Rohingya crisis
UN leaders stress need to sustain support
DIPLOMATIC CORRESPONDENT, Dhaka
The three visiting heads of United Nation (UN) agencies yesterday reiterated their commitment to ensuring safe and sustainable solutions for the repatriation of Rohingya refugees. They also said the UN would continue its efforts to help create conditions conducive to the return of the Rohingyas. They expressed concern for the Rohingya people living under vulnerable conditions in Coxs Bazar with the upcoming rainy season likely to make matters more difficult.
The observation was made at the end of a joint visit to Bangladesh by three top UN officialsUN Under Secretary-general for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief coordinator Mark Lowcock, International Organization
for Migration (IOM) director general Antnio Vitorino, and UN high commissioner for refugees Filippo Grandi.
They also called upon the international community to continue supporting the critical needs of 1.2 million people in south-eastern Bangladesh, mostly Rohingya refugees, and also of the generous host communities.
The visit came just ahead of the cyclone period, which is followed by monsoon. The two seasons pose serious risks, including flooding, landslides and disease outbreaks, to thousands of already vulnerable women, men and children.
We are concerned for the welfare of the Rohingya refugees living in such vulnerable circumstances in Coxs Bazar. We are concerned for host communities, which also face significant challenges, particularly in the lead up to the upcoming monsoon, said Antnio Vitorino.
The Rohingya community is made up of many young people who are in need of hope and opportunities if they are to build successful lives upon their return to Myanmar, he added.
The first time I visited Coxs Bazar in 2017, hundreds of thousands of Rohingyas had just fled across the border from the most appalling brutality imaginable, said Mark Lowcock.
I met with children who had seen parents killed. Women told me horrendous stories of sexual violence they had encountered in Myanmar, he also said.
During this trip, we met a remarkable group of male refugee role models as well as women volunteers who are supporting those who have survived this brutality. They are also working to prevent sexual and domestic violence in the camps. A far-sighted approach would help the refugees to recover from their traumatic experiences and ensure a dignified longer-term future for them, he added.
There are more than 900,000 Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, most of whom fled Myanmar in 2017. I saw a great deal of progress, but their situation, especially of women and children, remains fragile. With the current crisis almost two years on, we must give refugees the chance to learn, build skills and contribute to their communities while also preparing for reintegration when they return to Myanmar, said Grandi. The future of the Rohingyas hangs in the balance, he added.
They noted that almost half of the 540,000 refugee children under the age of 12 were currently missing out on education altogether, while the remainder had access only to very limited schooling. Only a handful of teenage children are currently able to access any form of education or training.
This remains one of the worlds biggest refugee crises, said Filippo Grandi.
While in the camps, they also assessed the ongoing work that has been undertaken to address weather-related risks, including strengthening of shelters, improvement of infrastructure, and training of volunteers. They recognised the critical role played by the refugees themselves in this respect.
