[🇧🇩] Insurgencies in Myanmar. Implications for Bangladesh

[Saif]

Myanmar junta, ethnic group claim control of military regional HQ

Myanmar’s junta and an ethnic minority armed group both claimed on Thursday they were in control of a town and regional military command in northern Shan state following days of clashes...

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Myanmar junta, ethnic group claim control of military regional HQ
Agence France-Presse . Yangon 26 July, 2024, 00:07

Myanmar's junta and an ethnic minority armed group both claimed on Thursday they were in control of a town and regional military command in northern Shan state following days of clashes.

Fighting has rocked the town of Lashio, home to the military's northeastern command, since July 3 when an alliance of ethnic armed groups renewed an offensive against junta troops.

Local media run by the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army reported the group 'fully captured the headquarters of the Northeast Military command in Lashio' on Thursday morning and also captured Lashio town, home to around 150,000 people.

MNDAA spokesman Li Jiawen said the group's fighters had captured Lashio, without giving further details.

But junta spokesman Zaw Min Tun told reporters the claim was 'not true'.

'The insurgents infiltrated the outskirts of Lashio so (the security forces) have been following and clearing them,' he said, without giving details.

The northeastern command is located in the north of Lashio.

A video uploaded to social media with a caption saying it was shot in Lashio on Thursday morning showed deserted streets with no soldiers in sight.

AFP reporters geolocated the video to a site in the town around two kilometres (1.2 miles) from the command.

Northern Shan state has been rocked by fighting since late last month when an alliance of ethnic armed groups renewed an offensive against the military along the highway to China's Yunnan province.

The clashes have shredded a Beijing-brokered truce that in January halted a campaign by the alliance of the Arakan Army (AA), the Ta'ang National Liberation Army and the MNDAA.

The military has carried out several air strikes around the town during the fighting, according to residents.

Dozens of civilians have been killed or wounded in the recent fighting, according to the junta and local rescue groups.

Neither the junta nor the ethnic alliance have released figures on their own casualties.

Indonesia's foreign minister on Thursday slammed the junta's unwillingness to engage with a regional peace plan to resolve the conflict, speaking after meeting her Singaporean counterpart on the sidelines of an Association of Southeast Asian Nations foreign ministers meeting in Laos.

Both Singapore and Indonesia have been critical of the junta's power grab, which has divided the 10-member ASEAN bloc.

Myanmar's borderlands are home to myriad ethnic armed groups who have battled the military since independence from Britain in 1948 for autonomy and control of lucrative resources.

Some have given shelter and training to newer 'People's Defence Forces' (PDFs) that have sprung up to battle the military after the coup in 2021.

China is a major ally and arms supplier to the junta, but analysts say it also maintains ties with armed ethnic groups in Myanmar that hold territory near its border.

Beijing was 'paying close attention to the situation in northern Myanmar' and urged a halt to the fighting, foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told a press conference on Thursday.

It had also urged relevant parties 'to not endanger the safety of China's borders and border residents, as well as Chinese projects, firms, and personnel in Myanmar', she said.

Three people had been killed and 10 wounded in military air strikes on the MNDAA-held city of Laukkai on the border with China this week, MNDAA's Li Jiawen said, adding that the wounded included three Chinese nationals.

The armed group captured Laukkai in January after around 2,000 junta troops surrendered, in one of the military's biggest single defeats in decades.​

 

[Saif]

ASEAN iterates concern over Myanmar conflicts

A joint communique released by ASEAN on Saturday expressed the bloc’s ‘deep concern over the escalation of conflicts’ in member-state Myanmar...

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ASEAN iterates concern over Myanmar conflicts
Agence France-Presse . Vientiane 28 July, 2024, 00:38

A joint communique released by ASEAN on Saturday expressed the bloc's 'deep concern over the escalation of conflicts' in member-state Myanmar.

The country has been ravaged by violence since the military seized power in 2021, sparking renewed fighting with established ethnic minority armed groups and dozens of newer 'People's Defence Forces'.

ASEAN has spearheaded so far unsuccessful diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis, with a five-point peace plan agreed between the junta and the bloc now moribund.

The five-point consensus 'remains our main reference to address the political crisis,' the joint communique said.

Myanmar's junta has been banned from high-level ASEAN summits over its coup and crackdown on dissent, in which rights groups say it may have committed war crimes.

Two senior bureaucrats represented Myanmar at the Laos talks.

The military's readiness to re-engage with ASEAN diplomatically was a 'sign of the junta's weakened position', a Southeast Asian diplomat told AFP earlier this week.

Australia's foreign minister on Saturday called on Myanmar's junta to 'take a different path' from its bloody crackdown on dissent, saying the situation in the war-torn country is 'not sustainable'.

Penny Wong made the comments at an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) foreign ministers meeting, where the crisis in ASEAN member Myanmar has divided the bloc.

The country was plunged into a civil war after the military seized power in a coup in 2021.

Weeks after it seized power and launched a crackdown on dissent the junta agreed to a five-point peace plan with ASEAN but has failed to implement it.

'Myanmar is deeply concerning, we see it in the economy, instability, insecurity, deaths,' Wong told journalists at a press conference.

'The message I want to send to the military regime is 'this is not sustainable for you and your people'.'

'We urge them to take a different path and reflect the five-point consensus.'

The junta has been barred from high-level ASEAN meetings over its crackdown on dissent.

It had previously refused to send 'non-political representatives' but two senior bureaucrats are representing the country at the talks in Vientiane.

A Southeast Asian diplomat told AFP on condition of anonymity earlier this week that the military's readiness to re-engage diplomatically was a sign of its 'weakened position'.

In recent weeks ethnic minority armed groups have renewed an offensive against the military in northern Shan state, seizing territory along a vital highway to China.

Myanmar's generals have yet to make any meaningful counterattack following a previous offensive by ethnic armed groups in October that seized swaths of territory along the border with China.

The losses triggered rare public criticism of its top leadership.

ASEAN has spearheaded diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis but with little success.

Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines have called for tougher action against the junta, while Thailand has held its own bilateral talks with the generals as well as detained democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

The conflict in Myanmar has forced 2.7 million people from their homes since the coup in 2021, according to the United Nations.​

 

[Saif]

Bullets from other side of border hit houses in Teknaf

en.prothomalo.com

Bullets from other side of border hit houses in Teknaf
Staff Correspondent &
Correspondent Cox's Bazar and Teknaf
Updated: 29 Jul 2024, 13: 05

The photo shows the Teknaf border in Cox's Bazar.File photo

Bullets fired from Myanmar have created panic among the people living along the bordering areas of Teknaf, Cox's Bazar amid the intense conflict on the other side of the border.

Intense firings and explosions of mortar shells have taken place in the border area of Mongdu of Rakhine state since early Saturday.

At least 188 mortar shells exploded in the last 28 hours till 8:00am on Sunday.

Added to this were bullets fired from Myanmar hitting houses in several bordering villages, leaving the people in a state of fear. However, no causality was reported.

The Mongdu township is opposite Teknaf's Sadar and Subrang unions, and Naf river, which is four kilometres wide, separates Bangladesh from Myanmar. Fight has been on between the pro-independence armed group Arakan Army (AA) and the junta forces over the last five months.

According to Sadar union parishad chairman Ziaur Rahman and Subrang union parishad chairman Nur Hossain, mortar shells and grenades exploded all of a sudden around 4:00am on Saturday after a break of five days. Sound of explosions was heard from 10-12 bordering villages intermittently until 8:00am on Sunday with bullets fired from rifles in Myanmar landing in this side of the border, causing a rise in panic among people.

Four bullets from Myanmar fell in Shah Parir Diwip of Subrang union on 21 July. Two of those bullets landed in front of the shop owned by certain Hossain Ali in the Jetty Ghat area, once in the houseyard of certain Mohamamd Idris in Bazarpara area and the remaining one fell on the pillar of the homestead of Mohammad Ayas in Bazarpara.

