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<p>Following the discovery on 1 May of a mass grave in Thailand containing the bodies
of Rohingya, and the ensuing humanitarian crisis at sea in South East Asia, the UK
lobbied governments in the region to address the urgent humantarian needs of those
stranded at sea. In particular, we urged countries in the region to uphold their obligation
of rescue at sea for vessels in distress, and to take a coordinated approach to people
trafficking.</p><p>On 18 May, I called the Burmese Ambassador to the Foreign and Commonwealth
Office to press for an immediate humanitarian response and to urge Burma to take part
in regional coordination efforts. On 20 May, I met the Bangladeshi Foreign Secretary
to stress the need for Bangladesh to work within the region to address people trafficking
and irregular migration originating from Bangladesh. Our officials have also discussed
the issue with EU partners. Permanent Representatives in New York discussed the crisis
in the UN Security Council on 28 May. While the immediate crisis is now receding,
we are also pushing for a long term solution to the underlying problems, including
the status of the Rohingya and an improvement to the dire socio-economic conditions
faced by the Rohingya in Rakhine which is a key driver of their migration.</p>
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