Rohingya crisis could destabilise the region, warns President Hamid

President Abdul Hamid has called for international cooperation to facilitate the repatriation of the forcibly displaced Rohingya taking refuge in Bangladesh, warning that the crisis could destabilise the region if left unresolved.

The head of state made the call in his address at 5th Summit of Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in Tajikistan on Saturday.

Terming the persecution of Rohingyas in Myanmar as a ‘text book example of ethnic cleansing’, Hamid said, “These people were forcibly displaced from their ancestral homes and sought shelter in Bangladesh. We opened doors and still hosting them.”

“We seek a peaceful solution to the crisis and signed the instruments on repatriation with Myanmar. If left unresolved, the crisis can destabilize the entire region.”

The president sought CICA’s support and cooperation to secure the repatriation of the persecuted Rohingya people “with safety, security and dignity.”

Hamid also urged the multi-national forum to expand its institutional capacity and enhance cooperation in order to achieve economic development in the region.

“We are facing issues like violent extremism, international terrorism, forced migration among others which go beyond borders. We need to coordinate our response to tackle those.”

“To address these crucial challenges, CICA needs to enhance its capacity through promoting the concept of indivisible security. Asia’s stability rests on our effective partnership, shared responsibility and collective efforts. “

He continued, “Stability and security in Asia is imperative for economic development. We can achieve that through dialogue and cooperation.”