OIC urged to work with aid agencies to help Rohingyas / By Ayman Adly

Bakhiet and Kalla look on as a Qatar Charity official reads out the recommendations

The Organisation of the Islamic Co-operation (OIC) should co-operate with other humanitarian organisations in the member-countries to gather regional and international support to permanently resolve the plight of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar.

They should also work to get these people their full rights in accordance with the international conventions and agreements.
The second meeting of humanitarian organisations, organised jointly by OIC and Qatar Charity, on the plight of Muslims in Myanmar which concluded in Doha on Thursday, recommended that OIC should work side by side with other organisations under one entity and in co-ordination with the government of Myanmar, which has shown positive signs of change.

The meeting highly appreciated the agreement signed by the OIC with the government of Myanmar and called for making the maximum use of it as a legal framework to deliver aid to Rohingya Muslims.

Accordingly, an office of the OIC would be established in the capital of Myanmar with a branch at Arakan. The main office would co-ordinate with government entities to process the necessary documents, visas and licences as well as offering diplomatic and media support for the cause of the Rohingyas.

The branch office would co-ordinate humanitarian aid on the ground and offer the required logistic services for partners in the process as well as provide easy access to reach out to the people.

Further, the Rohingya Muslims Union should be given a chance to be an active partner at any future initiatives on the issue.

The OIC would also sign bilateral agreements on the issue with other working humanitarian aid organisations to determine the tools of implementing aid operations and projects. Besides, a joint technical team of OIC and other aid organisations would be formed to visit Myanmar to assess the situation on the ground and prepare a comprehensive work plan based on its findings.

The total pledged financial aid of the participating organisation at the meeting amounted to $25mn.
“We cannot change history, we need only to make them (Rohingya) live in harmony and improve the quality of their lives, which is of utmost importance,” said Yusuf Kalla, chairman of the Indonesian Red Cross Society, who took part in the meeting.

Ambassador Attaelmanan Bakhiet, OIC assistant secretary general for humanitarian affairs, pointed out that aid works in Myanmar are scheduled into phases. The current phase is to deliver urgent basic needs and settle the displaced people. Then, reconstruction and development projects would ensue. He praised the new spirit of openness shown by the government of Myanmar.
Source Gulf Times:

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