Push Myanmar to allow Rohingyas back home

Former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who also heads a Myanmar government-appointed commission known as Annan commission, has called upon the UN Security Council to put pressure on Naypyidaw to allow the forcibly-displaced Rohingyas to return to their homes in Rakhine.

While briefing the UNSC on Friday in an informal meeting at the request of France and Britain, he stressed that the Rohingyas, who had to flee to Bangladesh to escape the atrocities orchestrated by the Myanmar security forces and local Buddhist mobs, should return to homes rather than camps, according to a press release forwarded by Bangladesh’s permanent mission in UN and international media.

The Myanmar government ‘must create conditions that allow the refugees to return with dignity’ and that Rohingyas should get their homes back’, said Annan, who made public of his commission’s finding on August 24 with many recommendations including providing Rohingyas with their citizenship.   

Failure to do so will keep the ‘festering problem’ alive, he said Annan urged the Security Council to agree with Myanmar on a ‘roadmap’ and warned that if safe conditions for returns were not created, the world community would be stuck with a very serious, long term ‘festering’ problem.

Co-chairing the meeting with British envoy Matthew Rycroft, French Ambassador Francois Delattre said the briefing with Annan should have helped to overturn “the totally unacceptable status quo.”

Asked whether sanctions or another resolution could ensue, Rycroft said he hoped to “carry on working in a spirit of bringing everyone together.”

“And we will explore whether there is the appetite to do more,” he added.

The UN missions of China and Russia did not comment at the meeting also attended by Bangladesh, Myanmar and few regional and international organisations.

According to the press release of the Bangladesh’s UN mission, the UNSC and the international community fully supports the implementation of

the recommendations of Annan commission.

Ambassador to UN Masud Bin Momen detailed the plight of Rohingyas and initiatives taken by Bangladesh to look after the Rohingya people forcibly displaced from Myanmar. The origin of the problem is in Myanmar and solution also lies in Myanmar, he said quoting Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Meanwhile, the European Union (EU) Ambassador to UN João Vale de Almeida told the meeting that the recommendations of the Annan commission provide ‘a clear blueprint for addressing the substantial security, development and human rights challenges faced in Rakhine state and for improving the lives of those who live there’. “The unprecedented wave of refugees from Myanmar to Bangladesh has rightly galvanised international concern. The violence and human rights violations that have driven this exodus are not acceptable and must end immediately and the protection of all civilians without discrimination, as well as the full observation of human rights law, must be assured,” said the envoy in a statement.

“The EU condemns the serious human rights violations and abuses, as well as disproportionate use of force, carried out by the security forces. The EU calls for the perpetrators to be brought to justice in line with the rule of law,” he said.

“The Government of Myanmar must intensify efforts to ensure full, safe and unconditional access to Rakhine State for humanitarian assistance without delay, including for the UN, the ICRC and international NGOs”, said Almeida.

“The conditions for the safe, voluntary and dignified return home of those who have fled must be put in place,” he said, adding, the authorities in Myanmar need to take forward swiftly full implementation of the recommendations of the Advisory Commission – including citizenship for the Rohingya population.”

“The EU also urges Myanmar to cooperate fully with the Human Rights Council Independent Fact-Finding Mission and to allow full, safe and unhindered access of its members to Rakhine State without delay,” said the envoy. He was full of praise for Bangladesh for its efforts to look after the Rohingyas.

Push Myanmar to allow Rohingyas back home

Former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who also heads a Myanmar government-appointed commission known as Annan commission, has called upon the UN Security Council to put pressure on Naypyidaw to allow the forcibly-displaced Rohingyas to return to their homes in Rakhine. While briefing the UNSC on Friday in an informal meeting at the request of France and Britain, he stressed that the Rohingyas, who had to flee to Bangladesh to escape the atrocities orchestrated by the Myanmar security forces and local Buddhist mobs, should return to homes rather than camps, according to a press release forwarded by Bangladeshs permanent mission in UN and international media. The Myanmar government must create conditions that allow the refugees to return with dignity and that Rohingyas should get their homes back, said Annan, who made public of his commissions finding on August 24 with many recommendations including providing Rohingyas with their citizenship. Failure to do so will keep the festering problem alive, he said Annan urged the Security Council to agree with Myanmar on a roadmap and warned that if safe conditions for returns were not created, the world community would be stuck with a very serious, long term festering problem. Co-chairing the meeting with British envoy Matthew Rycroft, French Ambassador Francois Delattre said the briefing with Annan should have helped to overturn the totally unacceptable status quo. Asked whether sanctions or another resolution could ensue, Rycroft said he hoped to carry on working in a spirit of bringing everyone together. And we will explore whether there is the appetite to do more, he added. The UN missions of China and Russia did not comment at the meeting also attended by Bangladesh, Myanmar and few regional and international organisations. According to the press release of the Bangladeshs UN mission, the UNSC and the international community fully supports the implementation of the recommendations of Annan commission. Ambassador to UN Masud Bin Momen detailed the plight of Rohingyas and initiatives taken by Bangladesh to look after the Rohingya people forcibly displaced from Myanmar. The origin of the problem is in Myanmar and solution also lies in Myanmar, he said quoting Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Meanwhile, the European Union (EU) Ambassador to UN Joo Vale de Almeida told the meeting that the recommendations of the Annan commission provide a clear blueprint for addressing the substantial security, development and human rights challenges faced in Rakhine state and for improving the lives of those who live there. The unprecedented wave of refugees from Myanmar to Bangladesh has rightly galvanised international concern. The violence and human rights violations that have driven this exodus are not acceptable and must end immediately and the protection of all civilians without discrimination, as well as the full observation of human rights law, must be assured, said the envoy in a statement. The EU condemns the serious human rights violations and abuses, as well as disproportionate use of force, carried out by the security forces. The EU calls for the perpetrators to be brought to justice in line with the rule of law, he said. The Government of Myanmar must intensify efforts to ensure full, safe and unconditional access to Rakhine State for humanitarian assistance without delay, including for the UN, the ICRC and international NGOs, said Almeida. The conditions for the safe, voluntary and dignified return home of those who have fled must be put in place, he said, adding, the authorities in Myanmar need to take forward swiftly full implementation of the recommendations of the Advisory Commission including citizenship for the Rohingya population. The EU also urges Myanmar to cooperate fully with the Human Rights Council Independent Fact-Finding Mission and to allow full, safe and unhindered access of its members to Rakhine State without delay, said the envoy. He was full of praise for Bangladesh for its efforts to look after the Rohingyas.