Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

98. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the status of the work his Department has engaged in on a bilateral and multilateral level to raise the issue of the ongoing crisis in northern Rakhine state in Myanmar and the resultant refugee crisis; the steps that have been taken to provide assistance to the groups running refugee camps in Bangladesh; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48585/17]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Reports indicate that a clearly excessive response by the Myanmar security forces to the attacks by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army on 25 August have had a devastating impact in Northern Rakhine State. Over 600,000 people, mostly members of the Rohingya community, have now fled from Myanmar and are facing extremely challenging circumstances in Bangladesh. This Government has consistently expressed our concern about the violence which has taken place in Northern Rakhine State, and the ensuing humanitarian crisis which has developed in neighbouring Bangladesh.

Ireland has stressed the need for a full restoration of humanitarian aid and media access to Rakhine State, and an investigation into the allegations of human rights violations by the Myanmar security forces. Ireland has also called upon the Government of Myanmar to implement the recommendations of the Annan-led Advisory Commission on Rakhine State in full.

We are fully engaged in the EU’s efforts to engage Myanmar on this issue, and our position is reflected in Conclusions adopted by the Foreign Affairs Council on 16 October. I raised Ireland’s concerns in my own statement on this issue on 15 September, and in my statement to the UN General Assembly on 23 September. My officials are also engaged in deliberations in UN fora on this issue, most recently by co-sponsoring a resolution on the situation in Myanmar [which is expected to be adopted on 16 November by the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly].

Ireland is committed to contributing to international efforts to alleviate the immediate needs of the refugees that have entered Bangladesh, which now number over 600,000. To this end, at the Pledging Conference for the Rohingya Refugee Crisis in Geneva on 23 October we pledged €2m in direct support. €1m has already disbursed to civil society partners and international organisations that are providing services to vulnerable refugees in Cox’s Bazar and two experts have been deployed via the Irish Aid Rapid Response Corps. The UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and the International Committee of the Red Cross, to which Ireland contributes funding, have also scaled up their operations in Bangladesh and in Myanmar. My Department will continue to closely monitor the humanitarian situation as it unfolds.

While the level of violence has decreased in recent weeks, the situation on the ground has not significantly improved. The ASEM Foreign Minister’s Meeting will take place in Nay Pyi Taw next week and will present an important opportunity for Ireland and the EU to engage with the Government of Myanmar on this issue.