Rohingyas not responsibility of Bangladesh alone.

[Homo Sapiens]

http://www.thejakartapost.com/seasi...s-not-responsibility-of-bangladesh-alone.html
Rohingyas not responsibility of Bangladesh alone

• Rezaul Karim
  The Daily Star/ANN

Dhaka | Tue, November 29, 2016 | 12:47 pm

Ethnic Rohingya migrants, believed to have come from Myanmar and Bangladesh (left), receive aid supplies from a Thai fishing boat in the Andaman Sea close to Malaysia and southern Thailand on May 14, 2015. (EPA via The Straits Times/-)

As Rohingyas continue to pour into Bangladesh in the face of "ethnic cleansing" in Myanmar, diplomats and experts have suggested that Bangladesh should take a firm stance and make effective diplomatic moves to mobilize international support for resolving the crisis.

Without any hesitation, Bangladesh should go for bilateral and multilateral moves to put pressure on Myanmar because the Southeast Asian country itself created the crisis and must resolve it also, they say.

Through an effective diplomatic campaign, Dhaka should also make the international community understand that Bangladesh alone cannot deal with the issue and that the global community has a responsibility to resolve the humanitarian crisis.

Talking to The Daily Star, several former and serving diplomats, and foreign affairs experts said Bangladesh government has long been trying to resolve the Rohingya crisis through “persuasion and mutual understanding,” which apparently encouraged Myanmar to create the crisis over and over again.

But time has come for Dhaka to take a firm position and move forward to end this longstanding problem once and for all, they say.

“It is now time to make the Rohingya crisis an international issue, and seek support from all to resolve it permanently. Bangladesh is the worst sufferer of this Rohingya situation. The international community must come forward to shoulder the responsibility and ensure the rights of Rohingyas,” said international affairs expert Maj Gen (Retd) Abdur Rashid.

The former ambassador said the government appears hesitant to take a firm stance on the issue and convey the message that it would no longer tolerate such an uncalled-for situation created by Myanmar.

“We shouldn't think that Myanmar may be unhappy or BCIM [Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar economic forum] or BIMSTEC (the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) may be affected if we take a firm stance on the Rohingya crisis that is adversely affecting Bangladesh. We must uphold our national interest and security first,” he said.

He observed that Myanmar would continue to create such crisis, and one day, it would push all its Rohingya citizens into Bangladesh territory if Dhaka continues to maintain its soft stance.

“Of course, we should continue our efforts to solve the problem bilaterally. But we can definitely engage the international community and regional players so that Myanmar refrains from creating such humanitarian crisis that also has global implications,” said the former diplomat, who served as ambassador to the USA and Australia.

Last week, Dhaka decided to launch an all-out diplomatic effort to drum up global support and mount pressure on Myanmar to resolve the Rohingya crisis.

Foreign ministry officials said the ministry has directed the Bangladeshi envoys in more than 60 countries and the UN bodies to brief the officials concerned in their countries of stay on the influx of Myanmar Rohingyas to Bangladesh in the face of persecution.

At a diplomatic briefing on Thursday, foreign envoys in Dhaka expressed their strong support in resolving the longstanding crisis in a peaceful manner and through dialogue between Bangladesh and Myanmar.

Seeking anonymity, a senior official at the foreign ministry told this correspondent that the government now strongly feels that mounting global pressure on Myanmar is essential as the country is not responsive to Dhaka's steps to establish and maintain friendly relations.

Several officials of the ministry said Bangladeshi envoys abroad have been asked to brief the foreign policymakers and high-ups in the light of the ‘Strategy Paper on Addressing the Issue of Myanmar Refugees and Undocumented Myanmar Nationals in Bangladesh’.

The strategy paper clarifies the government's position on some vital issues regarding the Rohingyas. It unequivocally identifies them as “Myanmar nationals.”

The Bangladeshi envoys are advised to highlight that the country has been hosting nearly half a million documented and undocumented Rohingyas since 1991 and has not deported any Rohingya refugee.

The foreign ministry officials were critical of the UN refugee agency, the UNHCR.

They alleged that the UNHCR always puts undue pressure on Dhaka, and in the name of safety and dignity of the refugees, it delayed repatriation of Rohingyas for decades, which apparently encouraged more Rohingyas to enter Bangladesh.