Mohamamd Idris and Mohammad Ayas said two bullets fell between 8:00am and 8:30am, and had anyone been on the spot, they might have been hurt. People are afraid of coming out of their homes fearing more bullets.

Amir Hossain, 55, is a fisherman from Jaliapara of Shah Parir Diwip. He said at least 500 fishermen from this area cannot fish in Naf river. There is no alternative income source either. Meanwhile, the fight is intensifying in Rakhine. People from the fishing village are worried about what they will do if the situation does not improve. According to these chairmen, bullets mostly fell on the Bangladesh side of Naf river, nearby shrimp enclosures and mangrove forests.

Four bullets also fell in Mistrypara area of Shah Parir Diwip on Saturday. On information, members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) came to the spot and recovered the bullet shells.

Saying that people cannot move freely, Subrang union parishad member Abdus Salam added, "We live near in the bordering area and we are passing time in a constant state of fear. Everything can be seen from this side of the border. Till today, people were frightened of the sound of explosions, and bullets from other sider have become a new fear now."

Prothom Alo could not reach BGB Teknaf-2 battalion commander and Coast Guard's Teknaf station commander for comment after several attempts. Officials of both agencies have been reluctant to talk to media about the border situation since the beginning.

However, Teknaf upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) Adnan Chowdhury confirmed the bullets crossing over the border. He said he learned that bullets fired from Myanmar fell in several places of Shah Parir Diwip. Explosions also took place in Rakhine state. Each village along the Teknaf border has been brought under special monitoring. Besides, people are being alerted about safety, he added.​

 

[Saif]

Junta extends state of emergency by six months in Myanmar

Myanmar’s junta extended the state of emergency by six months on Wednesday, delaying fresh polls it has promised to hold as it battles opposition to its coup.

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Junta extends state of emergency by six months in Myanmar
Agence France-Presse . Yangon 31 July, 2024, 18:26

This photo taken on July 3, 2024 shows members of ethnic minority armed group Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) preparing their weapons amid clashes with Myanmar's military in Kyaukme in Myanmar's northern Shan State. | AFP photo

Myanmar's junta extended the state of emergency by six months on Wednesday, delaying fresh polls it has promised to hold as it battles opposition to its coup.

The Southeast Asian nation has been in turmoil since the February 2021 coup which ended a 10-year experiment with democracy and sparked mass protests and a crackdown on dissent.

Three years and a half years later, the junta is struggling to crush widespread armed opposition and recently suffered a series of stunning losses to an alliance of ethnic minority armed groups.

The junta had been unable to hold fresh polls as planned following an initial two-year state of emergency 'due to the terrorist acts' by its opponents, broadcaster MRTV reported.

All the members of the junta-stacked National Defence and Security Council 'unanimously decided to extend the period of the state of emergency for another six months,' MRTV said.

Junta chief Min Aung Hlaing had proposed the extension 'in order to prepare valid and accurate ballots' for the election the junta has promised to hold, possibly in 2025.

The extension was also needed to 'carry out the population census and in order to continue the implementation of the work to be done,' MRTV said.

Under the military-drafted 2008 constitution, which the junta has said is still in force, authorities are required to hold fresh elections within six months of a state of emergency being lifted.

The military seized power after making unsubstantiated allegations of fraud in the 2020 elections which Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) won in a landslide.

It has extended the state of emergency multiple times since as it battles established ethnic minority armed groups and newer pro-democracy 'People's Defence Forces'.

In recent months it has suffered a string of battlefield defeats to an alliance of ethnic minority armed groups in the north and west of the country.

Last week the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) claimed it had seized the northern town of Lashio, which sits on a vital trade highway to China and is home to the military's northeastern command.

The junta denied the claim.

The loss of Lashio and the regional military command would be a huge blow to the junta, which has lost territory to the MNDAA and other armed groups in recent weeks.

In January the MNDAA captured the city of Laukkai near Myanmar's border with China after around 2,000 junta troops surrendered, in one of the military's biggest defeats in decades.

Since the coup fighting between the military and its opponents has forced 2.7 million people to flee their homes, according to the United Nations.

More than 5,400 people have been killed and 27,000 arrested in the junta's crackdown on dissent since the coup, according to a local monitoring group.

The junta has said it will hold fresh elections in 2025.

But critics say the proposed polls will be neither free nor fair.

Last year the junta-stacked election commission announced that Suu Kyi's NLD would be dissolved for failing to re-register under a tough new military-drafted electoral law.​

 

[Saif]

9 Rohingya die after boat capsizes near Teknaf

The dead bodies of nine Rohingya, including three children, have been recovered from the coast of Cox’s Bazar’s Teknaf Upazila. As many as 22 others have been reported missing over the incident. According to public representatives, the victims were trying to enter Bangladesh territory

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

9 Rohingya die after boat capsizes near Teknaf
bdnews24.com
Published :
Aug 06, 2024 22:41
Updated :
Aug 06, 2024 22:41

The dead bodies of nine Rohingya, including three children, have been recovered from the coast of Cox's Bazar's Teknaf Upazila. As many as 22 others have been reported missing over the incident.

According to public representatives, the victims were trying to enter Bangladesh territory by sea from Myanmar, according to bdnews24.com.

Md Adnan Chowdhury, the chief executive officer of Teknaf, said that the boat carrying the Rohingya capsized in the sea near Habirchhara and Rajarchhara point areas of Teknaf Sadar Union on Tuesday.

Of the bodies recovered from the coast, three are children, four women and two men. He also said that two people were rescued alive following the incident.

However, the officials have yet to identify the victims.

Abdur Rashid, a member of Ward no 1 of Teknaf Sadar Union, told bdnews24.com that a boat carrying 31 Rohingya capsized while trying to flee Myanmar's Rakhine State. They were on their way to Bangladesh to escape the conflict raging in Myanmar.

Although a few of them managed to swim ashore, several passengers of the boat drowned in the sea. The bodies of nine people were recovered with the help of the locals on Tuesday. At least 22 of them are still missing.

According to Abdur Rashid, preparations are underway to hand over the dead bodies to the families of the victims in various Rohingya shelters located in Teknaf, which are under the Upazila administration.

Adnan Chowdhury said legal action is being taken over the incident.

He also added that a few of the Rohingya men were detained while they tried to infiltrate the borders. They are currently in the custody of the BGB.​

 

[Saif]

13 more Myanmar citizens take shelter in Bangladesh

Amid a conflict between the Myanmar military and the armed rebel group in Myanmar’s Rakhine, 13 more members of the country's Border Guard Police (BGP) took shelter in Bangladesh on Wednesday morning

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13 more Myanmar citizens take shelter in Bangladesh
UNBCox's Bazar
Published: 15 Aug 2024, 09: 39

13 more members of the country's Border Guard Police (BGP) took shelter in Bangladesh on Wednesday morning UNB

Amid a conflict between the Myanmar military and the armed rebel group in Myanmar’s Rakhine, 13 more members of the country's Border Guard Police (BGP) took shelter in Bangladesh on Wednesday morning.

So far, a total of 123 BGP members have taken refuge in Bangladesh, said Teknaf-2 BGB Commander Lieutenant Colonel Mohiuddin Ahmed.

Colonel Mohiuddin said the BGP members infiltrated through the Sabrang border on Wednesday morning due to internal conflict in Myanmar.

Later, they surrendered to the BGB with a pistol and 25 rounds of ammunition.

The process of repatriation has started and they will be sent back soon, he added​

 

[Saif]

UN fears repeat of 2017 atrocities against Rohingyas

The United Nations said on Friday it fears a repeat of the 2017 atrocities committed against the Rohingya minority in Myanmar, warning a human tragedy was...

