UNHCR asks Myanmar to address cause of Rohingya exodus

The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, has called for urgent action to address the causes of the recent violence in Myanmar so that people in Rakhine state are no longer compelled to flee their homes.

The agency said only ceasing the hostilities would eventually help them return home with “safety and dignity” as refugee camps in Bangladesh are full to the brim.

UNHCR spokesperson Duniya Aslam Khan in a briefing in Geneva said on Friday they calculated that in the last two weeks an estimated 270, 000 Rohingya refugees have sought safety in Bangladesh.

“The limited shelter capacity is already exhausted,” Khan said.

“Refugees are now squatting in makeshift shelters that have mushroomed along the road and on land available in the Ukhiya and Teknaf areas”.

"The Rohingya are a stateless Muslim minority in Myanmar who have faced discrimination and extreme poverty for decades."

They have not been allowed to exercise their basic rights including the freedom to move, right to education, work and other social, civil and political rights.

The Rohingyas fleeing Myanmar are now stateless refugees - making them even more vulnerable and adding more challenges to the search for solutions.

The UNHCR said while most of Rohingya refugees arrive on foot, mostly walking through the jungle and mountains for several days, thousands are braving long and risky voyages across the rough seas of the Bay of Bengal.

“They wait on the Myanmar border to take fishing boats to Teknaf in Bangladesh. The vast majority are women including mothers with newborn babies, families with children.

"They arrive in bad condition, exhausted, hungry and desperate for shelter. We remain concerned by continuing reports of civilians dying as they try to flee to safety.”

The two refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar in south-east Bangladesh – home to nearly 34,000 Rohingya refugees before this influx – are now bursting at the seams.

The camp population has more than doubled in two weeks, totalling more than 70,000. There is an urgent need for more land and shelters.

“UNHCR and our partners are working to provide protection and life-saving support to the new arrivals in Kutupalong and Nayapara camps.

“We continue to identify the most vulnerable refugees, such as unaccompanied children, women, the elderly and disabled, in need of shelter, food, water and healthcare.”

The UNHCR is also calling for the registration of all refugees upon arrival, to ensure their protection and access to essential services.