Refugees: UN convention fails to protect displaced people

2011/06/22 By ZAFAR AHMAD ABDUL GHANI, President Myanmar Ethnic Rohingyas Human Rights Organisation Malaysia Kuala Lumpur (letters@nst.com.my) JUNE 20 was World Refugee Day. The Myanmar Ethnic Rohingyas Human Rights Organisation Malaysia (Merh-rom) regrets that there is no change in our condition over the years. June 20 also marked the 60th anniversary of the 1951 Refugee Convention. We must analyse whether this convention has done enough to protect refugees. Every year, we see wars and conflicts across the world. This is worrying as more people flee their countries and become refugees, asylum seekers, stateless and displaced persons. While many have found new homes after resettlement to third countries, many more are struggling for survival. There are too few countries involved in the resettlement of refugees compared with the number of refugees, asylum seekers, stateless and displaced persons born each day. United Nations agencies, especially the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), parties to the Refugee Convention and world leaders must adopt new strategies to deal with refugee issues. The condition of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh and Malaysia is a classic example of how the failure of UN agencies and world leaders has destroyed generations. There is no future for them. In Southeast Asia, most refugees and asylum seekers come from Myanmar because of persecution and prosecution by the junta. Asean leaders must deal with the junta to stop the flood of Myanmar refugees to neighbouring countries. Being a refugee is hard, especially as some transit countries have not signed the Refugee Convention that provides protection for them. What this means is that in most situations, refugees are not recognised and protected. While UN agencies protect refugees around the world, more effort must be made to stop wars and conflicts, which cause people to become refugees, asylum seekers, stateless and displaced persons. Source: The New Straights Times