Let Myanmar refugees in
32 eminent citizens appeal to PM
Thirty-two eminent citizens of the country appealed to the government for opening the border to Myanmar refugees on humanitarian grounds.
In a joint statement, they expressed concern at the outbreak of sectarian violence in the northern Rakhine state of Myanmar leading to the potential influx of the victims across the border seeking refuge in Bangladesh.
They called upon the government to review its reported decision to close the border and allow the Rohingyas temporary shelter under special arrangement with the UNHCR.
The statement, issued on Wednesday, read, “We make this appeal inspired by our own history and from an understanding that human rights are indivisible, and protection of victims of violation of human rights in one country is a shared responsibility of another, particularly in the immediate neighbourhood.
“We recall that as a nation we were beneficiaries of a similar assistance in 1971 during our Liberation War, which saw one of the world's largest influxes of refugees to a neighbouring country.”
Signatories to the statement include Kamal Lohani, Dr Hameeda Hossain, Advocate Sultana Kamal, Dr Shahdeen Malik, Raja Devasish Roy, Dr Iftekharuzzaman, Prof Imtiaz Ahmed, Shaheen Reza Noor, Barrister Sara Hossain, Muhammad Kamal Uddin, Dr Rownak Jahan and Advocate Sigma Huda.
Meanwhile, New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW), in a letter yesterday, urged Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to reconsider the decision to close the border.
HRW urged to provide the Rohingyas at least a temporary refuge in accordance with international legal norms, until it is safe for them to return home.
“We note that the Bangladeshis had been the beneficiary of the generosity of their neighbours at times of strife, notably when large numbers fled to India for safety in 1971 during the national war of liberation,” read the letter.
The international community has an obligation to assist with the costs of providing sanctuary to the refugees, observed the HRW.
It also expressed dismay at a statement Foreign Minister Dipu Moni made during a parliamentary debate on Thursday. The minister said, “Bangladesh never signed any kind of international act, convention or law for allowing and giving shelter to refugees…. That's why we are not bound to provide shelter to the Rohingyas.”
The letter also cited several international obligations and tried to convince the Bangladesh premier to open the border to the refugees.
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