Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Socialist Party)
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778. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the boat of Rohingya refugees from Burma that was adrift and denied access to Malaysia and Thailand; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20093/15]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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The Irish Government continues to follow closely the situation of the Rohingya people in Myanmar/Burma. We have also been following closely the case of vulnerable migrants, including members of the Rohingya community that have been stranded at sea in the Bay of Bengal and off the coast of South East Asia. Many migrants have landed in Malaysia and Indonesia in recent months including into the Indonesian province of Aceh. 1700 migrants are reported to have landed into this province.

Ireland welcomes the commitment announced on May 20 by the Foreign Ministers of Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand to resolve the issue of these refugees and migrants. A solution is of the utmost importance given that the UN says that some 920 migrants are known to have perished in the Bay of Bengal between September 2014 and March 2015. The priority now must be to ensure that lives are saved and these people receive any required medical treatment and appropriate care. Ireland welcomes the commitment of Indonesia and Malaysia to allow these migrants to safely disembark.

In their statement from 20 May, the Ministers from Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand have said that further action will be needed including addressing the reasons for the continued flow of migrants into these nations. Ireland supports calls by the UN High Commissioner and others for the countries in the region and the international community to work together to address these root causes.

Ireland also welcomes the announcement that Thailand will host a regional meeting on irregular migration in the Indian Ocean on 29 May. We hope that a basis for further cooperation between regional countries and possible ways forward and solutions can be found at this meeting.

The underlying root causes of the migration in the region include the ethnic tensions that exist in Rakhine State in Myanmar/Burma which is home to the Rohingya people, and this issue along with all other root causes must be addressed as part of a long term solution. Ireland believes that it is imperative that there should be a guarantee of respect for human rights and the rule of law for all people in Myanmar/Burma and throughout the region.

Ireland has called for more investment in early recovery and support for livelihood opportunities for both the Rohingya community and the Buddhist community in Rakhine State, but a longer term Government of Myanmar Strategy for rehabilitation and reconciliation is required.

As a member of the UN Human Rights Council for the term 2012-2015, Ireland has also expressed concerns about the human rights situation of minorities in Myanmar. On March 16 of this year in Geneva, Ireland made a statement during the interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Myanmar, at the 28th session of the UN Human Rights Council. We fully supported the view of the Special Rapporteur that the severe curtailment of the rights of internally displaced persons, in detention and with limited access to essential services, is a serious violation of human rights law and must be immediately addressed. Ireland also co-sponsored the EU-led resolution on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, which reiterated the HRC’s serious concern about the situation of persons belonging to the Rohingya minority and other minorities in Rakhine State. The HRC decided to extend for one year the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar and requested a progress report to the General Assembly at its 70th session and to the HRC in accordance with its annual programme of work. The resolution was adopted by consensus.

The Irish Embassy in Vietnam, which is accredited to Myanmar/Burma, closely monitors this issue, and, in September 2013, the Ambassador travelled to Rakhine State to assess the situation on the ground. Most recently, the Ambassador visited Naypyidaw on 23 May 2014 and met with the Minister for Foreign Affairs. At that meeting he expressed Ireland’s concerns about the situation of the Rohingya people in Rakhine State and humanitarian access to the region. In 2015, Irish Aid will provide €80,000 to Plan Internationalto help to address the humanitarian needs of the Rohingya community in Rakhine State.

Ireland will continue, through relevant bilateral and multilateral channels, to press the authorities in Myanmar to address the serious situation in Rakhine State, as part of a continuing process of democratic transformation.