No government with any sense of honour and competence will lower itself so much that those who are internationally condemned for genocide against Rohingyas are received with flowers.
We are extremely unlucky to have a government that cannot see that the Myanmar government has waged a war against Bangladesh by sending so indifferently thousands of Rohingya refugees into our country. Under international law such an act is aggression against Bangladesh.
When Bangladesh leaders recently received Myanmar General and Home Minister in Dhaka with a bucket of flowers, we appeared heartless and inhuman.
They tortured and killed Rohingyas, raped women and torched villages. Bangladesh should have meted such cruelties with equal response for being unjust victim of Myanmar Generals’ mindless killing spree.
Our government is not helping the cause of the Rohingya refugees who came to our country most helplessly with a lot of hope that we shall stand by them and fought for their cause bravely.
But our government has been undermining international efforts to deal with the Roingya crisis. Our government is not actively engaged in international forum to arrive at a solution. They may not feel ashamed but our people are very ashamed and angry.
But Rohingyas are still coming and their villages are still haunted and destroyed. Human Rights Watch (HRW) said Myanmar bull-dozed evidence of 55 destroyed villages in Rakhine State in November to hide evidence of atrocities from the international community. In such a situation receiving killers and perpetrators of ethnic cleansing with flowers is most hateful.
The weak and absence of internationally engaged policy of the government and its isolation in mustering support of the neighbours only exposed the poor leadership and aimless diplomatic roadmap of our government.
As a nation we should have the courage to face the barbarity on the ground. That being failed, we have also failed to mobilize strong international action against the killers. Bucket of flowers has only showed the government’s inability to comprehend seriousness of the challenge.
Particularly UNICEF fears the coming cyclone season may make life of over five lakhs children unbearable as floods may cause waterborne diseases to children and also adults living in makeshift refugee camps. The living conditions in the camps are miserable. We are being put to shame that the plight of the Rohigyas is not being pursued strongly and efficiently.
Repatriation remained stalled so far and its prospect is only fading away. Myanmar is yet to reply on the list of 8,032 Rohingyas that Bangladesh has handed over to the visiting Myanmar Home Minister to start with the repatriation. There is no certainty in such situation when any meaningful repatriation will commence.
HRW reported early this week that Myanmar is erasing evidence of atrocities including burnt structures and vegetation that awaits documentation as war crime. So far Myanmar has destroyed 362 villages completely or partially since last August 25.
The Myanmar Generals are also blocking UN Fact-Finding Mission and workers of aid agencies to the area.
If the government of Bangladesh cannot show guts and strength, at least it should not dishonour the country. As far as is known to us President Zia went for military activities for forcing Myanmar to reach an agreement and started taking back Rohingya refugees.
Against Myanmar aggression we must show our readiness to react.
