In an effort to help establish justice and accountability for Rohingya refugees, an international conclave is to take place in the Hague, in the Netherlands, on October 18, 2019.
The Centre for Peace and Justice (CPJ) of Brac University, the Asia Justice Coalition, and the International Institute of Social Studies (ISS) of Erasmus University Rotterdam are jointly organizing the event.
It was announced during a press conference held yesterday at CPJ.
The conclave will have discrete but interconnected objectives. It will attempt to highlight the various justice and accountability initiatives that are already underway, as well as emphasize the need for a multipronged strategy for establishing a sustainable solution to the Rohingya crisis, mobilize public and policy support, assess the root causes of the crises, and underline current policy challenges with a view to creating a road map for future advocacy strategies.
The day-long program will be arranged into three panel discussions, the first titled the Rohingya Crisis and Myanmar’s Social and Political Landscape, the second Justice and Accountability, and the third Towards Sustainable Solutions: Multi-faceted Engagements for Concrete Action. These will be followed by a concluding session.
The Minister of Justice of the Republic of the Gambia Abubacarr Marie Tambadou and Canada’s Special Envoy to Myanmar Bob Rae will be present as keynote speakers.
Since 2017, Bangladesh has been hosting over a million Rohingya refugees, also known as “Forcibly Displaced Myanmar Nationals” (FDMN). This is in addition to hosting an already large Rohingya refugee community that arrived over for the previous decades. In all, Bangladesh is accommodating 4.7% of total global refugee population.
The crimes committed in Myanmar against the Rohingya have prompted a number of accountability initiatives, including a case before the International Criminal Court (ICC) on forced deportation as a crime against humanity.
Speaking to reporters, Executive Director of CPJ Manzoor Hasan said that considering the complexity of the issue and the lack of options there are, Bangladesh alone will not be able to ensure justice and accountability for the Rohingya.
“It’s a time-consuming, complicated matter. We are in a situation caught between a rock and a hard place. We have to engage with all possible stakeholders to solve this matter and a stronger case.”
The conclave in the Hague will, in essence, call on global experts to provide updates on the status of justice and accountability efforts, as well as offer insights into the root causes of the crisis and the various necessary political and social components of a durable solution.
