The Rohingya, a predominantly Muslim minority, have long been subjected to violence and persecution in Myanmar
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), or more commonly known as Doctors Without Borders, has urged the Myanmar government to allow them to provide healthcare and humanitarian aid to the northern Rakhine State where it previously treated thousands of patients every month.
In a press release issued on Friday, MSF has expressed the urgent need of humanitarian access to northern Rakhine saying, “While MSF has repeatedly requested that the Myanmar government grant it the necessary travel and activity authorizations to provide medical care to those in need, administrative red tape has made this impossible.”
Myanmar said on Thursday a request by the International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor to seek jurisdiction over suspected deportations of Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar to Bangladesh was "meritless and should be dismissed".Judges at the court had asked Myanmar to respond to the request by July 27. The office of government leader Aung San Suu Kyi outlined reasons why Myanmar has declined to engage with the court on the matter and why it would not submit a response."The request by the prosecutor may be interpreted as an indirect attempt to acquire jurisdiction over Myanmar which is not a State Party to the Rome Statute," the office said in a statement, referring to the ICC's founding treaty.UN urges Myanmar to speed Rohingya returns, grant citizenshipReuters was not able to immediately reach the ICC for comment.The jurisdiction of the world’s first permanent war crimes court is limited to crimes committed on the territory of member states, or in cases referred to it by the U.N. Security Council.But ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda has asked the court to look into the Rohingya crisis and the court has sought the views of Bangladesh on the "exercise of territorial jurisdiction over the alleged deportation of members of the Rohingya people from Myanmar into Bangladesh".Bangladesh delegation to visit Rakhine StateSuu Kyi's office said Myanmar was "under no obligation to enter into litigation with the prosecutor" and setting the jurisdiction over the case would "set a dangerous precedent whereby future populistic causes and complaints against non-State Parties ... may be litigated."Myanmar has also alleged procedural irregularities and lack of transparency on the court's part.Relocation of Rohingya from ‘overcrowded’ camp demandedBensouda has said that, given the cross-border nature of the crime of deportation, a ruling in favour of ICC jurisdiction would be in line with established legal principles.However, she acknowledged uncertainty around the definition of the crime of deportation and limits of the court’s jurisdiction.Video: Rohingya sufferings know no end as flooded camps add to miseryAbout 700,000 Rohingya Muslims, according to U.N. estimates, fled from Buddhist-majority Myanmar to Bangladesh after a military crackdown in August 2017 that the United Nations has called ethnic cleansing.Refugees have reported killings, rape and arson on a large scale, but Myanmar has denied nearly all of the accusations, saying it waged a legitimate counter-insurgency operation after coming under attack from Rohingya militants.
Myanmar to ICC: Rohingya jurisdiction request 'should be dismissed'
“Medical needs must be independently assessed”
MSF’s Operations Manager for Myanmar Benoit De Gryse stated, "The medical needs of the remaining Rohingya population in northern Rakhine, as well as those of ethnic Rakhine and other minorities, must be thoroughly and independently assessed.”
“The lack of sustained independent assessments in northern Rakhine means that no one has a comprehensive picture of the situation on the ground and the medical and humanitarian needs,” Benoit added.
United Nations aid agencies called on Myanmar on Wednesday to improve conditions in Rakhine state for the safe return of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees from Bangladesh and provide a clear pathway to citizenship for those eligible.The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) said in a joint statement that they needed full access to Rakhine state and were still awaiting permission for international staff to be based in the town of Maungdaw following requests made on June 14.There was no immediate response from the Myanmar authorities to a Reuters request for comment.Relocation of Rohingya from ‘overcrowded’ camp demandedThe United Nations signed an outline deal with Myanmar in early June aimed at eventually allowing hundreds of thousands of Rohingya in Bangladesh to return safely and by choice. But the secret agreement, seen by Reuters, offers no explicit guarantees of citizenship or freedom of movement throughout the country.The U.N. agencies said that substantial progress was urgently needed in three key areas: "granting effective access in Rakhine State; ensuring freedom of movement for all communities; and addressing the root causes of the crisis".Myanmar: Over 16,000 displaced by floods in Kayin StateMore than 700,000 Rohingya fled Myanmar's western Rakhine state after a military crackdown that started in August last year in response to attacks by ARSA, a Rohingya armed group, on security posts.Myanmar has rejected accusations of ethnic cleansing and dismissed most accounts of atrocities, blaming Rohingya "terrorists". It says it is ready to accept back those who fled.The Rohingya, who regard themselves as native to Rakhine state, are widely considered as interlopers by Myanmar's Buddhist majority and are denied citizenship.The U.N. said that Rohingya remaining in Rakhine are under local orders that severely restrict their freedom of movement, preventing them from reaching jobs, school and health care, and called for these to be lifted.
