UN expert slates Saudi Arabia, India’s move to deport Rohingyas to Bangladesh

A UN human rights expert on Rohingyas has expressed her dismay over Saudi Arabia and India’s move to deport Rohingyas to Bangladesh.

“India and Saudi Arabia must ensure that Rohingya within their borders are protected and that their status as refugees, unable to return to Myanmar, is recognised,” UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, Yanghee Lee, said.

“I am dismayed by Saudi Arabia’s recent deportation of 13 Rohingya to Bangladesh, where they have been arrested and charged with forging the passports that they used to travel to Saudi,” she said at a press briefing on Friday before leaving Dhaka ending a 10-day visit.

“The fair trial rights of these men should be fully upheld and authorities here must recall that this group also fled persecution in Myanmar.

“I am disturbed to see that Rohingya are now arriving in Bangladesh from India following the deportation of two groups of Rohingya by the Indian authorities to Myanmar,” she said.

“The 1,300 people who are reported to have already arrived in Bangladesh from India state that they fled due to fears of refoulement and heightened anti-Rohingya rhetoric from the Indian authorities.”

“I have on many occasions already commended Bangladesh for the welcome it has extended to the Rohingya of Myanmar. I repeat this again and at the same time call for an international response to what is fast becoming a regional problem with global consequences,” the special rapporteur added.

Lee, a South Korean, was appointed by the UN Human Rights Council in 2014 as the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar.

She is independent from any government or organisation and serves in her individual capacity.

She also accused Myanmar of not working to create conditions for Rohingyas’ return from Bangladesh. Rather, they remained engaged in a sustained campaign of violence, intimidation, she said.

Myanmar did not give her access for her “bias”.

Lee said though the government of Myanmar is maintaining its position not to allow her access to the country, “I again emphasise my willingness to work with it in the spirit of cooperation.”

“The government says that I am biased, however I stated from the outset that I will execute my mandate objectively and independently and not shy away from calling a spade a spade.”

She said she will give a detailed report on her 10-day investigation to the Human Rights Council.