Rohingyas urge US for their quick repatriation

Staff Reporter  :
The Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar have urged the United States to expedite their repatriation by raising concerns about their security, democracy, and human rights situation under the military junta in Myanmar.

They made the request when a delegation of US representatives, led by Under Secretary Uzra Zeya, visited several Rohingya camps in Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar, on Wednesday.

During the visit, the Rohingyas expressed their keenness to the US delegation on their return to homeland. They also described the persecution and atrocities committed against the Rohingya community in Myanmar.

Mohammad Zubair, the Chairman of the Arakan Rohingya Society for Peace and Humanitarian (ARSPH), stated that the US delegation had discussions with them regarding the Rohingya crisis.

“They also spoke with Rohingya women. The women shared their accounts of how the military in Myanmar had burned their villages and subjected them to torture,” he told the media.

Zubair further emphasised that they expressed gratitude to the US delegation for their support to Bangladesh and stated that although there is adequate security in the camps, there is a lack of sufficient educational facilities.

“Rohingyas feel like prisoners in their current lives and want to return to their homeland as soon as possible. They also requested that the United States exert pressure on Myanmar for repatriation,” he said.

Earlier in the morning, the US delegation arrived in Cox’s Bazar Airport on a private airline flight at 9 am.

At that time, they were welcomed by officials from UNHCR, IOM, and ARRC office, district administration, and law enforcement agencies.

Later, the delegation left for the Rohingya camps by road. They reached Camp No. 9 in Balukhali, Ukhiya, at around 10 am.

There, they visited various agencies and centers operated under the United Nations, providing services and assistance. They interacted with the Rohingyas during their visit.

Additionally, after concluding their visit to the specialized hospital in Ukhiya, in the evening, the delegation concluded their visit with a meeting at the office of the Commissioner of Relief and Repatriation. At around 5 pm, they left Cox’s Bazar for Dhaka.

Uzra Zeya has been currently leading a delegation to talk on various issues including election, humanitarian crisis, labour rights with the government and civil society members.

During her three-day visit, she spent the first day in Cox’s Bazar with the Rohingyas as this issue is one of the top priorities of her visit. She will have meetings with the government on Thursday to hold meetings on other issues including election.

Zeya arrived in Dhaka on Tuesday evening after wrapping up her visit to India. After landing at the Hazrat Shah Jalal International Airport, she tweeted, “Good evening, Dhaka! Happy to be on the ground for my first visit to Bangladesh and looking forward to vital conversations with government officials and civil society reps.”