UN expert: With Rohingyas, Bangladesh should prepare for long haul

There appears to be no chance of Rohingya repatriation in the near future as Myanmar has completely failed to create a situation conducive for the return of hundreds of thousands of persecuted people to Rakhine, a United Nations human rights expert said on Friday, urging Bangladesh to get prepared for a long haul.

Instead of creating a favourable situation for the return of the Rohingyas, Myanmar is in fact on a mission to force the remaining Rohingyas in Rakhine to flee to Bangladesh through different types of crimes and intimidations, UN special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar Professor Yanghee Lee told a press conference at a local hotel upon completion of her seven-day visit to Bangladesh.

She thanked the Bangladeshi authorities for facilitating her visit on Thursday to Bhashan Char, where the government wants to relocate the Rohingyas, but urged upon Bangladesh not to hurry in sending these people to the isolated island in the Noakhali district.

Professor Lee, a South Korean national, shed light on all aspects of the crisis, failure of the international community, especially the UN system, to get access to the affected area, impact of the problem on the region with global implications and the necessity of continued support of the international community for Bangladesh to host such a huge number of people with its limited resources.

She expressed her concerns over the deportation of Rohingyas from Saudi Arabia and arrival of Rohingyas from India to Bangladesh and urged both the countries to be considerate.

“The human rights situation in Myanmar continues to deteriorate and the country cannot be called a democracy under its present constitution,” she said, noting that justice in Myanmar will not be ensured without amending the current constitution framed in 2008.

“The causes of the crisis lie in Myanmar and it is Naypyitaw that will have to solve them in accordance with the recommendations of the Annan Commission,” the UN expert categorically said.

She also placed great emphasis on the accountability of the perpetrators of the crimes inflicted upon the Rohingya community in Rakhine including ethnic cleansing and possible genocide and talked about setting up an ad hoc criminal court to deal with the horrendous crimes against Rohingyas.

Lee, who Myanmar has accused of bias and denied entry, also accused the civilian government of Myanmar, led by Aung San Suu Kyi, of behaving like the previous military regimes.

Responding to a volley of questions in regards to the international community’s expectations from Bangladesh, the UN expert said: “I am not putting pressure on Bangladesh. I am just putting forward my humble suggestions from a human rights perspective.”

“There is no prospect of repatriation in the near future,” she said, suggesting that it would be better for Bangladesh to prepare its people, the host community in particular, to adjust with this reality.

“This crisis will affect not only Bangladesh but also the region with global implications,” said the human rights expert, urging the international community to keep on putting pressure on Myanmar to take its people back.

To another question about the role of the United Nations Security Council, she said: “I don’t know how the security council is letting this go by in front of their eyes.”

While answering another question, she ruled out any possibility of relocation of the Rohingyas to any other country as no nation is willing to take them.

When asked if the international community, especially the UN, is asking for too much from Bangladesh, Lee said: “It is perspective. Bangladesh has done more than any country. We all recognize that.”

To a question on holding the perpetrators to justice, she said: “We may have to think about establishing an ad hoc criminal court.”

On the issue of government’s plan to relocate the Rohingyas to Bhashan Char, the island she visited on Thursday by a helicopter, the special rapporteur voiced her opposition to a hurried move and said that any relocation must be informed and voluntary.

She urged the government to conduct a feasibility study and address all the technical issues in consultation with the UN before making a decision.