There can be little doubt that, when it comes to sheltering the Rohingya, Bangladesh has gone above and beyond the call of duty, straining its own resources to provide for them.
Therefore, it is alarming to see the international community attempt to pressure Bangladesh to take in more Rohingya refugees -- about 500 of them lay stranded in the Bay of Bengal currently.
It must be remembered, and is worth reiterating, that Bangladesh has now been providing shelter to over a million Rohingya refugees for close to three years, all of whom had to flee Myanmar because of mass atrocities committed against them.
What must also be remembered that, just this month on April 15, Bangladesh coast guard officials rescued a boat of Rohingya which had reportedly been turned away by Malaysia. About 390 starving Rohingya, most under 20 years old, were brought ashore.
How many times will this happen?
It remains disappointing that, while the international community is quick to pressurize Bangladesh, this has not been the case when it comes to Myanmar, and indeed other nations.
It is a shameful failure on the part of the international community that it cannot convince other, more affluent nations to step up and share some of the responsibility in sheltering these stranded refugees.
Why is it that Malaysia, India, and Thailand continue to refuse shelter to the Rohingya, turning back refugees for them to eventually come to Bangladesh, and yet face negligible pressure from the international community?
Additionally, for all the atrocities committed against the Rohingya by the Myanmar army, they are yet to face any serious repercussions, with the international community essentially turning a blind eye, going ahead with business and trade as usual with them.
Furthermore, there has also been negligible support from the international community in the attempt to repatriate the Rohingya, to ensure a safe environment for them to return home.
It begs the questions: Where is the sense of justice from the international community when those responsible for the Rohingya crisis in the first place -- the Myanmar regime -- is essentially allowed to do as it pleases? Where are morality and humanitarianism when other nations are asked to bear some responsibility?
