Clicky
National, Front Page

Rohingyas should pressure Myanmar to solve crisis


Published : 18 Nov 2019 08:47 PM | Updated : 07 Sep 2020 01:46 AM

Rohingyas should raise voice to pressure Myanmar into taking them back from Bangladesh, that will bring a more effective result in solving the Rohingya crisis, speakers said. For this, the Rohingyas have to directly place their demand to the international community to pressure Myanmar to repatriate Rohingyas in their Rakhine state, they said while adding, if the Rohingyas place the demand, it will be more effective than if Bangladesh does it.

Speakers made these remarks on Monday at a roundtable conference on Rohingya repatriation jointly arranged by the Institute of Conflict, Law & Development Studies (ICLDS) and ‘Bhorer Kagoj’ at the Jatiya Press Club. State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam attended the discussion as the chief guest.

Brigadier General (retd) M Sakhawat Hossain, former Ambassadors Mohammad Zamir and Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury, among others, spoke on the occassion. Government officials, ex-diplomats and media figures also discussed different aspects of the Rohingya influx into Cox’s Bazar and the solutions to the crisis.

M Shahriar Alam said, “The international community is building pressure on Myanmar. I want to assure all that Myanmar is not out of the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice (ICJ).” Alam spoke about the initial period of the crisis. “After the end of the first year of influx, we kept wondering if we’d be able to keep the Rohingya issue alive at the international level. Many states have a conflicting stance about the Rohingyas,” he said.

He noted the struggle of locals of Ukhiya and surrounding upazilas of Cox’s Bazar. “Upazilas accommodating Rohingyas are receiving much better facilities than other areas of the district if you put it on average,” he said. The state minister said, law enforcement agencies will be working at their fullest capacity to maintain law and order.

“The efficiency and speed of law enforcement agencies working in Cox’s Bazar have been increased rapidly over the past five or six months. It’ll be increased further,” he said. He said, international leaders being vocal about the Rohingya issue is a significant advancement to solve this crisis.

Retired Justice Shamsuddin Choudhury Manik said, Gambia has filed a case with the ICC on accountability of Myanmar in the Rohingya issue. Some human rights activists in Argentina have sued Aung San Suu Kyi, he said adding that if we can bring China to us, the Rohingya’s repatriation will not be difficult.

Former Foreign Secretary Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury said, “The ICC had allowed the investigation. Myanmar has rejected it. Russia and China support Myanmar.” “China and India could play a huge role in the Rohingya repatriation. So, Bangladesh should bring strong support of China and India. Otherwise, the country will have to wait for a long time to return the Rohingyas,” he informed. Therefore, the Rohingyas have to be relocated to Bhasanchar, if the Rohingya repatriation is delayed.