UNHCR urges Bangladesh to allow safe passage of Myanmar civilians fleeing violence

The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, has urged Myanmar to protect civilians in northern Rakhine state and appealed to the government of Bangladesh to allow safe passage to any civilians from Myanmar fleeing violence.

“We are also appealing to the government of Bangladesh to keep its border with Myanmar open,” UNHCR Spokesperson Adrian Edwards said at a briefing in Geneva on Friday.

The call came in the wake of the recent spate of violence in Rakhine state.

According to its website, the UNHCR is deeply concerned about the safety and well-being of civilians in the northern part of Rakhine state.

“We are urging the government of Myanmar to ensure the protection and dignity of all civilians on its territory in accordance with the rule of law and its international obligations,” the spokesperson said.

“We appeal for calm and for humanitarian access to assess and meet the needs of thousands of people who have reportedly been displaced from their homes by the ongoing security operation.

“The affected population is believed to be in urgent need of food, shelter and medical care.”

The UNHCR urged the government of Myanmar to immediately allow humanitarian actors to resume the life-saving activities they had been carrying out for some 160,000 civilians in Rakhine State until such activities were suspended on Oct 9.

Bangladesh has allowed in hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees since long. But the Myanmar authorities are deying them citizenship. The issue is being seen as the main irritant in Bangladesh-Myanmar relations.