ZCZC
BSS – 14
ROHINGYA-ENVOY
Swiss, Scandinavian envoys urge Myanmar to take back Rohingyas
DHAKA, Sept 26, 2019 (BSS) – Ambassadors of Switzerland and three
Scandinavian countries here today urged the international community to work
together for putting pressure on Myanmar to ensure dignified repatriation of
displaced Rohingyas in a sustainable manner.
“The international community must work jointly to urge and support steps
by Myanmar towards a situation where this will be possible (dignified
repatriation),” they said in a joint press statement after visiting the
Rohingyas camps in Cox’s Bazar.
“We note with concern that the conditions for return of the Rohingya
refugees to Rakhine State in Myanmar in a voluntary, safe, dignified and
sustainable manner are not yet met,” they said.
Ambassadors Ren, Holenstein of Switzerland, Charlotta Schlyter of Sweden,
Sidsel Bleken of Norwegian and Winnie Petersen of Denmark visited different
Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar from September 25 to 26.
In the joint statement, they reiterated their high appreciation of the
continued humanitarian and other assistance provided to the Rohingyas by the
government and people of Bangladesh, including the local communities around
Cox’s Bazar.
Commending the excellent work done by the humanitarian agencies in facing
this crisis, they said the strong collaboration among Bangladesh government,
local actors and the international community through the UN, INGOs and NGOs
is key to this response.
Bangladesh is hosting over 1.1 million forcefully displaced Rohingya
population in Cox’s Bazar district and most of them arrived there since
August 25, 2017 after a military crackdown by Myanmar, which the UN called a
“textbook example of ethnic cleansing” and “genocide” by other rights groups.
BSS/PR/TA/RY/1548 hrs