Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh (Aug 25) – Tens of thousands of Rohingya refugees residing in numerous camps across Bangladesh commemorated the eighth anniversary of their mass exodus from Myanmar, advocating for a secure return to their homeland in Rakhine state.
On Monday, the refugees congregated in an open field at a camp in Kutupalong, located in the Cox's Bazar district, home to a significant refugee camp. They carried banners declaring, “No more refugee life” and “Repatriation the ultimate solution,” marking what they termed as “Rohingya Genocide Remembrance Day.”
“We want to go back to our country with equal rights like other ethnic groups in Myanmar,” said Nur Aziz, a 19-year-old protester, to The Associated Press. “The rights they are enjoying in Myanmar as citizens of the country, we too want to enjoy the same rights.”
Bangladesh's interim leader, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus, called upon the international community to facilitate a process for the safe return of the refugees as he addressed a three-day conference on the Rohingya, which began a day earlier in Cox's Bazar.
During discussions with international dignitaries, UN representatives, diplomats, and Bangladesh's interim government, topics of refugee support with food and other essentials, along with accelerating the repatriation process, were highlighted.
Yunus emphasized the inseparable connection between the Rohingyas and their homeland. “Their right to return to their homeland has to be secured,” he asserted. “We urge all parties and partners to actively work towards establishing a practical roadmap for their rapid, safe, dignified, voluntary, and sustainable return to their homes in Rakhine as swiftly as possible.”
In August 2017, Myanmar initiated a harsh crackdown after insurgent assaults on guard posts in Rakhine state. The scale and brutality of the operations resulted in accusations of ethnic cleansing and genocide by the global community, including the United Nations.
Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims left Myanmar at that time, navigating on foot and by boats amidst shelling, indiscriminate killings, and other violence in Rakhine state, overtaken by the Arakan Army insurgent group, which has been in conflict with Myanmar government forces.
The Bangladesh government, under former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, opened the borders, allowing more than 700,000 refugees to seek asylum in the Muslim-majority nation. This influx added to the over 300,000 refugees who had already been residing in Bangladesh for decades following earlier persecution by Myanmar’s military.
Since 2017, Bangladesh has made at least two attempts to return the refugees and has urged the international community to apply pressure on Myanmar’s government to create a peaceful climate conducive to repatriation. The administrations of Hasina and Yunus have also sought support for repatriation from China.
Nevertheless, conditions inside Myanmar, especially in Rakhine state, remain unstable. In Bangladesh, the Rohingya refugees face difficulties, including reductions in aid from donors.
Yunus appealed to regional and global stakeholders to continue supporting the Rohingya people with financial assistance.
“We urge everyone to calibrate their interactions with Myanmar, the Arakan Army, and all parties involved in the conflict to encourage an early resolution of this prolonged crisis,” he stated.
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