Rohingya refugees have reaffirmed that they want to be repatriated to Myanmar with their rights and security. They expresses this opinion to the US delegation while visiting Rohingya refugee camp in Cox's Bazar at camp no 11.
A team led by Mohammad Jobair, Chairman of Arakan Rohingya Society for Peace and Human Rights (ARSPH), voiced their demands by handing over a request letter to US Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy and Human Rights Uzra Zeya and US Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu and Uzra Zeya.
While taking to the deligation, the Rohingyas told them they have now become a burden to Bangladesh and want to go back to their country as soon as possible. They also demanded justice for the genocide against Rohingyas in Myanmar.
Zeya supported the demands of the Rohingyas and requested them to be patient, telling them that the Myanmar army must be tried in the International Criminal Court and that the United States has been putting pressure on Myanmar so that the Rohingyas can return to their country with dignity, safety and rights.
While inquiring about the existing problems in the refugee camps, the US team also heard about the expectations of the Rohingyas. Zeya talked about Rohingya education programs, their health protection, repatriation and security in the camps. A total of 10 Rohingya men and 10 Rohingya women were present at the discussion.
A Rohingya man named Syed Noor said that during the conversation, the Rohingyas raised their various demands. The representatives also assured to solve it.
The US delegation later visited the Rohingya Cultural Memorial Centre run by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Safe Centre for Women and Girls run by UNFPA. Later, they visited the E-Voucher Centre, a food supply company run by the United Nations World Food Program. The team also interacted with officials of almost all international organizations working in Cox's Bazar.
Zeya and Lu will return to Dhaka later in the day after discussions with the government's refugee relief and repatriation officials in Cox's Bazar.
They were accompanied by a 10-member delegation including US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas and Refugee Affairs Coordinator in South Asia MacKenzie Rowe on their visit to Cox's Bazar.