Tens of thousands of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh want to return to Myanmar to abandon the filthy camps they have lived in since fleeing a deadly military campaign in 2017. The world’s biggest refugee colony, southern Bangladesh, houses over a million Rohingya. Most left Myanmar’s military onslaught over six years ago. The World Food Program reduced monthly food allotment to $8 per person from $10 on June 1. Due to decreasing refugee help, the ration cut was reduced from $12 to $10 in March. Muslim refugees, young and elderly, held banners and yelled slogans on Thursday.
No more exile. No proof. No scrutiny. No interview. We want UNHCR data card repatriation quickly. “We want our motherland,” the signs stated. Return to Myanmar. Others advised against stopping repatriation. ‘We’ll go mad’ Protester Mohammed Rezuwan Khan told Anadolu Agency that they would “steal food for survival” if circumstances continued to deteriorate. Rohingya lives are mired. “Sometimes I think we’ll go mad,” he remarked. “We are citizens of Myanmar,” Teknaf refugee Muhammad Ayaz told Anadolu. We call on the world to support our return to Myanmar with citizenship rights and protection. He alleged UN food aid cuts starved them.
He noted that women and children are the greatest sufferers of the ration decrease and urged the world community, particularly the UN, to urgently provide food and other basic requirements to refugees, who depend entirely on charity. Kelly T. Clements, UN deputy high commissioner for refugees, said refugees depend entirely on humanitarian help during a four-day visit to the camps last week. She indicated this support no longer had minimal financing. This year, Rohingya aid organizations have requested $876m. The Joint Response Plan supporting them was just 24% financed in June 2023.
‘What’s our future here?’
Rohingya community leader Mohammad Jashim wanted to return to Myanmar but needed citizenship privileges. Myanmar is our birthplace. He told reporters that the refugees wanted UN support to return home with citizenship, free movement, livelihood, safety, and security. Myanmar’s military have previously showed little interest in returning Rohingya, who have been denied citizenship and mistreated for years. Refugees rejected return in 2018 and 2019, fearing prosecution. After visiting Myanmar for a voluntary repatriation pilot program, 20 Rohingya told reporters they would not return to “be confined in camps.” A Bangladesh official claimed the experimental project will send 1,100 refugees to Myanmar, but no timetable was establish Bangladesh insists refugees return to Myanmar.
On Thursday, UN special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar Tom Andrews urged Bangladesh must immediately cease the pilot repatriation initiative for Rohingya, who face grave risks in Myanmar. Meanwhile, rising criminality, tough living circumstances, and poor chances for returning to Myanmar are forcing more Rohingya to escape Bangladesh by boat for Malaysia and Indonesia, risking their lives. UN statistics suggests 348 Rohingya perished at sea last year. As foreign help for Rohingya refugees has decreased, local Bangladeshi groups have become increasingly hostile. We’re becoming worse. “What future do we have here?” wondered refugee Mohammed Taher.
