Call to address root causes of refugee outflows

FE Report | Published: May 29, 2015 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00

About 83 migrants' rights organisations demanded regional and national steps to address the root causes of refugee and migrant outflows.
The rights groups representing more than 600 non-governmental and civil society organisations in the Asia Pacific region also called for providing necessary humanitarian assistance to the vulnerable and trafficked victims such as adequate food, water and health care.
They made their demands in a statement on Thursday ahead of the meeting on 'Irregular migration' to be held today (May 29) in Bangkok. The meeting will be arranged under Thai government's initiatives. About 17 countries including Bangladesh will attend the meeting. The statement was issued by National Alliance for Migrants' Rights, Bangladesh (NAMR,B).
Their other demands include ensuring procedural transparency so that the affected people get access to the due process of law and are fully informed of their rights and responsibilities.
However, the rights group welcomed the decision of giving temporary shelter to refugees and migrants rescued from sea by Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand. They also expressed hope that the meeting would pave the way for longer term, sustainable and durable solutions to the crisis of irregular movements by sea by those seeking to escape poverty. Furthermore, they believe that no refugee should be penalised as a result of the way she or he entered a country.
Meanwhile, some 76 national non-governmental organisations (NGOs) also issued a joint statement prior to the meeting. They called for all the countries concerned to take swift and decisive action to crack down and arrest all traffickers, and ensure that no more innocent lives are destroyed by human trafficking.
They also urged the related governments attending the meeting to take up an action plan to address this humanitarian crisis.
They also demanded treating all of them as victims whose human rights have been violated, dignity taken away and humanity stripped off.
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