UN urges Myanmar to speed Rohingya returns, grant citizenship
MSF has provided healthcare to all communities in northern Rakhine since 1994. When operations were suspended on August 11, 2017, MSF was operating four primary health care clinics in northern Rakhine—three of which were subsequently burnt down—and was providing over 11,000 primary and reproductive health care consultations per month, as well as emergency transport and assistance for patients requiring hospitalization, according to the MSF website.
A Bangladesh delegation will leave Dhaka for Myanmar’s Rakhine state on Thursday to ensure the safe and sustainable return of the forcibly displaced Rohingya,The Rohingya Muslims have been fleeing from Myanmar to Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar since August last year.Members of the Joint Working Group (JWG) along with Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque will also accompany Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali; sources at the Foreign Ministry confirmed this to Anadolu Agency on Tuesday.Earlier, Md Shahidul Haque said: “The Myanmar government has taken different initiatives that they have told the world community. However, we want to see the situation in the flesh. Hence, the JWG team, led by the foreign minister, will go to northern Rakhine state.”This will mark the first opportunity for a Bangladeshi delegation to monitor the overall situation in Rakhine State, according to Bangladeshi sources added.“We will examine and bring a briefing on what they have done to create a conducive environment; what kind of houses they have built, what is their arrangement for businesses, land [ownership] and rights of the Rohingya people who will return, as if we could describe this here [to the Rohingya people],” said the foreign secretary.Since Aug. 25, 2017, some 750,000 Rohingya, mostly children and women, have fled to neighboring Bangladesh after Myanmar forces began a crackdown on the minority Muslim community, according to Amnesty International.At least 9,400 Rohingya were killed in Myanmar's Rakhine State from Aug. 25 to Sept. 24, 2017, according to Doctors Without Borders.In a report published last December, the global humanitarian group said the deaths of 71.7 percent, or 6,700 Rohingya, were caused by violence. They include 730 children below the age of 5.The Rohingya, described by the UN as the world's most persecuted people, have faced heightened fears of attacks since dozens were killed in communal violence in 2012.The UN has documented mass gang rapes, killings -- including of infants and young children -- brutal beatings, and disappearances committed by security personnel. In a report, UN investigators said such violations may have constituted crimes against humanity.
Bangladesh delegation to visit Rakhine State
About 700,000 Rohingya Muslims, according to U.N. estimates, fled from Buddhist-majority Myanmar to Bangladesh after a military crackdown in August 2017 that the United Nations has called ethnic cleansing.
Refugees have reported killings, rape and arson on a large scale, but Myanmar has denied nearly all of the accusations, saying it waged a legitimate counter-insurgency operation after coming under attack from Rohingya militants.
Bangladesh should relocate Rohingya refugees living in a “severely overcrowded” mega camp to safer ground in Cox’s Bazar, a global human rights watchdog said on Monday.“The average usable space [in the camp] is 10.7 square meters per person, compared with the recommended international standard of 45 square meters per person” the Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a report.Since Aug. 25, 2017, some 750,000 Rohingya, mostly children and women, have fled to bordering Bangladesh after Myanmar forces began a crackdown on the minority Muslim community, according to Amnesty International.Turkey ready to help needy worldwide during Muslim eidAt least 9,000 Rohingya were killed in Myanmar's Rakhine state from Aug. 25 to Sept. 24, 2017, said the Doctors Without Borders.In a report published last December, the global humanitarian group said the deaths of 71.7 percent or 6,700 Rohingya were caused by violence. They include 730 children below the age of 5.“Densely packed refugees are at heightened risk of communicable diseases, fires, community tensions, and domestic and sexual violence,” said the HRW.World fails to end Rohingya crisis: US OfficialBill Frelick, the refugee rights director at the HRW, said: “Bangladesh should register fleeing Rohingya as refugees, ensure adequate health care and education, and let them pursue livelihoods outside the camp.”The rights watchdog underlined that tens of thousands of Rohingya in these camps are at imminent risk of landslides. “Bangladesh authorities, with the assistance of the United Nations and other humanitarian agencies, should urgently relocate refugees to safer ground.”The Rohingya, described by the UN as the world's most persecuted people, have faced heightened fears of attack since dozens were killed in communal violence in 2012.Flooding in Myanmar leaves 12 deadThe UN has documented mass gang rapes, killings -- including of infants and young children -- brutal beatings, and disappearances committed by security personnel. In a report, UN investigators said such violations may have constituted crimes against humanity.
Relocation of Rohingya from ‘overcrowded’ camp demanded