The 45th meeting of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers has just concluded in Dhaka. It has stressed on unity and solidarity within the Ummah in its common aspirations of peace, prosperity, development and security. This aspect has been emphasised time and again in its deliberations, exchange of views and also in the Declaration issued on the conclusion of the meeting on May 06, 2018.
This was the second time that Bangladesh, a member of the OIC since February, 1974 (through Bangabandhu's participation in the OIC (Organisation of Islamic Cooperation) Summit in Lahore, Pakistan), has hosted such a meeting.
This time, the Council Session acquired greater significance given the crisis Bangladesh is presently going through because of the entry of nearly one million Rohingya Muslims into Bangladesh from their homes in the Rakhine State of Myanmar.
The last few weeks have seen this issue being referred to and raised by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in different international meetings held in London, Sydney and Geneva. It has also been the focal point of discussion with the team of Representatives from the United Nations Security Council who came to ascertain reasons for the entry into Bangladesh of these refugees. It may be recalled that subsequently this team went to Myanmar to determine for themselves the different causes related to this ethnic cleansing and also their expulsion from their homeland.
The 45th OIC Council Session in Dhaka became the platform for its 57 member states to discuss in depth the different aspects of this on-going issue and the way forward for its solution. Participating states stressed on the need for all countries belonging to the OIC, the second-largest political group after the United Nations, not only to re-affirm their commitment towards the OIC-2025 Programme of Action but also to enhance their cooperation in the vital areas of political, security, economic, social, cultural, educational, environmental and humanitarian dimensions. It was agreed that all countries needed to work together for achieving sustainable development in these important sectors.
They also noted that there were development challenges that included not only growing instability in different parts of the world in general, but also, in particular, in the Muslim world. This situation was being aggravated by long-standing unresolved conflicts, manifestation of intolerance and deliberate attempts to tarnish Islam and its symbols through the stereotyping of its adherents. In this context, it was agreed that there was need to facilitate strategic dialogue that is crucial for maintenance of international peace and security.
It may be recalled that the OIC was constituted almost 50 years ago in response to the attack on the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, Palestine. It has since been a central issue for this organisation. It was consequently only natural that the issue of Palestine once again drew particular attention.
There was re-affirmation of the right of the Palestinian people to regain their inalienable rights, including the right to self-determination and to independence and sovereignty of the State of Palestine based on the pre-1967 borders with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital. It was reiterated that the Palestinian refugees had the right to return to their homes consistent with the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution 194 (III). There was also wide criticism pertaining to the US decision to move its Embassy from its present location in Tel Aviv in Israel to Jerusalem. This, it was stressed, was in clear defiance of international law and the collective will of the international community. Reference was made in this regard to the OIC Extraordinary Summit convened in Istanbul, Turkey on December 13, 2017 and also to UNGA Resolution 10/19 adopted on December 21, 2017.
Inaugurating the OIC-CFM meeting, Prime Minister Hasina addressed the question of conflicts, internal strife, division and instability that result in large-scale displacements of dispossessed populations. In this context she recalled her own distressing experience when she and her family members had to suffer as refugees for nearly six years. She appealed to the OIC states to stand solidly 'by the forcibly deported Rohingyas' and in safeguarding their dignity and security. She called upon the member states to maintain international pressure on Myanmar to implement their safe return to their own country with dignity as citizens.
There was thus satisfaction to see that the Declaration issued at the conclusion of the Council Meeting referred to this issue through four paragraphs -14 to 17. The member states expressed deep concern over the systemic brutal acts - referred to by some as act of genocide - perpetrated by the Myanmar security forces against the Rohingya Muslim community. It was underlined that these constituted a serious violation of international law. They commended the steps and measures taken by the government of Sheikh Hasina in addressing the plight of these persecuted people. In addition, there was general agreement that there should be international support not only for resolving the crisis but also for the implementation of the recommendations put forward by the Advisory Commission on the situation within the Rakhine State (Annan Commission).
It was stressed that OIC member states need to be associated and actively engaged with developments in this regard in the United Nations in New York, in Geneva (in the UNHCR, the UNHRC and the IOM activities and WFP and FAO efforts) and in Brussels (the Headquarters of the European Union) and but also with other important relevant non-governmental organisations (NGOs) who are engaged in activities related to human rights and disaster management. Member states were also urged to take 'immediate action' and deliver humanitarian aid to the Rohingya camps and the displaced people.
The meeting of the OIC-CFM also adopted a lengthy resolution on the Rohingya situation based on a report prepared by the OIC- Independent Human Rights Commission and an informative documentary prepared by the OIC media team during the OIC delegation's visit to the refugee camps in the Cox's Bazar District in January, 2018. This resolution addressed the issue of accountability with regard to violations of human rights against the Rohingyas carried out by the Myanmar government law-enforcement agencies. There was an agreement to form an Ad-Hoc Ministerial Committee to be chaired by Gambia to address the accountability issue.
This was consistent with the comments made by the Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland who attended the opening session of the 45th Council Meeting as special guest. Her agreement in principle towards extending further cooperation to Bangladesh has been reflected in her extending an invitation to Prime Minister Hasina to attend the forthcoming meeting of the G-7 in Canada next month. This will create an opportunity to the Prime Minister to explain to the G-7 leaders the existing situation and also ask the G-7 leadership to exert necessary pressure on Myanmar for an early solution to this crisis. This will hopefully have some impact during the forthcoming UNGA Session that will start in New York in September.
Another important aspect of the OIC-CFM meeting was the agreement to continue and further expand the programmes and activities of the OIC institutions in the field of higher education, science and technology.
Last but not least, the OIC stressed the need to ensure gender empowerment and the rights of the children. Bangladesh has been an excellent example in this regard.
Muhammad Zamir, a former Ambassador, is an analyst specialised in foreign affairs, right to information and good governance.
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