Dhaka: On the five-year mark of the forced mass displacement of Rohingya from Myanmar’s Rakhine State, Bangladesh continues to show great generosity and leadership in hosting refugees, United Nations (UN) Special Envoy of the Secretary-General on Myanmar Noeleen Heyzer said today on her four-day mission to Bangladesh.
"As the Secretary-General reiterated on this solemn occasion, following the military takeover in February 2021, the humanitarian, human rights and security situation in Myanmar has deteriorated. It is critical that the international community continue to seek comprehensive, durable and inclusive solutions to the crisis. We cannot let this become a forgotten crisis," Special Envoy Heyzer said in a media release on Thursday.
"The generosity of Bangladesh and host communities towards Rohingya refugees in their time of need conveys a critical need for greater international and regional commitment to burden share and ensure that the Rohingya do not become forgotten. I will continue to advocate for greater leadership of countries in the region in supporting Bangladesh and leveraging their influence with Myanmar to create conducive conditions for the voluntary, safe and dignified return of refugees," Special Envoy Heyzer said.
The Special Envoy highlighted the major pressures on Bangladesh as host of one of the largest refugee populations in the world, which has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change.
About 1 million Rohingya refugees are still living in camps in Bangladesh, with tens of thousands more across the region, and over 140,000 internally displaced persons remaining confined in camps in Rakhine.
Driven by desperate hardship conditions, Rohingya people continue to undertake perilous land and sea journeys that expose them to criminal exploitation including human trafficking and gender-based violence.
The Special Envoy emphasized that it was ultimately Myanmar’s responsibility to establish conducive conditions for the voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable return to Myanmar of all refugees and forcibly displaced persons.
The rights and security of the Rohingya people must be guaranteed and embedded in Myanmar-led solutions towards a peaceful, democratic and inclusive future guided by the recommendations of the Advisory Commission on Rakhine State.
In the context of grave human right violations and unmet protection needs in Myanmar, finding solutions to this crisis and addressing needs and human rights of Rohingya in Rakhine State must include the meaningful participation of those affected, especially Rohingya refugees.
During her visit to the refugee camps in Bangladesh, Special Envoy Heyzer witnessed first-hand the hard work of United Nations agencies among many actors, including civil society organisations, local NGOs and INGOs that provided critical assistance.
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