- Stars (0)
The solution they seek is voluntary repatriation
Steven Corliss – UNHCR Country Representative
Honourable Foreign Secretary; Mr Sarwar Ali, Trustee of the Liberation War Museum; Mr Mofidul Hoque, Trustee of the Museum and Director of the Centre for the Study of Genocide and Justice; distinguished participants; ladies and Gentlemen
Let me begin by thanking the Liberation War Museum for allowing me to join this morning’s event on the occasion of World Refugee Day and to launch the “Thread Exhibit.” When the Liberation War Museum reached out to me, I did not hesitate. UNHCR has had a very long and historic partnership with the museum.
After working for UNHCR for more than three decades, I retain the same energy, commitment, and optimism that I had on my first day in 1987. Refugees are the source of my motivation, but the engagement of young people around the world — the next generation of humanitarians — are an inspiration. Mr. Steven Corliss mentioned that during his visit to Cox’s Bazar, the Rohingyas he met all wanted to go back to their country. He emphasized on sustainability of the return of the Rohingyas.
The UN’s response to the Rohingya crisis at our borders has not been swift. The ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya community in Myanmar is, without a doubt, one of the worst human rights disasters of our time, and it is unfortunate that it has dragged on for so long without decisive action from the world community.
However, it is good to see that the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) has adopted a resolution which calls upon Myanmar to create conditions conducive to the voluntary, safe, dignified, and sustainable return of all Rohingya refugees and forcibly displaced persons.
This resolution, therefore, puts the onus where it belongs, which is Myanmar. Myanmar claimed in the past that the country was ready for safe repatriation. Such claims, of course, were and continue to be disingenuous, because the military-backed government continues to be notoriously closed up, and is always dodging prospects of international oversight.
To that end, it is a positive sign that the UNHRC has urged Myanmar to give full and unhindered access to the diplomatic corps, independent observers, as well as representatives of national and international media in the country. A free flow of information is needed to properly monitor that Myanmar is indeed keeping its word.
To that end, the internet shutdown in Rakhine and Chin states also need to be lifted. These shutdowns serve no purpose but to rob the Rohingya of the power of communicating with the larger world. For too long have Myanmar’s denials delayed the world community doing the right thing. No more: As we deal with the Covid-19 pandemic, we must remember that humanity comes first, not politics or profit.
