Rohingyas observe Black Day seeking early repatriation

Staff Reporter :
On the 6th anniversary of the Rohingya genocide in Rakhine State of Myanmar, the forcibly displaced Rohingya people observed the day as the “Black Day” at their camps to commemorate the atrocities committed by the military junta of that country and appealed to the international community to start the process of repatriation.

Ignoring heavy rainfall, thousands of Rohingyas in the Ukhiya-Kutupalong camps on Friday gathered together to conduct their ‘Hope is Home’ campaign and press home their demands for early repatriation to their homeland in Myanmar.

Rohingya demanded various rights, including recognition of Rohingya status in Myanmar’s parliament, temporary transit camps, safe repatriation of all Rohingyas, ensuring security, return of confiscated properties, no restriction on repatriation time, repatriation of all residents in a village collectively, and not labeling Rohingya as terrorists.

Since early morning the Rohingyas started gathering in the playing field from surrounding camps in Kutupalang. Countless old and young men, women, and children from Rohingya community participated together.

Holding posters and placards in hands, Rohingya people demanded their return to Myanmar.

On the 6th anniversary of the Rohingya exodus in 2017, Rohingya leaders, including Master Shoeb, Master Nurul Amin, Master Jubayer, Mohammed Yusuf, and Master Kamal, delivered speeches at the Rohingya Genocide Day event.

Addresing the occasion, Mohammad Jobayer, General Secretary of Arakan Rohingya Society for Peace and Humanity, said, “We want to go back to our own country.

We are observing this Genocide Day because the Myanmar government has unleashed ethnic genocide on us.

How many more years will we stay in this country? We don’t want to stay anymore. We want to return to our homeland.”

Rohingya rights activists Syed Ullah said, “We must return to our own country without delay.

We express gratitude to Bangladesh and must stand by the international community to ensure the success of repatriation.”

“This represents the life of refugees.

We don’t desire this kind of existence; we aspire to swiftly return to our homeland Myanmar,” conveyed Kamal Hossain, the spokesperson for Forcibly Displaced Myanmar Nationals’ (FDMN).

“Myanmar is delaying repatriation process.

If the repatriation process does not start quickly, we will return to our homeland Myanmar in groups just as we came to Bangladesh,” he said.

Mohammad Musa, a board member of the FDMN Representative Community, stated, “In 2017, I had to abandon my home and seek refuge in Bangladesh due to the genocide in Myanmar. It has been six years.”

On August 25, 2017, the military launched a massacre and torture against Rohingya in Mandu, Buchidang, and Rathedaung districts of Rakhine, initiating the Rohingya refugee influx into Bangladesh.

Approximately 700,000 Rohingya fled to Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, seeking refuge.

On this day, Rohingya are recalling the Rohingya Genocide by observing the Rohingya Genocide Remembrance Day in various camps in Cox’s Bazar.

From this event, they demanded the trial of the perpetrators of the genocide in Myanmar, swift repatriation, and justice.

Such big gathering took place at the camp on August 25, 2019, under the leadership of Master Muhibullah.

Tragically, he was later assassinated by terrorists affiliated with the Myanmar extremist group Arsa.

Through such big gatherings inside the camps, the Rohingyas appealed for the support of all global communities to facilitate the repatriation process.

Meanwhile, enhanced security measures had been put in place by the Armed Police Battalion (APBn), district police, and law enforcement agencies at these gatherings. During these gatherings, the Rohingyas engaged in prayers to seek Allah’s help in returning to their homeland.

Additional DIG of the 8th Armed Police Battalion, Mohammad Amir Jafar told the media that on the occasion of Rohingya Genocide Remembrance Day, they organised a gathering.

Sufficient security measures had been taken around their event.

Alongside this, surveillance and vigilance had been increased, he said.