ASEAN urged to act as Rohingya crisis deepens, parliamentarians' network warns of regional instability
While the organization has consistently praised the Bangladesh government for the hospitality and assistance it has provided, the APHR has warned that the escalating food crisis and the lack of educational opportunities in the camps have already created a serious threat to regional stability
The ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) has issued an urgent call for collective action from ASEAN, having long urged the bloc to address the severe humanitarian needs of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.
The APHR announced the call at a press briefing held at the Dhaka Reporters Unity today (4 September).
While the organization has consistently praised the Bangladesh government for the hospitality and assistance it has provided, the APHR has warned that the escalating food crisis and the lack of educational opportunities in the camps have already created a serious threat to regional stability.
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Following a meeting with Chief Advisor Dr Muhammad Yunus, APHR has emphasized that the Rohingya crisis should not have been seen as a problem only for Bangladesh. Instead, it has become a challenge that ASEAN had long been expected to tackle. The organization has had growing concerns that if ASEAN continues to remain passive, illegal activities—including human trafficking, arms, and drug smuggling will have had a destabilizing effect on the entire region.
The APHR has also highlighted a recent warning from the World Food Programme (WFP), which has already cautioned that it may be forced to suspend food rations in the camps after November, as it has not yet received the necessary 17 million in monthly funding. Currently, 1.5million refugees in Cox's Bazar have been dependent on this life-saving assistance for years.
The organization's core demands have included-
- The immediate establishment of an ASEAN humanitarian fund.
- Ensuring access to recognized education and vocational training for Rohingya children and adolescents.
- Working in close partnership with Bangladesh and the international community to find a sustainable solution to the crisis
Co-chair of the APHR, former Member of Parliament, Malaysia, Charles Santiago said,"Eight years since the Rohingya crisis began, and ASEAN is still not treating this issue as its own. The APHR first raised this in 2018, and today we repeat our call for an ASEAN Humanitarian Fund. If ASEAN continues to look away, the costs-human trafficking, illicit trade, and growing instability-will be borne by the entire region."
AMember of the board of APHR, and parliament member, Malaysia, Wong Chen said,"The Rohingya people are from Myanmar and since Myanmar is an ASEAN state, ASEAN Member States have an obligation with the international community, to provide sufficient food aid to the refugee camps who will soon be at risk of mass starvation. According to the World Food Program, by the end of November 2025, there will be significantly less budget for the food rations program due to deep USAID cuts. A sum of $17 million USD per month is needed to sustain 1.3 million in the camps."
APHR member, Raoul Manuel said "Rohingya youth cannot remain trapped without access to accredited education and relevant skills training. Their future, and any hope for durable solutions, depends on ensuring they have the tools to live with dignity and contribute to building a peaceful and democratic Myanmar. We call on ASEAN to work closely with Bangladesh to make this possible.
