“At present, conditions in Myanmar's Rakhine state are
not in place to enable safe and sustainable returns. Refugees are still
fleeing, and many have suffered violence, rape, and deep psychological harm,”
Adrian Edwards, a spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for
Refugees (UNHCR), told journalists at a regular media briefing in Geneva
Friday.
“It is critical that returns do not take place
precipitously or prematurely, without the informed consent of refugees or the
basic elements of lasting solutions in place,” he stressed.
Over the past three months, widespread inter-communal
violence in Myanmar's northern Rakhine state resulted in some 622,000 people
fleeing into neighbouring Bangladesh. Prior to this latest crisis, Bangladesh
was already hosting well over 200,000 Rohingya refugees as a result of earlier
displacements.
According to the UN refugee agency, some of those who
fled witnessed the deaths of family and friends, and most have little or
nothing to go back to with their homes and villages destroyed.
“Deep divisions between communities remain unaddressed,”
added Mr. Edwards, underscoring that progress towards addressing the root
causes of flight, including lack of citizenship for members of the Rohingya
community, as recommended by the Rakhine Advisory Commission, will also be
crucial.
Furthermore, humanitarian access in northern Rakhine
state remains negligible.
At the briefing, the UNHCR spokesperson also noted that
the UN agency looks forward to seeing details of the agreement between the two
countries, and that it stands ready to help both governments work towards a
solution for the Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh that meets international refugee
and human rights standards.
“Refugees have the right to return [and] a framework that
enables them to exercise this right in line with international standards, will
be welcome,” he said.