MYANMAR is militarising Rakhine State at an alarming pace as it is building helipad and camps for security forces bulldozing Rohingya villages. The latest move is not only making security on Bangladesh border highly tense but also making difficult safe and voluntary return of Rohingya refugees even as a more distant prospect.
Amnesty International said using satellite imagery that Myanmar authorities have launched an operation to rapidly expand roads and military infrastructure across Rakhine State clearing torched and abandoned villages. Amnesty said such action is posed to further destabilize the region and make the fate of Rohingya refugees further uncertain.
On repatriation front media reports on Thursday said Myanmar authorities have verified only 300 Rohingyas out of a list of 8,032 refugees as resident of Rakhine State that Bangladesh handed over to visiting Myanmar minister on February 19 to start repatriation process. It only shows the sea like gap to make repatriation a success. Myanmar has so far drove over 700,000 Rohingyas to Bangladesh since August 25 last year and though the exodus has slowed down, Myanmar is busy now to erase evidence of Rohingya villages in Rakhine State.
It appears Myanmar is using repatriation deals it signed with Bangladesh as eyewash and playing foul defiantly to sabotage the process. Time is passing out fast and unless the international community quickly comes forward to put bigger pressure on Myanmar and force it to take back refugees, the prospect of resolving Rohingya crisis may only fade away soon while the border may quickly become highly vulnerable to growing militancy.
It is not enough for the UN to denounce Myanmar action as a ‘textbook example of ethnic cleansing’ the world body must find credible ways to start repatriation while efforts must be at work to put Myanmar leaders on trial to give justice to Rohingya refugees unless they cooperate with international community.
Myanmar is showing unspeakable audacity denying entry of UN inspectors to Rakhine State and blocking visit UN Human Rights rapporteur into the country to access the situation in the ground. It clearly suggests Myanmar is hiding mass graves and destroying evidence of torched villages. It clearly amounts to crime against humanity that needs to be punished.
Myanmar military is using the State power to grab Rohingya land while the world and regional powers are looking on. There is apparently none to help the Rohingya except the USA, EU and free world power. Bangladesh is too weak and powerless and there is no alternative of help from powerful countries to end the biggest humanitarian crisis of our time.
Amnesty International said using satellite imagery that Myanmar authorities have launched an operation to rapidly expand roads and military infrastructure across Rakhine State clearing torched and abandoned villages. Amnesty said such action is posed to further destabilize the region and make the fate of Rohingya refugees further uncertain.
On repatriation front media reports on Thursday said Myanmar authorities have verified only 300 Rohingyas out of a list of 8,032 refugees as resident of Rakhine State that Bangladesh handed over to visiting Myanmar minister on February 19 to start repatriation process. It only shows the sea like gap to make repatriation a success. Myanmar has so far drove over 700,000 Rohingyas to Bangladesh since August 25 last year and though the exodus has slowed down, Myanmar is busy now to erase evidence of Rohingya villages in Rakhine State.
It appears Myanmar is using repatriation deals it signed with Bangladesh as eyewash and playing foul defiantly to sabotage the process. Time is passing out fast and unless the international community quickly comes forward to put bigger pressure on Myanmar and force it to take back refugees, the prospect of resolving Rohingya crisis may only fade away soon while the border may quickly become highly vulnerable to growing militancy.
It is not enough for the UN to denounce Myanmar action as a ‘textbook example of ethnic cleansing’ the world body must find credible ways to start repatriation while efforts must be at work to put Myanmar leaders on trial to give justice to Rohingya refugees unless they cooperate with international community.
Myanmar is showing unspeakable audacity denying entry of UN inspectors to Rakhine State and blocking visit UN Human Rights rapporteur into the country to access the situation in the ground. It clearly suggests Myanmar is hiding mass graves and destroying evidence of torched villages. It clearly amounts to crime against humanity that needs to be punished.
Myanmar military is using the State power to grab Rohingya land while the world and regional powers are looking on. There is apparently none to help the Rohingya except the USA, EU and free world power. Bangladesh is too weak and powerless and there is no alternative of help from powerful countries to end the biggest humanitarian crisis of our time.
