SECRETARY BLINKEN: Thank you very much, and good
morning, everyone. Stu, thank you for those very kind words, but also
thank you for so many decades of extraordinary service to this country
and to its ideals.
This is something of a sacred place for me. Every time I walk
through these doors, it has the same impact. And so I’m grateful to
Sara and her leadership of this institution; Naomi, who walked us
through the extraordinary exhibit on the story, the plight of the
Rohingya that we’ll be talking about today. I urge everyone: Come, see
this. Experience this. It will speak incredibly powerful to you.
At least 100 people, mostly women and children, on board a wooden vessel said to be taking on water denied refuge.
A boat carries Rohingya people stranded at sea off Indonesia [Aditya Setiawan via Reuters]
Dozens of Rohingya refugees who were intercepted after their boat ran into trouble off the coast of Indonesia’s Aceh province were being sent into Malaysian waters, authorities said.
At least 100 people, mostly women and children, on board a wooden vessel said to be taking on water were denied refuge in Indonesia and instead pushed into the neighbouring Southeast Asian country.
The United Nations is calling for a thorough and transparent investigation into the massacre of at least 35 people, including women and children, in Myanmar's eastern Kayah state. The incident, that's reported to have taken place on December 24, came to the world's attention after photos taken by the Karen Human Rights Group showed bodies on the backs of trucks, burnt beyond recognition. While Myanmar's military stands accused of another mass killing, the country's state media is reporting that the army had shot and killed terrorists. International condemnations are in order, but are these enough to change the reality on the ground?