On Monday morning, Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees and Immigration, Julieta Valls Noyes, of the US Department of State visited the Ukhiya refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar to see the Rohingyas’ situation.
At around 9:30 this morning, the US Assistant Secretary of State’s convoy arrived at the Kutupalong refugee camp. At first, she visited the service center of Camp-9. Then, after visiting Camp-8W, Julieta Valls Noyes spoke with 10-15 Rohingya refugees.
Kamal Hossain, the Rohingya leader of the refugee camp, said that the US Assistant Secretary of State asked the Rohingyas to know how the environment of living in the refugee camp was. How is the security system? Are the Rohingyas willing to go back to Myanmar? Other questions followed these.
In response, some Rohingyas showed the terrible pictures of brutal torture, arson, genocide, and persecution by the country’s army and said that the Rohingyas sheltered in Bangladesh are willing to return to Rakhine. But before returning, the Rohingya should be recognized as citizens by the Myanmar government and rehabilitate in their own settlements, from where the Rohingyas were displaced. The Rohingyas have sought the intervention of the US government to resolve Rohingya crisis.
The Rohingya leaders said that the US Assistant Secretary of State assured them that the US will play an important role in the process of repatriation of the Rohingyas with dignity as before. The country will stand by the Rohingyas in humanitarian services.
Around 1 pm, the US minister left camp for Cox’s Bazar.
