Official:

Iran Finalizing Roadmap to Help Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar

Rasa - Deputy Foreign Minister Ebrahim Rahimpour underlined that Iran is finalizing a comprehensive plan to assist the Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar.

News ID: 432898

Date: 04 October 2017 - 22:01

RNA - "Along with a group of other foreign ministry officials in a meeting, the latest developments in Myanmar were discussed and the participants exchanged views on how to create a roadmap for delivering the short- and long-term humanitarian assistance of Iran to Muslim minority there," Rahimpour said.

The Tuesday meeting on Myanmar was chaired by Deputy Foreign Minister for Asia-Pacific Affairs, Ebrahim Rahimpour, who is also Iran’s accredited ambassador to the southeastern Asian country.

During the meeting, the foreign ministry officials decided to send the third consignment of assistance to Muslims in Myanmar through the Bangladesh border by taking urgent and short-term measures.

It was also agreed to hold negotiations with the officials of the abovementioned countries and the Iranian Red Crescent Society authorities to send the first direct aid consignment to Myanmar.

Besides, the ministry officials called for further coordination to hold a summit to promote peace and friendship among the followers of religious sects there.

The Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar have long been subjected to discrimination in Buddhist-majority country, which denies them citizenship.

Myanmar's government regards them as illegal migrants from Bangladesh, even if they have lived in the country for generations.

Refugee camps near Bangladesh's border with Myanmar already had about 300,000 Rohingya before the upsurge in violence last month and are now overwhelmed.

Tens of thousands of new arrivals have nowhere to shelter from monsoon rains.

Those flocking into Bangladesh have given harrowing accounts of killings, rape and arson by Myanmar's army. Myanmar authorities deny any wrongdoing.

Most have walked for days and the UN says many are sick, exhausted and in desperate need of shelter.

847/940