Abolish laws against Rohingyas: Hasina’s three recommendations to end refugee crisis

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has placed three recommendations that include abolishment of discriminatory laws, policies and practices against the Rohingya people in Myanmar to end the refugee crisis.

She has also reiterated her call for creating an atmosphere conducive to giving citizenship to all Rohingyas and ensuring justice and accountability in light of the UN fact-finding mission’s report. 

She placed the recommendations at the ‘High-level Event on the Global Compact on Refugees: A Model for Greater Solidarity and Cooperation’ organised by UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi at the UN Headquarters in New York on Monday.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina attended a high-level even on refugees at the UN Headquarters in New York on Monday. Photo: PID

Bangladesh is facing the largest forced movement in the shortest time of over 1.1 million traumatised Rohingyas who have been forcibly displaced from their homes in Rakhine State of Myanmar where they had been living for centuries, she said.

“While we are providing them with basic necessities, the magnitude of the problem has posed serious challenges for us,” the prime minister said.

She told the event that her government had allocated over 6,000 acres of land for the refugees.

Diversion of human and other resources for Rohingyas has taken toll on society, environment and economy of Bangladesh, she said.

The international partners, especially the UN agencies, have been helping the Rohingyas, but “regrettably the current UN joint response plan of 2018 which requires $950 million has remained severely underfunded with only 33 percent funding secured”, Hasina said.

“Humanitarian and development support of the international community for the Rohingyas and other affected communities must be predictable and in the spirit of international responsibility sharing,” the prime minister said.

The three recommendations she placed to solve the Rohingya crisis are:

>> First, Myanmar must abolish discriminatory laws, policies and practices against Rohingyas and address the root causes of forced displacement in a genuine and timely manner.

>> Second, Myanmar must create a conducive environment by building trust and guaranteeing protection, rights and pathway to citizenship for all Rohingyas. If needed, create a “safe zone” inside Myanmar to protect all civilians.

>> Third, prevent atrocity crimes against Rohingyas in Myanmar by bringing accountability and justice, particularly in light of the recommendations of the Fact-Finding Mission of the UN Human Rights Council.

The UN fact-finding mission in its report released on Sept 18 said Myanmar's democratic transition grounded to a standstill as authorities seek to silence critics while allowing hate speech, particularly against the Rohingyas.

In a summary submitted to the UNHCR on Aug 27, the panel said Myanmar's military carried out mass killings and gang rapes of Rohingya with "genocidal intent" and called for commander-in-chief Min Aung Hlaing and five generals to be prosecuted for the gravest crimes under international law.

A boat carrying Rohingya refugees cross the Naf river to Shah Porir Dwip of Bangladesh as smoke is seen rising from burning homes on the other side in Myanmar's Rasidong on Sept 12, 2017. Photo: mostafigur rahman

Over 700,000 Rohingyas fled Myanmar to join around 400,000 refugees in Bangladesh after the army launched an operation against insurgents on Aug 25 last year.

Myanmar, which denies the Rohingyas citizenship, has been widely criticised for atrocities against the ethnic minority during the operation as the displaced people reported that troops and local mobs had committed murder, rape, torture and arson during the crackdown.

Myanmar has denied the claims, saying that it was fighting back against militants. Though Myanmar and Bangladesh signed an agreement for the return of the Rohingyas in late 2017, the process has yet to be initiated.

International groups, along with Bangladesh, have also demanded that Myanmar grant the Rohingyas citizenship, thus access to basic needs like health and education, as recommended by the Kofi Annan Commission formed by the government of the country’s de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

Myanmar, however, has maintained that the Rohingyas were actually migrants from Bangladesh and conducted propaganda with false information and images in a bid to establish its claims.

Rohingya refugees arrive at a beach after crossing from Myanmar in Teknaf, Bangladesh October 15, 2017. Reuters

Hasina, in her speech at the event in New York, reiterated that since the Rohingya crisis had originated in Myanmar, its solution has to be found in that country.

She emphasised return of the Rohingyas to their homes in safety, security and dignity.

The prime minister told her audience that her government, given the scarcity of land and other socio-cultural and environmental impacts of the Rohingya crisis, was developing an island called Bhasan Char where the refugees will have better living conditions and livelihood opportunities.

“In the absence of any policy of local integration in Bangladesh, Rohingyas need to secure their future in their own country Myanmar,” she added and reiterated the call for the international community to help Bangladesh send the Rohingyas back.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina joined an event titled ‘Global Call to Action on the World Drug Problem’ organised by the Permanent Mission of the US to the UN in New York on Monday. Photo: PID

Earlier in the day, Hasina joined an event titled ‘Global Call to Action on the World Drug Problem’ organised by the Permanent Mission of the US to the UN.

In order to attend the brief event with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and US President Donald Trump, countries had to sign a one-page pledge - “call to action on the world drug problem”.

Hasina is scheduled to address the 73rd UN General Assembly on Thursday. She is expected to present Bangladesh's proposals to end the Rohingya crisis.

The prime minister had placed five proposals to overcome the crisis during the last UN summit.

One of that was the implementation of the Annan Commission report which was agreed upon by all, including Myanmar’s allies in the UN Security Council -- China and Russia.