Jakarta, The Indonesia Post – The United Nations (UN) said it would continue to support efforts to create conditions for the voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable repatriation of Rohingya refugees to their homes in Myanmar.
In a statement released to mark the sixth anniversary of the Rohingya exodus from Myanmar, UN Secretary-General Spokesman Florencia Soto Nino said Rohingya people were still refugees inside and outside the country, including around one million Rohingya in Bangladesh.
“The vulnerabilities faced by the people of Myanmar, including the Rohingya, are exacerbated by the ongoing conflict and devastation caused by Typhoon Mocha,” the UN said.
For this reason, the UN Secretary General calls on all stakeholders to redouble efforts to find comprehensive, inclusive and durable solutions that can address the root causes of systemic discrimination and violence in Myanmar.
The United Nations also calls on relevant parties to respond to the growing crisis of protection and humanitarian needs while strengthening efforts to protect refugees in areas where they have fled persecution and violence.
Given that Bangladesh has shown humanitarian commitment and generosity that should be recognized through “shared responsibility”, the United Nations said that more must be done to support the Joint Response Plan and prevent a wider humanitarian crisis.
“The United Nations is committed to working with all stakeholders, including regional actors, to help resolve this crisis and work towards accountability and justice for victims towards sustainable peace in Rakhine State and all of Myanmar,” the UN said in a statement.
The Rohingya are described by the UN as the world’s most persecuted people and are facing what human rights groups call genocide.
According to Amnesty International, more than 750,000 Rohingya refugees, mostly women and children, left Myanmar and crossed into Bangladesh after Myanmar forces launched a crackdown on the minority Muslim community in August 2017.
The exodus brings the number of persecuted Rohingya in Bangladesh to more than 1.2 million.
Since August 25, 2017, nearly 24,000 Rohingya Muslims have been killed by Myanmar’s state troops, according to a report by the Ontario International Development Agency (OIDA).
More than 34,000 Rohingya were also burned, while more than 114,000 others were beaten, according to the OIDA report entitled “Forced Migration of Rohingya: The Untold Experience”.
As many as 18,000 Rohingya women and girls were raped by the Myanmar military and police and more than 115,000 Rohingya homes were burned, while 113,000 others were damaged. (mhn/bbs)
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