"Do not ignore this issue. Unless it is handled well, it is feared they will join the ISIS. It will be a problem," Ryacudu said.Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesian Minister of Defense Ryamizard Ryacudu has warned about the possibility of the Rohingya refugees joining the ISIS networks, unless they are handled well.
"Do not ignore this issue. Unless it is handled well, it is feared they will join the ISIS. It will be a problem," he said at his office here, Friday.
He remarked that he had not seen any indication of the Rohingya refugees joining the ISIS in Southern Philippines. He, however, emphasized the importance of taking anticipatory measures.
"They are confused. They are rejected here and there. So they may run there (ISIS). That is the logic," he stated.
To anticipate any possibility, Ryamizard stressed that he planned to take the matter to the trilateral meeting in the Philippines, because the Southeast Asian countries were facing two big issues in the field of defense, which were the ISIS activity in Southern Philippines and the Rohingya refugees.
"That is why I said I would ask for a discussion on the issue during the meeting on October 20 in the Philippines. What is the point of talking nonsense. We must come straight to the point," he said.
Regarding the joint patrol by Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, Ryamizard affirmed that it would be done not only on air, but also in the sea and on land.
"Sea patrol has already been done, and so is air patrol in Malaysia. Later, we will also conduct a ground patrol. It is aimed at preventing the ISIS from entering the territories of the three countries," he said.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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