A regional fact-finding mission on the Rohingya crisis has recommended an arms embargo and targeted sanctions on the Myanmar army and senior officials in order to create a safe environment for the return of the displaced refugees. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Parliamentarians for Human Rights group (APHR) is seeking the assistance of India, China and Russia in achieving these goals – three countries it claims are all selling arms to Myanmar. Current and former lawmakers from Asean countries arrived in Bangladesh on Sunday to meet with refugees, humanitarian organizations, parliamentarians and government officials in Cox’s Bazar and Dhaka. “Asean as a regional bloc can and should play a leading role in resolving this crisis,” said the APHR chairperson at the press conference. “We need more awareness within Asean countries of these atrocities, and we need to listen to the voices of the refugees, themselves, as we determine how to approach a resolution,” he said.

Source: Dhaka Tribune January 24, 2018 11:03 UTC