DHAKA: The United States has called on Myanmar’s government to treat minority Rohingya Muslims as citizens to solve the root cause of the migrant crisis in Southeast Asia.

On Wednesday, US Assistant Secretary of State Anne Richard also urged all of Myanmar’s leaders to speak up on human rights issues, reports the Aljazeera.

Richard’s comments reflect those of US President Barack Obama, who said the Rohingya - who have lived in Myanmar for generations - are ‘as much citizens of Burma as anyone else,’ referring to the country by its former name.

Politicians in Myanmar were focused on a historic general election scheduled for November, Richard said, which was hindering political discussion of the status of the Rohingya.

Opposition leader and Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi has faced international criticism for failing to speak out on behalf of the nation’s many ethnic groups, including the Rohingya.

“We would love to see all Burmese leaders speak up on human rights and to realize that they should help the Rohingya,” she said. “The boats are not going to wait until December - the people on the boats need help right now.”

Richard said that, on a previous visit to Rakhine state, she found “one of the most oppressive atmospheres I’ve ever travelled in”.

Her comments came as Myanmar’s navy escorted a boat crammed with 727 abandoned migrants to the town of Maung-daw in western Rakhine state. Navy commanders have said that they will not take any further action until all the migrants are identified.

BDST: 1426 HRS, JUNE 03, 2015
BD/