US urges intl community to continue humanitarian aid to Rohingyas
News Desk
The United States embassy in Dhaka has called upon the international community to continue providing humanitarian support to Rohingyas who fled to Bangladesh facing persecution in their homeland Myanmar.
“Until conditions in Burma improve, we call upon the international community to continue providing humanitarian aid to one of the world’s most vulnerable and marginalized populations. We must continue to support the Government of Bangladesh and the Bangladeshi communities hosting Rohingya,” said the US embassy in a statement marking the sixth anniversary of Rohingya genocide today, 25 August.
“Today marks six years since the Burma military’s brutal campaign of violence, rape, and murder against Rohingya men, women, and children. The regime’s genocidal actions forced three-quarters of a million Rohingya to flee with the few belongings they could carry. The people of Bangladesh welcomed them with open arms, compassion, and a sense of shared humanity,” the statement reads.
Praising the the international community for supporting Bangladesh in its effort to host the Rohingyas, the US said the country has contributed more than $2.1 billion since 2017 in response to the humanitarian crisis that unfolded across the region, including more than $1.7 billion in Bangladesh to support Rohingya refugees and the local communities that so generously host them.
The US reiterates its commitment to working on repatriation of the Rohingyas and finding ways of taking action against those who committed the crimes against Rohingya people.
“Rohingya who continue to find refuge in Bangladesh and other countries in the region have suffered too long. They deserve an opportunity to return to their homes in safety and dignity, raise their families in peace, and live meaningful and purposeful lives. To that end, the United States remains committed to finding solutions to the crisis, justice for its victims, and accountability for the perpetrators of these atrocities, through targeted sanctions, international pressure, and support to the national and international courts taking action against those responsible.”
The US also said it is increasingly important to identify ways Rohingya can contribute to the economic well-being of their host communities and their own families.
“This includes facilitating the pursuit of income-generating activities and formal education, ensuring Rohingya communities are safe, and by giving Rohingya a greater role in their own futures through participation in Rohingya civil society organizations. We look forward to exchanging best practices, ideas, and resources in helping identify durable solutions for Rohingya refugees.”
In this 14 September 2017 file photo, a Rohingya man carries two children to shore in Shah Porir Dwip, Bangladesh, after they arrived on a boat from Myanmar. The UN refugee agency says nearly 69 million people who have fled war, violence and persecution were forcibly displaced last year, a new record for the fifth straight year. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees said Tuesday, 19 June 2018 that continued crises in places like South Sudan and Congo, as well as the exodus of Muslim Rohingya from Myanmar starting last year, raised the overall figure of forced displacements in 2017 to 68.5 million.
The US also said it is not possible for Rohingyas to go back to their homeland.
“Recognizing that Rohingya cannot safely return to their homeland of Burma under current conditions, resettlement is another important way in which we demonstrate responsibility sharing and contribute to comprehensive solutions for the plight of Rohingya.
As this crisis enters its seventh year, it is of utmost importance that we persist in exploring all possible options to alleviate or end the suffering of Rohingya refugees throughout the region.”