OIC Sec-Gen Lauds Malaysia's Leading Role In Rohingya Issue

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 18 (Bernama) -- Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Secretary-General Dr Yousef Ahmad Al-Othaimeen has lauded Malaysia's leading role on the situation of Rohingya muslims in Myanmar.

He said the special meeting on Rohingya Muslims called by Malaysia was a positive step for all 57 member nations of OIC to express their concern on the ongoing crisis in Myanmar.

"We are not touching on any country's sovereignty or intervening in their internal affairs.

"But what is happening in Myanmar is an international humanitarian issue that cannot be ignored," he told the media after a bilateral meeting with Malaysian Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman, here today.

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Extraordinary Session of The Council of Foreign Ministers on the situation of the Muslim minority Rohingya will be convened at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre here tomorrow on the request of the Government of Malaysia.

Anifah today had also met his Afghanistan and Qatar counterparts, Salahuddin Rabbani and Soltan Saad Al-Muraikhi, respectively for bilateral meetings.

Meanwhile, OIC in a statement today, stated that the extraordinary meeting would look into necessary firm steps to urge Myanmar's government in ensuring permission for humanitarian aid to reach its Rakhine province.

The meeting will also discuss the living conditions of the internally displaced Muslims inside Myanmar whose numbers are above 120,000 to date.

The meeting comes within the framework of the constantly deep concerns of the OIC General Secretariat over the situation of the Muslim Rohingyas and the continued violence against them.

-- BERNAMA