Bangladesh
Rohingya Myanmar is being favored for geopolitical reasons: Foreign Minister
Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen has said that despite various decisions taken by the United Nations and various UN bodies and the International Court of Justice on the Rohingya persecution against Myanmar, many countries are not abiding by any of them.
The foreign minister was speaking at an event on Rohingya hosted by the Bangladesh and Canadian embassies in the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth on Tuesday (October 20th). "There is a dangerous culture of getting through crime and not caring about anything," he said. Myanmar has not shown any responsibility after committing various crimes including genocide, violence against women and rape. At the same time, Myanmar is being favored through trade, investment and development cooperation for geopolitical reasons.
The foreign minister said the political will of the Myanmar government was needed first for the return of the Rohingya. He said that in 1982 and 1992, Bangladesh and Myanmar completed the repatriation of Rohingyas bilaterally without international cooperation.
But the Rohingya issue was suppressed like a dormant volcano and the Rohingya problem erupted after the democratic system began. Despite the existence of a democratic government in Myanmar in 2016, the problem became so serious that the UN Secretary General called it the worst humanitarian and human rights disaster in the world.
Speaking on the occasion, Foreign Secretary Masood bin Momen said Bangladesh has been carrying the burden of 1.1 million Rohingyas for the last three years and the government is not willing to carry this burden anymore.
"I would like to remind the international community that Bangladesh does not have the capacity and the will to bear this unjust and unjust burden of the Rohingya," he said. He said Myanmar's human rights abuses, discriminatory practices and genocide were being acknowledged by the international community.
Addressing China, India, Japan and ASEAN, the Foreign Secretary said that further contacts should be made with Myanmar for a lasting solution to the problem, so as to maintain regional peace, security and stability.
The Foreign Secretary said Bangladesh would continue its bilateral contacts with Myanmar so that the Myanmar government could meet the demands of the Rohingya and gain their confidence. The key to sustainable repatriation is in Myanmar's hands and they can break this stalemate.
Bangladesh's Ambassador to the United Kingdom Saida Mona Tasnim, Commonwealth Secretary General Patricia Scotland and many others took part in the event.
