Rohingya Refugees need Urgent Protection

Date: 20/07/2011 Rohingya Refugees need Urgent Protection   We at BROUK would like to express our serious concern about the attack on Rohingya refugees in Kutupalong camp in Bangladesh on 16th July.   A group of villagers from Fawliyapara, in the refugee camp area of Cox's Bazar district of Bangladesh, armed with wood, pickaxes, Bamboo sticks, swords, knives and bamboo ears, attacked both registered and undocumented refugees in and around Kutupalong Refugees Camp killing at least one refugee and injuring twenty others, including women. Many refugees' huts were destroyed.   These vulnerable Burmese nationals have 'well founded fear of persecution' in their homeland, and thus they are refugees who deserve international protection.   Unfortunately, bulks of refugees, except 28,000, still remained unregistered and, as such, they are passing their lives without adequate protection.   The Rohingyas are stateless asylum seekers. They are victims of systematic, persistent and widespread human rights violations, including denial of citizenship rights, severe restrictions on freedom of movement, education, marriage and religion, forced labour, rape, land confiscation, arbitrary arrests, torture, extra-judicial killings and extortion on daily basis.   Since refugees are on the soil of Bangladesh, the Government of Bangladesh should protect them from all troubles, attacks and intimidation by the law-enforcement agencies and non-state actors, in the interest of law and order situation and humanity.   In this connection, we at BROUK call on the Government of Bangladesh   1. To give adequate protection to the Rohingya refugees, and improve law and order situation in the refugee camps and surrounding area;   2. To recognise all Rohingya asylum seekers in Bangladesh as refugees, and provide them with basic necessities like food, shelter and healthcare in cooperation with the UNHCR and international communities.   3. To find out a lasting and durable solution to the long standing Rohingya problem. Meanwhile, we urge upon UN, OIC, EU, ASEAN, and international community to exercise their good offices for a permanent solution.   Maung Tun Khin President Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK. Contact: +447888714866