The UN rights chief on Tuesday urged Bangladesh to halt imminent plans to start returning Rohingya refugees to Myanmar, warning doing so risked further grave violations against the Muslim minority. Bangladesh authorities say they will begin returning Rohingya refugees, who have fled what the UN has called ethnic cleansing, to the Buddhist majority country from Thursday. The prospect has created panic in the camps, prompting some families who were due to be among the first to be repatriated to flee, community leaders said. The UN rights office said it continued to receive reports of ongoing violations against Rohingya still in Myanmar and urged Dhaka to reconsider. "We are witnessing terror and panic among those Rohingya refugees in Cox's Bazar who are at imminent risk of being returned to Myanmar against their will," UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said in a statement. "Forcibly expelling or returning refugees and asylum seekers to their home country … [Read more...] about UN urges Dhaka against Rohingya return as plan sows ‘terror’ in camps
Rohingya muslims in myanmar
Rohingya flee camps fearing forcible return to Myanmar
Rohingya Muslims were fleeing Bangladeshi refugee camps to avoid being repatriated to Myanmar later this week, community leaders said Monday. Authorities plan to begin returning Rohingya refugees, who have fled what the UN has called ethnic cleansing, to the Buddhist majority country from Thursday. But the prospect has created panic in the camps, prompting some families who were due to be among the first to be repatriated to flee, according to community leaders. "The authorities repeatedly tried to motivate the ones on the returning refugee list to go back. But instead, they were intimidated and fled to other camps," said Nur Islam, from Jamtoli refugee camp. More than 720,000 Rohingya Muslims fled Myanmar's western Rakhine state in a military crackdown from August last year, bringing with them stories of murders, rapes and torture. Some 2,260 Rohingya Muslims had been scheduled to leave the Bangladesh border post in the southeastern Cox's Bazar district in the first … [Read more...] about Rohingya flee camps fearing forcible return to Myanmar
Aid groups say Rohingya ‘terrified’ about Myanmar repatriation
A plan to start repatriating Rohingya Muslims back to Myanmar is premature and the refugees are "terrified" about leaving Bangladesh where they sought refuge, dozens of aid agencies working in the region said Friday. Rohingya men fill bags with bricks at the Kutupalong camp near Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh on July 18, 2018.ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG More than 720,000 Rohingya Muslims fled Myanmar's northern Rakhine state to Bangladesh after a heavyhanded army crackdown in August that survivors say involved mass rape and extrajudicial killings. UN investigators say that the country's military leaders should be investigated for genocide but Myanmar has rebuffed the calls, arguing it was only defending itself against Rohingya militants who attacked police posts. Both Bangladesh and Myanmar signed a repatriation agreement to allow Rohingya to return but many fear going back without guarantees of citizenship, freedom of movement and safety. However the governments said in recent … [Read more...] about Aid groups say Rohingya ‘terrified’ about Myanmar repatriation
UN leader calls for efforts to deal with humanitarian crisis in Myanmar
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (Photo: AP) New York (VNA) – Conditions in Rakhine state of Myanmar are not yet met for the safe, voluntary, dignified and sustainable return of Rohingya refugees to their places of origin or choice, said United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Speaking at a UN meeting on Myanmar in New York on August 28, the UN leader called for coordination from members of the UN Security Council in urging Myanmar authorities to work with the UN and ensure that UN agencies and partners can access refugees immediately in an unlimited and effective manner. Guterres held that international cooperation is now the key for ensuring all supporting mechanisms are implemented in a realiable, transparent, equal, independent way and make sure all obligations of Myanmar to international law are observed. He also called for increasing international sponsorship for crisis response programme in Myanmar when capital for the work is still under … [Read more...] about UN leader calls for efforts to deal with humanitarian crisis in Myanmar
Myanmar affirms early repatriation of Rohingya refugees
Hanoi (VNA) - Myanmar Social Welfare Minister Win Myat Aye said Rohingya refugees will return to Myanmar as early as possible although the repatriation process is stagnating and the UN warned that their safety is not ensured. The minister made the statement after visiting the Kutupalong camp of Rohingya Muslims in Cox’s Bazar of Bangladesh. Talking to the press in Dahka capital after meeting with Bangladeshi officials, Aye expressed his belief that the two sides can address impending difficulties to start the repatriation process as early as possible. Meanwhile, Bangladeshi Foreign Minister A.H. Mahmood Ali, head of the negotiating delegation of Bangladesh on this issue, affirmed that the two sides vowed to enforce the repatriation agreement reached last year. This was the first time a cabinet member of Myanmar had visited a camp of Rohingya refugees since the two countries began security operations following attacks by gunmen in Rakhine State in August 2017. Violence in … [Read more...] about Myanmar affirms early repatriation of Rohingya refugees