Currently, Rohingya Muslims are in dire need of Indonesia`s help to stop the violence and murder committed against them.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia is committed to resolving the Rohingya conflict by sending Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi to Myanmar to put a halt to the violence and murder committed against the Rohingya ethnic community.

Minister Marsudi arrived in Naypyitaw on Monday morning and held a series of meeting with Myanmars government officials to convey the message of peace to stop the violence in Rakhine State.

The Indonesian foreign affairs minister will also meet Myanmars Military Chief Commander Min Aung Hlaing prior to meeting with State Counselor and Foreign Affairs Minister Aung San Suu Kyi to emphasize the urgency of security and stability in Rakhine State.

In a video recording received here on Monday, Minister Marsudi said she will meet Suu Kyi to convey some proposals and calls, including the importance of offering protection to all residents of Rakhine State.

After meeting Suu Kyi, Minister Marsudi will meet Myanmars National Security Advisor U Thaung Tun and some presidential ministers to discuss Indonesias proposal in detail.

Minister Marsudi departed for Myanmar on Sunday following President Joko Widodos instruction and an initial communication with Myanmar authorities with regard to the escalating humanitarian crisis against the Rohingya community in Rakhine State during the past week.

Chairman of the Peoples Consultative Assembly (MPR) Zulkifli Hasan and other institutions supported the step taken by the Indonesian government, through the foreign affairs minister, as an effort to end the humanitarian crisis that hit the Rohingya ethnic community in Rakhine State.

"We fully support the steps taken by President Joko Widodo and Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi who are working hard to help solve the humanitarian tragedy being faced by our Rohingya brothers in Myanmar," Zulkifli remarked at the Nusantara Building III of the Foreign Affairs Ministry here on Monday.

Hasan strongly condemned the acts of violence and murder of Rohingya civilians and said the settlement of this humanitarian tragedy required concrete action as has been taken by President Widodo.

According to Hasan, the Indonesian government has taken the necessary steps for pursuing peace, and it is not merely waiting for an international response.

"We are just awaiting a global response to the genocide and the human tragedy in Myanmar that involves women and children from the Rohingya ethnic group," Hasan said.

The MPR chairman views the steps taken by the government of Indonesia as strategic in mobilizing global support, such as those involving the United Nations, Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, to pressure Myanmar into stopping the humanitarian tragedy in the country.

Hasan urged the international community to help solve the ethnic Rohingya issue in Rakhine based on humanitarian values and put an end to the violence there.

"Humanitarian solidarity for the Rohingya community is the implementation of human values. We urge the international community to be fair and not set a double standard," Hasan remarked in a press statement.

Reuters reported that nearly 60 thousand Rohingya Muslims had crossed into Bangladesh from Myanmar since last week, adding pressure on the scarce resources of aid agencies and local communities already helping hundreds of thousands of refugees from previous bouts of violence in Myanmar.

Speaking to hundreds of Asshidiqiyah Islamic boarding school students here on Sunday, the MPR chairman called on the public elements in Indonesia to lend support to help bring an end to the violence against Rohingya.

Hasan noted that Indonesia condemned the violence in Myanmar, as it did not reflect respect for human values.

In the meantime, Chairman of the Nation Awakening Party Muhaimin Iskandar has written to Myanmars leader Suu Kyi, expressing concern over the Rohingya ethnic groups sufferings.

In his press statement released on Saturday, Iskandar said he found it difficult to restrain himself after finding out the type of treatment being meted out by the Myanmar government to the Rohingya minority group.

"Havent you felt it for dozens of years? Madam Suu Kyi, 18 thousand Rohingya residents have fled to Bangladesh in less than 24 hours. Most of them are women, children, and old people. You may not turn a blind eye to this news," he stated in an open letter.

The PKB chairman admitted to being surprised at why Suu Kyi, who had fought for democracy for years, is turning a blind eye to the fate of Rohingyas.

He also urged the Myanmar ambassador to Indonesia to tender a clarification on the reason behind the violence against Rohingyas.

In the meantime, the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) of Lebak District in Banten Province also lauded the Indonesian governments position to resolve the conflict in Myanmar.

"We hope the Government of Myanmar would stop the violence and murder of the ethnic Muslim Rohingya community by the military," Lebak District MUI Chairman K. H. Baidjuri remarked on Monday.

During this time, the stance taken by the government of President Joko Widodo is appropriate to stop the humanitarian tragedy involving the Rohingya Muslims.

Women, children, and even people of the Rohingya Muslim community in Myanmar experience violence and murder committed by the countrys military, forcing them to flee to Indonesia.

Currently, Rohingya Muslims are in dire need of Indonesias help to stop the violence and murder committed against them.(*)

Reporter: Otniel Tamindael
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2017