The ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights(APHR), a regional network for promoting democracy, has expressed concern over media reports that thousands of Rohingya may be caught in the crossfire between the Arakan Army and the Burmese military junta.

‘We are deeply concerned and alarmed by reports that tens of thousands of Rohingya civilians may be trapped in the fighting between the Arakan Army and Burmese military junta in Maungdaw, Rakhine state,’ said APHR Co-chair Charles Santiago, in a statement on Tuesday.

The statement mentioned that thousands of Rohingya had already been displaced by escalating fighting in the region since last month and this continued violence would only exacerbate the ongoing humanitarian crisis that the Rohingya were subjected to.

‘The fact that ASEAN and international community continue to sit on their hands while countless Rohingya lose homes and their lives is indefensible. We urge Laos as the ASEAN Chair to push for a cessation of violence so that all civilians can move to safety,’ said Charles, a former Malaysian lawmaker

He urged the member states of ASEAN and other neighboring countries to allow Rohingyas fleeing the violence safe passage to seek refuge within their borders. ‘In 2017, the international community’s inaction allowed the Myanmar military junta to commit a genocide against the Rohingya. We simply must not allow history to repeat itself,’ Charles Santiago said in the statement.