UN refugee agency: ASEAN has to help Rohingya more

The decision of Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand to give temporary shelter to some 7,000 boat people fleeing Myanmar – after weeks of getting international condemnation – was “late but better late than never,” said the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. “One thing we know with satisfaction is that from original disjoined, individual responses, we’re now getting closer to a consensus. The ASEAN members have taken their own individual responses in order to face their responsibility,” said Bernard Kerblat in Manila. He hailed the move as a “positive, icebreaking step” but stressed that this is not enough. He also lauded the Philippines offer to help, and the fact that the country accommodated a few Rohingya in 2014 for 5 months. 

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