After sending ship, Turkey to donate $1 million for Rohingya refugees

ANKARA

An Indonesian paramedic gives medical treatment to a Rohingya migrant woman, who recently arrived in Indonesia by boat, inside a temporary compound for refugees in Aceh Timur regency, Indonesia's Aceh Province May 21, 2015. REUTERS/Beawiharta

Turkey has pledged to add $1 million to efforts by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to provide humanitarian aid for Rohingya and Bengalese refugees stranded at sea, Anadolu Agency has reported, citing presidency sources. 

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan called Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak on May 20 to talk on refugees stranded in the Andaman Sea and confirmed that Turkey was ready to take responsibility on the issue. 

The agency said Erdoğan told Razak that Turkey appreciated the efforts of Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand for the refugees. 

The Turkish Navy has been carrying out efforts to reach Rohingya Muslims stranded in boats off the coast of Thailand and Malaysia, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu said on May 19. 

Addressing a group of young people at Çankaya Palace May 19, Davutoğlu had said that Turkey was doing its best to reach Rohingya Muslims at sea with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), with the help of a ship from the Turkish Armed Forces already sailing in the region.