By Syed Zainul
Abedin Dhaka Tribune
European
Commissioner Christos Stylianides said he was shocked and appalled by the scale
of the humanitarian crisis that he had witnessed during his visit to Kutupalong
refugee camp in Cox's Bazar
The European Union
(EU) is well aware that the reasons behind ongoing Rohingya crisis, which has
driven away more than half a million people from their home, are rooted in
Myanmar, said Christos Stylianides, the European commissioner for humanitarian
aid and crisis management.
“The EU is well
aware that the root causes of this crisis lie in Myanmar, and I strongly
believe that there can only be a political solution to this crisis,” the
European commissioner said after returning from his visit to the Kutupalong
refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar on Wednesday.
Speaking to
reporters at the Padma State Guest House in Dhaka on Wednesday evening,
Stylianides said he was shocked by the scale of the crisis he had witnessed in
Cox’s Bazar.
“The number of
people, their needs, their trauma – [these] are beyond imagination. Acute
malnutrition in children is also beyond imagination and at the same time the
vast majority of them do not have any chance to go to school,” he said.
He further said this
was a very dangerous situation, as an entire generation was being affected by
this humanitarian crisis.
“[The] Rohingya are
nothing less that every other human being in the world. This [situation] is,
especially for the European Union and also for me personally, appalling,” he
added.
Earlier on
Wednesday, Stylianides met with Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali, when he once
again reaffirmed the EU’s support for Bangladesh in tacking the crisis.
“I am here in
Bangladesh to convey the strong message of support from [the] European Union.
Our solidarity goes to both Rohingya and the people of Bangladesh, particularly
the local community in Cox’s Bazar… “The generosity of Bangladesh in hosting
the Rohingya people is incredible.”
The European
commissioner also called for a safe and dignified return of the Rohingya people
to their homeland in Rakhine, Myanmar.
“The governments of
Bangladesh and Myanmar should continue to engage in dialogue. This is the only
way to ensure safe, dignified and voluntary return of those who were forced to
cross the border and want to return home,” he told reporters.
The EU commissioner
said the EU stood by Bangladesh in these difficult conditions and would
continue to provide assistance until a solution was found.
European
Commissioner Stylianides visited Kutupalong refugee camp in Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar
on Tuesday to assess the situation on the ground and visit EU aid projects that
are addressing the Rohingya crisis.
His visit comes a
week after the EU and its member states pledged more than 50% of the $344
million funding raised at the international conference on the Rohingya crisis
recently held in Geneva.
