Over one million Rohingyas living in camps in Cox’s Bazar and the host communities are frustrated and the lingering presence of the persecuted people from Myanmar can create an unmanageable situation, Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen said on Tuesday.
Speaking at the “International e-Conference on Connecting the Rohingya Diaspora: Highlighting the Global Displacement,” he also said 2.65 million Rohingyas are being forced to reside in other countries due to oppression by the Myanmar government, and about half of them are living in Bangladesh.
The Centre for Genocide Studies (CGS), University of Dhaka, ActionAid Bangladesh, and the Centre for Peace and Justice (CPJ), Brac University, jointly organized the two-day long virtual event. Experts, scholars, researchers, and human rights activists working on the Rohingya diaspora from around the world, including Bangladesh, participated in the event.
The objective of the conference was to highlight the widespread human rights violations, systemic persecution, and possible genocide faced by the Rohingyas in Myanmar. It also aimed to share the experience of the Rohingya diaspora spread around the world, and to connect the Rohingyas both inside and outside Myanmar, so that the persecuted community can devise policies to put pressure on Myanmar to return to their homes in Rakhine.
Speaking on the occasion as chief guest, Foreign Secretary Masud described the Rohingyas as the most persecuted community in the world, and said only half a million Rohingya people are now living in Myanmar.
“If the situation does not improve in Rakhine state, it is anyone’s guess what will happen to them,” he said, expressing sympathy for those killed and injured due to the atrocities and genocidal acts orchestrated by Myanmar security forces and civilian elements.
Masud squarely blamed Myanmar for the failure to begin the repatriation, saying the lack of willingness and political will on the part of the government in Naypyitaw are the core reasons behind the failure.
“The Rohingyas are in Bangladesh temporarily and they will have to go back,” he reiterated, stressing the need for an active role of the Rohingya diaspora as part of the efforts to find a solution to the crisis.
The top diplomat of the country called upon the international community to put pressure on Myanmar to preserve the land belonging to the Rohingyas and evidence of the crimes committed against them.
Cherno Marenah, solicitor general and legal secretary of Gambia, took part in the discussions from his country.
He reiterated the resolve of his country to fight for the Rohingyas in the International Court of Justice and expressed optimism for a happy ending through the legal process.
Imtiaz Ahmed, professor of international relations and CGS director, said the Rohingya diaspora may be the voice of the community and Rohingyas scattered around the world need to be connected with their people in Myanmar and Bangladesh.
He also said that since the ICJ, the highest court of the world, recognised the community as Rohingya, there should not be any problem for the international community to call them Rohingya.
CPJ Executive Director Manzoor Hasan termed the Rohingya crisis a pressing regional problem and said any Rohingya repatriation is a distant possibility.
Farah Kabir, country director of ActionAid Bangladesh, underscored the need for an active role of the diaspora to contribute to the solution of the problem.
Some members of the Rohingya diaspora narrated their plight and that of other Rohingyas, and talked about their activities.
“Our diaspora is still weak. Give us some time,” said Yasmin Ullah, a Rohingya activist living in Canada.
Michimi Muranushi, a law professor at Gakushuin University of Japan, was critical of the role of the government in Tokyo with respect to the Rohingya crisis.
All the speakers highlighted the misery of the Rohingyas, internal mechanisms inside Myanmar, and the roles of different countries in relation to the crisis.
They also emphasised making the diaspora a stronger one, to strengthen the voice of the Rohingyas in order to persuade the international community to act more effectively.
