The UN’s refugee data shame, and what needs to be done

The Citizen
Oped

By ZARA RAHMAN
THURSDAY JUNE 24 2021

A Rohingya refugee holds ID cards, in Shamlapur refugee camp, Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh on 25 March, 2018. PHOTO | FILE

I saw this coming, and I wish I had been wrong.

Back in 2017, I wrote of the risks of the UN’s refugee agency, UNHCR, collecting biometric registration data from Rohingya refugees, noting that the data could be used to drive unwilling repatriation; that collecting such data may make refugees believe their access to aid depends upon providing such data; and that – once collected or shared – such biometric data is virtually impossible to get rid of.

Nearly four years later, a report from Human Rights Watch (HRW) says these worst-case scenarios have come true: A detailed database of the Rohingya refugee population has been handed over to Myanmar’s government, which drove them across the border into Bangladesh almost four years ago. The same millitary that conducted the (most recent) genocide against the Rohingya now holds the biometric data of the population it has tried to eradicate.

UN says some 230,000 people displaced by fighting in coup-hit Myanmar

PRESS TV
Thursday, 24 June 2021

Children and elders line up for food distribution in the eastern town of Namlan, Myanmar, on May 25, 2021, after being displaced from fighting between the military troops and ethnic forces. (Photo by AFP)

The United Nations says an estimated 230,000 people have been displaced by fighting in Myanmar and need humanitarian assistance, several months after the military took power and plunged the Southeast Asian country into chaos.

Turmoil has gripped Myanmar since de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy (NLD) were ousted on February 1 through a military coup, with near-daily protests and a nationwide civil disobedience movement.

Protesters are demanding the restoration of civilian rule and the release of Suu Kyi and her associates, who have been under arrest ever since.

Rohingya Refugees Protest Over Inadequate Conditions

OWP

The Organisation for World Peace
Madison Smith
June 24, 2021

An estimated 4,000 Rohingya refugees on the remote island of Bhasan Char, off the coast of Bangladesh, have protested their inadequate living conditions and desires to leave the camp during a recent United Nations visit. Protestors were upset at the lack of access to the visiting UN members, and reportedly could not speak to them without the presence of Bangladesh authorities. Local police have reported cases of unruly protestors throwing rocks and breaking glass, damaging warehouses and other properties. In turn, they resorted to using batons to disperse protestors, causing harm to even women and children. The United Nations High Commissioner for refugees (UNHCR) has expressed concern over injuries inflicted on these refugees, as well as dismay over inadequate conditions on the low-lying island, which is susceptible to rising sea levels.

Armed rebels have declared war on the Myanmar junta, and the country is gearing up for all-out urban warfare

INSIDER

Cheryl Teh
Jun 23, 2021,

A man holds a torch as he stands behind a barricade during a protest against the military coup, in Yangon, Myanmar March 28, 2021. Stringer/Reuters

• A Myanmar militia declared war on the military junta, pushing the country closer to war.
• Firefights between junta soldiers and the People's Defense Force broke out on the streets of Mandalay.
• This is the first time gunfights between rebels and troops broke out in Myanmar's cities since the February 1 coup.
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

A formal declaration of war has been made on Myanmar's military junta by an armed militia group.

Adani Ports to abandon Myanmar project if US classifies it as 'sanctioned country'

Business Today

BusinessToday.In
June 23, 2021

Adani Ports, which is India's largest port operator, has been facing criticism from various international investors over its plan to construct a container terminal in Yangon, Myanmar, on land leased from a Myanmar military-owned conglomerate.

Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani

Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited has said it'll abandon its project in Myanmar and write-down its investments in full if the country is classified as a sanctioned country by the US. Adani Ports' statement comes following reports that Norwegian pension fund KLP is divesting its stake in the company as its links with Myanmar military breaches the fund's responsible investment policy.

With Aung San Suu Kyi facing prison, Myanmar’s opposition is leaderless, desperate and ready to fight

THE CONVERSATION
Adam Simpson,Senior Lecturer, University of South Australia
Nicholas Farrelly,Professor and Head of Social Sciences, University of Tasmania
Laura Hood,Politics Editor, Assistant Edito

June 23, 2021

Soldiers from the People’s Defence Force taking part in training at an undisclosed location in Myanmar. National Unity Government handout/EPA

As Aung San Suu Kyi finally faced court last week to defend herself against a litany of politically motivated charges, Myanmar is continuing its downward spiral into state failure.

Suu Kyi was arrested following the February 1 coup by the military and charged with alleged corruption, inciting public unrest and other offences. If she is found guilty, which is a near certainty, she may well be imprisoned for the rest of her life.

