Step up support
More countries need to step up and pledge their support for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh amid an unprecedented humanitarian crisis, Amnesty International said yesterday.
The rights group also said donors should think longer term when it comes to Rohingya refugees.
The meeting of high-level representatives of donor countries at the UN office in Geneva on Monday must include pledges of new money, including from countries in the region, to support rising numbers of Rohingyas who have sought shelter in Cox's Bazar.
"This is an unprecedented crisis that needs an immediate and sustained response from the international community. This means that more countries, particularly those from the region, need to play a much bigger role and share the burden of responsibility, said Omar Waraich, deputy South Asia director at Amnesty International.
"Bangladesh, a poor country which has shown extraordinary generosity, cannot be left to deal with this situation alone," added the official.
"These deeply traumatised refugees are subsisting in extremely difficult conditions, with no prospect of being able to return home any time soon. The international community must mount a response that addresses both their immediate and long-term needs."
Amnesty also said the Bangladeshi authorities and humanitarian groups are in a desperate scramble to scale up their operations.
They must be helped not just over the next few months, but for as long as it remains unsafe for people to return home voluntarily and with safety and dignity.
"Donors should think longer term when it comes to Rohingya refugees. The scale of this humanitarian crisis is such that the international community is continuously failing to anticipate the response needed," said Charmain Mohamed, Amnesty International's Head of Refugee and Migrant Rights.
Meanwhile, two UN advisers called on the government of Myanmar to take immediate action to stop and address the commission of atrocity crimes that are reportedly taking place in northern Rakhine State.
They are Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide Adama Dieng and Special Adviser of the Responsibility to Protect Ivan Simonovic.
The two have been following the situation in Rakhine for several years and have warned that there was a risk that atrocity crimes could be committed there, says a statement issued on Thursday.
Risk factors they identified included very deeply rooted and long-standing discriminatory practices and policies against the Rohingyas.
"Despite warnings issued by us and by many other officials, the government of Myanmar has failed to meet its obligations under international law and primary responsibility to protect the Rohingya population from atrocity crimes. The international community has equally failed its responsibilities in this regard", they stated.
There are clear needs for comprehensive psychosocial assistance or support programmes for a deeply traumatised population, who will need help over the short, medium and long term if their full physical, mental and emotional recovery is to be assured.
HARROWING JOURNEYS
The international community should address a range of urgent needs of Rohingya refugees, from transportation to camps, to medical and life-saving assistance at every stage, said Amnesty.
Refugees interviewed by Amnesty recalled harrowing journeys from their villages, where they came under attack, to the camps in Bangladesh.
Many said they had been forced to pay extortionate sums to be transported in boats to Bangladesh. Those without money told Amnesty that they were forced to part with jewellery and other valuable possessions to pay for the boat crossing.
"Rohingya refugees who walked for days -- often barefoot, hungry and injured, depleting all reserves -- are faced with extortion to make the last leg of their journey," said Charmain Mohamed.
Given the failure of accountability in Myanmar when it comes to human rights violations against the Rohingya, including crimes against humanity, many refugees told Amnesty of their fear of returning to Myanmar unless conditions allow them to do so safely and with dignity.
Beyond the immediate needs, the international community must help Bangladesh cope with the humanitarian crisis going forward. This includes calling for accountability for crimes against humanity and the dismantlement of the entrenched system of discrimination that the Rohingya have long endured in Myanmar.
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