ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR), a platform of former and present lawmakers of Southeast Asian countries, on Wednesday proposed to hold an international conference involving Bangladesh, China and ASEAN countries to resolve the Rohingya issues.
The APHR made the proposal when a delegation from the advocacy group called on Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus at the State Guest House Jamuna.
"Two things should be done on a priority basis. One is an ASEAN-led effort to raise funds for the Rohingyas. The other is a high-level ASEAN-Bangladesh-China political summit to resolve the Rohingya issues," said Charles Santiago, a former member of the House of Representatives, Malaysia, and co-chairperson of APHR.
Seeking ASEAN co-operation to resolve the Rohingya crisis, the chief adviser reiterated his call for Bangladesh to be included as a member of the regional body.
"We want to be a sectoral dialogue partner of ASEAN. This is one thing we keep repeating. Since we are not part of ASEAN, we cannot bring the issue to ASEAN. It is important for us because the issue needs to be addressed," said the chief adviser.
The chief adviser also urged APHR to form an ASEAN parliamentary group and Bangladesh to join it as an invitee.
"It is also important for us because the issue has become a burden for us," he said.
"Create a platform of ASEAN that does not exist now. ASEAN should tell the rest of the world about the crisis we are facing," he added.
Charles Santiago said ASEAN parliamentarians visited Rohingya camps in 2018 and have since been following it.
"We are always trying to flag the Rohingya issue as an ASEAN issue. But I must confess, for the last two-three years we had been quiet because we were focusing on restoring democracy in Myanmar," he said.
Wong Chen, member of the House of Representatives, Malaysia, and Raoul Manuel, former member of the Congress, the Philippines; and Chonlathan Supphaiboonlerd, the Program Director of APHR, were among others present on the occasion.
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