Safeguards for Rohingya returnees absent in Myanmar : UNHCR

FE Team | Published: January 23, 2018 23:59:13

The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, has said the necessary safeguards, as of today, for potential Rohingya returnees are absent, and there are continued restrictions on access for aid agencies, the media and other independent observers, reports UNB.
At the same time, refugees from Rakhine State continue to arrive in Bangladesh, it said.
"UNHCR remains prepared to work with both governments towards finding a long-term solution to this crisis in the interest of the refugees themselves, of both governments, the host community in Bangladesh and all communities in Rakhine State," UNHCR spokesperson Adrian Edwards told reporters in Geneva on Tuesday.
To ensure the right of Rohingyas to return voluntarily, and in safety and in dignity, the UNHCR called again on Myanmar to allow the necessary unhindered humanitarian access to Rakhine State and create conditions for a genuine and lasting solution.
Edwards said access would allow for assessment of the actual return conditions and the long-term viability of the returns, as well as help address the legitimate safety concerns for any refugees contemplating their return there.
"Refugees need to be properly informed and consulted about such conditions in order for returns to be safe, voluntary and sustainable," said the spokesperson.
A key step towards a lasting solution has been Myanmar's commitment to implementing the recommendations of the Rakhine Advisory Commission, said the official.
Turning these recommendations - which call for peace and security for all communities in Rakhine State, inter-communal dialogue, freedom of movement, access to livelihoods and achieving solutions for the legal and citizenship status of Muslim communities - into a reality on the ground is essential to building confidence for returns and addressing the tense inter-communal situation that has built up over many years in Rakhine State, said the UNHCR official.
"Without this, the risk of dangerous and rushed returns into a situation where violence might reignite is too great to be ignored," Edwards said.