Editorial Desk :
There is almost nothing which is not known to the local diplomats about the ongoing Rohingya crisis in Bangladesh. Also the fact that Bangladesh is currently sheltering over a million of them is being reported in the national and international media almost every day. The need for much more foreign policy drive in international forums is so immediate and urgent and yet so obliviously ignored.
The immense need of foreign assistance and humanitarian workers is highlighted by international community and response is also praiseworthy. The leaders of our friendly countries are coming regularly to see the depth of the crisis and know how best to help us. We and the people of Rohingya are grateful for their anxiousness to help the cause of humanity when in Myanmar the humanity is dead. Already 46 Rohingya children have died in their camps in Bangladesh. We are not sure if we are explaining clearly enough about the needs of the kind of assistance essential for the Rohingya refugees.
Our most important anxiety should be how to arrange the return of the Rohingyas without delay for living safely in their own homeland.
Our Minister of Foreign Affairs met the Ambassadors and diplomats of UNSC member countries, including US, UK, France, Russia, China, Sweden, Italy and Japan on Wednesday to share its grave concern over tackling the crisis. Many have failed to understand whether it was an unnecessary and futile exercise or not. Showing our Foreign Minister is doing so much when he is actually doing nothing. We do not blame him because the real need is political decision and that cannot come from the diplomats. The diplomats are for negotiating a policy.
When our men in government forget the role played by Indian government and Indian diplomacy in 1971 they should feel ashamed. The Prime Minister of India Mrs Indira Gandhi herself visited important capitals of the countries to discuss the solution for the Bengalis fled to her country to save themselves from the military brutalities by Pakistan army. The Rohingyas have suffered and still suffering many times more savagery in the hands of Myanmar army.
Mrs Indira Gandhi grasped the situation and did not waste time for bilateral diplomacy with Pakistan because she realised that Pakistan was not interested in a peaceful solution. India became active in all fronts of diplomacy to gather strength and even signed a defence pact with Russia.
Despite having a permanent representative at the UN, a spokesperson and envoy in Geneva and diplomats in all the leading nations we have not been forceful enough in gathering the international momentum to the Rohingya crisis through our own efforts. The international community is puzzled and confused as regards to our own determination and leadership.
However, after briefing the diplomats, our Foreign Minister is reported to have said, “Our main objective is to return the Rohingyas to their homeland. We’ve discussed the matter with the diplomats.” Our hope in bilateral solution as being repeatedly expressed is confusing the world leaders about the real role they must play.
We have given them shelter but we had no choice because the Rohingyas entered the country for saving their lives against slaughter by Myanmar’s brutal army. The only other choice for us was to be as brutal as the Myanmar army and kill them. We are being human and humanitarian in coming to their help. So the international community has to appreciate that we are ill-prepared for this sea of crisis and we need help in many ways.
There is almost nothing which is not known to the local diplomats about the ongoing Rohingya crisis in Bangladesh. Also the fact that Bangladesh is currently sheltering over a million of them is being reported in the national and international media almost every day. The need for much more foreign policy drive in international forums is so immediate and urgent and yet so obliviously ignored.
The immense need of foreign assistance and humanitarian workers is highlighted by international community and response is also praiseworthy. The leaders of our friendly countries are coming regularly to see the depth of the crisis and know how best to help us. We and the people of Rohingya are grateful for their anxiousness to help the cause of humanity when in Myanmar the humanity is dead. Already 46 Rohingya children have died in their camps in Bangladesh. We are not sure if we are explaining clearly enough about the needs of the kind of assistance essential for the Rohingya refugees.
Our most important anxiety should be how to arrange the return of the Rohingyas without delay for living safely in their own homeland.
Our Minister of Foreign Affairs met the Ambassadors and diplomats of UNSC member countries, including US, UK, France, Russia, China, Sweden, Italy and Japan on Wednesday to share its grave concern over tackling the crisis. Many have failed to understand whether it was an unnecessary and futile exercise or not. Showing our Foreign Minister is doing so much when he is actually doing nothing. We do not blame him because the real need is political decision and that cannot come from the diplomats. The diplomats are for negotiating a policy.
When our men in government forget the role played by Indian government and Indian diplomacy in 1971 they should feel ashamed. The Prime Minister of India Mrs Indira Gandhi herself visited important capitals of the countries to discuss the solution for the Bengalis fled to her country to save themselves from the military brutalities by Pakistan army. The Rohingyas have suffered and still suffering many times more savagery in the hands of Myanmar army.
Mrs Indira Gandhi grasped the situation and did not waste time for bilateral diplomacy with Pakistan because she realised that Pakistan was not interested in a peaceful solution. India became active in all fronts of diplomacy to gather strength and even signed a defence pact with Russia.
Despite having a permanent representative at the UN, a spokesperson and envoy in Geneva and diplomats in all the leading nations we have not been forceful enough in gathering the international momentum to the Rohingya crisis through our own efforts. The international community is puzzled and confused as regards to our own determination and leadership.
However, after briefing the diplomats, our Foreign Minister is reported to have said, “Our main objective is to return the Rohingyas to their homeland. We’ve discussed the matter with the diplomats.” Our hope in bilateral solution as being repeatedly expressed is confusing the world leaders about the real role they must play.
We have given them shelter but we had no choice because the Rohingyas entered the country for saving their lives against slaughter by Myanmar’s brutal army. The only other choice for us was to be as brutal as the Myanmar army and kill them. We are being human and humanitarian in coming to their help. So the international community has to appreciate that we are ill-prepared for this sea of crisis and we need help in many ways.
