US State Department Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights, Uzra Zeya visited the Rohingya refugee camp in Ukhia, Cox’s Bazar. She visited three shelter camps in and around Balukhali and the refugee service programs of various United Nations organizations from 11:15 AM to 3:00 PM on Wednesday.
US Under Secretary Uzra Jaya spoke to at least 25 Rohingya men and women during a visit to the refugee camp. In the meeting, the Rohingya described the genocide, rape and persecution against them in Myanmar’s Rakhine State. Rohingyas also sought US intervention to increase international pressure on Myanmar to start a safe, sustainable and dignified repatriation process.
The members of the US delegation reached the Balukhali refugee camp (Camp-9) around 11 am and first visited the registration center of the United Nations refugee agency UNHCR. There, the UNHCR official highlighted the environment of the camp. From there, they visited the nutrition center of UNHCR, the voucher outlet of WFP, the Rohingya Cultural Memory Center of the United Nations International Organization for Migration (IMO), and the Women and Girls Safe Space Center of UNFPA.
Uzra Zeya held a meeting with at least 25 Rohingya men and women at a community center of Balukhali Shelter Camp (Camp-11) around 12:30 PM. Among the Rohingyas present, 12 are imams and teachers of various madrasas and mosques built inside the shelter camp. At that time there were seven Rohingya women.
After the meeting, an imam on the condition of anonymity told the reporters, Uzra Zeya asked them (teachers and imams) to know if the Rohingyas are able to do religious work properly in the refugee camp. How is the security system in the shelter? In response, they said that religious activities can be done freely in camp, but there is a lack of security. Incidents of murder, kidnapping, rape are happening almost every day.
At the meeting, some Rohingya men and women presented the horrific picture of brutal abuse, torture, genocide and persecution by the country’s security forces in Myanmar’s Rakhine state after August 25, 2017. The Rohingya leaders have sought the cooperation of Uzra Zeya to quickly implement (settlement) the ongoing case of genocide against Myanmar at the International Criminal Court (ICC). A Rohingya leader spoke of increasing child education programs in refugee camps.
In response, Uzra Zeya told the Rohingyas that ICC’s trial and Rohingya repatriation process is an ongoing process. Everything is under their observation. She asked the Rohingya leaders to be patient in this regard. And said that she will talk to the concerned about law and order and security.
Arakan Rohingya Society for Peace and Human Rights (ARSPH) chairman Rohingya leader Mohammad Zubair was present in the meeting. In the meeting he handed over a letter on behalf of the organization to Uzra Jaya. After the meeting, Zubair told reporters, “We gave a letter to Uzra on behalf of the Rohingyas at the meeting. In the letter, we asked for cooperation in increasing international pressure on Myanmar to speed up repatriation. We want to return to our homeland (Rakhine) as soon as possible. But it is to be safe, dignified and sustainable.
Jubair also said that they don’t want to be more burden over Bangladesh and its people. “We are very much grateful to Bangladesh and its people for providing us shelter despite it is an over populated country.”
