Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Li Jiming on Sunday said China is continuing to persuade Myanmar all the time to make an eventual solution to the Rohingya crisis.
“China will not favor one side over the other rather it is playing a unique role for a sustainable solution to the Rohingya crisis,” he added.
He said, “There is no doubt that China shares Bangladesh’s concerns over the Rohingya issue. During Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to China in July this year, President Xi mentioned to her that China appreciates Bangladesh’s generosity to shelter the displaced people, and will support all concerned parties to handle the issue properly through friendly negotiation.”
Li Jiming came up with the observations while speaking as the chief guest at a seminar styled ‘Finding Way to Peaceful Repatriation of Rohingyas’ organised by English daily The Bangladesh Post at the National Press Club in the capital on Sunday.
Former Chairman of National Human Rights Commission Kazi Reazul Hoque presented the keynote paper, while United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Representative Steven Corliss, Security Analyst Major General (retd) Abdur Rashid, among others, spoke at the seminar.
On China’s role regarding the Rohingya crisis, the Chinese ambassador said, “China’s foreign ministry has been pursuing shuttle diplomacy between Bangladesh and Myanmar during the past two years. It has arranged several tripartite meetings between Bangladesh, Myanmar and China to find a way out of the crisis.”
Observing that China has been contributing to resolve the crisis since the beginning, he said, “On September 27 and 28, 2017 – one month right after the violent incident in Rakhine State that triggered the huge influx of Rohingyas into Bangladesh – two Chinese cargo flights carrying 2000 emergency tents and 3000 blankets arrived at Chattogram International Airport in support of Bangladesh to accommodate the temporarily displaced Rohingyas.”
The ambassador said, “China has been showing interest in pushing forward the repatriation issue. During the formal meeting among the three nations in New York in September last, the leaders of the nations had reached consensus on starting the repatriation process within the shortest possible time.”
“A joint working mechanism was established to drive into the technical issues of repatriation on the political guidance on finding an ultimate solution. And the broader cooperation among three countries should be stressed to create an environment conducive to stability and development of the area,” he mentioned.
UNHCR representative Steven Corliss said, “We have seen the Rohingyas fleeing from violence, oppression and the deprivation of basic human rights to Bangladesh for more than forty years now. Each time the Rohingyas returned home – without any real resolution of the problems they faced – they were uprooted again within less than a generation and forced across the border.”
“We must commit to ensuring that this is the last time the Rohingyas are compelled to seek refuge in Bangladesh. UNHCR has been very encouraged by the emphasis that Foreign Minister AKA Momen and indeed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina herself have placed on addressing the root causes that have made it impossible for the Rohingyas to live peacefully in Myanmar,” he added.
In the keynote presentation at the seminar, former Chairman of National Human Rights Commission Kazi Reazul Hoque said, “The Rohingyas are facing legal and social discrimination for decades. Rohingyas who are now identified as ‘stateless entities’ started to take refuge in Bangladesh since 1978, with large arrivals in 1991-92, 2012, 2014 and 2016.”
“Bangladesh showed its generosity by opening its door and since then, as of today, there are 1.2 million Rohingyas. The government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina gave them shelter with other necessities on humanitarian ground,” he added.
He said the UN fact-finding Mission on Myanmar in August 2018 concluded that Myanmar’s military in 2016 had carried out mass killings and gang rapes of Muslim Rohingyas with ‘genocidal intent’. The Mission named six Myanmar generals, including the commander-in-chief of army, and mentioned that they should be prosecuted for committing crimes against humanity.
He also said that the international communities like UN special envoy on human rights in Myanmar, termed it ‘the hallmarks of genocide’.
“The International Criminal Court on 2018 stated that the alleged deportations of Rohingyas are a crime against humanity. West African country Gambia brought a genocide case against Myanmar on November 11 last in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) urging the United Nations to order measures to immediately stop atrocities and genocide against its people”, he said. The IOJ based in Hague would hold public hearing in December next, he said.
Security analyst Major General (Retd) Abdur Rashid said sustainable repatriation of Rohingyas can only be ensured through establishing accountability for the crimes against humanity committed by the Myanmar army on the minority Muslim community.
He said, “The perpetrators of genocide on Rohingya people must be brought to book, otherwise, no matter how many times they are repatriated, they would be victims of crimes against humanity.”
“So, for the peaceful repatriation of Rohingyas, international community should ensure accountability first, otherwise, it will be repetition of the same offences,” he added.
“Quick and safe repatriation of Rohingya refugees can only be a solution. We want a peaceful solution to this end. And Bangladesh is committed to repatriate the Rohingyas in a peaceful manner,” he said, adding that some NGO’s are trying to do their work which makes the initiative of repatriation process failed.
He said many dialogues regarding the Rohingya issue have taken place at home and abroad but no fruitful outcome has come yet.
“Minority community in every country across the globe is being repressed and humiliated in many ways. So that the majority communities will have to take the responsibilities on their shoulders,” Rashid said.
He said Myanmar must create congenial atmosphere for sustainable repatriation of Rohingyas, so that they get freedom of movement after returning to their home.
Editor in Chief of The Bangladesh Post Sharif Shahab Uddin said, “We want to give extra exposure to the Rohingyas issue, which is a threat to us. We need to know, we have to find the way, in cooperation with all our global stakeholders to get secured way to repatriate the Rohingyas.”