Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees celebrate the fifth anniversary of their exodus from Myanmar to Bangladesh
Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees celebrate the fifth anniversary of their exodus from Myanmar to Bangladesh
On August 25, hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees marked the fifth anniversary of their exodus from Myanmar to Bangladesh, while the United States, the European Union and other Western countries pledged to continue supporting the search for justice for refugees in international courts.
Bangladesh is hosting more than one million Rohingya refugees who fled Myanmar for decades, including some 740,000 who began an “evacuation campaign” against them following attacks by a rebel group by the Myanmar military in August 2017. After crossing the border. The security situation in Myanmar has worsened since a military takeover last year, and efforts to deport them failed.
In March, the United States said that persecution of the Rohingya in Myanmar equated to genocide This comes after authorities confirmed accounts of widespread atrocities against civilians by Myanmar’s military in a widespread and systematic campaign against the ethnic minority. The Muslim Rohingya face widespread discrimination in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, where most are denied citizenship and many other rights.
Bangladeshi authorities have expressed dismay over their repatriation to Myanmar after at least two attempts to repatriate refugees since 2017 have failed, but Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said their repatriation to their own land was the only solution to the crisis. is the solution.
On the eve of the anniversary, Bangladesh Interior Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said in a statement that his country wanted the refugees to return safely to Myanmar.
“Bangladesh wants to ensure that the Rohingya can return home to Myanmar in safe conditions where they will no longer be persecuted and will eventually get citizenship,” he said.
Mr Khan said, “We urge the international community to work with us to provide assistance to the Rohingya people, put pressure on Myanmar to stop mass persecution and allow Rohingyas to be safely repatriated to their homes. ”
issue of Rohingya crisis Has gone to international courts where Myanmar has denied allegations of any wrongdoing. But global powers are not satisfied with the situation in Myanmar.
In a statement, US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken said on Wednesday that the US was “committed to advancing justice and accountability” for the Rohingya and all people of Myanmar.
“We continue to support independent investigation mechanisms for Myanmar, the case under the Genocide Convention that The Gambia has brought against Burma before the International Court of Justice, and credible courts around the world that have jurisdiction over cases involving Burmese military atrocities crimes. jurisdiction,” Mr Blinken said.
Separately, a joint statement by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union, and the foreign ministers of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Norway, the United Kingdom and the United States, said they were concerned with the establishment of a UN fact-finding mission. Persistent patterns of serious human rights violations and abuses, many of which are serious offenses under international law.
“We also recognize other initiatives to hold perpetrators accountable, including the Gambia’s efforts before the International Court of Justice, which is currently investigating whether the Myanmar military is taking action against the Rohingya,” the statement said. The atrocities committed also amounted to genocide.”
“We reiterate that Myanmar must comply with the order of the International Court of Provisional Measures,” it said.
Human rights groups including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch also urged action.
Human Rights Watch said in a statement that the anniversary should prompt relevant governments to hold the Myanmar military accountable and do more to ensure justice and safety for Rohingyas in Bangladesh, Myanmar and the region as a whole.
“Governments should mark the five-year anniversary of the disastrous campaign against the Rohingya with a coordinated international strategy for accountability and justice that is based on Rohingya input,” said Human Rights Watch acting Asia director Ellen Pearson.
Bangladesh and Myanmar signed a bilateral agreement in November 2017, brokered by China for the repatriation of refugees. Bangladesh had sought assistance from China to help repatriate the Rohingya to Myanmar during a visit by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi earlier this month.