Asean must help RohingyaThree years on from when the Rohingya, a Muslim minority population in Buddhist-dominated Myanmar, were forced to flee and seek refuge in neighbouring Bangladesh and Thailand, their plight remains delicate as ever, especially amid a pandemic that has only added complexities to an already multi-faceted problem. Despite international pressure, Myanmar, together with Asean, has been unable to deliver a lasting resolution to a humanitarian crisis that rivals no other. The "boat people" -- as the Rohingya are referred to -- continue to live in squalid conditions in camps like Cox's Bazar where fears of Covid-19 have led to a rise in sexual and gender-related violence. At the last Asean summit in June, leaders focused almost exclusively on how member states could lead a unified pandemic response to counter historic contractions of their respective economies. Despite this, Asean has stood firm in its stance that it trusts Myanmar's Commission of Inquiry to investigate rights violations, a probe that will have no oversight and surely be biased.

Source: Bangkok Post October 22, 2020 23:26 UTC