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Search, rescue desperately needed in SE Asia refugee crisis: HRW
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has said governments participating in the Special Meeting on Irregular Migration in the Indian Ocean in Bangkok, Thailand, on Friday, should accept international offers to provide search and rescue support in handling the growing Southeast Asian refugee crisis
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uman Rights Watch (HRW) has said governments participating in the Special Meeting on Irregular Migration in the Indian Ocean in Bangkok, Thailand, on Friday, should accept international offers to provide search and rescue support in handling the growing Southeast Asian refugee crisis.
They should also seek ways to better coordinate search and rescue efforts, share intelligence and pool resources, it further says.
'Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia should agree to take proactive efforts to mobilize their marine search and rescue operations to seek out the remaining boats possibly still at sea,' HRW said in a statement on Thursday.
The rights group says countries affected by the refugee crisis also must ensure unimpeded and unconditional access by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and International Organization for Migration (IOM) to rescued boat people.
'UNHCR should be permitted to exercise its mandate in Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia, none of which are parties to the 1951 Refugee Convention, to screen boat arrivals for refugee status and other protection needs,' HRW says.
The group asserts that during the meeting, the governments must also call on Myanmarese officials to immediately end the repressive measures and denial of basic rights that have driven Rohingya to flee their native Arakan (Rakhine) state over many years.
'The meeting should exert pressure on Myanmar to admit that Rohingya should be considered citizens of Myanmar whose rights should be respected, and end all discriminatory policies against them,' said HRW. (ebf)
