By Ainur Rohmah
JAKARTA
Indonesia says it wants to focus on exactly why so many Rohingya migrants are leaving Myanmar in a highly anticipated meeting with the foreign ministers of Malaysia and Thailand on Wednesday.
The meet has been called to try and find a solution to the unwanted boats packed with Muslim Rohingya and Bangladeshis that have been turning up on all three countries' shores.
"First, it must be known main reason of this refugee migration," Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi told reporters in Jakarta on Tuesday.
Secondly, she said there must be cooperation with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and other relevant parties, such as the countries of origin, transit and destination.
Thirdly, the crime of human trafficking as the cause of the movement of refugees should be handled through transnational cooperation.
Malaysia is also expected to issue a stern warning to Myanmar to address the Rohingya issue.
A Malaysian foreign ministry official who requested anonymity as he was not authorized to speak to media told Anadolu Agency on Monday that Malaysia is expected to make the call as ASEAN chair during a proposed meeting with the foreign ministers of Myanmar, Indonesia and Thailand.
Wednesday's meeting comes in the wake of a May 1 crackdown on human trafficking in Thailand's southern region. Since then, boatloads of migrants – mostly fleeing Myanmar -- have beached in the three countries.
Many more, however - thought to be as many 8000 - remain at sea.
According to Detik.com, Marsudi said as many as 1346 Rohingya have been accommodated in Indonesia since last week - one of whom died Monday of respiratory failure.
"We already take care of them, fulfilling their needs such as shelter, food and medicines," she said.
The government is reported to be awaiting the results of a verification process conducted by the UNHCR and International Organization for Migration, which will decide whether the migrants will be granted refugee status, or judged to be economic migrants.
"If they are economic migrants, they will be repatriated," she added.
Marsudi underlined that Indonesia did not sign the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, so "what has been done so far is more than enough."
Almost 1,500 boat people are staying in three shelters in the region after being rescued by fishermen last week, but the Indonesian government has now said the country has had its fill.
The migrants have been split into two camps, most of the Rohingya registered as refugees, while a majority of the Bangladeshi have been told that since they are economic migrants they will be sent home.
In addition to harbouring so many migrants, Marsudi said the government has also been trying to communicate with Myanmar about Rohingya in order to make it engage constructively on the issue.
"I myself am also trying to communicate with Myanmar [officials]," she added.
Myanmar, however, has denied responsibility for the crisis, a senior official lashing out at mounting international pressure for it to join talks.
“As countries in ASEAN [Association of Southeast Asian Nations] region, they [Malaysia and Thailand] need to deal with their own weaknesses and problems boldly. Their guilt won’t disappear if they just put the blame on Myanmar,” U Zaw Htay - a director at the Myanmar president’s office - wrote in a Facebook post.
He claimed the problem was down to human traffickers and corrupt officials.
Some of those on board the boats have claimed to have fled Myanmar's western Rakhine state alleging brutality by the country’s military leaders.
Others, however, have left refugee camps in Bangladesh’s Cox Bazar region, while others claim to have been forced onto the boats by people smugglers – ransoms then demanded from their families back home for their safe passage.
