TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - It could be the television images of sick and starving men, women and children aired around the world, their pathetic faces peering out of the holds of rickety wooden fishing boats that finally convinced the three governments to let them land ashore. For all concerned, however, this is just the beginning of a humanitarian problem that is likely to last for years.
Their arrival and possible resettlement in third countries, are bound to trigger a pull-factor in the homelands the refugees tried to escape from. While the Bangladeshis took a chance with a perilous sea voyage to seek a better economic future than the extreme poverty in their country, the Rohingyas sought to escape the persecution of being unwanted citizens in their previous homeland of Myanmar.
The good news is that the United States recently announced it will take in Rohingya refugees, at the recommendation of and following the appropriate processing by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. The US State Department said it was willing to play a leading role in trying to seek a solution to the problem of of the Rohingya refugees. Few people are aware that since October last year, the US has actually resettled more than 1,000 Rohingyas. Meanwhile from Africa, Gambia has also pledged to take in Rohingya refugees, saying it was part of the 'sacred duty to ease the suffering of and help fellow Muslims in trouble'. Rohingya refugees who landed in Aceh said they believed they were heading for Malaysia, their preferred destination, when their boats were abandoned by unscrupulous people smugglers.
Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand must now grapple with the logistics of providing them with temporary shelter and food, which is certain to be a strain on the budgets of their governments, particularly the local administrations impacted by the influx of the refugees. Hopefully, the regional meeting hosted by the Thai government in Bangkok next week will discuss this collective problem and make it clear which countries in the region will take them in and what type of assistance they can expect to receive from international organizations, particularly those dealing with refugees and migration.
In the long term, however, the other ASEAN member countries must come to grips with the fact that this is also their problem, in particular Myanmar, source of the Rohingyas' desperate attempt to seek safe haven from violence and injustice. Myanmar must be made to realize by its fellow member countries to stop its persecution and show compassion for its fellow human beings. To their credit, Myanmar has rescued 200 of its own boat people but the government in Yangon must do much more.
ASEAN must also look into the prospect of resettling the refugees in their own lands, for the long haul, to be sure, with help from humanitarian agencies and richer neighbors. But at the end of the day, it is a regional problem that must be dealt with collectively. (*)
