Arakan News Agency
Papua New Guinea’s leader Peter O’Neill has called on Australia and other countries to intervene more robustly to address the humanitarian crisis in Myanmar, warning that developing nations like his cannot resettle refugees indefinitely.
Mr O’Neill, whose country is home to the Manus Island immigration detention centre, also called on Australia to increase its own humanitarian intake to help tackle the soaring movement of people around the world fleeing persecution and conflict.
“Those of us who are accepting refugees cannot continue doing that forever. ”
PNG Prime Minister Peter O’Neill
Speaking in Japan at the Pacific Leaders Meeting, where he held talks with Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, the PNG Prime Minister told Fairfax Media “we must get the leadership of Myanmar to account” over its treatment of the minority Rohingyas, who form a substantial part of the current Asian migration crisis.
“Leaders in those countries need to be told that people in your community are not being looked after well and we need to work together in addressing that. Countries like Australia and the United States, the UK, and other developed countries like Japan must assist in addressing this crisis,” he said.
An estimated 7000 people, some Rohingyas but also many Bangladeshis believed to be economic migrants seeking work, have been stranded on boats on the seas of Asia after some countries refused access to their shores, though Indonesia and Malaysia have since softened their positions.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott has bluntly refused to resettle any of these people, saying “nope, nope, nope” when asked by reporters.
Ms Bishop said last week that Australia had been calling for some time for Myanmar to “respect the rights of Rohingyas” and announced $6 million in extra aid for Rakhine state where most of the minority lives.
Speaking before Mr O’Neill’s comments, Ms Bishop told Fairfax Media south-east Asian nations should abandon their reluctance to interfere in each other’s internal affairs and tackle the issue of Myanmar’s treatment of the Rohingyas.
She reiterated that Australia had “no plans” to take any of the Rohingyas beyond the current refugee intake.
Ms Bishop said the problem needed to be dealt with at its source, which stemmed from the denial of citizenship by Myanmar to the Rohingya minority.
Source : smh
