The group must forego its non-interference policy to deal with the problem, says Charles Santiago.
Klang MP Charles Santiago, who chairs the Asean Parliamentarians for Human Rights, recently spoke to FMT about the possible build-up of Rohingya resistance against the Myanmar government and said he feared the escalation of such resistance into a guerilla war that could spread to other Asean countries.
He said the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (Arsa) was already in talks with other Rohingya groups about intensifying their resistance efforts.
“The Arsa can potentially organise and start a guerilla war against Myanmar in Rakhine,” he said.
He noted the existence of a Rohingya diaspora across Asean and said such a war could spread to Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia because of their proximity to Myanmar.
He said Asean must suspend its non-interference policy to forestall the problem.
“By keeping quiet and trying to play the smart opportunistic game, Asean may inadvertently be putting itself in danger in the long run.”
He suggested that Asean use its international influence to bring about an arms embargo against Myanmar, noting that the regime’s main arms suppliers were China and India.
He also called for targeted sanctions against the army leaders responsible for the alleged massacre. “Put them up to the law,” he said.
Last month, Santiago led a delegation of Asean parliamentarians on a visit to Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh.
He told FMT the group heard many horror stories.
“The first group of refugees we met were six or seven women who recounted how they lost their land and were raped. One was raped by five policemen.
“We also met this man whose son was killed by the army. His wife was being raped while she was holding on to her son. So the soldier slit the child’s throat and continued to rape the wife.
“The worst case was when an entire village in Rakhine was wiped out. The people were lined up in front of a river and shot.”
Bangladesh and Myanmar have struck an agreement for a repatriation plan, but Santiago noted that the refugees were refusing to return.
“They want guarantees that the same things would not happen again,” he said. “They want citizenship and to be known as Rohingya and to have their freedom of religion. They also want compensation for the loss of life and land.
“Without this, no one wants to go back. They are protesting and you can see the protests inside the refugee camps.”
He said thousands of Rohingya were still making their way to Bangladesh. “Before this, it was by the tens of thousands. They are now arriving by the thousands. That means the violence is still going on even as we speak.”
He said Myanmar had agreed to the repatriation plan only because of international pressure.
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