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UN fears repeat of 2017 atrocities against Rohingyas
Agence France-Presse . Geneva 23 August, 2024, 21:23

Volker Türk. | File photo.

The United Nations said on Friday it fears a repeat of the 2017 atrocities committed against the Rohingya minority in Myanmar, warning a human tragedy was unfolding in Rakhine State.

UN human rights chief Volker Turk voiced grave alarm about the sharply deteriorating situation across Myanmar, particularly in Rakhine where, he said, hundreds of civilians have reportedly been killed while trying to flee fighting.

Clashes have rocked Rakhine since the rebel Arakan Army attacked forces of Myanmar’s ruling junta in November, ending a ceasefire that had largely held since a military coup in 2021.

The AA says it is fighting for more autonomy for the ethnic Rakhine population in the state, which is also home to around 6,00,000 members of the Rohingya Muslim minority.

Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya fled Rakhine in 2017 during a crackdown by the military that is now the subject of a United Nations genocide court case.

‘Thousands of Rohingya have been forced to flee on foot, with the Arakan Army herding them repeatedly into locations that offer scant safe haven,’ Turk said in a statement.

‘As the border crossings to Bangladesh remain closed, members of the Rohingya community are finding themselves trapped between the military and its allies and the Arakan Army, with no path to safety.’

Bangladesh is now home to around one million Rohingya refugees.

‘This month marks seven years since the military operations which drove 7,00,000 across the border into Bangladesh. Despite the world saying ‘never again’, we are once more witnessing killings, destruction and displacement in Rakhine,’ said Turk.

The UN high commissioner for human rights said parties to the armed conflict were denying responsibility for attacks against the Rohingya, which ‘stretches the bounds of credulity’, he said.

The UN Human Rights Office said that according to its information, the military and the Arakan Army have both committed serious human rights violations and abuses against the Rohingya.

These include extrajudicial killings, some involving beheadings, abductions, forced recruitment, indiscriminate bombardments of towns and villages, and arson attacks.

‘Both the military and the Arakan Army bear direct responsibility for the human tragedy that is unfolding in Rakhine,’ said Turk.

‘These atrocities demand an unequivocal response: those responsible must be held accountable, and justice must be pursued relentlessly.

‘Recurrence of the crimes and horrors of the past must be prevented as a moral duty and a legal necessity.’

Turk called on both parties to cease attacks on civilians and urged ASEAN, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, to take all necessary measures to protect the Rohingya.​

 

[Saif]

Rohingyas to observe ‘Genocide Remembrance Day’

The displaced Rohingyas from Myanmar, who are now sheltered in Bangladesh, will observe “Genocide Remembrance Day” today.

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Rohingyas to observe ‘Genocide Remembrance Day’

Reuters file photo

The displaced Rohingyas from Myanmar, who are now sheltered in Bangladesh, will observe "Genocide Remembrance Day" today.

Around a million Rohingya people fled ethnic cleansing by the Myanmar junta troops to take refuge in Bangladesh following military crackdown in Rakhine State on August 25, 2017.

Since then, they have been living in camps of Ukhiya and Teknaf of Cox's Bazar.

Meanwhile, no less than 20,000 Rohingyas crossed Naf river and entered Bangladesh to take shelter in the refugee camps in Cox's Bazar in a fresh exodus amid violent clashes between Arakan Army and Myanmar troops since August 4-5 this year, said Rohingya leaders at the camps.

Kamal Hossain, chairman of the Forcibly Displaced Myanmar National Representative Committee, termed the recent attacks on the community as the second wave of genocide.

"Over 20,000 Rohingays have come to Bangladesh after the Arakan Army launched brutal attacks on the community recently. They are now living at the camps in Cox's Bazar with their relatives or acquaintances. The previously sheltered Rohingyas are sharing food with the newcomers despite suffering from shortage due to limited rations," he said.

However, government officials have no specific data about the number of new arrivals.

Contacted, Mohammad Mizanur Rahman, Refugee, Relief and Repatriation Commissioner, said they have no specific data on how many new Rohingyas have come to the camps recently when Bangladesh was facing a troubled situation.

At present, Bangladesh's stance is not to allow any more Rohingyas in the country, Mizanur said. However, he said they are contacting their high-ups to arrange food for the new arrivals on humanitarian ground.

Rashida Begum, a Rohingya woman who arrived on August 8, said she and her family members had taken shelter at a relative's house in Rakhine's Maungdaw Township for 15 days before entering Bangladesh.

The Arakan Army had tried to stop them from leaving the country to use them as human shields, she added.

Meanwhile, at least 100 bodies of Rohingyas were recovered from river bank and sea coast in Teknaf and were later buried on different graveyards and other areas on the shore stretching from Lada to Shahporir Dwip between August 4 and August 21.

They were assumed to have died after their boats capsized on the way to Teknaf.

Confirming the matter, Adnan Chowdhury, UNO of Teknaf, said, "As far as I know, over 100 bodies were recovered and buried by locals and Rohingyas on different shores."

Khin Maung Thein, a Rohingya human rights activist, said he along with Rohingya volunteers had arranged for burial of 20 bodies of Rohingya people, including one of a pregnant woman.

"The bodies bore numerous injury marks. Some had amputated legs," he added.​

 

[Saif]

No fresh move in sight for Rohingya return

No fresh initiative has been taken by the interim government for Rohingya repatriation, as Bangladesh could not send back even a single person from the over 12 lakh displaced people in...

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No fresh move in sight for Rohingya return
Mustafizur Rahman with Tarekur Rahman in Cox’s Bazar 25 August, 2024, 00:06

No fresh initiative has been taken by the interim government for Rohingya repatriation, as Bangladesh could not send back even a single person from the over 12 lakh displaced people in Myanmar to their homeland in the past seven years since the latest influx began in 2017.

The moves initiated by the previous government to repatriate the persecuted Rohingyas to the Rakhine State of Myanmar, facing a civil war situation for around three years, did not bear any outcome, according to officials.

The foreign ministry’s Myanmar wing director general, Ferdousi Shahriar, said that there had been no progress so far in the return of Rohingyas, sheltered in Bangladesh camps as a China-backed project to repatriate some 1,000 Rohingyas on a pilot basis remained stalled for months.

She said that they did not get any fresh instructions on the issue from the interim government, which was formed on August 8 with professor Mohammad Yunus as chief adviser following the August 5 fall of Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India amid a student-led mass uprising, ending her 15-year-long regime.

‘We are expecting fresh directives exclusively to look into the issue of Rohingya repatriation following the changeover in the government,’ Ferdousi told New Age on Saturday.

She said that the joint efforts for the Rohingya repatriation could not make any headway as there was a civil war situation in Myanmar, which made the conditions not favourable for their return to the Rakhine State.

The overthrown government of the Awami League has blamed on several occasions both international communities, including the United Nations Refugee Agency and Myanmar’s military regime, for its failure to return Rohingya people from Bangladesh after the large-scale exodus that began on this day in 2017 amid a military crackdown in Rakhine State.

The United Nations said on Friday it feared a repeat of the 2017 atrocities committed against the Rohingya minority in Myanmar, warning of an unfolding human tragedy in Rakhine State, the Agence France-Presse reported from Geneva.

UN human rights chief Volker Turk voiced grave alarm about the sharply deteriorating situation across Myanmar, particularly in Rakhine, where he said hundreds of civilians had reportedly been killed while trying to flee fighting.

Clashes have rocked Rakhine since the rebel Arakan Army attacked forces of Myanmar’s ruling junta in November, ending a ceasefire that had largely held since a military coup in 2021, according to the AFP report published on Friday.

Although international communities, including UN organisations, assured time and again that they would facilitate the return of the forcibly displaced people by creating a congenial atmosphere in Myanmar, not a single Rohingya could be sent back home since the signing of instruments between Bangladesh and Myanmar in 2018 for repatriation.

