Why did the Philippines vote against the United Nations General Assembly resolution regarding the Rohingya crisis? Ten countries - China, Russia, Syria, Zimbabwe, Belarus, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and the Philippines - voted against the resolution. One hundred thirty-five countries voted in favor, while twenty-six abstained, including Singapore and Thailand.
The resolution calls for "full and unhindered humanitarian aid access and for Myanmar to grant full citizenship rights to Rohingya Muslims, who are treated by Buddhists as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh." Some say that "ethnic cleansing" is now occurring in Myanmar, where many Rohingya Muslims have been killed by the Myanmar military.
I can understand why Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei Darussalam voted in favor of the resolutions, as Muslims were being oppressed in Myanmar. Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam voted against the resolution probably because of the predominant Buddhist religion in their respective countries.
But why did we vote against the resolution? Did we vote against the resolution, because human rights is the issue, where the country can be accused of hypocrisy due to its own issues on human rights? Or did we just go along with China and Russia, the new friends of President Duterte?
According to the Palace, the situation in Myanmar is complicated, and the answer is not to isolate Myanmar, since that may harden the stand of the government and make things worse. Sec. Cayetano also says that the government refrains from supporting politicized issues.
But did we not favor and support the creation of a Timorese state which was at odds against the Indonesian government? Did we not support Aung San Suu Kyi in her rise to power and as a voice of freedom in Myanmar, against the military junta existing at the time?
These are politicized issues as well. Why should we vote against the unhindered delivery of assistance to the thousands in need in the Rakhine state? The whole world sees the hardship of Rohingya Muslims fleeing to Bangladesh in order to avoid a massacre.Would we appreciate it if there were countries that decided not help Marawi residents fleeing the fighting, because of non-interference reasons?
The Philippines must vote in favor of the UN resolution. It is the right thing to do. One hundred thirty-five countries think so. Unless we now belong to those group of countries that seem to frequently block UN resolutions for a myriad of reasons.