ASEAN nations can play an important role in resolving the Rohingya crisis, including their repatriation, the United States has said ahead of the next week’s Myanmar travel of the Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

Secretary Tillerson is planning to visit November 15th and will meet with senior leaders and officials there to discuss the next steps in addressing the humanitarian crisis in Rakhine state, the Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees, and Migration Simon Henshaw told reporters during a teleconference with South Asian media this week.

Henshaw recently lead a high-level American delegation to both Burma and Bangladesh, visiting refugee camps and meeting officials. Describing the situation on the ground as serious, and the scale of problem immense, the top American diplomat said that regional countries, in particular ASEAN nations have an important role to play in addressing the Rohingya issue.

“I think that it is important regional countries support the process and speak with both countries and help them in this process to move forward towards repatriation,” Henshaw said. However, it's up to them to make the decision how best to be involved in the region, he said in response to a question.

“I think given the various members ASEAN relations with Bangladesh and Myanmar, they can play an important role in bring about reconciliation the communities that support the two countries and in repatriation efforts,” Henshaw said. “I also think that they are; and they can continue to do is support efforts to support to help the refugees, to provide assistance to refugees inside Bangladesh,” he added.

The United States has praised the efforts of the Bangladeshi government in this regard. “On the actions of the Bangladeshi government, we much appreciate them and praise the effort they've made to deal with this huge number of people coming into their country,” he said.

“I spoke with a number of different ministries when I was up there. The delegation was much appreciative of the effort they're making to support the large number of refugees,” he said.

In Myanmar, the delegation met with government officials, Rohingya and ethnic Rakhine community leaders including a visit to a camp for people who have been internally displaced in Myanmar. “We urge the Myanmar government to act to restore the rule of law, protect local populations and investigate alleged human rights abuses and violations and to hold those responsible, accountable,” he said.

The United States, he said, welcomes the government's plans for repatriation and encouraged them to implement a peace plan soon as possible emphasizing the importance of creating safe conditions that would allow refugees to voluntarily return to their villages.

In Bangladesh, the US delegation met with government officials, international organisation and NGOs and visited refugee camps near cox’s bazaar. “It was so is shocking. The scale of the refugee crisis is immense,” he said adding that more than 600,000 people displaced from their homes since August 25th and there conditions are tough with people still in makeshift tents and shelters as far as the eye can see.

“People were suffering. Many refugees told us through tears accounts of seeing their villages burned their relatives kill in front of them. Some of them recalled being shot at as they fled. Despite this trauma, many expressed a strong desire to return to their homes in Burma provided that their safety security and rights could be guaranteed,” Henshaw said.

Underlining America’s appreciation for the generosity and commitment from the government of people and government of Bangladesh, Henshaw said the situation requires a lot more work. The US was the first one to pledge funds to support international organizations in this crisis. And there has been for a generous contribution from other donors. “More is needed. The US remains committed to addressing the needs of those impacted by the crisis and calls others including those in the region to join us in our response,” he said.

Henshaw, in response to a question said, the Burmese military is “certainly responsible” for the security operations and security as a whole inside Rakhine state. “We call upon them to take steps to restore security and stability and to investigate reports of atrocities particularly by security and other security forces. And we urge any of those responsible for those atrocities be held accountable,” he said.

“We are in talks with the civilian government and urging them to take the same steps. It's tricky and in Burma (Myanmar), there is a transition towards democracy there. In this transition process …we support that transition process and we speak to both the civilian officials and military officials,” he said.

The US official refused to comment on the relationship between the two neighboring countries. “I am not going to comment on the relations between the two countries other than to say that we support their talks and they've already held and further talks on solving the Rohingya issue,” he said.

“We believe these talks should lead to a voluntary return of Rohingya people back to Rakhine state. The conditions in Rakhine state must be made secure and stable so that people are willing to return and that people should be able to return to their land and that this process of political reconciliation inside Rakhine State,” Henshaw said.