Bangladesh has also sought the cooperation of China and Japan, among others, to expedite the repatriation process, as they have leverage over Myanmar.

Officials said that the number of Rohingya people has already crossed 12 lakh following the latest exodus of over seven lakh persecuted Myanmar nationals who fled a military crackdown in Rakhine State to Bangladesh for shelter.

Rohingya community leader Mohammed Syed, who has been residing in a camp at Ukhia in Cox’s Bazar for around seven years, said that they did not like to live the confined life anymore and wanted to return voluntarily to their homeland without further delay on the assurance that their rights as citizens would be fulfilled.

‘We have been living here for a long time, but we cannot forget our motherland. If we even remain unfed in Myanmar, we feel we will have freedom there,’ he told New Age.

Hamid Hossain, another Rohingya leader at Kutupalang in Ukhia, expressed uncertainty about the fate of the move for their return as the population of their community was increasing every year.

‘We don’t know whether such a big Rohingya community would be able to return to their homeland by realising our demands. But we want to return to our country of birth. Our future is uncertain here,’ he added.

At least two attempts to start the repatriation of the displaced Rohingyas from Bangladesh to Myanmar failed, as they refused to return home without a guarantee of their citizenship and security.

Rohingyas observe this day with various programmes including discussion meetings, rallies, and prayer sessions for their relatives killed during the Myanmar military crackdown on this day and later on.​

 

[Saif]

World should act to stop repeat of 2017 Rohingya atrocities

UN FEARS for a likely repeat of the 2017 atrocities that Myanmar’s security forces committed against the Rohingyas in Rakhine State against the background of an unfolding tragedy now brings to the fore a couple of issues for the global forum itself and the world community to seriously consider...

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World should act to stop repeat of 2017 Rohingya atrocities
25 August, 2024, 00:00

UN FEARS for a likely repeat of the 2017 atrocities that Myanmar’s security forces committed against the Rohingyas in Rakhine State against the background of an unfolding tragedy now brings to the fore a couple of issues for the global forum itself and the world community to seriously consider. The UN human rights chief has voiced grave alarm about a sharply deteriorating situation across Myanmar, especially in Rakhine State, which is home to about 600,000 Rohingya people, where hundreds of civilians are reported to have been killed when they tried to flee fighting. The situation has exacerbated into clashes in Rakhine since the Arakan Army attacked forces of Myanmar’s ruling junta in November 2023, ending a ceasefire that had largely been held since a military coup in 2021. Hundreds of thousands of Rohingyas fled Rakhine in 2017 during a military crackdown, now the subject of a UN genocide court case. As the border crossings to Bangladesh remain closed, the Rohingyas find themselves trapped between the Myanmar military and its allies and the Arkan Army with no path to safety. The proposition is bad for the Rohingyas, about 700,000 of whom entered Bangladesh where the Rohingya population in shelters is more than one million.

This is also bad for the world community, which earlier said ‘never again’ but now appears to be failing again as killings, destruction and displacement are witnessed once again in Rakhine. Parties to the armed conflict in Rakhine, as the UN high commissioner for human rights says, are denying responsibility for attacks against the Rohingyas which ‘stretches the bounds of cruelty.’ Such a situation is also bad for Bangladesh, where more than a million of the Rohingyas have lived in shelters and camps, with no past to fall back on and no future to look forward to. And, none of the Rohingyas could be repatriated to Rakhine State since August 2017 despite some efforts that petered out mostly because of Myanmar’s unwillingness and continued efforts that have created a fearful situation there to stop the Rohingyas from willingly returning. The United Nations, which earlier likened Myanmar’s persecution of the Rohingyas to ‘a textbook example of ethnic cleansing,’ has, along with the international community, therefore, a role to play in preventing the deplorable situation that it fears in Rakhine State again especially now that it has already sensed what could be in store. The recurrence of the crimes and horrors that happened to the Rohingyas in the past should be prevented as a moral duty and legal necessity of the world community.

Whilst the world community should act to stop a repeat of the atrocities that Myanmar committed against the Rohingyas in 2017 and step up efforts on international forums for the repatriation of the Rohingyas sheltered in Bangladesh, Bangladesh authorities must redouble its efforts bilaterally, regionally and internationally for a resolution of the deteriorating situation in Rakhine State and the repatriation of the Rohingyas. Bangladesh authorities must also remain alert to any such efforts, perhaps by the adversaries, to create instability in the politically changed context of Bangladesh.​

 

[Saif]

7th anniv of Rohingya influx: Crisis deepens as funds falling

A drastic fall in humanitarian funds and uncertainty about repatriation mark the seventh anniversary of Rohingya influx into Bangladesh, thereby putting both refugees and host communities at risk, experts said. Those involved in the humanitarian assistance at grass-roots level have cautioned that

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

7th anniv of Rohingya influx: Crisis deepens as funds falling
* Experts suggest opening talks with Arakan Army * We are observing situation, says foreign secy * Fund crisis compromises with life-saving aid

MIR MOSTAFIZUR RAHAMAN
Published :
Aug 24, 2024 21:10
Updated :
Aug 24, 2024 22:44

A drastic fall in humanitarian funds and uncertainty about repatriation mark the seventh anniversary of Rohingya influx into Bangladesh, thereby putting both refugees and host communities at risk, experts said.

Those involved in the humanitarian assistance at grass-roots level have cautioned that thousands at Rohingya camps are in peril as they have to compromise with food rationing and others.

For the last couple of years, only 40 per cent of the humanitarian funds required for the refugees were received, according to officials.

Moreover, as the repatriation of the Rohingya is not in sight in near future, experts suggest Bangladesh start talks with the Arakan Army who are practically in control of Rakhine State, the homeland of over 0.1 million Rohingya now staying here.

“Fund deficit is painful but we are trying hard to encourage the donors to continue their funding,” foreign secretary Masud Bin Momen told the FE.

Usually, donors tend to reduce funding for old refugee situations and funding for the Rohingya is declining with the emergence of new situations in Ukraine, Sudan and the Middle East, he explained.

However, those working at grass-roots level to provide humanitarian aid make it clear that thousands of Rohingya will be under severe threat due to malnutrition if funds continue to decline.

“This declining trend is a matter of grave concern because if the funding is shortened, life-saving assistance will be compromised,” said Manish Kumar Agrawal, country director of the Concern Worldwide.

“And this will be dangerous, not only for the camps, but then also for the Bangladesh host community, because you have a million-plus people, if they are deprived of life-saving assistance, then it’s definitely going to have much larger implications for surrounding areas.”

He said malnutrition has been worsening due to cuts in food rationing and the number of children with clear malnutrition symptoms is rising day by day.

Concern Worldwide is responsible for over 60 per cent of nutrition-related activities at 22 refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar.

Asked about a way out, Mr Manish laid more emphasis on development funding to engage the refugees in income-generating and livelihood activities.

Furthermore, attracting development funding would be a good alternative in the face of declining humanitarian support, he told the FE.

On the other hand, experts suggested the government open up channels for communication with the Arakan Army.

A latest report of the International Crisis Group (ICG) said, “For all the challenges it’s facing domestically, Bangladesh also has a key role to play in Rakhine State. The emergence on its border of a de facto state that aspires to permanent autonomy will require the new interim government in Dhaka to expand the scope of its engagement with the Arakan Army...”

Asked about opening communication with the Arakan Army, Mr Momen told the FE that the government was observing the situation.

“We see reports that the Myanmar military government is losing ground in Rakhine,” said the seasoned diplomat, adding that Myanmar assured Bangladesh that they are committed to taking back the Rohingya.

“If the situation demands, the government can talk to all stakeholders to ensure safe and dignified repatriation of the Rohingya.”

