U.S. Pledges Aid to Deal with Asia’s Stranded Migrant Crisis

Washington (PNA/Xinhua) — The United States on Wednesday welcomed joint efforts by some Southeastern Asian countries to address the issue of stranded migrants at sea, pledging financial and resettlement assistance in the crisis.

State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf lauded the decision by Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand to work together to provide humanitarian aid and shelter to 7,000 migrants abandoned at sea in the region.

“The United States urges other countries of the region and the international community to support them in those efforts,” she said at a daily news briefing, noting Washington will attend a meeting on the crisis slated for May 29 in Bangkok, Thailand.

Thousands of boat arrivals, most of them Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar and Bangladesh, have been stranded at sea over the past week after being turned away by Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and other countries, sparking concern in the international community including the United Nations.

Speaking in Jakarta, Indonesia on Wednesday, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken voiced readiness to help the countries in the region to bear the burden and save lives.

Harf said Washington will consider financial aid in helping regional governments to establish things like reception centers and ensure protection screening procedures.

The U.S. is also “taking a careful look” at the request by Malaysia and Indonesia to help resettle the migrants, after having taken in more than 1,000 Rohingyas in the current fiscal year, the spokeswoman noted.

“It has to be a multi-country effort,” she added. “We obviously can’t take this all on ourselves, but we’re prepared to play a leading role in this effort,” she added. (PNA/Xinhua) FFC/EBP