Says UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar
Yanghee Lee
At a press briefing in Dhaka
on Sunday at the end of her Bangladesh visit, Yanghee Lee said she was “extremely
concerned that it has been kept secret including by the United Nations agencies
involved”.
By bdnews24.com
The special rapporteur said
the repatriation talk is “extremely premature” as brutality is still going on
in the northern Rakhine State.
Myanmar signed an MoU with
the UNDP and the UNHCR last month to support the creation of conditions for the
return of refugees from Bangladesh.
Lee said after hearing the
news of the signing of the MoU, she had sent a request to the government of
Myanmar through its permanent mission in Geneva for a copy.
“They did not provide me
with a copy but instead shared with me a summary that was prepared by one of
the UN agencies.
“Over the last three weeks,
I also made requests in person to senior officials of the United Nations, who
despite promises, have not shared a copy of the MoU with me,” she said.
“The refugees I spoke with
in Cox’s Bazar expressed their deep concerns, disappointment and anger over the
lack of transparency,” Special Rapporteur Lee added.
“While I am not aware of the
exact terms of the MoUs, I am extremely concerned that it has been kept secret
including by the United Nations agencies involved and urge the parties to make
it public.”
Earlier, media cast doubts
about the future of the repatriation following the ‘secret’ deal as it did not
mention the ethnic identity of those forcibly displaced Muslim Rohingya
refugees. Myanmar denies the citizenship of Rohingyas.
Repatriation talks ‘extremely premature’
The special rapporteur
shared the experience of her interactions with the Rohingyas who have taken
refuge in Cox’s Bazar camps.
Also read: ‘Myanmar dillydallying Rohingya repatriation’
Says UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar Yanghee Lee https://lnkd.in/d9NrH2g
Lee maintained that the
repatriation talk is “extremely premature” as the cruelty is being meted out to
the people in the Rakhine State.
Some recently arrived
Rohingyas told her that the situation in northern Rakhine is “far from stable
or safe, systematic violence targeted against the remaining Roihngya population
continues.”
They also told her that the
Myanmar security forces had entered their villages and told them that they must
accept the national verification card – a form of documentation that does not
provide citizenship rights and which the Rohingyas reject – or leave.
Several women told her that
the security forces searched for their husbands who had been staying out of
houses in fear. They said that they had been raped when their husbands were not
found.
“I was horrified to be told
by one woman that her 12-year old son had been chopped to pieces when he
visited the family’s fish hatchery, after the family had been told by security
forces that they could not go there unless they accepted the verification card.
Such brutality, and to a child, is deplorable.”
According to Special
Rapporteur Lee, it is clear that the Myanmar government has made no progress or
shown any real will to dismantle the system of discrimination in the country’s
laws, policies and practices, and to make northern Rakhine State safe for the
Rohingya refugees to return in near future.
“So there must have some
medium and longer term planning in Cox’s Bazar,” she said suggesting three
things – first, education for all, second, access to meaningful livelihood
opportunities and vocational training, and third, freedom of movement.
“These efforts must be
consistent with international standards,” she said.
The human-rights activist
also asked the international community to establish accountability mechanism
for Myanmar immediately to ensure justice for Rohingyas.
“Enough is enough. Justice
is the key demand of the Rohingya refugees I spoke during my mission,” she
said, “Everyday is a reminder of what happened in Myanmar, their home country,
and their uncertain future.”
The special rapporteurs are
experts who work on a voluntary basis. They are independent from any government
or organisation and serve in their individual capacity.
Lee was denied access to
Myanmar after the latest violence in the Rakhine State.