US appreciate Bangladesh’s effort on humanitarian assistance to Rohingya

The United States has expressed appreciation about the efforts of Bangladesh in providing humanitarian assistance to Rohingya Muslims fleeing persecution in Myanmar’s Rakhine state. “The United States is deeply troubled by the ongoing crisis in northern Rakhine State in Burma [Myanmar], where at least 300,000 people have fled their homes in the wake of attacks on Burmese security posts on August 25,” White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said on Monday. Reiterating their condemnation, she said: “Most of those displaced by the violence have fled into neighbouring Bangladesh and we greatly appreciate the significant efforts of the government of Bangladesh to facilitate humanitarian assistance.” Welcoming Myanmar government’s commitment to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches victims quickly, she urged the government there to allow media access to the afflicted areas. Stating that massive displacement and victimisation prove that Myanmar security forces are not protecting civilians, she said: “We are alarmed by the allegations of human rights abuses, including extrajudicial killings, burning of villages, massacres, and rape, by security forces and by civilians acting with these forces’ consent. “We call on Burmese [Myanmar] security authorities to respect the rule of law, stop the violence, and end the displacement of civilians from all communities. We also urge Burmese [Myanmar] security forces to work with the elected government in implementing the Rakhine Commission’s recommendations.” Meanwhile, the United Nations said violence in Rakhine State is putting all civilians at risk. “Violence in Myanmar’s northern Rakhine State is putting all civilians at risk, with tens of thousands of people having been uprooted from their homes in the area,” Stéphane Dujarric, spokesman for the UN Secretary-General told reporters at the UN headquarters in New York. According to the Myanmar government, all 3,500 Muslims living in three camps in the Rathedaung township have left the site and are now believed to be heading to Bangladesh border. “Humanitarian activities in Rakhine have either been suspended or severely interrupted, resulting in 170,000 people not receiving food they usually receive and 15,000 people not receiving their primary health care,” the UN spokesman said. As of September 10, at least 313,000 people — mostly women and children — who left Rakhine since August 25 entered Bangladesh. “There is no indication that the pace of these arrivals is slowing,” he said. The UN and its partners are helping the Bangladeshi government and the local community respond to the situation by providing food, shelter, health care and water, among other means of support. Noting that the UN and Bangladesh government are trying to allocate land to accommodate the new arrivals, Dujarric said the scale and speed of the influx of people from Myanmar has overwhelmed capacity on the ground, and additional resources are needed. Aid agencies have prepared a preliminary response plan of $77 million to deliver urgent, life-saving assistance to over 300,000 new arrivals, he said. The British Ambassador to the UN, Matthew Rycroft said: “We have asked for a formal discussion in the Security Council on Wednesday and that is a next step, which I hope will lead to a public outcome in some way. “And I think it’s a sign of the significant worry that Security Council members have. The situation is continuing to deteriorate for many Rohingya who are seeking to flee Rakhine state in Burma and move into Bangladesh.”