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Saturday, June 20, 2015

Japan announces humanitarian aid for Rohingya migrants fleeing Myanmar by boat

Rohingya migrants on a boat off the coast near Kuala Simpang Tiga in Indonesia's Aceh province last month.

Rohingya migrants on a boat off the coast near Kuala Simpang Tiga in Indonesia's Aceh province last month. Photo: Januar

Tokyo: Japan's Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida has used a keynote address during an international conference at the United Nations University in Tokyo to announce emergency aid measures for Rohingya Muslim minority migrants from Myanmar.

Mr Kishida told the conference on Saturday that Japan would assist Rohingya migrants by providing $4.5 million in emergency grants via international organisations.

Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida has announced an aid package for Rohingya migrants who have fled Myanmar, where they face discrimination and persecution.

Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida has announced an aid package for Rohingya migrants who have fled Myanmar, where they face discrimination and persecution. Photo: Toshifumi Kitamura

He also unveiled plans for an exchange program between Japan and other Asian countries, in which about 300 young people from abroad would be invited to Hiroshima and Nagasaki – both atomic-bombed cities – to discuss issues related to peace-building.

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"To maintain economic growth in Asia, it is essential to keep the peace," Mr Kishida said. He presented Japan's ideas for peace-building at the conference titled 'High-Level Seminar on Peacebuilding, National Reconciliation and Democratization in Asia.'

The announcement marks the first action the Japanese government has taken to support Rohingya migrants. The government intends to undertake humanitarian activities – such as setting up evacuation shelters and feeding Rohingya people migrating on boats via the Indian Ocean – through the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Mr Kishida also announced a multi-billion dollar five-year financial plan to promote peace by building ties between the Myanmar government and minorities in that country.

Other initiatives include training more than 1,800 local administrative officials to support national reconciliation in Sri Lanka. The Japanese government's ongoing contributing to restoration and reconstruction in Nepal, which was devastated by massive earthquakes in April, was also underlined.

Nobel Peace Prize recipient and former East Timor President Jose Ramos-Horta also delivered a speech at the conference. He argued that although Asia has seen progress in terms of peace, stability, economic prosperity and democracy, persistent and sustained efforts are still needed to ensure that real democracy takes root.

The Washington Post


Source: Japan announces humanitarian aid for Rohingya migrants fleeing Myanmar by boat

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