US envoy due tomorrow to see Rohingya situation

Sam Brownback

US Ambassador-at-Large for religious freedoms Sam Brownback will arrive in Dhaka tomorrow (Wednesday) on a two-day visit reportedly to have a firsthand account of the Rohingya refugee situation.

After his arrival, he will go to Cox's Bazar to visit Rohingya camps and after returning to Dhaka from there on Thursday he will address a press conference before departing for home on the same day, officials of the US Embassy in Dhaka said.

Though the US Embassy did not disclose the detailed schedule of his visit, his visit to the Rohingya camps may take place on Wednesday, sources said.

Brownback who is now in Turkey on a 4-day visit will fly to Dhaka directly from there.

He attended a court in Aliaga city of Turkey on Monday to observe the much-talked-about trial of a US pastor who was arrested by the Turkey government on charge of collaborating with terror groups and spying.

An influential legislator from Kansas, Brownback was the governor of that state before his nomination by President Donald Trump as the US Ambassador-at -Large on international religious freedom in July last year.

Brownback was vocal against the Myanmar atrocities against the Rohingyas and termed the act of Myanmar security forces against Rohingyas as 'religious cleansing'.

Commenting on the Rohingya crisis, he told the Voice of America recently that the drive against the Rohingyas did not take place if 'these people were not Muslims.

"If they were Buddhists, in all likelihood, this would not be happening today" he said calling for tougher action against Myanmar.

He also suggested that the world should 'move forward with the sanctions on people, and put pressure on the Myanmar government.

"We're not going to stand for this and we don't care what religion it is. We're not going to stand for it and we're going to call it out and we're going to speak about it and we're going to take actions" he opined.