Muhammad Yunus, the Chief Adviser, urged yesterday that the international community continue to pay attention to the Rohingya issue and cautioned that failure to do so could have dire consequences for the entire region, not just Bangladesh.
He made the statement, “We must pay attention,” during a high-level discussion about the Rohingya crisis yesterday afternoon in New York on the fringes of the UN General Assembly.
Speakers at the event included Md. Touhid Hossain, the adviser on foreign affairs, Filippo Grandi, the high commissioner for refugees, Karim AA Khan, the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Amy Pope, the director general of IOM, Lamiya Morshed, the principal coordinator for SDG affairs, Shafiqul Alam, the press secretary for the chief adviser, and Mahfuj Alam, SA.
The chief advisor suggested reevaluating how the world was handling the Rohingya issue.
He stated that as soon as feasible, the UN secretary general might call a conference of all parties involved in the Rohingya issue.
According to him, the conference ought to examine the crisis’s overall circumstances and offer creative, forward-thinking solutions.
Second, Yunus stated, there is a need to revitalise the Joint Response Plan, which is co-managed by Bangladesh and the UN System.
He claimed that in light of the declining funding situation, the resource raising mechanism requires additional political push.
In his third proposal, Prof. Yunus stated that in order to address the genocidal crimes committed against the Rohingya community, the international community should firmly support the justice and accountability mechanism.
Ultimately, the chief adviser stated that the only way to ensure long-term peace and security in Myanmar is to address the injustices committed by the military junta.
It is an honour to participate in the discussion on Rohingya refugees, which is being led by Bangladesh’s chief adviser. The UNHCR chief stated, “This is an annual UNGA event, but because of Dr. Yunus’s presence and vision, it wasn’t business as usual.”
He declared that the discrimination, statelessness, and exile faced by the Rohingya people must be eradicated.
“The meeting was a huge success. Everyone expressed gratitude for Bangladesh’s efforts and their continued support, Chief Adviser Shafiqul Alam’s press secretary told reporters on Tuesday evening.
Deputy Press Secretaries Abul Kalam Azad Majumdar and Apurba Jahangir were also present, along with Additional Foreign Secretary Riaz Hamidullah.
IOM DG Amy Pope said during the event that the Rohingya people should not be overlooked.
“We must do more and continue to provide much needed assistance and long-term solutions,” she stated.
IOM DG stated at UNGA that they reaffirm their dedication to doing all within their power to accomplish this goal.
Some of the Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh sent a message to the world leaders assembled here during the UNGA’s high-level general debate in New York: “Don’t let us down.”
It is impossible to forget the Rohingya refugees, they declared in a video message.
US Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights Uzra Zeya announced nearly $199 million in new aid for Rohingya refugees and communities hosting them in Bangladesh and the region during her participation in the high-level UNGA side event on the Rohingya crisis.
This funding comes from nearly $129 million from USAID, of which $78 million comes from the Department of Agriculture’s Commodity Credit Corporation. The remaining funding comes from the Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM), which will assist USAID in buying, shipping, and distributing food from American farmers to Rohingya refugees and host community members in Bangladesh.
With US assistance, lives will be spared and those compelled to escape violence and persecution will be protected, housed, and fed.
It will also be used to improve access to education and skill development, protect refugees and host communities during disasters, and get them ready for their possible return home when circumstances permit.
Since August 2017, the US government has contributed more than $2.5 billion, of which nearly $1.3 billion came through PRM, to the regional response to the Rohingya crisis in Bangladesh.
The US urges other donors to keep up their support as it is dedicated to providing aid to communities in Bangladesh and the surrounding area that are impacted by the crisis.
In August 2017, thousands of Rohingya in Myanmar’s Rakhine State were forced to escape their homes due to armed attacks, widespread violence, and grave human rights violations.
To get to safety in Bangladesh, many braved perilous sea voyages across the Bay of Bengal and days-long walks through jungles.
Currently, almost a million people have sought safety in Bangladesh, the majority of whom reside in the region of Cox Bazar, which is home to the biggest refugee camp in the world.
According to the UN, the Rohingya people are “the most persecuted minority in the world.”
