Myanmar asks for ‘time and space’ to solve Rohingya crisis

SINGAPORE: Myanmar’s deputy defense chief has urged the world to give his government “time and space” to solve a crisis involving the Rohingya Muslim minority amid concerns jihadists could exploit the situation.
Rear Admiral Myint Nwe told a security forum in Singapore his government is “fully aware of the growing concern about the widespread reports on (the) situation in Rakhine state” where the Rohingya live, and was committed to address the issue and punish wrongdoers.
Since October Myanmar’s army has carried out “clearance operations” in the north of the western state to root out insurgents accused of deadly raids on police border posts.
At least 66,000 Rohingya have fled to neighboring Bangladesh, alleging rape, murder and torture at the hands of security forces.
Myanmar has long faced international criticism over its treatment of the Rohingya.
“The government does not condone rights abuses against innocent civilians. Legal action will be taken in response to any substantiated claim,” Myint Nwe said.
The admiral was responding to a keynote address by Malaysian Defense Minister Hishammuddin Hussein at the Fullerton Forum organized by the International Institute for Strategic Studies.
Hishammuddin warned that the situation in Rakhine — if not addressed properly — could be exploited by Daesh as it seeks a base in Southeast Asia.
“This horrific possibility has the potential to cause death and destruction well beyond the borders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN),” he added.
Answering a delegate’s question, Hishammuddin said the Rohingya issue “is going to test ASEAN solidarity... It needs to be resolved, we cannot sweep it under the carpet, it affects a lot of Muslims and it’s very emotional.”
Myint Nwe said both Yangon and the international community should focus on finding a “lasting solution” to the problem.
“Allowing time and space is essential for the government’s efforts to bear fruit in finding a sustainable solution of this complex issue.”
Hishammuddin said that ASEAN — the regional bloc to which both Malaysia and Myanmar belong — should play a key role in working out a solution with Myanmar’s leaders.
More than 66,000 Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh to escape a military crackdown in the north of Rakhine state, bringing accounts of rape, arson and mass killings at the hands of security forces.
The bloodshed has tarnished the image of the government of Aung San Suu Kyi.
Hopes the Nobel laureate would usher in a more open era after half a century of military rule have faded as the government has dismissed accounts of abuses as lies and “fake news.”
On Friday, the UN’s rights official for Myanmar warned the government’s denials were destroying faith in Suu Kyi’s fledgling administration.
“The government’s response to all of these problems seems to currently be to defend, dismiss and deny,” UN special rapporteur on Myanmar Yanghee Lee said after a tour of the country, including a visit to Rakhine.
“This response is not only counterproductive but is draining away the hope that had been sweeping the country.”

The crackdown started three months ago after deadly raids on police border posts which Myanmar said were carried out by foreign-trained Rohingya militants.
Lee condemned the attacks, but blamed the government for driving some to militancy.
“If the affected population had felt that the new government would start addressing their situation and grievances then extreme elements would not have easily been able to hijack their cause,” she said.
Myanmar has long faced international criticism for its treatment of the Rohingya, who are denied citizenship and live in conditions rights groups have compared to apartheid.
The recent crackdown has galvanized anger in the Muslim world and particularly Malaysia, whose Prime Minister Najib Razak has accused Suu Kyi of allowing “genocide” on her watch.
On Thursday, he used an extraordinary meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to call for an end to the “unspeakable cruelty” being unleashed against the Rohingya.
His comments drew an angry response from Myanmar, who said he was hijacking the situation in Rakhine to further his own political agenda.