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Rohingya crisis needs lasting solutions, says UNHCR

Covid-19 pandemic adds complexities, it says


August 23, 2020 00:00:00


UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, said creating conditions that are conducive to the Rohingya people's safe and sustainable return will require whole-of- society engagement, reports UNB.

The Covid-19 pandemic has added further complexities, said the UN agency on Friday.

It laid emphasis on resuming and enhancing the dialogue between the Myanmar authorities and Rohingya refugees, as well as other measures that help inspire trust.

These include lifting restrictions on freedom of movement, reconfirming that internally displaced Rohingya can return to their own villages and providing a clear pathway towards citizenship.

UNHCR called for renewed support and solutions for displaced and stateless Rohingya communities both within and outside of Myanmar on Friday.

Ultimately, UNHCR said, the solution to the plight of the Rohingya lies in Myanmar, and in comprehensively implementing the recommendations of the Advisory Commission on Rakhine State, to which the Government of Myanmar has committed.

Three years on from the latest exodus of Rohingya refugees who fled Myanmar and sought sanctuary in Bangladesh from August 2017 onwards, challenges persist and continue to evolve, it said.

The international community must not only maintain support for refugees and their host communities, but also adapt to critical needs and expand the search for solutions, it said.

Bangladesh has demonstrated a profound humanitarian commitment to Rohingya refugees, said the UNHCR.

It has ensured their protection and extended life-saving humanitarian support, and now hosts nine out of ten Rohingya refugees registered in the Asia-Pacific region.

This generosity must be acknowledged through continued investment in both Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi host communities, UNHCR said.

"Outside of Myanmar, our collective efforts must be directed not only to ensuring the dignity and well-being of the Rohingya today but also on preserving their hopes and improving prospects for their futures," said the UN agency.

This means working towards lasting solutions not only in Myanmar itself, but also through study and work opportunities outside of countries of asylum, and third-country pathways for those with the most acute vulnerabilities, it said.

The strength and resilience of the Rohingya people in exile in Bangladesh and elsewhere have formed the backbone of the humanitarian response over the past three years, and supported the communities hosting them in turn, according to UNHCR.


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