The Rohingya resolution has been unanimously adopted by the United Nations (UN) for the first time. The resolution was jointly proposed by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the European Union (EU).
The UN Permanent Mission to Bangladesh said in a statement on Wednesday that it had adopted a resolution entitled “Human Rights Situation of Myanmar’s Rohingya Muslim and Other Minority Communities”.
About this, the Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the UN, Ambassador Rabab Fatima, said it was hoped that this year’s resolution would serve as a “motivation” for taking practical steps to ensure a safe and dignified repatriation process for the displaced Rohingyas in their homeland Myanmar. It will play a significant role in sustainable solutions to this long-term problem.
She added that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina opened the border of Bangladesh for the displaced Rohingyas on humanitarian terms. But it is deeply regrettable that “Myanmar’s failure” to create an environment conducive to the self-motivated, safe and sustainable repatriation for the Rohingya has created long-term problems in Bangladesh. “The frustration among the Rohingyas is intensifying due to the lack of progress on repatriation, which is creating various security concerns and instability in the region,” said Rabab Fatima.
The resolution, meanwhile, praised Bangladesh’s generosity and humanity in providing shelter and humanitarian assistance to the displaced Rohingyas and adding them to the national Covid-19 vaccination campaign. The efforts and investment of the Government of Bangladesh in relocating a part of Rohingyas from the overcrowded asylum camp in Cox’s Bazar to Bhasan Char and building infrastructure and other facilities were also recognized.
The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Bangladesh and the UN Human Rights Commission in this regard has been welcomed.
Initially, the resolution focused on the human rights situation for Myanmar’s Rohingya Muslim and other minority communities, and issues such as the imposition of a state of emergency in Myanmar in February this year have been addressed.
The resolution called on Myanmar to find out the root causes of the Rohingya problem, meet the obligations of the bilateral agreement signed with Bangladesh and extend full cooperation to all UN human rights organizations, including the UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy to Myanmar.
The resolution also calls for a vigilant look at the ongoing trial and accountability process.
The resolution welcomed the newly-appointed UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy to Myanmar and called for a plan of action involving Myanmar.
The resolution called for the renewal and effective implementation of the Tripartite MoU signed between Myanmar, UNHCR and UNDP to create a conducive environment for the repatriation of displaced Rohingya in the Rakhine State of Myanmar.
The resolution is co-sponsored by 107 countries, the highest since 2017. The resolution, among others, was supported and co-sponsored by a significant number of countries in various geographical regions, including the United States, Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland, Japan, and South Korea.
