Myanmar Rejects China’s Offer to Resolve Row With Bangladesh Over Rohingya

[third eye]

Rohingya refugees who recently fled violence in Myanmar wait in a long food line in Ukhia, Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, March 5, 2017.


The Myanmar government has rejected an offer by its powerful neighbor China to mediate a diplomatic dispute that the Southeast Asian country is having with Bangladesh over the recent exodus of minority Rohingya Muslims, a government spokesman said on Monday.

On April 25, China offered to step in between the two nations that are butting heads over the plight of tens of thousands of Rohingya who fled to Bangladesh during a violent crackdown in western Myanmar’s Rakhine state that began last October.

The stateless Rohingya have been living in refugee camps in Cox's Bazar near the border with Myanmar while the two countries hash out which one should take responsibility for them. Many people in Myanmar believe the Rohingya are illegal refugees from Bangladesh and refer to them as “Begalis.”

“Myanmar and Bangladesh are already trying to solve the Rakhine issue,” Zaw Htay, spokesman of the State Counselor’s Office, said at a news conference in the capital Naypyidaw on April 29. “Our government’s policy is to resolve this problem bilaterally between Myanmar and Bangladesh.”

“We can understand China’s offer for mediation, as it has its interests in the region such as with the Kyaukphyu pipeline but, as I have said, our policy is to resolve it [the issue] between Myanmar and Bangladesh ourselves,” he said.

The U.S. $1.5 billion oil pipeline connects Rakhine state’s deep-water port in the town of Kyaukphyu in the Bay of Bengal with the city of Kunming, capital of southwestern China’s Yunnan province, but has not begun pumping crude from Myanmar to China because the countries have yet to finalize the terms of the deal and sign a contract.

China also wants to mitigate the row between Myanmar and Bangladesh to ensure that its infrastructure development interests in both nations remain secure.

Myanmar has come under heavy fire by the international community and rights groups for possible “ethnic cleansing” of the Rohingya during the four-month crackdown and for its basic treatment of the members of the group, who are denied citizenship and other basic rights in the Buddhist-majority country.

 

[Homo Sapiens]

Rohingya refugees who recently fled violence in Myanmar wait in a long food line in Ukhia, Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, March 5, 2017.


The Myanmar government has rejected an offer by its powerful neighbor China to mediate a diplomatic dispute that the Southeast Asian country is having with Bangladesh over the recent exodus of minority Rohingya Muslims, a government spokesman said on Monday.

On April 25, China offered to step in between the two nations that are butting heads over the plight of tens of thousands of Rohingya who fled to Bangladesh during a violent crackdown in western Myanmar’s Rakhine state that began last October.

The stateless Rohingya have been living in refugee camps in Cox's Bazar near the border with Myanmar while the two countries hash out which one should take responsibility for them. Many people in Myanmar believe the Rohingya are illegal refugees from Bangladesh and refer to them as “Begalis.”

“Myanmar and Bangladesh are already trying to solve the Rakhine issue,” Zaw Htay, spokesman of the State Counselor’s Office, said at a news conference in the capital Naypyidaw on April 29. “Our government’s policy is to resolve this problem bilaterally between Myanmar and Bangladesh.”

“We can understand China’s offer for mediation, as it has its interests in the region such as with the Kyaukphyu pipeline but, as I have said, our policy is to resolve it [the issue] between Myanmar and Bangladesh ourselves,” he said.

The U.S. $1.5 billion oil pipeline connects Rakhine state’s deep-water port in the town of Kyaukphyu in the Bay of Bengal with the city of Kunming, capital of southwestern China’s Yunnan province, but has not begun pumping crude from Myanmar to China because the countries have yet to finalize the terms of the deal and sign a contract.

China also wants to mitigate the row between Myanmar and Bangladesh to ensure that its infrastructure development interests in both nations remain secure.

Myanmar has come under heavy fire by the international community and rights groups for possible “ethnic cleansing” of the Rohingya during the four-month crackdown and for its basic treatment of the members of the group, who are denied citizenship and other basic rights in the Buddhist-majority country.

Not unexpected from a rogue state like Myanmar.

 

[Nabil365]

India is silent on this issue and even China is abit angry with this.There goes Myanmar's dream of being an economic hub.

 

[ashok321]

India is silent on this issue and even China is a bit angry with this.There goes Myanmar's dream of being an economic hub.

Myanmar is a member state of coveted ASEAN.
China, India & Bangladesh are not.

 

[Chinese-Dragon]

Bangladesh is a much better friend and partner of China than Myanmar ever will be.

 

[UKBengali]

Bangladesh is a much better friend and partner of China than Myanmar ever will be.

Unlike Myanmar BD would never betray China.

 

[Bengal Tiger 71]

A Beggary nation what can we expect from them. we need to prepare for a war after 2025 to full fill the near forces goal then we can challenge extensively.

 

[UKBengali]

A Beggary nation what can we expect from them. we need to prepare for a war after 2025 to full fill the near forces goal then we can challenge extensively.

Let them alienate China as without China BD can have it's way with them.

 

[Bengal Tiger 71]

Let them alienate China as without China BD can have it's way with them.

100% true, because at this moment if we tray to do then China, India, Russia, USA will be ......................., so it will be good wait for right time.

 

[Chinese-Dragon]

Unlike Myanmar BD would never betray China.

Sure, but I was thinking more along the lines of the fact that Bangladesh has a strong economic potential, and Myanmar doesn't.

Whether they backstab us or not isn't the biggest deal (it is somewhat expected anyway). The fact is that we have a lot more to gain via our partnership with Bangladesh, economically and strategically.

 

[UKBengali]

100% true, because at this moment if we tray to do then China, India, Russia, USA will be .......................

India will be irrelevant by 2030.
BD then will only need China and US to not back up Myanmar in confrontation.

 

[Mage]

Good initiative by China. As Expected from Myanmar.

 

[Bengal Tiger 71]

India will be irrelevant by 2030.
BD then will only need China and US to not back up Myanmar in confrontation.

if India switch off the all electric line which is supplied by them just think what will happen? we have to decrease the dependency of India first.

 

[UKBengali]

if India switch off the all electric line which is supplied by them just think what will happen? we have to decrease the dependency of India first.

It will not be more 5% of BD total generating capacity.
If India wants to lose money for no gain, let them.

 

[idune]

Its good to see China took the initiative (although belated). Can Myanmar sustain its development track without Chinese help? Most certainly not. Because neither ASEAN or any other country can provide resource China can. In fact big ASEAN countries like Indonesia and Malaysia have resentment towards Myanmar. Lets see what Myanmar does with indian instigation and being a backward nation.