THE ASIAN AGE
30 August 2019
Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen on Thursday held Myanmar responsible as efforts to begin repatriation of Rohingyas went in vain and sought more pressure on Myanmar to repatriate the Rohingyas.
"It's Myanmar's failure as it has failed to ensure security for the Rohingyas in Rakhine State. You (international community) have the responsibility. Our appeal to you is to be more aggressive…you will take more actions because it's not our problem only, it's a problem of all of us."
Dr. Momen made the remarks while talking to journalists at state guesthouse Padma in the city after briefing diplomats over the latest Rohingya situation. But the Myanmar embassy did not send any representative to the program. The minister briefed the diplomats and representatives of the UN agencies as two consecutive efforts to begin the repatriation of the displaced Rohingyas have failed.
Momen has also appealed to the international community to be more aggressive to resolve the Rohingya refugee crisis that has unfolded from persecution and military violence in Rakhine. He said, "You, global leadership and global organizations, all will have to take active steps so that Myanmar is compelled to take them back."
Claiming that Myanmar has created the Rohingya crisis, Momen said Myanmar will have to put an end to the crisis with its own efforts.
"It's Myanmar's failure as it has failed to ensure security for the Rohingyas in Rakhine State. You (international community) have the responsibility. Our appeal to you is to be more aggressive…you will take more actions because it's not our problem only, it's a problem of all of us."
Dr. Momen made the remarks while talking to journalists at state guesthouse Padma in the city after briefing diplomats over the latest Rohingya situation. But the Myanmar embassy did not send any representative to the program. The minister briefed the diplomats and representatives of the UN agencies as two consecutive efforts to begin the repatriation of the displaced Rohingyas have failed.
Momen has also appealed to the international community to be more aggressive to resolve the Rohingya refugee crisis that has unfolded from persecution and military violence in Rakhine. He said, "You, global leadership and global organizations, all will have to take active steps so that Myanmar is compelled to take them back."
Claiming that Myanmar has created the Rohingya crisis, Momen said Myanmar will have to put an end to the crisis with its own efforts.
According to the minister, Bangladesh is doing whatever the country can do for the Rohingya refugees and put an end to their plight, the diplomats were told. Action will be taken against NGOs operating in Rohingya camps, if they violate terms and conditions, Momen said.
The minister said if evidence is found against the NGOs about their activities that go beyond the terms and references, action will be taken against them soon.
Asked what's next after the second failed attempt to start the repatriation, he said they will continue their efforts. "We want to solve it through discussions. We want a peaceful solution".
The whole world is with Bangladesh and different countries are trying to convince Myanmar in different ways, he added.
He also said Myanmar's key ally China also wants to help both Myanmar and Bangladesh to solve the crisis. "The new Chinese ambassador has talked to me. They will talk to Myanmar and then decide," he said when asked where Bangladesh, Myanmar and China are going to sit on the issue.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam and Foreign Secretary M Shahidul Haque were present at that time.
Over 700,000 Rohingya Muslims have entered Bangladesh taking the number of refugees in the country past 1.1 million.
Bangladesh and Myanmar signed a repatriation deal on November 23, 2017, but there has been little progress.
The first batch of Rohingyas was scheduled to return on November 15 last year but it was also halted amid the unwillingness of Rohingyas to go back citing a lack of congenial atmosphere in Rakhine State.
The second schedule was on August 22 but Rohingyas have declined to go back saying security issues. Later on August 25, Rohingyas staged a big rally in the refugee camp area marking two years of the latest exodus from the Rakhine State.
On July 29, Bangladesh handed a fresh list of 25,000 Rohingyas from around 6,000 families to Myanmar for verification before their repatriation.
Earlier on Tuesday, UN Resident Coordinator in Dhaka Mia Seppo said Bangladesh has certainly done its part when it comes to the Rohingya crisis and now it is up to the world to make sure Bangladesh does not shoulder this burden alone.
Link:https://dailyasianage.com/news/193277/mount-pressure-on-myanmar
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