26-8-2023 (COX BAZAR) In a powerful demonstration of their enduring hope for justice and the right to return to their homeland, thousands of Rohingya refugees gathered at camps in Bangladesh on the sixth anniversary of the brutal violence that forced them to flee their homes.
Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, a city that has become synonymous with the plight of the Rohingya, is now home to approximately one million members of this stateless minority. Most of them sought refuge here after escaping the 2017 military crackdown in Myanmar, which is currently under investigation for genocide at the International Criminal Court.
Frustration and disillusionment are palpable among the refugee population. They grapple with the pervasive lawlessness that plagues the settlements, reductions in international humanitarian aid, and the persistent lack of progress in a much-touted repatriation agreement.
Kamal Hussain, a prominent leader within the Rohingya community, voiced their collective demand, saying, “We demand citizenship back from Myanmar. It’s nothing new; we were and are the citizens of Myanmar. They are slowly trying to wipe out our name from the history of Myanmar.”
Despite relentless monsoon downpours, several protests erupted across the sprawling mosaic of settlements near the Myanmar border. The largest of these rallies drew around 10,000 refugees, as reported by the Armed Police Battalion, tasked with maintaining security in these camps.
Mohammad Imran, a 19-year-old refugee, expressed their sentiments, stating, “We have insecurity and increasing frustration here. We want to go back home with our full rights.”
Budget constraints have compelled the UN World Food Programme to significantly reduce humanitarian aid to the Rohingya camps this year, resulting in monthly food rations of just US$8 (RM37) per refugee. Malnutrition was already a grave concern among the refugee population, and rights groups contend that the cuts have exacerbated their existing hardships.
Tragically, violence continues to afflict the camps, which have inadvertently become home to armed groups and serve as staging grounds for regional drug trafficking networks. This year alone, dozens, including women and children, have lost their lives in clashes within the Rohingya camps.
The UN refugee agency acknowledged the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in the world’s largest refugee settlement, stating, “As humanitarian conditions in the world’s largest refugee settlement worsen, the challenges surrounding this protracted crisis continue to increase.”
Bangladesh and Myanmar are reportedly collaborating on a pilot programme intended to repatriate Rohingya refugees to their homeland. However, this initiative is fraught with concerns from rights groups who argue that conditions in Myanmar are far from safe for their return.
Inside Myanmar, the Rohingya are often perceived as outsiders from Bangladesh, denied citizenship, access to healthcare, and the freedom to travel outside their designated townships. Myanmar’s junta chief, Min Aung Hlaing, who was at the helm of the military during the crackdown, has infamously dismissed the term “Rohingya” as “imaginary.”
Bangladesh has consistently asserted that any repatriation must be voluntary, emphasizing the refugees’ right to choose their fate. Nevertheless, the pilot scheme has yet to commence, with Bangladesh’s refugee commissioner, Mizanur Rahman, citing ongoing negotiations with Myanmar authorities as the reason for the delay.
