Washington, 21 May 2015: The US on Wednesday welcomed joint efforts by some southeastern Asian countries to address the issue of stranded migrants at sea, pledging financial and resettlement assistance in the crisis.
State Department spokesperson Marie Harf lauded the decision by Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand to work together to provide humanitarian aid and shelter to 7,000 migrants abandoned at sea in the region.
“The US urges other countries of the region and the international community to support them in those efforts,” she said, noting Washington will attend a meeting on the crisis slated for May 29 in Bangkok, Thailand, Xinhua reported.
Thousands of boat arrivals, most of them Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar and Bangladesh, have been stranded at sea over the past week after being turned away by Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and other countries, sparking concern in the international community including the UN.
Speaking in Jakarta, Indonesia on Wednesday, US Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken voiced readiness to help the countries in the region to bear the burden and save lives.
Harf said Washington will consider financial aid in helping regional governments to establish things like reception centres and ensure protection screening procedures.
The US is also “taking a careful look” at the request by Malaysia and Indonesia to help resettle the migrants, after having taken in more than 1,000 Rohingyas in the current fiscal year, the spokesperson said.
“It has to be a multi-country effort,” she added. “We obviously can’t take this all on ourselves, but we’re prepared to play a leading role in this effort,” she said.
(IANS)
