The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) overnight included Rohingya crisis as the top "emergency item," proposed by Bangladesh during its 137th assembly in Russia's St Petersburg, embassy officials said on Monday.
A Bangladesh embassy official in Moscow said over the phone: "The IPU adopted three resolutions as 'emergency items' for discussions in the assembly. Bangladesh's proposal on the Rohingya issue was accepted after receiving the 1027 votes, the highest among all proposals."
He said Bangladesh's delegation leader and parliamentary Deputy Speaker Fazle Rabbi tabled the resolution titled "Stop atrocities and forced displacement of Rohingyas and ensure their return to their homeland in the Rakhine state of Myanmar immediately and unconditionally."
On the other hand, Myanmar brought their resolution for discussing rights situation in Rakhine state visibly in an effort to negate the global condemnation about the atrocities, according to the Bangladesh embassy official.
The resolution was accepted with only 47 votes.
Meanwhile, the IPU, in a separate development denounced Myanmar expressing "grave" concern about the continuing violence, intimidation and forced displacement of Rohingya Muslim minority from Rakhine State.
"Reports of documented widespread cruelty against Rohingya children, women and men and the ensuing massive exodus into neighbouring Bangladesh are very disconcerting," the IPU said quoting a joint statement by its President Saber Chowdhury and Secretary General Martin Chungong.
It said the IPU "condemns these human rights violations and stresses that it is the Myanmar State authorities' responsibility to protect all the people living in the country."
The statement asked the Myanmar IPU parliament to make every effort to help bring this crisis to an end.
On October 14, the Russian President Vladimir Putin awarded the "Order of Friendship" to IPU President Saber Chowdhury.
Thursday, April 25, 2024