In just a few months, the Arakan Army has created the largest area in Myanmar under the control of a non-state armed group in terms of both size and population and is now on the verge of securing almost all of Rakhine.

According to the ICG, Rakhine remains at a perilous juncture, requiring leaders of both Rakhine and Rohingya communities to rise above their historical animosity and defuse tensions.

It has urged the Arakan Army to incorporate more Rohingya into its administration and commit to supporting an independent investigation into allegations of abuses against civilians.

Narrating the current situation, the Amnesty International said acute funding shortfall led to food insecurity in camps as well as shortcomings in health care and education.

“Bangladesh continues to host nearly 0.1-million Rohingya refugees in camps in poor conditions for the seventh consecutive year. Last year, at least 12,000 refugees in camps were rendered homeless due to devastating fires and the impact of cyclone Mocha.”

“Bangladesh’s new interim government should prioritize the protection of Rohingya refugees’ human rights and their safety in camps, uphold the principle of non-refoulment, and adopt a rights-respecting policy towards the Rohingya,” the Amnesty said in a report.

On 25 August 2017, Myanmar security forces launched a widespread and systematic assault on Rohingya villages after an armed group calling itself the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army carried out deadly attacks on police posts.

The military response included extrajudicial killings, destruction of properties and sexual assault. As a result of the military’s so-called “clearance operations”, more than 740,000 Rohingya women, men and children fled northern Rakhine to neighbouring Bangladesh.​

 

[Saif]

Rohingya's fate remains unchanged even after seven years

The Rohingya have faced a continuous process of de-legitimization, systematic persecution, and worsening abuses culminating in genocide. Today is the seventh year of the Myanmar military's genocidal attacks against the Rohingya. The Rohingya diaspora in different countries observe today as "Rohingy

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Rohingya's fate remains unchanged even after seven years
Mahbubul Haque
Published :
Aug 24, 2024 22:15
Updated :
Aug 24, 2024 22:15

The Rohingya have faced a continuous process of de-legitimization, systematic persecution, and worsening abuses culminating in genocide. Today is the seventh year of the Myanmar military's genocidal attacks against the Rohingya. The Rohingya diaspora in different countries observe today as "Rohingya Genocide Day''. In this day, Rohingya political groups urged global leaders to end the cycle of impunity and act against the genocides and no perpetrator should go unpunished.

The genocide has consisted of two phases to date: the first was a military crackdown that occurred from October 2016 to January 2017, and the second has been occurring since August 2017. Consequently, more than a million Rohingya have fled the country because of well-founded fears of persecution. It can be stated that from 2012 to 2016 and most dramatically in 2017, wholesale destruction, systematic rape, and mass killings were carried out against Rohingya as a part of the government policy to eradicate them from their ancestors' land. The Rohingya atrocity is now the subject of a genocide investigation by the International Court of Justice.

The ongoing political situation in Myanmar especially after the Military coup witnessed that without accountability and justice, the future generations of Rohingya will face again genocide. The foremost priority of the existing Rohingya people who have become exiles is to return home in safety, dignity, and justice. But the reality is they cannot return where genocide is still ongoing. There must be credible accountability to ensure victims see justice served and the cycle of violence is not repeated. It is very clear if Rohingya do not get full citizenship rights, it will never be safe for them to return to Myanmar. There has been no visible progress regarding the repatriation agreement signed between the governments of Bangladesh and Myanmar on 23 November 2017. Bangladesh called on the United Nations to effectively engage with Myanmar to facilitate the sustainable repatriation of the displaced Rohingya people to their homes in Rakhine State. Nobel laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus, the interim leader of Bangladesh, has delivered his first major government policy to address and promised to support the Rohingya community seeking refuge in the country. Professor Yunus pledged that his government "will continue to support the Rohingya people sheltered in Bangladesh". He also mentioned that "we need the sustained efforts of the international community for Rohingya humanitarian operations and their eventual repatriation to their homeland, Myanmar, with safety, dignity and full rights."

Currently, in Bangladesh, more than a million forced-displaced Rohingya have no right to work and are completely reliant upon international aid for their survival. It is a very common scenario for displaced Rohingyas to have the right to work in Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand. In the above-mentioned ASEAN countries, Rohingya are treated as 'illegal migrants. The root cause of forced displacement of Rohingya is connected to the criteria of the 'refugee' according to the 1951 Refugee Convention. The international community has also failed to adequately support the Rohingya in their hour of need. Recently the UN's World Food Programme (WFP), has announced cuts to funding for the refugee camps in Bangladesh. Amidst rising global food costs, an increase in the number of geopolitical crises such as the Russia-Ukraine war, the Gaza war, and overstretched international humanitarian aid budgets, these cuts form part of a broader trend in declining support for protracted humanitarian crises in the global south. Some countries are backing a short-sighted plan to repatriate Rohingya refugees from Bangladesh before their safe return to Myanmar can be ensured. The UN refugee agency, UNHCR has called for more durable solutions from the international community which include increasing the resettlement of Rohingya refugees in third countries. Few countries have stepped up to support resettlement or other durable solutions for Rohingya. It can be mentioned that Australia has contributed to this containment policy despite calls from Bangladeshi authorities and international advocacy groups to increase their resettlement of refugees and to increase support for resettlement in other countries. The total number of third-country resettlement for Rohingyas is very low compared to Ukrainian refugees.

After three years of military coup in Myanmar, the landscape of the country's conflict is changed enormously. The military faces a national uprising that spans the breadth of the country. It is for the first time in its history, that Myanmar's military has lost control over vast areas of territory and strategically significant bases. The Human Rights Watch and various media published that Myanmar Military and the opposition Arakan Army (AA) have committed extrajudicial killings and widespread arson against Rohingya, Rakhine, and other civilians in Myanmar's western Rakhine State since the end of 2023. The offensive has also dramatically overrun two strategically important townships on the border with Bangladesh - Buthidaung in late May, and almost completely, the town of Maungdaw later. The diaspora Rohingya community is concerned that the AA's success could inflame communal tensions between ethnic Buddhist Rakhine and Rohingya Muslims, who make up a majority in both townships. The AA stated that they are fighting for more autonomy for the ethnic Rakhine population in the state, which is also home to around 600,000 Rohingya who remained after the 2017 crackdown. It does not mean that AA recognizes the Rohingyas as indigenous people of the present Rakhine State. The medical charity organization, Doctors without Borders, popularly known as MSF also mentioned that more Rohingya are arriving in Bangladesh from Myanmar with war-inflicted injuries amid escalating conflict between the military and the AA in Rakhine State. It should be mentioned here that the military's unlawful recruitment of Rohingya men and boys has stoked communal tensions between the Rohingya Muslim and Rakhine Buddhist communities. The clashes have since moved west to Maungdaw, where fighting has surged over the past weeks, with reports of killings and other abuses against the Rohingya population, including children, women, and older people. Rights groups urged that all parties to the conflict should stop hate speech, and unlawful attacks and allow aid agencies to conduct humanitarian support to those in need.

Since November 2019, different initiatives have been taken against the genocides in Myanmar including provisional measures by the International Court of Justice (Gambia vs Myanmar case). Despite these measures, community leaders and rights groups witnessed that the Myanmar military has continued to burn the Rohingya villages and burying bodies in mass graves in order to destroy the evidence of atrocities committed. No genocide can be prevented if a culture of impunity exists. In addition, the international community also cannot avoid its responsibility to protect the Rohingya people from further atrocities.

