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Malaysian ship brings aid to Rohingya in Burma

Radio Free Asia

A Malaysian ship carrying supplies to ethnic Rohingya, which was affected by recent violence in Burma, set sail February 3, 2017, for Yangon and Teknaf, Bangladesh.

The Nautical Aliya, carrying 2,200 tons of food and medical supplies, departed for Burma and Bangladesh on a mission that Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak called a symbol of “unity among the Ummah” or Muslims.

The ship is carrying food supplies valued at U.S. $745,000, other supplies for daily needs worth U.S. $361,000 and clothing worth U.S. $113,000.

About 230 volunteers are participating, including doctors from local and international nongovernmental organizations in China, France, Indonesia, Thailand, Turkey, the United States and the Palestinian territories.

Plans for the second leg of the journey appeared dashed when Malaysian Foreign Minister Anifah Aman announced that Bangladesh would not allow the ship to dock in Teknaf. Hours later, however, the Foreign Ministry announced that Dhaka would welcome the ship on February 10.

“The matter has now been resolved as a result of the good relations between Malaysia and Bangladesh. The government of Malaysia expresses its appreciation to the government of Bangladesh for its willingness to allow the food flotilla to provide humanitarian aid to the Rohingya refugees around Teknaf port,” the Foreign Ministry said in a news release.

Initially scheduled to sail January 10, 2017, the ship’s journey was postponed for diplomatic clearance after a presidential spokesman for Burma warned it could be stopped or attacked by security forces.

Malaysia’s application to deliver aid to the Sittwe region and surrounding areas where many Rohingya have settled was rejected by Burma. In the end, Burma gave clearance to Yangon Port only.

Following the port ceremony, Najib condemned violence against ethnic Rohingya, who have been subjected to a military crackdown in western Rakhine state following the killing of nine police by militants in October 2016.

“On the spirit of humanity and fraternity among Muslims, Malaysia is not willing to see ethnic Rohingya brothers with the same faith continue to be mistreated, killed, burned and raped,” he said.

“It would not strain our ties with Myanmar [Burma]. It is an assistance and contribution, it is our hope. We are doing it as a concerned government, on the basis of humanitarian spirit and principles,” he said of the aid shipment.

Malaysia, Najib said, had done its utmost for ethnic Rohingya by organizing a solidarity rally, pushing the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to discuss the crisis, and hosting an extraordinary meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation foreign ministers.

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