BNP’s 16 proposals to solve Rohingya crisis

Bangladesh’s main opposition party, the BNP outlined the solution to the current Rohingya crisis.  BNP believes that it is the responsibility of the international community to hold the Myanmar government accountable for the brutal atrocities and find a solution that ensures the safe, voluntary, dignified and sustainable return of the Rohingya.  The BNP believes it is necessary to apply diplomatic pressure, impose sanctions and support efforts to bring accountability, justice and reform within Myanmar.  The group called on the UN Security Council to take action to repatriate the Rohingya with full recognition of their ethnicity and citizenship.

These things were said in the main article of the seminar titled ‘Rohingya crisis and repatriation strategy’ organized by BNP on Sunday (September 3).  BNP Standing Committee member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury presented the article at the event at Lakeshore Hotel in Gulshan.

At the seminar, the BNP outlined how to deal with the Rohingya crisis more effectively.  They offered 16 proposals:

• 1. Enhancing engagement with the UN and the international community in crisis response.

• 2. The UN should oversee voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable repatriation.

• 3. Recognize crimes against the Rohingya as genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes, as the UN’s independent fact-finding mission for Myanmar stated.

• 4. Support credible accountability efforts to ensure justice for victims and prevent recurrence of violence.  All criminals should be brought to justice through international criminal courts (ICC) and other international tribunals.

• 5. Recognize that the persecution of the Rohingya is a regional and global problem that requires a proactive policy by ASEAN countries.  It is important for all countries in the region to take responsibility and prevent the sea from becoming a graveyard for those seeking safety.  Enhanced regional cooperation among ASEAN members is essential to improve the protection of the Rohingya both in refugee camps and in transit in Myanmar and abroad.

• 6. The BNP welcomed the recent Burma Law enacted by the United States, which supports democracy in the country.

• 7. The EU can play an important role in dealing with the Rohingya crisis.  Leverage EU influence to encourage a proactive policy on Myanmar within ASEAN.  The EU, as a founding and active member of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), can foster constructive dialogue and consultation to ensure peace, prosperity and stability in the Asia-Pacific region.

• 8. The UN, ASEAN and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) have called for increased pressure on Myanmar.  Although the OIC may have limited leverage over Myanmar, it can mobilize global support for the Rohingya, including by prosecuting the Myanmar junta at the International Court of Justice.  ASEAN should be encouraged to play a stronger role in the crisis, with Indonesia, as an emerging leader, using its influence within the ASEAN community.

• 9. Call for increased humanitarian assistance from UN agencies to support the Rohingya.  Despite global attention shifting to other crises, it is important not to forget the plight of the more than one million Rohingya living in various camps in Bangladesh.  BNP believes that, while continuing voluntary repatriation as a priority, we must keep all stakeholders on board and focus on nurturing Rohingya children, keeping in mind children’s health and continuity of education in Myanmar.

• 10. Initiate efforts to build civilian Rohingya leadership in camps.  The aim is to introduce new, educated and forward-looking civilian leadership in the camps to combat the growing criminal activity.

• 11. Recognizes the increasingly important role of the Rohingya diaspora in finding solutions to chronic humanitarian and political crises.  Establishing strong ties with internationally recognized non-violent Rohingya diaspora leaders, giving them more space and cooperating closely with them in international forums.

• 12. Address the issue of employment opportunities for Rohingya adults.  Recognize that relying solely on continued global aid to support Rohingya refugees is unsustainable.  Assess employment opportunities in the Greater Chittagong region and, if labor shortages are identified in key sectors such as agriculture and manufacturing, allow Rohingyas to work in these productive sectors without crowding out local employment and reducing existing wages.  Establish a data monitoring system in collaboration with UNHCR to track Rohingya refugees, their employment status and other locations.

• 13. Allow education for Rohingya children, because ‘education’ is a universal right for all.  Bangladesh recognizes its moral responsibility to implement a comprehensive Rohingya education program in the camps, ensuring that every Rohingya child receives an education.  Emphasizing the importance of empowering the Rohingya community through education, building their own leadership and preventing involvement in illegal activities such as drug smuggling.

• 14. Review the Bhasanchar camp, as the transfer of only 32,000 Rohingya to the island in five years has proven insignificant compared to the total number of Rohingya refugees sheltering in the Cox’s Bazar belt.  Located at the mouth of the Bay of Bengal, Bhasanchar is vulnerable to cyclones, tidal waves and other natural disasters.

• 15. Ensure that the views and aspirations of Rohingya refugees are taken into account when formulating repatriation plans.  Engaging more closely with the Rohingya community to understand their aspirations and fully comply with UN agreements and protocols on refugee repatriation.

• 16. Facilitate TRACK-L meetings between Rohingya and other Rakhine communities to encourage dialogue and reconciliation.  Achieving unity and peaceful coexistence between the Rohingya and Rakhine communities is crucial for a sustainable solution to the Rohingya crisis.

The article states that when a government lacks a popular democratic mandate, it outsources its foreign policy to external powers, for whom the repatriation of Rohingya refugees is not a priority.  If the BNP comes to power, solving the Rohingya crisis will be our national and foreign policy priority, focusing on a permanent solution to this complex crisis.  The Rohingya people have endured immense suffering and it is our moral duty to seek a dignified solution to this protracted crisis.

BNP leader Amir Khosru said, “We firmly believe that the ongoing human tragedy demands sustained and meaningful action.  Six years after the Genocide Clearance Operation, the continued lack of progress in the repatriation of the Rohingya population is deeply worrying and unacceptable.  The reality is that not a single Rohingya refugee has been repatriated till date.”

“Unfortunately, two previous attempts at repatriation failed,” the former Minister said by adding more that under a new deal, Myanmar has now agreed to take back 1,176 Rohingya in what it claims is a model village in Maungdaw town as part of a pilot repatriation project.  The Rohingya perceive this new repatriation effort as a trap, which will only perpetuate the oppression of the world’s forgotten minority.