
The Bali Process comprises 45 member countries including Bangladesh, Malaysia, Myanmar and Indonesia. It deals with the issues of people smuggling, asylum seekers and illegal movement of people in the region. “We recognise a regional response is required. Likewise with human trafficking which has connections with the Bali Process. But this is a particularly vile trade and it has to be disrupted,” Ms Bishop said.
“One country cannot do it alone. It has to be something that is done on a regional basis.” On Jan 26 this year Thailand and Australia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to cooperate in developing regional programmes to combat human trafficking. This involves support to various Thai agencies.
Source : Bangkok Post
