A high-level delegation led by US Special Envoy for South and Central Asia Sergio Gor has visited the Ukhiya refugee camp in Cox's Bazar to assess the situation of Rohingya displaced from Myanmar.
Hundreds of Rohingya refugees held a protest during the visit, demanding the chance to return to their homeland.
The 11-member delegation arrived at Cox's Bazar airport at 11:55am on Friday and went directly to various Rohingya refugee camps in Ukhiya.
The delegation, which included the US ambassador to Bangladesh and senior diplomatic officials, visited the Ukhiya Camp-4, where the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) operates. They also visited the expanded 8-West (8-W) and 6-W camps. They were also briefed on the living conditions of the Rohingya, humanitarian assistance activities and the overall situation.
Protests Demanding Repatriation
Hundreds of Rohingya refugees peacefully gathered at Camp 8-W during the delegation's visit. Holding placards, they demanded a voluntary, safe, dignified, and sustainable return to their homeland in Myanmar.
The protesters said that any repatriation process must guarantee full citizenship, equal rights, security, justice, and international protection. They also claimed that the environment needed for safe and sustainable repatriation had not yet been created in Myanmar.
The Rohingya participating in the rally called on the US to take more effective diplomatic initiatives to stop the ongoing persecution and violence against the ethnic minority in Myanmar.
The protesters noted that the US was one of the first countries to officially recognise the atrocities committed against the Rohingya as "genocide." At the same time, they called for continued international leadership to ensure accountability for those responsible for these crimes.
Rohingya protest leader Syed Ullah said that a lasting solution to the Rohingya crisis is not possible unless justice and accountability are ensured. He called on the international community to be more proactive in ensuring the protection of civilians in Myanmar and creating an environment conducive to safe repatriation.
‘They Understood the Pressure on Bangladesh’
After a day-long camp visit, the delegation members exchanged views with relevant officials at the office of the refugee, relief and repatriation commissioner (RRRC) in the afternoon.
Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner Mohammad Mizanur Rahman spoke to reporters afterwards.
He said that the delegation got a sense of the lives of the Rohingya in these camps and the ongoing humanitarian work during the visits throughout the day.
The delegation also wanted to know about the impact of the Rohingya crisis on Bangladesh and the local people, he said.
Mizanur said, “I told them that initially the local people stood by the Rohingya from a humanitarian perspective. But, due to the presence of more than 1.4 million Rohingyas for an extended period, the social, economic and environmental pressure on the local people has increased substantially. The local people expect that the Rohingya will return to their country safely as soon as possible.”
He said that the members of the delegation said that they had also spoken to the Rohingya and received the same message from them.
The Rohingya also want to return to their country, but it must be in a safe and dignified environment, they said.
Regarding the current situation, Mizanur said: “I have presented the true picture to them. A limited number of Rohingya are still entering Bangladesh. In many cases, people are crossing the border to save their lives or for medical treatment. Bangladesh cannot turn them back regularly due to humanitarian considerations.”
The refugee commissioner said the delegation was able to get a clear idea of the long-term pressure the Rohingya crisis was imposing on Bangladesh and its multidimensional impact. At the same time, they also received a direct message of the desire of a majority of the Rohingya to return to their country, he said.