World news – Britain – The United Nations adopts a resolution on the return of the Rohingya

Shahidul Islam Chowdhury |

Publication date: 16:09, 19 November 2020

| Updated: 01:10 November 20, 2020

Rohingya refugees are seen outside their makeshift tent in Kutupalong camp in Cox’s Bazar on Friday.. Reuters photo

On Wednesday, the United Nations adopted a resolution urging Myanmar to resolve the Rohingya crisis, with nine countries, including China and Russia, opposing it, and 31 countries, including India and Japan, abstaining from voting in this regard.. .

The Bangladesh side described it as a « major achievement » while experts believed the decision was of little significance.

Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, the Philippines, Belarus, Zimbabwe and Myanmar also voted against the resolution, which was adopted with the support of 131 member states at the 75th session of the Third Committee of the Global Body. .

The 31 countries that did not support the resolution also include Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Thailand, Kenya and Zimbabwe, according to UN documents..

The permanent representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations at the United Nations headquarters in New York, Rabab Fatima, described the adoption as a « very strong mandate. ».

She told New Age: « The adoption of the resolution was a huge achievement given its timing and limitations in the pandemic situation. ».

However, former Foreign Minister Tawhid Hussain said that adopting this resolution did not achieve substantive progress as it was voted on an old pattern as China and Russia opposed identical resolutions in the past as well..

He told New Age over the phone: « This pattern may continue unless there is any large-scale interaction. ».

Foreign Minister AK Abdul-Mumin said recently that the government was in the process of engaging China, India, Japan, Australia and ASEAN countries for a lasting solution to the Rohingya crisis while returning them to Rakhine in Myanmar.

United Nations documents show that Australia and only three of the 10 ASEAN member states – Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia – supported the resolution..

The member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the European Union participated in the presentation of the resolution which was sponsored by 104 member states, which indicates strong and united support for the persecuted Rohingya Muslims and other minorities, who continue to suffer from human rights violations in Myanmar, the Permanent Mission of Bangladesh said in United Nations headquarters in a press release.

The decision required Myanmar to take specific actions, including granting the Rohingya minority citizenship, and ensuring a safe and sustainable return of the Rohingya to their homes by creating an enabling environment, including through confidence-building measures such as addressing justice and accountability.

The resolution received significant regional support, co-sponsored by the United States of America, Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland and some major ASEAN countries such as Indonesia and Malaysia.

Before submitting the resolution to the vote, the Permanent Representative of Germany on behalf of the European Union and the Permanent Representative of Saudi Arabia on behalf of the Organization of the Islamic Conference made two statements in support of the resolution.

They hoped that the resolution would help address the long-term plight of the Rohingya Muslims and other minorities by ensuring basic human rights to return to their homes in safety, security and dignity, as well as help Myanmar overcome the challenges it faces in its democratic transition.

They called on Myanmar to take urgent action to address the issue of citizenship for Rohingya minorities.

Two attempts to initiate the repatriation of the Rohingya in 2019 failed, as no community member showed up to return to Rakhine, citing the lack of a favorable environment and the unwillingness of the military-controlled Myanmar to address the root causes of their coercion. Exodus from the country.

About 8,60,000 Rohingya, most of them women, children and the elderly, entered Bangladesh to escape murder, arson and rape during « security operations » by the Myanmar army in Rakhine, which the United Nations denounced as a purge Ethnically and genocide. From August 25, 2017.

The recent influx of Rohingya has brought the number of unregistered Myanmar citizens and registered refugees from that country in Bangladesh to more than 1. Million according to estimates by United Nations agencies and the Bangladeshi Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

A lawsuit is pending before the International Court of Justice in The Hague over allegations that the military-controlled government of Myanmar is responsible for the genocide against the Rohingya minority..

Rabab Fatima added that Bangladesh will continue to seek a peaceful solution to this crisis through the safe and dignified return of the Rohingya people to Myanmar.. .

Editor: Nur al-Kabir, published by ASM Editor-in-Chief Shahidullah Khan
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Myanmar (Burma), Rohingya, Aung San Suu Kyi, United Nations, National League for Democracy, Bangladesh, 2015 Rohingya refugee crisis