Dhaka – About three thousand Rohingyas have so far been killed in Rakhine state in the hands of Myanmar security forces since August 25, foreign minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali said while holding two back-to-back briefings for foreign diplomats stationed in the country.Quoting the foreign minister, Vatican ambassador to Dhaka George Kocherry revealed this information while talking to reporters after the briefings at the state guest house Pthe Padmaon Sunday.
“The international community is trying to help the Rohingyas,” he said.
But, while speaking to reporters after the briefings, foreign minister Ali would not mention the number of Rohingyas killed by the Myanmar security forces since August 25.
United States chargé d’affaires Joel R Reifman told reporters that Washington wants the implementation of the recommendations of the Annan Commission headed by former United Nations secretary-general Kofi Annan.
Foreign Minister Ali held two back-to-back diplomatic briefings this afternoon.
Ambassadors/ high commissioners/ CDAs a.i. from diplomatic Missions of Australia, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Turkey, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, Spain, Norway, Netherlands, USA, UK, and EU and representatives from UN resident coordinator, UNHCR, WFP, UNICEF, IOM, ICRC were present at the first briefing while the second briefing was attended by ambassadors/ high commissioners/ CDAs a.i. from diplomatic missions of Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates.
Following the briefings, foreign minister Ali told the reporters that the international community is describing the killing of large number Rohingyas in Rakhine state by the Myanmar security force as ‘genocide’.
Asked if Bangladesh also considers this as genocide, he said, “Like the international community we are also saying so.”
Myanmar will have to resolve the ongoing Rohingya crisis as it was created by them and Bangladesh is ready assist its second neighbour in his regard, said the minister.
He also added that Bangladesh is engaged with Myanmar bilaterally with regard to the protracted problem troubling the relationship for decades.
“We have not created the problem. It is a problem created by Myanmar. So, they will have to resolve the problem,” said the foreign minister.
“And, we’re ready to help them in this aspect,” he added
Ali also informed that the bilateral discussions with Myanmar with regard to Rohinga crisis are on.
The international community is full of praise for Bangladesh for hosting huge number of Rohingyas despite many constraints of its own, he said, adding that the international community has assured of assisting Bangladesh both politically and in terms of humanitarian way to deal with the crisis.
Besides, Ali said that the international community laid emphasis on the implementation of the recommendations of the Annan Commission.
The foreign minister also referred to many historical references proving that Rohingyas are indeed the citizens of Myamar.
Meanwhile, while briefing the diplomats about the the current situation regarding influx of Rohingyas, Ali informed that around 300,000 Rohingyas have already entered Bangladesh in last two weeks, according to a foreign ministry press release.
He also mentioned that Bangladesh has already been hosting 400,000 Rohingyas for 03 decades and currently the total number of Myanmar nationals living in Bangladesh has reached over 7 lakhs.
This is creating huge challenge for Bangladesh in terms of providing shelter as well as other humanitarian assistances to them, he added.
The Foreign Minister highlighted that Bangladesh has always preferred bilateral solution to this long standing problem and was successful in repatriating 236,599 Rohingyas to their homeland through a bilateral agreement in 1992.
He mentioned that the 1992 Agreement recognised Rohingyas as ‘members of Myanmar society’.
Ali also highlighted Bangladesh’s efforts to address the security concerns of Myanmar particularly by proposing MOUs in 2014 on Border Liaison Office and Security Dialogue. Bangladesh has also proposed joint inspection, coordinated patrolling of border; and ‘joint operation’ along the border. – Staff Reporter