The popularity of Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy (NLD) party have been consistently underestimated by a range of domestic and international analysts, and even by the Myanmar military itself. But her role will now change as her case takes a stop-start journey through the tightly held and persistently manipulated judicial process.

New sanctions against Myanmar military a welcome move

NEW

STRAITSTIMES

June 23, 2021

Makeshift barriers erected by the military and sand bags are seen in front of a government sub-district office along a road in Mandalay, as the country remains in turmoil after the February military coup. (Photo by STR / AFP)

LETTERS: The Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK (BROUK) welcomes new sanctions announced by the EU and the UK on June 21st, targeting more financial interests of the Myanmar military as well as individuals with links to the military dictatorship.

It is of outmost importance that the international community keeps the pressure on the Myanmar military.

Rohingya, as genocide survivors, stand shoulder to shoulder with the people of Myanmar protesting the illegal military regime, and the international community must do all they can to support Myanmar's struggle for true federal democracy.

Ensure dignified repatriation of Rohingyas: PM to global community

The Daily Star

UNB, Dhaka
June 23, 2021

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. File photo

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today renewed her call to the global community to ensure the dignified repatriation of Rohingyas as they are posing a big security threat to Bangladesh as well as the region.

"We've sheltered them on humanitarian grounds but such a huge population can't be lodged for an indefinite period… I request the world community to assist us in dignified and peaceful repatriation of the Rohingyas," she said.

Myanmar army clashes with anti-junta militia in major city

B B C   

23 June 2021

A military handout photograph shows soldiers and police arresting people during a raid in Mandalay

The army in Myanmar's second city, Mandalay, has clashed with a local militia opposed to February's military coup.

The clashes are the first time the People's Defense Forces (PDF) have come up against the army in a major city.

The defence force is a collective name for militia groups that have sprung up in Myanmar since the coup.

Resistance Fighters Battle Myanmar’s Military in Mandalay

New York Times

Hannah Beech
June 22, 2021

A shootout in Myanmar’s second-biggest city was the first time the military and a group of armed civilians known as the People’s Defense Force clashed in a major urban area.

The military government of Myanmar released this photograph on Tuesday, saying it showed soldiers and police officers making arrests at a house raid in Mandalay.Credit...Commander in Chief Office

The gunfire in the city of Mandalay began shortly after 7 a.m. on Tuesday, as Buddhist monks paced the streets for alms and residents lined up for breakfasts of milk tea or noodle soup.

Mandalay, the second-largest city in Myanmar, has been a center of anti-military resistance since the junta staged a coup on Feb. 1. Dozens have been shot dead by security forces there. But the boom of heavy artillery so early in the morning was unusual.

United Nations calls for halt of weapons to Myanmar

ABS-CBN NEWS
Michelle Nichols, Reuters
Jun 23 2021

Russia's Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Myanmar's Commander in-Chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing walk past the honor guard prior to their talks in Moscow, Russia on June 22, 2021. Vadim Savitskiy/Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation/Handout via Reuters

NEW YORK - The United Nations General Assembly on Friday called for a stop to the flow of arms to Myanmar and urged the military to respect November election results and release political detainees, including leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

The General Assembly adopted a resolution with the support of 119 countries several months after the military overthrew Aung San Suu Kyi's elected government in a Feb. 1 coup. Belarus requested the text be put to a vote and was the only country to oppose it, while 36 abstained, including China and Russia.

WFP Bangladesh | Rohingya Refugee Response Situation Report #50 - May 2021

Situation Report 

Source :WFP
22 Jun 2021

Russia and Myanmar junta leader commit to boosting ties at Moscow meeting

REUTERS
June 21, 2021

Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev attends a World War Two Victory Day anniversary parade in Red Square in Moscow, Russia, June 24, 2020. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov/File Photo

MOSCOW, June 21 (Reuters) - Nikolai Patrushev, the secretary of Russia's Security Council, and Myanmar's junta leader committed to further strengthening security and other ties between the two countries at a Moscow meeting on Monday.

Myanmar's junta leader, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, flew to the Russian capital on Sunday to attend a security conference this week. read more Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov earlier on Monday said President Vladimir Putin would not be meeting Min Aung Hlaing, Interfax reported.

Rights activists have accused Moscow of legitimising Myanmar’s military junta, which came to power in a Feb. 1 coup. by continuing bilateral visits and arms deals.

Russia says it has a long-standing relationship with Myanmar and said in March it was deeply concerned by the rising number of civilian deaths in Myanmar.