Dr. Mahbubul Haque currently working as a faculty member at the Faculty of Law and International Relations at the University Sultan Zainal Abidin, Malaysia, and one of the founder members of the Initiatives for Human Rights in Asia-IHRA (human rights-related civil society forum).​

 

[Saif]

Prevent a repeat of Rohingya atrocities

International community should play a more active role

www.thedailystar.net

Prevent a repeat of Rohingya atrocities
International community should play a more active role

We are deeply concerned that the United Nations has stated the Myanmar conflict is becoming so volatile that the atrocities of 2017 may be repeated against the Rohingyas. The UN human rights chief Volker Turk expressed concern on Friday, saying that the situation across Myanmar, particularly in Rakhine, has sharply deteriorated recently. Additionally, reports suggest that hundreds of civilians have been killed while trying to flee the fighting.

Exactly seven years ago today, the second phase of the Rohingya genocide had started. It is estimated that between August 25 and September 24, 2017, at least 6,700 Rohingya were killed. Despite the Myanmar government dismissing these findings as exaggerations, the UN found evidence of widespread human rights violations, including extrajudicial killings, summary executions, gang rapes, the arson of Rohingya villages, businesses and schools, among other horrific atrocities. Currently, a case is ongoing at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), accusing Myanmar of abetting genocide against the Rohingya ethnic group.

Following the events of 2017, an estimated 750,000 Rohingyas fled from Myanmar into Bangladesh and took shelter in various refugee camps. Despite repeated dialogues between Myanmar and Bangladesh for the safe repatriation of these Rohingyas back to their homeland, we have seen little to no progress made over the years. With clashes between the Arakan Army and Myanmar's ruling junta worsening, the possibility of further destabilisation in the region due to the ongoing situation in Myanmar seems to be rising rapidly.

Reportedly, thousands of Rohingyas have already been forced to flee again on foot, with the Arakan Army herding them repeatedly into locations that offer scant safe haven. Finding themselves trapped between the military and its allies and the Arakan Army, many of them are again looking to cross into Bangladesh. Given that Bangladesh is already overwhelmed with its own issues, as well as struggling to continue providing support to the Rohingya that had earlier sought shelter within its territories, the influx of even more Rohingya into Bangladesh could prove disastrous.

The burden of supporting the Rohingya—on humanitarian grounds, and rightly so—has been massive on Bangladesh. As such, we invite the international community to be more active in solving the Myanmar crisis so that this burden can be lifted and the region can regain some of its lost stability. We hope that every influential member of the international community, including the collective West, China and India, will urgently respond to this call.​

 

[Saif]

Don’t let the Rohingya return to uncertainty

Safety and dignity in Myanmar must be ensured in repatriation talks.

www.thedailystar.net

Don’t let the Rohingya return to uncertainty
Safety and dignity in Myanmar must be ensured in repatriation talks

We are glad to finally see some positive development in the repatriation process of Rohingya refugees living in squalid refugee camps in Bangladesh. Through China's mediation, Myanmar officials agreed to take back their forcibly displaced nationals during a meeting with a Bangladesh delegation earlier this week, according to a report in this daily. Bangladesh and Myanmar are now discussing the repatriation of 3,000 Rohingya refugees by December. This development is indeed big and timely, given the worsening humanitarian crisis that the Rohingya refugees face today. The agreement to let the Rohingya visit Myanmar for a second time as a confidence-building measure is also a prudent move.

However, one cannot help but feel a little apprehensive about Myanmar's reassurances regarding Rohingya repatriation. After Bangladesh and Myanmar signed the repatriation agreement back in 2017, attempts were made in 2018 and 2019, but they failed because the Rohingya, with memories of the atrocities inflicted upon them still fresh in their minds, did not feel safe going back. The Rohingya fled Rakhine to escape a military crackdown that the UN has termed an act of "ethnic cleansing." Given that the same military junta runs Myanmar today, we cannot help but sympathise with the Rohingya's lack of confidence. There is also the issue of the Rohingya's full recognition as Myanmar citizens – something the country's government has yet to commit to.

But there is no alternative to repatriation – as the Rohingya themselves have been saying. Since the latest and largest exodus in 2017, Bangladesh has been hosting more than 1.2 million Rohingya refugees with its limited resources and help from the international community. But recent global events have diverted the international community's attention away from this crisis, which has caused a severe setback in aid supply. Earlier this year, the World Food Programme (WFP) had to slash the food assistance for the Rohingya twice as there were not enough funds. In the camps, the Rohingya have no access to education, crime rates are on the rise, and in a desperate attempt to find a better life outside of the camps, some refugees have even gone on deadly sea voyages in the past few years.

We have to listen to what the Rohingya want, and all they want are their basic rights restored, recognition as Myanmar's citizens, and a safe and dignified life back in their homeland. We appreciate what China has done to get the ball rolling on Rohingya repatriation, but now the rest of the international community must also step in. Let the humanitarian agencies, who have been working on the ground since the beginning of this crisis, get involved in the process. Together with the international community and the humanitarian agencies, Myanmar must work with Bangladesh to come up with a viable plan that will ensure that the Rohingya get what they deserve.​

 

[Saif]

Rohingya must be repatriated to their original villages

Myanmar must not backtrack on its promise.

www.thedailystar.net

Rohingya must be repatriated to their original villages
Myanmar must not backtrack on its promise

We are disappointed by the comments made by the Myanmar delegation who recently visited the Cox's Bazar refugee camps to verify the Rohingya's identities. The delegation was also there to brief the Rohingya about the repatriation process, citizenship procedures and other facilities. When the refugees reiterated their demand to return to their original homes—not to the villages or camps set up for them in Rakhine—the delegates apparently could not make any such commitment. Reportedly, all they could say was that they would discuss the matter with the higher authorities in Naypyidaw. We are surprised at their answer at a time when all arrangements are underway to start the repatriation process by sending the first batch of Rohingya—some 3,000 of them—to Myanmar by December this year.

Over the past few months, we witnessed some encouraging developments regarding the repatriation of Rohingya refugees to their homeland in Myanmar. China's initiative to mediate the process with Myanmar was particularly commendable, after years of foot-dragging by the international community to resolve the crisis. And after Chinese Special Envoy on Myanmar Deng Xijun hinted in early August that Myanmar may take back the Rohingya living in Cox's Bazar to their own villages in North Maungdaw and nearby places—instead of any camps or "model villages" that the Myanmar authorities had planned earlier—we were hopeful about the safe and dignified return of the Rohingya refugees, who have been living in squalid camps for the last six years.

Reportedly, in September, Myanmar agreed to allow international volunteers, including those from the UN, China and ASEAN countries, to take part in humanitarian assistance during the repatriation process. It also agreed to let the Rohingya visit Myanmar for a second time as a confidence-building measure.

But now we have learnt that Myanmar is planning to repatriate the Rohingya to 20 model villages on a pilot basis. This is unacceptable; the Rohingyas themselves have made this clear time and again. They have also demanded their citizenship and voting rights upon their return. Therefore, we would like to remind the Myanmar authorities that they cannot just backtrack on their promise of repatriating the Rohingya to their original villages. If they do so, it may result in another failed repatriation effort.​

 

[Saif]

Will Rakhine breakaway from Myanmar?

বাংলাদেশ-মিয়ানমার সীমান্তে অস্থিরতা বৃদ্ধির শঙ্কা

 

[Saif]

Experts sound alarm on new Rohingya crackdown in Myanmar

The Arakan Army, which says it is fighting for more autonomy for the ethnic Rakhine population in Myanmar, has made steady territorial advances this year near the Bangladeshi border

en.prothomalo.com

Experts sound alarm on new Rohingya crackdown in Myanmar
AFP Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh
Published: 27 Aug 2024, 18: 42

Rohingya refugees gather to mark the seventh anniversary of their fleeing from neighbouring Myanmar to escape a military crackdown in 2017, during heavy monsoon rains in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, on 25 August 2024 Reuters

The persecuted and stateless Rohingya minority is caught in a new violent crackdown in Myanmar, with children among those killed, two reports from influential expert groups warned Tuesday.

Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya fled Myanmar for neighbouring Bangladesh in 2017 during a crackdown by the military that is now the subject of a United Nations genocide court case.

But around 600,000 remain in the country's western state of Rakhine, where they have found themselves in the middle of an escalating conflict between junta-run Myanmar's armed forces and the rebel Arakan Army.

The situation has been inflamed further by the Myanmar military's forced recruitment of Rohingya to battle the rebel group, including reportedly more than 2,000 from Bangladeshi refugee camps.

Watchdog Fortify Rights said its interviews with eyewitnesses established that the Arakan Army had this month launched a drone and mortar attack on Rohingya civilians.

The bombardment killed more than 100 Rohingya men, women and children on the border with Bangladesh, Fortify Rights said.

"The fact that the AA first sent a surveillance drone before launching the massive attack shows clearly that the group intentionally attacked a civilian crowd," the group said.

The Arakan Army denied responsibility for the assault in an 7 August statement and again through its political wing 10 days later.

The International Crisis Group think tank said that many Rohingya on the ground blamed the rebel group for the attack, along with other acts of violence and persecution.

"The combination of words and alleged deeds have fuelled polarisation and driven greater numbers of Rohingya to volunteer for the military or armed groups," it said.

'Moral duty'

The reports come days after the UN Human Rights Office said it had information showing the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army had both committed serious abuses against the Rohingya.

They included extrajudicial killings, abductions, forced recruitment, indiscriminate bombardments of villages and arson attacks.

"Recurrence of the crimes and horrors of the past must be prevented as a moral duty," UN rights chief Volker Turk said.

The Arakan Army, which says it is fighting for more autonomy for the ethnic Rakhine population in Myanmar, has made steady territorial advances this year near the Bangladeshi border.

Bangladesh is home to around one million Rohingya refugees, most of whom fled the 2017 crackdown.

Further complicating the security situation for Rohingya there was the ousting this month of autocratic ruler Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India.

Hasina was replaced by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, who is leading an interim government ahead of expected elections.

He pledged to continue to support Bangladesh's population of Rohingya refugees, but said his country needed "the sustained efforts of the international community" to do so.​

 

[Saif]

Will there ever be a sustainable solution of the Rohingya crisis?

On Aug. 25, 2017, hundreds of thousands of refugees started crossing the border between Myanmar and Bangladesh, entering Bangladesh on foot and by boats amid indiscriminate killings and other acts of violence in Myanmar's Rakhine state. Those fleeing attacks and violence in the 2017 exodus joined a

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Will there ever be a sustainable solution of the Rohingya crisis?
Muhammad Zamir
Published :
Sep 01, 2024 21:47
Updated :
Sep 01, 2024 21:47

Photo taken on Sept. 12, 2017 shows Rohingya refugees arriving by boat at Shah Parir Dwip on the Bangladesh side of the Naf River after fleeing violence in Myanmar Photo : Agency

On Aug. 25, 2017, hundreds of thousands of refugees started crossing the border between Myanmar and Bangladesh, entering Bangladesh on foot and by boats amid indiscriminate killings and other acts of violence in Myanmar's Rakhine state. Those fleeing attacks and violence in the 2017 exodus joined around 300,000 people already in Bangladesh from previous waves of displacement, effectively forming the world's largest refugee camp. Six years later, about half a million Rohingya refugee children are living in exile from their home country.

This was not the first time that such a situation evolved in Bangladesh. We watched a similar scenario that had evolved in 1977 and 1992 and had led to tens of thousands of Rohingyas seeking sanctuary in the south eastern Districts of Bangladesh bordering Myanmar. In 1979 and 1992, some quarter-million Rohingya refugees were repatriated within a year of arrival.

In February, 2024, growing apprehension was palpable in Bangladesh as the civil war in neighbouring Myanmar inched closer to its border, with two deaths reported when stray shells from Myanmar landed in a village in the hilly Bandarban District. Aware of the rising threat, Bangladesh placed security forces on high alert along its 270-mile frontier with Myanmar's restive Rakhine state, with particular focus on the Naf River that serves as a natural boundary.

Historically known as Arakan, Myanmar's Rakhine state was the site of a brutal military crackdown in 2017 that drove more than 1 million ethnic Rohingyas to seek refuge in Bangladesh. Initially welcoming them with open arms, Bangladesh has since grown restless over their prolonged presence.

Current Foreign Affairs Adviser in the Bangladesh Interim Government Touhid Hossain made an interesting observation at that time regarding their repatriation. He noted that one of the existing challenges pertaining to their repatriation came from the fact that although Myanmar's ruling military junta had approved to take back the displaced Rohingyas, it had not agreed to grant them citizenship. Such a situation was not acceptable to the Rohingya refugees as they refused to return to their country under a military junta they distrust. Until the conditions are in place in Myanmar that would allow Rohingya families to return home with basic rights - safety from violence, citizenship, free movement, health and education - they are stuck as refugees or internally displaced persons living in overcrowded and sometimes dangerous conditions.

Currently, a grim picture continues to present itself in the extensive Rohingya camps in coastal Cox's Bazar, the southernmost district of Bangladesh. The sounds of gunfire and explosions in Rakhine resonate within the makeshift shelters, underscoring the reality of the situation.

The Arakan Army, a predominantly non-Rohingya rebel group fighting for an autonomous Rakhine state, launched a significant offensive last October, coordinating with other ethnic armed groups to place immense pressure on Myanmar's ruling military, known as the Tatmadaw. Reports have since suggested that the Tatmadaw has retaliated with artillery bombardments causing civilian casualties, including Rohingyas in Rakhine. The death of villagers caused by stray shelling and the entry of more than 200 members of Myanmar's border police force, many of them wounded, taking refuge in Bangladesh also created further apprehension within Bangladesh. This led to worries that the conflict might spill over into Bangladesh.

Many analysts took that opportunity to reiterate that armed groups and any new influx of refugees would no longer be welcome in Bangladesh, which has grappled with displaced Rohingyas three times in four decades.

Since 2017, Dhaka's diplomatic efforts have been stalled by the absence of safety guarantees and denial of citizenship, while broad international condemnation of Myanmar's military as perpetrators of genocide has failed to soften the junta's stance. Even Dhaka's efforts to have China broker a deal with the Tatmadaw have yet to produce results.

Adviser Hossain, however, remains hopeful that negotiations involving the pro-democracy National Unity Government (NUG) formed by elements of the ousted civilian government, could play a significant role in resolving the crisis. He also sees the Arakan Army as a key player in the process. It may also be noted that on the eve of the coup's third anniversary, the NUG has reiterated its commitment to ending the military's political rule and transitioning the country back to civilian governance through negotiations. That potentially leaves the door open for talks, provided Myanmar's military accepts the NUG's political objectives. Hossain also believes that both the NUG and the Arakan Army could be pivotal in resolving the Rohingya crisis, pointing out that the NUG has already recognized the Rohingyas as citizens and promised them security and rights. He has also called for Bangladesh to establish an informal channel of communication with the groups.

However, analysts and strategists have observed at different times that a further complication of the crisis has been created because of the geopolitical rivalry between India and China. Beijing's US Dollar 7.3 billion effort to create a Bay of Bengal deep-sea port in Kyaukphyu on the Rakhine coast, which has been in development since 2010, is being perceived with anxiety by India. This feeling has been generated because India knows that completion of such a port is expected to give China strategic access to the Indian Ocean, allowing it to bypass the narrow Strait of Malacca through which some 80 per cent of its oil imports now arrive from the Middle East.

Meanwhile, India's development of a port in Sittwe got underway in 2023. It is the first node of a US Dollar 484 million project aimed at connecting greater India with its landlocked northeast through western Myanmar's Rakhine and Chin states, bypassing Bangladesh.

Amid those challenges, Bangladesh is left to manage a delicate balancing act while hoping for a resolution to the Rohingya crisis and a peaceful resolution to the conflict on its border with Myanmar.

