By M.S. Anwar | February 3, 2017
Kuala Lumpur — The Malaysian humanitarian ship ‘Nautical
Aliya’ carrying tons of foods and medical supplies for the persecuted Rohingya
minority in Myanmar set off from Malaysia today (Feb 3).
The flotilla mission titled ‘Food Flotilla for Myanmar’s
Rakhine State’ has been organized by ‘MAPIM (Majlis Perundingan Pertubuhan
Islam Malaysia)’ and ‘Kelab Putera 1 Malaysia’; and backed by scores of other
local and International NGOs.
The Malaysian PM, Dato’ Sri Najib Tun Razak; the Defense
Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein; and other higher ranking Malaysian
officials were present to send off the ship from the country’s Port Klang
today.
Speaking at the ceremony of the ship departure, PM Najib
“I have said it. They (Myanmar) have persecuted them (the Rohingya) enough. So,
we have voiced for the Rohingya and we will keep doing it. We will do our best
to help them and they shouldn’t feel ignored.”
PM Najib also urged the member nations of the OIC
(Organization of Islamic Cooperation) and the International Community to walk
along with Malaysia in solving the Rohingya plight.
The humanitarian ship is expected to reach to the Yangon
Port in two days’ time, where they will distribute some foods and medicines in
the region and obtain permission for further travel to Sittwe (Akyab). In
Sittwe, they will distribute aids to the thousands of the Internally Displaced
People (IDP) and will take further aids to the Maungdaw Township by land.
In case that Myanmar turns away the humanitarian aids and
shows lack of commitment in humanitarian services again, the aid ship will not
forcibly go into the country’s territory but seek to travel further to Teknaf
region of Bangladesh to help the Rohingya refugees that have recently fled from
the Myanmar military violence in Maungdaw.
“Our sole aim is to deliver the humanitarian aids to the
people critically in need. And we know how Myanmar government behaves and
manipulates. So, we’ll do our best.
“But we will neither threaten Myanmar’s sovereignty nor
allow to go our humanitarian aids go into the wrong hands. We’ll make sure any
Rohingyas receive our help. We choose Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh as Plan
B”, said Cikgu Azmi Abdul Hamid, the President of the NGO MAPIM, speaking to
Rohingya Vision TV.
Since October 9, 2016, the Myanmar military has launched
a genocidal violence on the Rohingya civilian population in Maungdaw Township
on pretext of ‘Operation Clearance’ and the region has been sealed off from the
International Humanitarian Teams, the Independent Media and the International
Human Rights observers
