Dhaka, Bangladesh: The Burmese military junta needs to change its policy and security system for the safety and stability of all neighbouring countries, said Thailand's Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya at a joint press briefing at the Foreign Ministry office in Dhaka, Bangladesh on June 1.
"The changes in Myanmar (Burma) are very much needed. It not only is a necessity for the security of Myanmar but also for all the neighbouring countries including Bangladesh and Thailand," Priomya said. The Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia and Bangladesh had to contend with military regimes "to some extent" at some time or other, he added.
"All of us have got rid of authoritative military regimes and emerged as democratic societies. Indonesia, which was ruled by one man for 30 years, has succeeded,” said the Thai FM.
"So the question to Myanmar is why can’t it also emerge as an open society?” the FM asked.
"It would be good for the whole region. It would good for all of us," he said.
The minister told reporters that changes in the Burmese military regime could resolve the Rohingya refugee and the displaced people issue along the Bangladesh-Burma and Burma-Thailand borders.
Piromya, who came to Dhaka on June 1 on a two-day official visit, said he and his Bangladesh counterpart had "extensive discussions" on the repatriation of Rohingya refugees.
“Thailand and Bangladesh agreed on June 1 to take up with Myanmar the issue of the flow of Rohingya Muslims into Myanmar's neighbouring countries,” the Thai Foreign Minister said.
Rohingya refugees also created problems for several other countries in the region last December and February this year, with reports of Thailand putting those who come by boat adrift at sea in engineless boats. Others reached Malaysia and Indonesia to work illegally. Some of them died and went missing on sea.
"We have discussed the refugee problem extensively and have agreed to take up the matter jointly with Myanmar for a tripartite solution," the Thai Foreign Minister told a news conference during his visit to Bangladesh.
Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister Dipu Moni has said the Burmese leaders during her last trip (May 16-17) to that country told her that they would take the Rohingya refugees back.
Dipu Moni said the refugee flow would not stop unless Burmese authorities guaranteed "qualitative change" in its Arakan state - Rohingyas' motherland.
"If there is no qualitative change in the place they come from, the influx would continue even though we send them back or Burma shows interest in taking them back," she said.
“The Rohingya are facing myriad persecutions -- political, social, religious and economic by the ruling junta, which the regime is using systemically as a policy in Northern Arakan. If there is no change in the system and policy, the Rohingya influx to the neighbouring country will create problems and the risk of security,” said a leading Rohingya political group’s spokesperson
Muslims are a minority in Burma, where most of the population is Buddhist.