Working with the government of Bangladesh and partners, UNICEF has been helping to provide water and sanitation including the establishment of diarrhea treatment centres, health services for children and pregnant women, support for access to education, including establishing learning centres. Their efforts in this regard have been critical for creating, protecting and promoting respect for the rights and dignity of the Rohingya refugees. UNICEF hopes that their efforts to provide educational opportunities to the Rohingya refugees will ensure that the refugees are equipped and ready to return to a life of dignity in their homeland.

H. Tameesuddin Co-Secretary General of Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network has correctly observed, "one of the most glaring failures of the international community has been its inability to act promptly during the peak of the genocide in 2017. The absence of emergency intake or resettlement programmes at that critical time was a damning indictment of the global response to the Rohingya crisis. Over the years, the Rohingya crisis has become a stark example of the consequences of prolonged and systematic persecution. The Rohingya community, both in Myanmar and in the diaspora, has faced unimaginable hardships. The response from the international community, including regional bodies like the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), has also been woefully inadequate. While emergency aid has been provided, long-term solutions have been conspicuously absent".

Beth Van Shaack, Special Ambassador to the U.S. Department of Foreign Affairs, was recently interviewed at the Washington DC Metropolitan Foreign Affairs Department. It is interesting to note that B.V. Shaack referred to the existing number of lawsuits filed in many courts against the way the Rohingya people have been treated. There has been reference to contravention of international law including the Genocide Convention. There has also been reference to the fact that although investigations are ongoing, the ICC International Criminal Court has not yet been able to issue an arrest warrant. Reference has also been made to the fact that a case was filed against Myanmar by Gambia in the United Nations International Court of Justice (ICJ) but nothing has emerged from it.

Consequently, many strategic analysts have observed that although the issue of human rights is reiterated by the United Nations and most countries like the United States, United Kingdom, the EU, necessary measures are not undertaken to ensure its implementation.

This month marks seven years since the military operations in Myanmar drove 700,000 people across the border into Bangladesh. Despite the world saying "never again", we are witnessing killings, destruction and displacement in the Rakhine State.

Parties to the armed conflict are issuing statements denying responsibility for attacks against the Rohingya and others, acting as though they are powerless to protect them. This stretches the bounds of credulity. Despite repeated warnings and calls for action, the ongoing violence also underscores the prevailing sense of impunity and the persistent challenges in ensuring protection of civilians in accordance with international law.

The UN Secretary-General has called on all parties to the conflict in Myanmar to end the violence and ensure the protection of civilians in accordance with applicable international human rights standards and international humanitarian law. He has also renewed his appeal to strengthen regional protection efforts to provide access to conflict-affected communities and further support host countries, including through the 2024 Joint Response Plan for the Rohingya Humanitarian Crisis.

Bangladesh, however, will continue to wait, but nothing seems to be on the cards in the near future.

Muhammad Zamir, a former Ambassador, is an analyst specialised in foreign affairs, right to information and good governance.​

 

[Saif]

'8,000 Rohingyas entered Bangladesh in recent weeks'

Says foreign adviser

www.thedailystar.net

'8,000 Rohingyas entered Bangladesh in recent weeks'
Says foreign adviser

A Rohingya camp. File photo

Foreign Adviser Md Touhid Hossain has said around 8,000 Rohingyas have entered Bangladesh in recent weeks, as tens of thousands were displaced amid intensified conflicts between the Arakan Army and Myanmar military.

"I have information that some 8,000 Rohingyas entered Bangladesh. In a day or two, we will have serious discussions on how to prevent fresh influx," he told reporters at the foreign ministry today.

Some 7,50,000 Rohingyas fled to Bangladesh after the brutal military campaign against them in Myanmar's Rakhine State since August 2017.

Now, over a million Rohingyas are sheltered in the refugee camps, creating a range of challenges for Bangladesh.

The Arakan Army now controls most of the Rakhine State. Battles between the Arakan Army and Myanmar junta in early August forced the displacement of thousands of the remaining 6,00,000 Rohingya residing in the state.

Several thousands of Rohingyas also took shelter along the Naf River bordering Bangladesh, and there were reports of Rohingyas entering Bangladesh, but no confirmed figure was known until it was disclosed today.

"Various forces are there [along the border]. We cannot deny that there is corruption there," the adviser said in response to how Rohingyas could enter despite border security forces being there.

"We will try to prevent any fresh Rohingya influx. We cannot give shelter to new Rohingyas as it is beyond our capacity," he added.

Asked about sealing the border, Hossain said it is difficult to seal any border as there are various forces, as well as interests of locals. However, the government will try to seal the border.

He said he will meet the home adviser and also discuss the matter at the council of advisers in a day or two.

Asked if he supports the notion that Bangladesh needs to establish contact with the Arakan Army, Hossain said, "It is not the issue of my personal affair, but a state matter."

In the aftermath of August 5, there have been a series of attacks against minority groups, mostly Hindus. The Indian High Commission also drastically reduced the number of visas being issued to Bangladesh.

Asked if there's any enmity growing between Dhaka and New Delhi, Hossain said it is now an abnormal time and abnormal things happen in such time.

"The situation is getting normal and will be more stable in a few days. Then, we will see how things evolve," he added.

Hossain also informed the media that Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus will be attending the UN General Assembly for five days starting from September 22.​

 

[Saif]

Explosions in Myanmar again, Rohingyas enter afresh

The people in bordering areas of Teknaf upazila in Cox’s Bazar district had to pass sleepless night after midnight past Saturday as panic gripped them due to the sounds of gunshots and bomb explosions in Myanmar territory...

www.newagebd.net

Explosions in Myanmar again, Rohingyas enter afresh
Our Correspondent . Cox’s Bazar 09 September, 2024, 00:05

The people in bordering areas of Teknaf upazila in Cox’s Bazar district had to pass sleepless night after midnight past Saturday as panic gripped them due to the sounds of gunshots and bomb explosions in Myanmar territory.

Meanwhile, Rohingyas were again entering Bangladesh fleeing conflict in Myanmar, officials said.

Locals said that explosions could be heard at night in Sadar, Sabrang Shahpari union and some border points of Teknaf upazila.

A hand grenade was found in a floating bag in the Naf River of Teknaf Sunday morning. It was found by local fishermen who handed it over to the members of Border Guard Bangladesh.

Teknaf-2 BGB battalion commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel Mohiuddin Ahmed confirmed the news.

He said that local fishermen saw a bag floating on the Naf River at Sabrang Point in the morning.

‘When they opened the bag, they found a grenade inside it. The fishermen informed the matter to BGB members. A team of BGB reached the spot and took the grenade under their custody. There is no specific information about the grenade’s manufacturing country and how the bag came to the river, he added.

The hand grenade has been kept in the BGB battalion office, said the official.

Ukhia Upazila Nirbahi Officer Tanveer Hossain and Teknaf UNO Adnan Chowdhury separately said that some new Rohingya families had taken shelter in different camps of the upazilas.

‘A large number of Rohingyas were sent back to Myanmar from the Naf River during the infiltration. Patrolling along the Naf River and the border has been strengthened to prevent infiltration,’ Teknaf UNO, however, said.

Main Uddin, assistant superintendent of police of 16 Armed Police Battalion said that, Some Rohingyas had entered the camps.

Teknaf-2 BGB battalion commanding officer Lieutenant colonel Mohiuddin Ahmed said that, they were resisting the attempts of Rohingyas to enter Bangladesh.

Additional Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner Md Shamsud Douza said that 8,000 Rohingyas had entered Bangladesh after the fall of the Awami League government on August 5.

Foreign adviser Md Touhid Hossain said that Bangladesh was already hosting 12 lakh Rohingya people and it could not afford even a single more from Myanmar.​