Last week, Malaysia’s Prime Minister Najib Razak ordered his navy and coast guard to rescue Asia’s latest boat people, thousands of Rohingyas fleeing Burma. He may have already known about the discovery of 139 graves of migrants on Malaysian territory, a horrific discovery the government announced this week.
Mr. Najib’s action, taken after weeks of ignoring the refugees’ plight, is but a small step towards solving the problem of this mass exodus. In a broader sense, it displays just how divided Southeast Asia remains and how unprepared it is to deal with crises.
The Rohingya saga parallels that of other migrants fleeing oppression or seeking better opportunities abroad. The government of Burma’s President Thein Sein has increased its repression in the past several years, including denying Rohingyas the right to vote, restricting their movements and denying them basic social services.
The full text of this article will be posted on Monday, June 1.
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