Putting emphasis on a long-term solution to
the protracted Rohingya crisis, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said she is
going to place a four-point proposal at the ongoing United Nations General
Assembly (UNGA) to this end.
“Let me reiterate the following points which
I shall be presenting to the (current) 74th UNGA Session,” she said.
The proposals, she said, are:
1. Myanmar must express clear political will
manifested by concrete actions for sustainable return and reintegration of
Rohingyas to Myanmar.
2. Myanmar must build trust among the
Rohingyas by discarding discriminatory laws and practices and allowing “go and
see” visit to the Northern Rakhine by the Rohingya representatives.
3. Myanmar must guarantee security and safety
of the Rohingyas, among others, by deploying civilian monitors from
international community in the Rakhine state.
4. International community must ensure that
the root causes of Rohingya problem are addressed and atrocity crimes committed
against the Rohingyas are accounted for. OIC initiative to take the issue to
ICJ is indeed a significant step towards that direction.
The prime minister made the announcement
while addressing a “High-level Event on the Situation of Rohingya Minority in
Myanmar” here on Tuesday afternoon local time.
The Permanent Mission of Bangladesh to the UN
and the OIC Secretariat organised the event at the UN Headquarters.
Sheikh Hasina mentioned that in the past, she
had offered a five-point proposal to the United Nations during the 72nd UN
General Assembly.
“The proposals included full implementation
of recommendations of Kofi Annan Commission, and establishment of a “civilian
monitored safe zone” in the Rakhine State,” she said.
The prime minister reiterated that the
Rohingya crisis is a political one deeply rooted in Myanmar and thus, its
solution has to be found inside Myanmar.
“I reiterate, the root of the Rohingya
problem lies in Myanmar and the solution has to be found in Myanmar,” she said.
Malaysian Prime Minister Dr Mahathir
Mohammad, OIC Secretary General Dr Yousef bin Ahmed Al-Othaimeen and Saudi
Foreign Minister Dr Ibrahim bin Abdulaziz Al-Assaf also spoke at the event.
Besides, ministers and representatives of
different countries including the USA, the UK, Canada, Germany, Belgium,
European Union, Sweden, the Netherlands, Turkey, Sweden, Singapore, Kuwait,
Serbia, the Philippines and Gambia also joined the event.
The prime minister said while humanitarian
assistance and other supports to the Rohingyas address their immediate needs,
it is important to achieve a long-term solution in Myanmar to the protracted
Rohingya crisis.
“They must be able to return to their homes
where they lived for centuries,” she said.
The prime minister said: “It’s regrettable
that we are passing yet another year without any solution to the Rohingya
crisis. The plight of the Rohingyas– persecuted in the Northern Rakhine state
of Myanmar is continuing unabated.”
According to the UN reports, she said,
Rohingyas have been victims of atrocity crimes.
The premier said the issue of accountability
for human rights violations against the Rohingyas would be another crucial
factor to ensure sustainable, safe and voluntary return.
“Bangladesh is following the ongoing proceedings
of the International Criminal Court … we believe that OIC can also play a major
role in fulfilling the need to ensure accountability through the Ad-Hoc
Ministerial Group on Accountability,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh appreciates the
adoption of the Joint Communiqué of the 14th Islamic Summit Conference of OIC
held in Makkah Al-Mukarramah, on 31 May 2019.
“It urged the adhoc Ministerial Committee led
by the Gambia to take immediate measures to launch the case at the
International Court of Justice on behalf of the OIC. We believe it is time to
act upon the decision expressed in the OIC Summit Joint Communiqué,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh has been
hosting 1.1 million forcibly deported Myanmar Nationals. “We’ve opened our borders
for these people in the spirit of humanitarianism, which is a pervading moral
fiber of Islam,” she said.
The prime minister said Bangladesh will
continue to do everything possible to ensure the basic needs of the Rohingyas
pending their return to their homeland.
“We’ve allocated over 6800 acres of forest
land for sheltering them incurring huge ecological hazard and environmental
destruction,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh has extended
all kinds of humanitarian assistance including shelter, food, health, water and
sanitation to the Rohingyas.
She went on saying: “A considerable number of
public sector employees were deployed to coordinate management and law and
order in the camps.”
The premier said new and additional physical
infrastructures including roads and power supply arrangements had to be built
on an ongoing basis. “As many as 219 medical facilities were set up over time,
out of which fifty are being operated by the government,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina said in terms of financial
assistance, as of now, around USD 120 million has been released from the
government’s exchequer for direct assistance to the Rohingya.
“Among additional measures, by instance, our
Ministry of Social Welfare took charge of the 39,841 Rohingya orphans
registered so far … I also sanctioned more than USD 2.5 million from my special
relief fund in support of the host community,” she said.
The premier said to address the congestion
problem in the camps as well as to facilitate humanitarian services to the
displaced Rohingyas, the government is developing “Bhasan Char Island” with all
the provisions to protect the displaced Rohingyas.
“In Bhasan Char, the Rohingyas will be
provided with better housing facility and also livelihood opportunity till they
return to Myanmar,” she said.
Source: The Daily Star
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Don’t forget to read more below:
UN FFM Report: 600,000 Rohingya still in
Myanmar at 'serious risk of genocide': https://lnkd.in/grp4Gvg