Myanmar defies int’l pressure for China, Russia backing: EU envoy

Envoy describes atrocities against Rohingyas as ethnic cleansing

Myanmar does not bow to international pressure for its security forces’ atrocities against Rohingya population due to the backing from United Nations Security Council’s permanent members China and Russia, new European Union Ambassador to Bangladesh Rensje Teerink said yesterday.

Describing the atrocities in Rakhine as ethnic cleansing, she said that the role of Beijing and Moscow is a major obstacle to taking any measures against Myanmar at the UN.

“We can put pressure on Myanmar, which was isolated for a long time and they are not impressed. They (Myanmar) feel secured may be because countries like China and to a lesser extent Russia are not ready to step further. We have seen this in the security council where resolutions were blocked,” the EU ambassador told a programme styled ‘DCAB Talk’ organised by Diplomatic Correspondents Association, Bangladesh in the capital when asked about the EU’s way ahead regarding the Rohingya crisis through the UN amidst apparent differing stance of countries like China and Russia.

“This is the very difficult part of the equation. I don’t have any clear-cut answer,” she added.

Many countries are not outspoken even in the face of such human rights violations and ethnic cleansing due to economic interests, Teerink lamented, referring to the money and investment in Myanmar.

Myanmar is an important part of China’s one belt one road initiative, she mentioned, adding that the EU will keep on pushing Myanmar to allow unfettered humanitarian access to the affected areas. Flanked by DCAB President Rezaul Karim and General Secretary Pantho Rahman, the envoy, who presented her credentials to the president on Tuesday, talked about taking ‘China, Russia and India’ onboard by outreaching to them.

Terming the Rohingya crisis one of the most protracted humanitarian disasters, she laid emphasis on keeping the issue on focus.

“It (the crisis) is much worse than we thought,” she added.

To a question on funding to look after the Rohingyas, Teerink said that the needs are enormous and all will have to come forward to help the Rohingyas.

In this regard, she said that the EU commissioner for humanitarian affairs will arrive in Bangladesh on October 30 when he will announce the bloc’s assistance for the Rohingyas. Referring to the pledging conference in Genva on October 23, the envoy said that there should be a mid-term plan in place in addition to an initial six-month plan involving $434 million as it is not possible to say when the crisis will be resolved.  

When asked if the EU would impose economic sanctions on Myanmar, she avoided a direct reply, but said that the conclusions adopted by the EU foreign ministers in Luxemburg that included suspension of invitations for Myanmar armed forces chief and senior military officials was a significant step and that further steps are imagined if the situation does not improve. “We have to see how they (Myanmar) reply before using all the ammunitions,” she added.

The new ambassador was full of praise for Bangladesh for its generosity in hosting hundreds of thousands of Rohingyas.

Myanmar defies intl pressure for China, Russia backing: EU envoy

Envoy describes atrocities against Rohingyas as ethnic cleansing

Myanmar does not bow to international pressure for its security forces atrocities against Rohingya population due to the backing from United Nations Security Councils permanent members China and Russia, new European Union Ambassador to Bangladesh Rensje Teerink said yesterday. Describing the atrocities in Rakhine as ethnic cleansing, she said that the role of Beijing and Moscow is a major obstacle to taking any measures against Myanmar at the UN. We can put pressure on Myanmar, which was isolated for a long time and they are not impressed. They (Myanmar) feel secured may be because countries like China and to a lesser extent Russia are not ready to step further. We have seen this in the security council where resolutions were blocked, the EU ambassador told a programme styled DCAB Talk organised by Diplomatic Correspondents Association, Bangladesh in the capital when asked about the EUs way ahead regarding the Rohingya crisis through the UN amidst apparent differing stance of countries like China and Russia. This is the very difficult part of the equation. I dont have any clear-cut answer, she added. Many countries are not outspoken even in the face of such human rights violations and ethnic cleansing due to economic interests, Teerink lamented, referring to the money and investment in Myanmar. Myanmar is an important part of Chinas one belt one road initiative, she mentioned, adding that the EU will keep on pushing Myanmar to allow unfettered humanitarian access to the affected areas. Flanked by DCAB President Rezaul Karim and General Secretary Pantho Rahman, the envoy, who presented her credentials to the president on Tuesday, talked about taking China, Russia and India onboard by outreaching to them. Terming the Rohingya crisis one of the most protracted humanitarian disasters, she laid emphasis on keeping the issue on focus. It (the crisis) is much worse than we thought, she added. To a question on funding to look after the Rohingyas, Teerink said that the needs are enormous and all will have to come forward to help the Rohingyas. In this regard, she said that the EU commissioner for humanitarian affairs will arrive in Bangladesh on October 30 when he will announce the blocs assistance for the Rohingyas. Referring to the pledging conference in Genva on October 23, the envoy said that there should be a mid-term plan in place in addition to an initial six-month plan involving $434 million as it is not possible to say when the crisis will be resolved. When asked if the EU would impose economic sanctions on Myanmar, she avoided a direct reply, but said that the conclusions adopted by the EU foreign ministers in Luxemburg that included suspension of invitations for Myanmar armed forces chief and senior military officials was a significant step and that further steps are imagined if the situation does not improve. We have to see how they (Myanmar) reply before using all the ammunitions, she added. The new ambassador was full of praise for Bangladesh for its generosity in hosting hundreds of thousands of Rohingyas.