Dhaka, Sept 28 – Assuring that it will always be there with Bangladesh over Rohingya issue, the United Kingdom on Thursday proposed three ‘options’, including the full implementation of the recommendations of the Kofi Anan Commission to resolve the crisis.British State Minister for Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Mark Field presented their ‘options’ at a press conference at its High Commissioner’s residence here. British State Minister for the Department for International Aid Alistair Burt and Acting High Commissioner to Dhaka David Ashley were also present.
Mark, who had been on a three-day visit in Myanmar before coming to the Bangladesh, said Myanmar de facto head of government Aung San Suu Kyi assured him of taking back all the Rohingya refugees from Bangladesh.
“All forms of violence in Myanmar must be stopped and the government must allow humanitarian access in Rakhine State and it will have to urgently implement the recommendations of Kofi Anan Commission.” he said.
“In my view, these three options will help end the violence and allow Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists and other community members to live alongside each other peacefully,” the UK minister said adding that their country is encouraging Myanmar to take immediate action to end the problem.
“Suu Kyi is in a difficult situation and she has no control over the military, and military is constitutionally more powerful there. However, in a meeting with me yesterday (Wednesday) she assured that she wants all refugees to return to Myanmar,” he said.
Mark said Suu Kyi is trying to find the ‘fine line’ between international pressure and domestic compulsion.
If Suu Kyi fails to act in Myanmar, he warned that then the military will control everything and the situation would be the worst.
Describing the Rohingya crisis as a complex one, he called upon the people of Bangladesh to have patience to get a solution to it. “Strong diplomatic efforts are on behind the scene to solve the crisis.”
Mark said Rohingya issue is now not a localised one and their country’s is making efforts to utilise all diplomatic means to have a solution to it.
He said their country will continue its efforts to highlight the issue at the United Nations and all other international forums to resolve it.
The minister said the UK is playing a leading role in pursing international community to respond to what is happening in Myanmar and here.
He thinks Myanmar security forces over reacted to the terror attack on them on August 24. “They (security forces) have failed to keep people of Rakhine state safe.”
Mark condoled the death of three Bangladeshi UN peacekeepers in Mali and recalled the contributions of the country to the UN peacekeeping mission.
Alistair Burt thanked Bangladesh for giving shelter to Myanmar’s displaced people and providing them with humanitarian assistance. “We’re deeply concerned over what has been taking place in Rakhine state and the consequence people here are facing over the few weeks…we really appreciate what the people of Bangladesh and its government are being able to do for the refugees.”
He said alongside continuing strong diplomatic efforts to have a solution to the problem, the UK has provided 5.9 million pound to support displaced Rohingyas.
The junior minister said he had meetings with government officials and humanitarian agencies here to find what further is needed to ensure humanitarian assistance to Rohingya refugees.
The two UK junior ministers arrived here on Wednesday to discuss various bilateral issues and the Rohingya problem. – UNB
