DHAKA: About 90, 000 Rohingyas fled from Myanmar to Bangladesh and some in Maldives in the last ten days since violence erupted in Rakhine state of Myanmar on August 25. International media reported on Monday (September 04).
The ensuing clashes and a major military counter-offensive have killed at least 400 people, including 24 non-Rakhine ethnic minorities.
The newest estimate, based on the calculations of United Nations’ aid workers in the Bangladeshi border district of Cox’s Bazar, takes to nearly 150,000 the total number of Rohingya who have sought refuge in Bangladesh since October.
“We are trying to build houses here, but there isn’t enough space,” said Mohammed Hussein, 25, who is still looking for a place to stay after fleeing Myanmar four days ago.
“No non-government organisations came here. We have no food. Some women gave birth on the roadside. Sick children have no treatment here.”
An unofficial camp for Rohingya refugees that sprang up at Balukhali after the October attacks is being dramatically expanded. Hundreds of Rohingya milled beside the road while others slung tarpaulins over bamboo frames to make rickety shelters against the monsoon rains.
More than 11,700 “ethnic residents” had been evacuated from northern Rakhine, the government has said, referring to non-Muslims.
Meanwhile, President Abdulla Yameen led Maldivian government has on Sunday announced its decision to severe all economic ties with Myanmar stating that the basic human rights of millions of Rohingya Muslims are being violated in Myanmar.
Maldivian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on Sunday stated, “The Maldives condemns in the strongest terms, the atrocities committed against the Rohingya Muslim community in Myanmar, and is deeply concerned by the recent cycle of violence that resulted the death of dozens of Rohingya Muslims and displacing several thousands.”
The statement stated that Maldives’ economic embargo would continue until Myanmar government stops the gross rights violations of the Rohingya.
Maldives had previously urged the United Nation’s Human Rights Council as well as the UN Secretary General to take imperative action against the genocide of the Muslim population in the country.
“The Maldives believes that the international community must act swiftly and firmly to stop the bloodshed,” further stated the Foreign Ministry statement.
Maldives urged the UN Secretary General and the UN Human Rights Council to look into what it calls “the grave violations of human rights” against the Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar.
On September 1, the UN Secretary-General António Guterres has warned of impending “humanitarian catastrophe” in Myanmar’s Rakhine state if restraint and calm are not restored and violence continues.
A statement released by the Secretary-General’s office said, “The Secretary-General is deeply concerned by the reports of excesses during the security operations conducted by Myanmar’s security forces in Rakhine State.”
BDST: 1400 HRS, SEP 04, 2017
EHJ
