SO PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte recently said he was willing to accept a large number of Rohingya Muslim refugees.
At a speech in the presidential palace, Duterte said, “I really pity the people there,” Duterte said. “I’m willing to accept refugees. Rohingyas, yes. I will help but we should split them with Europe.”
In response to Duterte’s comments, Myanmar’s government spokesman, Zaw Hitay said, “He doesn’t know anything about Myanmar. The usual behavior of that person is to speak without restraint. That’s why he said that.”
Now, it’s possible that Duterte may have made his comments to score points on the human rights issue, but assuming that he was being serious, here’s what he needs to consider.
First of all, Europe is being invaded by hundreds of thousands if not millions of “refugees” to the point that some European cities are literally turning into no-go zones for native Europeans. So let’s not follow their examples.
Second, Duterte should remember that he is accountable to the Philippine people, not Rohingya Muslims. His mandate is to do whatever’s best for the nation. Bringing those people into the country does not serve the interests of the nation.
Hitay is correct to lash back at Duterte. The mess in Myanmar has nothing to do with the Philippines. It’s theirs. How would Duterte feel if Myanmar officials criticized him on Mindanao, the Reds or his war on drugs? You get the idea.
Duterte’s comments on Myanmar are barely different from the criticisms that Western leaders and nongovernment organizations have made about his administration. They are the criticisms of outsiders about the internal affairs of sovereign nations. And if Duterte doesn’t enjoy such criticisms then he shouldn’t make them about other countries, otherwise he risks looking like a hypocrite.
What happens in the Philippines is the Philippines’ affairs. What happens in Myanmar is Myanmars’. So what if there is genocide going on there? It’s not our mess to deal with (unless Filipinos are caught in the crossfire, in which case they need to be evacuated).
It’s none of our business.
The same argument is also true for accepting refugees. In this context, the refugees are outsiders, and good leaders do not serve the interests of outsiders unless it also serves the interests of their own people. They may compromise to secure good deals or improve their bargaining positions, but at the end of the day, they must serve their respective countries’ interests. So Duterte’s unilateral proclamation to accept refugees was a mistake.
And here people might complain: But that’s cruel! Cold! Mean!
Yes, and?
Ethnic cleansing happened all the time throughout human history. It’s what happens when two different groups are forced to live together in the same area, and it just so happens that the Rohingyas are on the losing side. There are no good guys or bad guys in such conflicts – just groups and their interests. The mess in Myanmar is Myanmar’s problem.
Let them deal with it. (jdr456@gmail.com/PN)
Moronic, lazy, inaccurate and totally selfish ‘rationale’; your way of justifying not giving a shit about anyone. Perhaps it explains the lack of human rights in your country… run by a self-serving tyrant who also doesn’t blink twice at disposing of thousands of poor while his family is implicated in drug running. Guess you’ll find a way of justifying such horrendous hypocrisy though.
Doesn’t affect you… not your problem I guess… just continue with your self-serving, moronic attitude and hope it doesn’t come back to haunt you… as long as you never consider yourself to be in any way a humanitarian, or a spiritual person. Thank god we do have wonderful people intervening and making a huge difference to those who suffer at the hands of tyrants around the world – no matter who they are or where they come from…people with a heart and a true spirit.