Saturday, February 7, 2009

INDONESIA CALLS ON ASEAN COOPERATION TO ADDRESS BOAT PEOPLE PROBLEM

JAKARTA, Feb 6 (Bernama) -- Indonesia has called on Asean countries to work together to address the problem of boat people, which in the last two months has had Indonesia providing refuge for 391 boat people believed to be Rohingyas from Myanmar.

Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda said the boat people landed in groups on islands near Aceh and were given temporary refuge, while some received treatment at the hospitals.

In light of this, he urged their country or countries of origin to address the factors that made these people flee their country in boats to seek asylum in other countries.

"The measures should include putting an end to human rights abuses against minorities, while the boat people must not be physically harmed when on transit in another country or chased out to sea," he told a press conference, here, Friday.

He said the problem of boat people seeking asylum would indeed burden other countries in the Asean grouping.

More:http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsworld.php?id=388272

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