Debate Over Myanmar Upends Start to UN Rights Body Session

U.S. News

Associated Press
JAMEY KEATEN, Associated Press
June 21, 2021,

FILE - In this Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2020 file photo Michelle Bachelet, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, speaks during a press conference at the European headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. The U.N.’s top human rights body opened its latest session on Monday, June 21, 2021 and was immediately embroiled in a debate over the representation of Myanmar, where a military takeover toppled the civilian government in February. (Martial Trezzini/Keystone via AP, file) THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

GENEVA (AP) — The U.N.’s top human rights body opened its latest session on Monday and was immediately embroiled in a debate over the representation of Myanmar, where a military takeover toppled the civilian government in February.

Western countries said two planned debates about the human rights situation in Myanmar during the Human Rights Council's 3-1/2 week session should go forward, even without the country represented. But China, the Philippines and Venezuela insisted it should be on hand.

Commentary: Potential civil war in Myanmar - stakes are very high for Bangladesh

Dhaka Tribune

Humayun Kabir Bhuiyan

June 22nd, 2021

File photo: Demonstrators block a road during an anti-coup protest in Yangon on March 4, 2021 Reuters

Bangladesh will have to make sure that its border is strongly protected to stop insurgents and any Myanmar nationals from entering

On April 13, about two and half months after the military coup ousting the government of Aung San Suu Kyi, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet warned that Myanmar was heading towards a full-blown civil war like in Syria.

Britain Tightens Sanctions Net on Myanmar Military

U.S News

By Reuters
June 21, 2021

LONDON (Reuters) -Britain added three Myanmar entities to its sanctions list on Monday: state-owned pearl and timber firms, and the 'State Administration Council' which runs the functions of the state, a notice posted on the British government website said.

Britain said there were reasonable grounds to believe the two state-owned enterprises provided funds to the military junta, and said the State Administration Council was responsible for, or had supported, the undermining of democracy in Myanmar.

Army clashes with anti-junta militia in Mandalay, Myanmar's second-biggest city

CNN

Story by Reuters
June 22, 2021

In Myanmar's jungles, protesters are training to fight the junta 02:30

Myanmar security forces backed by armored vehicles on Tuesday clashed with a newly formed militia group in Mandalay, the country's second-biggest city, according to social media posts from the group and media reports.

Since the army seized power on February 1 and removed the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, the security forces have quashed protests opposing military rule. In response, groups of opponents of the coup known as people's defense forces have sprung up across Myanmar.

Bangladesh abstains from voting against Myanmar

Prothom Alo 

Prothom Alo English Desk

Published: 20 Jun 2021, 

The United Nations logo is seen on a window in an empty hallway at United Nations headquarters during the 75th annual UN General Assembly high-level debate in New York, US, on 21 September 2020Reuters

The UN General Assembly on Friday took a rare step of calling on member states to “prevent the flow of arms” into Myanmar, which is a part of a non-binding resolution condemning the military coup in the violence-wracked country.

The resolution -- which did not go so far as to call for a global arms embargo -- also demands that the military “immediately stop all violence against peaceful demonstrators,” reports Reuters.

It was approved by 119 countries, with 36 abstaining including China, Myanmar’s main ally. Only one country, Belarus, voted against it. Bangladesh also abstained from voting.

Myanmar: Challenging Rakhine And Military Narratives About Rohingyas – Analysis

eurasiareview

Dr. Habib Siddiqui
June 21, 2021

Displaced Rohingya people in Rakhine State, Burma. Photo Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Wikipedia Commons.

Oppression, marginalization, violence, propaganda – none of it is new. What is new, however, is the mere scale, frequency and omnipresence of disinformation, especially when it is propagated by a powerful group that runs at the state level with the goal to eliminate a small minority that is different than the dominant group’s identity by race, ethnicity, language, religion, customs and culture. Nowhere in our time is this issue perhaps more acute than in Myanmar where the Rohingyas are victims of a carefully crafted genocidal program that has become a national project there, enjoying full support from top to bottom of every rung and corner of the Buddhist society – from a military man in uniform to a monk in a saffron robe, from a peasant in the paddy field to a politician wearing a longyi.

Saudi Arabia affirms support for Rohingya; abstains resolution

Saudi Gazette

Saudi Gazette report
June 20, 2021

The Kingdom’s statement was delivered by Minister Plenipotentiary Wajdi Hassan Muharram, chairman of the Fourth Committee of the Kingdom’s permanent delegation to the United Nations, during the General Assembly meeting on a draft resolution on the situation in Myanmar.

NEW YORK — Saudi Arabia on Saturday affirmed its firm position in support of the Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar and voted to abstain from a resolution moved at the UN General Assembly on the situation in Myanmar.

The General Assembly adopted a resolution that called on all member states to prevent the flow of arms into Myanmar.

The Kingdom’s statement was delivered by Minister Plenipotentiary Wajdi Hassan Muharram, chairman of the Fourth Committee of the Kingdom’s permanent delegation to the United Nations, during the General Assembly meeting on a draft resolution on the situation in Myanmar.