Myanmar agrees to receive its boat people stranded in Indonesia

www.chinaview.cn  2009-03-16 20:04:20           

JAKARTA, March 16 (Xinhua) -- The government of Myanmar would like to accept the return of Rohingya boat people who have been stranded in Indonesia since January on condition that they can prove their residence of Myanmar, Indonesian presidential spokesman Dino Patti Djalal quoted Myanmar Prime Minister Thein Shien as saying here Monday. 

The spokesman told reporters Myanmar's stance after the meeting between the Myanmar Prime Minister and Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at the State Palace here. 

"In principle, they (Myanmar authorities) would like to receive the Rohinhyas, as long as they can prove that they were Myanmarese," he said. 

So far, the investigation against the Rohingyas stranded in Aceh province in the northern tip of Sumatra Island indicated that only one had been proven that he had the evidence of Myanmarese, said Dino. 

"The others are from Bangladesh and other countries," he said. 

Further process of the settlement of the boat people problem would go to the Bali Process, which would be held in April, involving the origin nation, the transit nation and the destinated country, said Dino. 

"Bangladesh and India would also include in the process," he said. 

The Rohingya issue had been discussed at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Thailand recently. 

Created in 2002, the Bali Process brings participants together to work on practical measures to combat people smuggling, trafficking in persons and related transnational crimes in the regions.

Related Article:

Junta arrests 5 members of Aung San Suu Kyi party