Asean leaders address Myanmar’s Rohingya crisis, but refuse to point finger at Aung San Suu Kyi
Myanmar’s embattled figurehead focus of summit but Southeast Asian leaders remain diplomatic, unlike protesters near Sydney venue
Australia and its Asean neighbours vowed to boost defence ties while stressing the importance of non-militarisation in the disputed South China Sea on Sunday at a summit where the “complex” Rohingya crisis took centre-stage.
Leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, at the three-day meeting in Sydney, also agreed to work more closely to tackle the growing menace of violent extremism and radicalisation.
But while a final communique noted a resolve to “protect the human rights of our peoples”, it failed to condemn member state Myanmar’s treatment of the Rohingya Muslim minority group.
Nearly 700,000 Rohingya have fled troubled Rakhine state for Bangladesh since authorities launched a brutal crackdown six months ago following attacks on security forces by Rohingya militants.
Myanmar’s unofficial leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who was in Sydney, has vehemently denied the allegations.