Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh’s Ukhiya area right after crossing the border/UNHCR/Vivian Tan
Myanmar is facing intense international pressure after the U.S. declaration that the country’s killing of Rohingya Muslims is ethnic cleansing.
But will the US and UN pressure be enough to force the Southeast country into accountability of its crime against humanity. The Myanmar military has virtual immunity from any examination, and the civilian government led by Suu Kyi has failed miserably to condemn the killings.
On Friday, the United Nations said conditions in Myanmar’s Rakhine state “are not in place to enable safe and sustainable returns” of more than 600,000 Rohingya refugees who fled persecution and took refuge in neighboring Bangladesh.
Commenting on reports of a possible agreement between Bangladesh and Myanmar on return of the Rohingya refugees to Myanmar, Adrian Edwards, a spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the returns must be voluntary, and take place in safe and dignified conditions.
“At present, conditions in Myanmar’s Rakhine state are not in place to enable safe and sustainable returns. Refugees are still fleeing, and many have suffered violence, rape, and deep psychological harm,” he added.
This week Washington said Myanmar’s violence against Rohingya minority community was ethnic cleansing, sparking more calls to hold Myanmar accountable for its crime. The statement comes days after Secretary of State Rex Tillerson delivered a stern message to Myanmar over massacres of Rohingya Muslims.
The refugees in Bangladesh have reported horrible stories of persecution, sexual violence, indiscriminate attacks and terrorizing tactics the Myanmar security forces used to kick them out of their homes.
The UN says any return of the hapless refugees must take place with their consent.
“It is critical that returns do not take place precipitously or prematurely, without the informed consent of refugees or the basic elements of lasting solutions in place,” he stressed.
The violence in Myanmar’s northern Rakhine state this summer resulted in some 622,000 people fleeing into neighboring Bangladesh.
The UNHCR says some of those who fled witnessed the deaths of family and friends, and most have little or nothing to go back to with their homes and villages destroyed.
“Refugees have the right to return [and] a framework that enables them to exercise this right in line with international standards, will be welcome,” the spokesman said.
If Myanmar is left off the hook, it will likely perpetrate more terror on the minorities. A concerted international response would be critical to discouraging perpetuation of more violence against the minority Rohingya who are not even accepted as citizens of Myanmar.
