Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj on Friday told Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi that India was ready to help “safe, speedy and sustainable” return of the displaced Rohingya. The two leaders discussed ways of strengthening bilateral ties, tweeted Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar.
“The first major project is the construction of prefabricated housing in Rakhine State to meet the needs of displaced persons,” the External Affairs Ministry said in a statement. “The minister also underlined the need for safe, speedy and sustainable return of displaced persons to Rakhine state.”
Swaraj arrived in Nay Pyi Taw on Thursday for a two-day visit, and was received by India’s ambassador Vikram Misri and Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Myanmar U Myint Thu. She had called on Myanmar President U Win Myint on Thursday for talks on key bilateral and regional topics, including the ongoing Rohingya refugee crisis, PTI reported.
In December, India sanctioned $25 million (Rs 168 crore) for the development of the northwestern province of Rakhine. On Wednesday, India sent its second relief consignment to Bangladesh to help the displaced Rohingyas, PTI reported.
More than 6,70,000 Rohingyas, a mainly Muslim minority group, have fled Rakhine since August following a violent crackdown by the country’s security forces. They have been denied citizenship in Myanmar and are classified as illegal immigrants. The refugees have accused the troops of rape, torture, arson and murder. The United Nations has called the violence an attempt at “ethnic cleansing”.
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