“Forgotten refugees"- the Rohingya in Bangladesh
Dr Graham Thom 7 March 2008, 01:04PM
Watch the five minute video.
In March 2007 we joined The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the Centre for Refugee Research and a number of other Australian NGOs for consultations with Burmese Rohingyan refugees in camps in Bangladesh.
The aim of the mission was to work with the refugees, document human rights violations, and where possible, to develop solutions addressing some of the appalling conditions facing those in the camps. The findings of the visit were taken to the United Nations (UN) in June 2007 and an official report was launched at the University of NSW on the 5 March 2008.
Our work in Bangladesh highlighted a number of human rights concerns which were documented in a five minute video to highlight the conditions faced by the 26,000 refugees, many of whom have spent over 16 years in the camps. These camps are considered some of the worst in the world.
A further aim of the visit was to assist the UNHCR to refine and develop tools they can use in the field to identify, out of a population who are all considered to be living in appalling situations, those that are most vulnerable. This includes women and children at risk, torture and trauma survivors, those with acute medical problems and elderly or disabled people without support. The aim is to ensure that UNHCR can better target appropriate responses to those who are most vulnerable.
Traditionally, one of the responses to those who are most vulnerable has been resettlement to a safe third country. UNHCR has now identified a small group of Rohingyan refugees at acute risk in Bangladesh and in need of resettlement.
Australia is a country that has a strong tradition of resettling vulnerable refugees identified by UNHCR. The current crisis in Darfur, ongoing violence in Iraq and political repression in Myanmar has led us to call on the Australian Government to increase its annual humanitarian quota for 2008-2009 from 13,000 to 20,000 places.
Please join us in requesting the Australian Government to increase its annual quota, including taking in vulnerable refugees, particularly women-at-risk, from the appalling camps in Bangladesh.
Find out more
Dr Graham Thom reports on the plight of 26,000 stateless Rohingya who have been trapped in refugee camps for 16 years: Caught between two tigers.
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This blog entry was created by James and does not necessarily represent the position or opinion of Amnesty International Australia.
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Rohingya Language Foundation
15 March 2008, 07:15PM
Heartiest thanks to all NGOs providing care, protection and resettlement to Rohingya refugees now in Bangladesh. Our request is to provide them basic and higher education unrestricted to help them stand on their own feet. Quick remedy is to teach them their own writing system so they can express and records all that they need and want to do in a most effective way.
Here are weblinks for Rohingyalish the most quick and effective writing system of Rohingyas that exactly fits their tongue along with today’s technology needing only to know English alphabets and two other Latin alphabets to learn it in minutes.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rohingya_language
http://rohingyalish.com
http://www.youtube.com/sidqm
http://freerohingyacampaign.org
Best Regards
Rohingya Language Foundation
Nurul Islam CRCS
15 March 2008, 02:52PM
Rohingyas living in Bangladesh as refugees are indeed in miserable condition and their setlement in third countries is dire necessary.
Burmese Rohingya Community in Australia
15 March 2008, 01:06AM
We are higly appreciate the news to read and watch the video about Forgotten refugees"- the Rohingya in Bangladesh “
Burmese Rohingya Community in Australia
15 March 2008, 01:05AM
•We are higly appreciate the news to read and watch the video about Forgotten refugees"- the Rohingya in Bangladesh “
Habib
14 March 2008, 07:07PM
Internatinal Intervention Require on frontier UNHCR to;
(1)regard its Convention and follow its procedures
(2)ratify resettlement for permanent solution to 3rd country for its mounted Rohingya refugees, without any discrimination
(3)accept its mounted refugee’s desire and petition
(4)protect fully its vulnerable refugees including in detention center and deportees
(5)practise International Customary Law
(6)expand widely its protection to be on its recognized refugees
(7)change old habits or resistants in its humanitarian field, if needed
Respectfully,
Habib
14 March 2008, 06:28PM
I am agree ........Because Rohingya is difference compare to who able to go back home land or accepted citizenship and Rohingyas were being subjected since long time ago.Their statelessness are nedding to meet safe enviroment instead of facing various violations again and again in the hosting country including ignorance by frontier UNHCR.
Several times, when we admit to frontier (1)UNHCR said resettlement is depend on various resettlement countries not by UNHCR.(2) Resettlement country or its Embassy said to appreciate nearest UNHCR and this quota done only by UNHCR and depend on UNHCR.
Insummary, still giving various reason on current office policy.Then Rohingyas facing and mounting in the citcle, is only result of its policy and running a big project only.
This is a major devastation for both its refugees and UNHCR.So, in nedd to invite international intervention for their permenant solution regardless of race or religion.
Respectfully,
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