Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar on Wednesday air-dashed to Myanmar and held talks with State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and other key leaders, impressing upon them to deliver on commitments made during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the country on developing the Rakhine State, rocked by Rohingya refugee crisis.
India and Myanmar also signed an MoU on Indian assistance for a long-term socio-economic development of the Rakhine State. The MoU is intended to help Myanmar achieve its objective of restoring normalcy in Rakhine State and enable the return of displaced persons.
Under the MoU, India proposes to take up, among other things, a project to build pre-fabricated housing in Rakhine State so as to meet the immediate needs of the returning people, it is learnt.
Jaishankar also discussed with Commander-in-Chief of the Myanmar Security Forces, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing security cooperation between the two countries and the situation in Northern Rakhine State.
Jaishankar’s visit is being considered significant in strategic circles since there is widespread concern in India in the wake of more than 650,000 Rohingyas fleeing to neighbouring Bangladesh since the violence erupted in Rakhine State in August. Dhaka has appealed to New Delhi to use its good offices with Myanmar to ensure the safe return of the refugees to their homes. It has even asked India to raise the issue at the United Nations.
PM Modi, during his visit to Myanmar, had expressed concern over the ‘extremist violence’ in Rakhine but did not mention the alleged persecution of the minority Rohingya community, which led to criticism in certain quarters.
India has consistently maintained that the Rohingya issue should be handled in a humane manner, development activities initiated in Rakhine State and conditions created for the safe and secure return of refugees to their homes. India has also sent relief material for refugees in both Rakhine and Bangladesh.