Us announcement on rohingya genocide: Dhaka sees hope of repatriation
Bangladesh has welcomed the US announcement acknowledging Rohingya genocide, noting that it might expedite efforts on accountability and repatriation fronts.
"Though late, it's a good news. We welcome it," Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen told reporters at his office yesterday while responding to a question.
He said if genocide takes place anywhere it should be acknowledged and the perpetrators should not go unpunished.
"That's why we say never again. We don't want to see any genocide. Unfortunately, genocide is taking place."
Terming the US a good friend of Bangladesh, Momen hoped that it will put more pressure on Myanmar so that they take back Rohingyas to their homeland in Rakhine state.
"If the repatriation efforts are expedited through this US announcement, we will be very happy," he said, adding that they are focusing on two goals -- welfare of Rohingyas through repatriation and preventing repetition of genocide.
The minister said the victims of genocide must get justice. He hoped the genocide case against Myanmar filed by The Gambia at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) will gain momentum.
On Monday,Matthew Smith, chief executive officer at Fortify Rights, termed US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's announcement "historic" for the Rohingya and all people of Myanmar and also for wider efforts to prevent and remedy genocide.
"To prevent genocide, governments must at least acknowledge it when it happens, which is precisely what the US government did today [Monday].
"United Nations member states should publicly acknowledge the Rohingya genocide in Myanmar and ensure that the UN Security Council refers the situation to the International Criminal Court," said Fortify Rights.
The US announced that the Myanmar military is responsible for committing genocide against the Rohingya people.
However, Myanmar's junta yesterday said it "categorically rejects" the US declaration that the military committed genocide against the mostly Muslim Rohingya minority, reports AFP.
"Myanmar has never engaged in any genocidal actions and does not have any genocidal intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, racial or religious group or any other group," the junta's foreign affairs ministry said in a statement.
Zaw Win, human rights specialist at Fortify Rights, said: "It is a signallingand remarkable milestone for Rohingya victims and survivors that the US has formally determined that the violence committed against Rohingya by the Myanmar military amounts to genocide and crimes against humanity.
"It has been a long-term expectation for the Rohingya community. Declaring that what happened to the Rohingya is in fact genocide should spur international accountability efforts and make it more difficult for the Myanmar military to continue its atrocity crimes."
The UN Security Council members should immediately put forward a resolution to refer the situation in Myanmar to the ICC, said Fortify Rights.
"Secretary Blinken's announcement is historic for the Rohingya and all people of Myanmar and also for wider efforts to prevent and remedygenocide," said Matthew Smith.
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