TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Marie Harf, spokesperson of the United States Department of State, said through a written statement dated May 21, 2015, that the US welcomed Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand decision to work together in providing humanitarian aid for some 7,000 Rohingya migrants stranded at sea.
In addition, Harf urged other countries and international communities to provide support and to take necessary steps to safe the desperate migrants and asylum seekers.
Earlier on Thursday, May 21, 2015, Antony J. Blinken, Deputy Secretary of the Department of State said in Jakarta that the United States is ready to help Southeast Asian countries in helping Rohingya migrants.
Harf claimed that the United States will provide assistance in the form of financial assistance. "If the UNHCR and IOM indicate the need for additional funds to assist governments to establish things like reception centers and ensure protection screening procedures, we’ll consider those requests," Harf said in the statement.
Harf said that the United States have helped resettling thousands of Rohingya migrants on its soil and have provided US$109 million in humanitarian assistance since the beginning of the fiscal year.
MAHINDA ARKYASA