A high official of the foreign ministry said, “The UNHCR is requesting us to allow refugees to enter Bangladesh but it is not saying anything to Myanmar... Are we responsible for violence in Myanmar?”

Responding to a query on UNHCR's call for letting Rohingyas in, Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali told journalists on Thursday, “It has become the only duty of the organization to ask Bangladesh to open its border whenever a crisis is created in Myanmar.”

Now, around 32,000 registered Rohingyas are living in two refugee camps in Ukhia and Teknaf. The government has introduced free education up to class VI, vocational skill training, computer training, and primary and secondary healthcare to prepare the Rohingyas for a better life when they voluntarily return to their homeland.

Besides, three to five lakh undocumented Rohingyas are staying in different parts of Bangladesh.

The officials said that since Bangladesh is already hosting a huge number of Rohingyas from Myanmar, it cannot take in any more refugees.

 

[Homo Sapiens]

Finally govt. is waking up from its illusion of making friendship with venomous snake.

 

[bluesky]

Wake up, wake up Bangladesh and read the writing on the wall that says, "A meek country is disrespected even by the very weakest of the countries. Do not be a stupid ***(hole), and do not go after the carrot of direct communication with China through Myanmar."

 

[dray]

But Bangladesh is fulfilling that responsibility by culling the minority Hindus and other non-Muslim tribes of Bangladesh, thereby creating space for the Rohingyas.

 

[Stannis Baratheon]

But Bangladesh is fulfilling that responsibility by culling the minority Hindus and other non-Muslim tribes of Bangladesh, thereby creating space for the Rohingyas.

Our country doesn't go on a genocide of minorities every other decade like India. If anybody is leaving Bangladesh, they are leaving at their own free will based on their own decisions.

 

[Abba_Dabba_Jabba]

Our country doesn't go on a genocide of minorities every other decade like India. If anybody is leaving Bangladesh, they are leaving at their own free will based on their own decisions.

Awww So Sweet.

The same thing said by the 1971 West Pakistan dictator about you guys.

BD should accept the Rohingya's if they are their own people, if not, then go to UNHRC and file complaint against the pro-Buddhist Myanmar. Su Ki should address this crisis otherwise BIMSTEC or BCIM might just be another SAARC.

 

[bd_4_ever]

Now, around 32,000 registered Rohingyas are living in two refugee camps in Ukhia and Teknaf. The government has introduced free education up to class VI, vocational skill training, computer training, and primary and secondary healthcare to prepare the Rohingyas for a better life when they voluntarily return to their homeland.

This pretty much explains how sympathetic we are, given our economy which is still developing and with lot of people to take care of. But there is a certain limit to it.

 

[dray]

Our country doesn't go on a genocide of minorities every other decade like India. If anybody is leaving Bangladesh, they are leaving at their own free will based on their own decisions.

Right, Bangladeshi minorities leave their country and become refugees 'at their own free will based on their own decisions' after a little encouragement from the majority Muslim population of Bangladesh, encouragement like burning down their houses, loot their belongings, beating them up or preferably killing a few family members, occupy their properties, etc. Then the minorities leave their country 'at their own free will based on their own decisions'. It's a fair policy, Bangladeshi minorities have the right to die or leave the country.

 

[Stannis Baratheon]

Right, Bangladeshi minorities leave their country and become refugees 'at their own free will based on their own decisions' after a little encouragement from the majority Muslim population of Bangladesh, encouragement like burning down their houses, loot their belongings, beating them up or preferably killing a few family members, occupy their properties, etc. Then the minorities leave their country 'at their own free will based on their own decisions'. It's a fair policy, Bangladeshi minorities have the right to die or leave the country.

A Bangladeshi can't seek refugee in a foreign country as Bangladesh isn't at a state of war or persecuting people. Thus, people seek asylum. A lot of people become asylum seekers for financial gain. Even Indians do.

 

[mb444]

Myanmar is a weak and irrelevant country. BD needs to understand that we are surrounded by artificial petty nations full of ethnic and religious divisions.

Bangladesh on the other hand is homogeneous and united. Our political fault lines are minor side issues that has zero relevance when it comes to national interest.

BD foreign policy is based on friendship for all and malice to none. This sprang from a solid bedrock of well defined national identity and basic understanding that we are a massive monolithic nation able to tackle and beat any foe.

A country like Burma is full of inconsistencies, it has only fears, its history is only composed of struggles between tiny little peoples and nations. It's an ill fitting amalgam of ill educated insular tribes.

