ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR), a platform of current and former lawmakers from Southeast Asia, has proposed convening an international summit involving Bangladesh, China, and ASEAN countries to address the ongoing Rohingya crisis.
The suggestion came during a meeting between an APHR delegation and Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus at the State Guest House Jamuna on Wednesday.
Charles Santiago, co-chairperson of APHR and former member of the Malaysian House of Representatives, emphasised that two immediate actions are necessary.
“The first priority is an ASEAN-led initiative to mobilise funds for the Rohingya people. The second is a high-level summit between ASEAN, Bangladesh, and China to work towards resolving the crisis,” he said.
In response, Chief Adviser Yunus reiterated Bangladesh’s longstanding request for ASEAN membership, stating that the country must be included in the regional organization to address the issue more effectively.
“We have been seeking sectoral dialogue partnership with ASEAN. As long as we are not part of ASEAN, we are unable to present this issue in that forum. This is critical for us, as the issue needs to be dealt with,” he said.
Yunus further urged APHR to establish an ASEAN parliamentary group, with Bangladesh invited as a partner. “This is crucial for us, as the Rohingya crisis has become a heavy burden,” he added. “ASEAN must create a platform to bring global attention to the crisis that we are facing.”
Santiago noted that ASEAN parliamentarians had visited Rohingya camps in 2018 and have since closely monitored the situation.
“We have consistently worked to bring the Rohingya issue to the forefront as an ASEAN issue. However, in the last two or three years, we had to focus on restoring democracy in Myanmar,” he explained.
The meeting was attended by Wong Chen, a member of Malaysia’s House of Representatives, Raoul Manuel, a former member of the Philippine Congress, and Chonlathan Supphaiboonlerd, APHR’s program director, among others.
