Repatriation hinges on Myanmar
It is the responsibility of Myanmar to create conditions that would allow Rohingya refugees to return home voluntarily, safely, and with dignity, said the United Nations.
Marking the eighth anniversary of the Rohingya exodus into Bangladesh, the UN and 11 Western countries issued statements urging action to address the crisis that has displaced more than a million people since 2017.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. "The most meaningful contribution the international community can make for the Rohingya is to bring Min Aung Hlaing and other military leaders before an international court."
On August 25, 2017, Myanmar's military launched a crackdown against the Rohingyas in Rakhine State. Thousands were killed, while survivors endured arson, rape, torture, and ethnic cleansing. About 7,50,000 fled to Bangladesh, joining those displaced by earlier pogroms. Since late 2023, another 2,00,000 Rohingyas have crossed the border, swelling the population in Cox's Bazar to over one million.
In a statement issued from Cox's Bazar, Raouf Mazou, UN assistant secretary-general and UNHCR assistant high commissioner for operations, said humanitarian aid alone cannot resolve the crisis. The safe and dignified voluntary return of the Rohingyas remained the most desirable solution, and the responsibility to create such conditions lay squarely on Myanmar, he added.
He urged dialogue with all parties as a first step, stressing that human rights must be respected and civilians protected. "A situation involving over one million displaced persons cannot be left to morph into a regional crisis affecting all countries in the region," he said.
In a joint statement issued in Dhaka, the embassies and high commissions of Canada, Australia, the UK, Denmark, Norway, Switzerland, Sweden, the Netherlands, France, Italy, and Finland echoed the UN's call.
They said Rohingyas in Bangladesh want to return to their homes. "These conditions can only be met by addressing the root causes of their displacement, which requires a peaceful and stable Myanmar. We therefore recognise that a timeline for the return of the Rohingya cannot yet be established," the statement said.
The envoys condemned escalating violence and human rights abuses by Myanmar's military regime and other armed groups, calling for an immediate end to all acts of violence and for unrestricted humanitarian access. They also pledged continued support for the Rohingyas and the Bangladeshi host communities in Cox's Bazar.
The statement further noted that the international community would maintain pressure on Myanmar at upcoming platforms, including the High-Level Conference on the Rohingya crisis in September 2025.
Members of the Special Advisory Council for Myanmar (SAC-M), an independent group of international experts, urged global powers to hold the Myanmar military accountable.
"The architects and perpetrators of the Rohingya genocide -- the Myanmar military -- continue to act with total impunity," said Marzuki Darusman of SAC-M.
Chris Sidoti, also of SAC-M, added: "The most meaningful contribution the international community can make for the Rohingya is to bring Min Aung Hlaing and other military leaders before an international court."
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