Bangladesh can not deal with Burma as if it is a fully formed country. All that holds Burma together is force and that is the only thing they understand. Bangladesh must start setting the international agenda and on the ground demonstrate to these monkeys that BD stretched out hand can quickly become a fist.

Rohingya are the original inhabitants of that land and whilst I do not support direct action as yet, Burma needs to be made to understand that BD will not allow repetition of what had passed before.

BD should simply ignore UNHCR which obviously what they are doing anyway.

Diplomatically do not allow any space to Burma. It is already happening obviously BD should continue coordinating action with Malaysia and Indonesia to isolate it in the region. Globally EU and other western countries need to be continue to be regularly briefed. BD should via back channel ask a friendly country to begin a censure motion at the UN as a precursor for sanctions. To get things done BD should not shy away from continuously using the word genocide.

BD has taken a soft approach to Burma on the basis of possible future benefit. It was a prudent approach. But when this childish nation creates problem BD has to calmly calculate the cost now and in the future. Time maybe rapidly approaching when the cost to our national interest demands immediate and direct action in all arena.

BD is an united country, it is stable, it is connected to the global economy, it has international friends accross the spectrum. None of these can be said of Burma. Bangladesh needs to slightly change its philosophy..... friendship reciprocated for all, malice towards none.

 

[bluesky]

BD has taken a soft approach to Burma on the basis of possible future benefit. It was a prudent approach.

BD wants to lease lands and develop agriculture or it wants Burma to give it a connection to China: this kind of stupid thinking itself is the reason that the Burmese authorities think BD is run by a bunch of greedy and day dreamer politicians/administrators, and anticipated a no or weak response from BD. Their prudent rulers took this as an opportunity to oppress and annihilate the Muslim Rohingyas in Arakan.

This purge started after 1971 when Pakistan was broken into two and some weak guys came to rule over BD. So, what you term as prudent approach is essentially an impractical meek approach.

 

[mb444]

BD wants to lease lands and develop agriculture or it wants Burma to give it a connection to China: this kind of stupid thinking itself is the reason that the Burmese authorities think BD is run by a bunch of greedy and day dreamer politicians/administrators, and anticipated a no or weak response from BD. Their prudent rulers took this as an opportunity to oppress and annihilate the Muslim Rohingyas in Arakan.

This purge started after 1971 when Pakistan was broken into two and some weak guys came to rule over BD. So, what you term as prudent approach is essentially an impractical meek approach.

A direct land route to china would significantly reduce cost of transportation and would see an increase in economic benefit for BD, china and Burma. It's a win win for all.

Leasing arable land would ensure food security and is a win win for BD and Burma which has excess land that becomes revenue generating.

Both proposals has merit and would benefit BD. There is nothing wrong with these proposals.

Rohingya situation has been happening periodically. I believe it was not imprudent for BD to offer Burma carrot and elevate this immature country into a normal respectable country.

As the carrot has not worked it is time for the stick.

Every action has a reaction, it is true for Burma as it is true for BD. As I said BD action must be based on the basis of cost benefit analysis. Our prior reaction was based many factors... we were recovering from a devastating war, there was a famine and repetitive natural disasters that reduced our options. However BD has stabilised in the last 25 years and I believe our restrain that you describe as meek is a result of encouraging Burma to be civilised. No one will gain from a conflict and BDs economic rise will be delayed.

But the cost of Burmese actions for BD as I said is rapidly reaching a point that we need to act. I do not believe is chest thumping nationalism and would not want BD to set itself upon a path without knowing where it ends.

For the moment I would encourage all out effort to bear diplomatic pressure upon the Burmese regime whilst also preparing for possible direct action and mitigating fallout.

 

[Exiled_Soldier]

It will be just ok to make necessary deals directly with China or Thailand to use MM territory to travel those countries. Trying to make friendship with this savage country MM is a bad idea. Seems like it wants to have some unbelievable leverage.

 

[Saiful Islam]

But Bangladesh is fulfilling that responsibility by culling the minority Hindus and other non-Muslim tribes of Bangladesh, thereby creating space for the Rohingyas.

We have many hindu dukandar in my village bazar, why have they not left. Why has my hindu doctor not left yet? Why has he not left his ancestral village? You know zilch about social fabric of BD therefore you need to scoot with your Indian taught propagnda.