If not resolved, Rohingya crisis may destabilise region, President tells CICA

Stressing the importance of a peaceful solution to Rohingya crisis, President Abdul Hamid on Saturday sought support and cooperation from CICA partners so that the forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals can return to their homeland with safety, security and dignity.

"We seek a peaceful solution to the crisis and signed instruments on repatriation with Myanmar. If left unresolved, the crisis can destabilise the entire region," he said.

The President said this while addressing the 5th Summit of Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) held at Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan.

"The world knows Bangladesh hosts 1.1 million forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals. You must be aware of the evidence of genocide and gross violation of human rights, which has been termed as a 'textbook example of ethnic cleansing' and humanitarian catastrophe of unmanageable magnitude," said President Hamid.

These people were forcibly displaced from their ancestral homes and they took shelter in Bangladesh, he said adding, "We've opened the door and are still hosting them."

Mentioning the need for putting together integrated response is more important than ever to resolve any conflicts, he said, "Asia is still challenged by conflicts, distrust and rivalry. At a time when conflicts loom over many parts of Asia - from the civil war in Syria to territorial disputes elsewhere - the need to put together with an integrated response is more important than ever."

Asia's stability rests on our effective partnership, shared responsibility and collective effort, Hamid said.

Mentioning that Asia is facing issues like violent extremism, international terrorism, forced migration among others which go beyond borders, the President stressed the need for coordinating response among the states to tackle those.

"Asian security is vulnerable as irregular migration, drug trafficking, territorial claims, ethnic conflicts, separatism, economic problems and climate change are visible here. To address these crucial challenges, CICA needs to enhance its capacity by promoting the concept of indivisible security," he said.

"We must work together so that the existing discords in the region should not impede resolving issued related to security and cooperation in Asia," he said.

Stability and security in Asia are imperative for economic development, Hamid said adding: "We can achieve that through dialogue and cooperation."

During the conference, the Founder of Peace and National Unity and President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon held meetings with the leaders of a number of CICA Member States to discuss the condition and prospects of bilateral and multilateral relations.

The CICA is an intergovernmental forum and regional organisation established in 1992 with UN support.

Discussions on issues of security and cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region and assistance in the global fight against terrorism, extremism, drug trafficking and transnational crime are the main objectives of this conference.