Open the border for Rohingyas
Photo: AFP
Bangladesh on 12th June turned away three boats carrying 1,000 Rohingyas. A refugee is someone who has been forced to flee his or her country because of persecution, war, or violence. A refugee has a well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social group. Most likely, they cannot return home or are afraid to do so. The 1951 Geneva Convention is the main international instrument of refugee law. The Convention clearly spells out who a refugee is and the kind of legal protection needed, other assistance and social rights he or she should receive from the neighbouring countries on humanitarian grounds. Bangladesh sheltered so many refugees in the past and can shelter a few more who really qualify for the refugee status due to violence between Buddhists and minority Muslims in western Myanmar which has left at least 15 people dead and hundreds of homes burned. Bangladesh earlier said it sent back 11 boats with about 500 Rohingya Muslims in the past three days. We urge the government to open the border for Rohingyas on humanitarian grounds. Peter Rebeiro Indira Road, Dhaka ************************************* I am writing this letter in protest of the recent barbaric violence against the Rohingya Muslims. The treatment of Bangladesh government towards the Rohigyas is very appalling, for they are coming here with the hope that we being Muslims would help them out. But unfortunately, they are being pushed back. Rohingyas have been the inhabitants of this part of sub-continent since the 8th century. It is not that they have occupied that land, rather they are living in that part of land even before the emergence of the Buddhists. So the Myanmar government should take appropriate steps to ensure their security and rights. Bangladesh being a Muslim majority country is never unjust towards its minority groups. Why don't the government of Myanmar learn something from its neighbour and help out the minorities to ensure peace in the region. What is Aung San Suu Kyi doing? Through this daily I urge the Bangladesh government to be sympathetic towards the innocent refugees and the world leaders and the government of Myanmar to ensure basic human rights to the minority Muslims of Myanmar. Anika Nawal Ahmed Dhanmondi, Dhaka
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