UNHCR's protection chief completes visit to Myanmar with call for more support to Rakhine state
Top official of the UN refugee agency responsible for protection has called for more concerted support to resolve the plight of displaced people in Myanmar.
YANGON, Myanmar, July 16 (UNHCR) - A top official of the UN refugee agency responsible for protection has called for more concerted support to resolve the plight of displaced people in Myanmar and those with undetermined citizenship.
UNHCR's Assistant High Commissioner for Protection, Volker Türk, made his remarks at the end of a five-day mission to Myanmar on Monday during which he visited Yangon and the capital Nay Pyi Taw, as well as Sittwe and Maungdaw in Rakhine state.
Rakhine state is one of the least developed in the country. It is home not only to internally displaced people, but also to an estimated 1 million people of undetermined citizenship -- predominantly Rohingya living in the state's northern townships.
This population is affected by restrictions on freedom of movement and access to livelihoods and services such as health and education.
Türk heard directly from the affected populations in Rakhine state, where 140,000 people are still internally displaced after the outbreak of inter-communal violence three years ago.
In a positive development, when breaking the Ramadan fast together with Rakhine and Rohingya community leaders in Maungdaw, he was told that while challenges remain in building trust, the communities have a long history of co-existence.
"We have been living together since before Maungdaw town existed," said one Rohingya leader. His comment was then affirmed by a Rakhine representative.
Travelling to a small village an hour's drive from Maungdaw, Türk saw first-hand the impact of restrictions on the Rohingya population and the harmful effects of their lack of rights associated with citizenship. "Local orders" are in place that prevent them from moving easily from one village to another, greatly limiting their livelihoods. They also lack access to higher educational opportunities. Since June 2012, Rohingya students have been unable to attend Sittwe University - the only university in the state.
In Nay Pyi Taw, he held discussions with U Khin Yi, Minister for Immigration and Population, and other government officials and parliamentarians.
Following up on the issues raised in Bangkok in late May at a regional meeting on irregular migration in the Indian Ocean, Türk discussed the recent "boat crisis" in the region and the long-term situation in Rakhine state. He reiterated UNHCR's readiness to assist all governments in the region, including that of Myanmar, to address the movements of people from Bangladesh and Myanmar.
At the end of his visit, the Assistant High Commissioner shared his findings at a briefing with diplomats and representatives of international organisations in Yangon.
Describing the regional dimension of the maritime movements in the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea, he emphasised that in order to find solutions, it is key to work with all of the communities, together with the authorities, to promote peaceful co-existence in the Rakhine state.
"The future of the country depends on the future of all of its composite parts," Türk said at the briefing, noting that everyone in the country should have the opportunity to benefit from the transformation currently taking place.
By Kasita Rochanakorn in Yangon, Myanmar
Related news and stories
UNHCR statement on Bangladesh, Myanmar bilateral pilot project on Rohingya returns
UNHCR, partners seek $876m for Rohingya refugees facing 'chilling fog of uncertainty' and for Bangladeshi hosts
UNHCR seeks comprehensive regional response to address rise in deadly South-East Asia sea journeys
UNHCR urges States to act now to save lives in the Andaman Sea
Young Rohingya volunteers confront gender-based violence in crowded Bangladesh camps
Threadbare disability support faces uncertain future in Bangladesh refugee camps
Your search for « rohingya » matched 1144 results. Only the first 1,000 results are displayed. Displaying page 9 of 112 pages.
-
Rohingya refugees still fleeing to Bangladesh with crisis in third month
3 Nov 2017 ... haven' for weary Rohingya family (Marc Hofer, Producer/Camera) In Bangladesh, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and our partners are providing urgent aid and seeking shelter for Rohingya refugees who ...... -
Two camps of thought on helping Rohingya in Bangladesh
28 Jan 2013 ... But in the refugee camps of south-eastern Bangladesh, 21 years after the Rohingya first started ... While these may sound like luxuries to an estimated 200,000 unregistered Rohingya living outside the ...... -
Rohingya refugees living in tough conditions in Bangladesh camps
21 Sep 2005 ... to toe, and holding veils across their faces, Rohingya refugee women in camps in Bangladesh press ... In the early 1990s, more than 250,000 people belonging to the mostly Muslim Rohingya minority ...... -
In Malaysia, Rohingya arrivals hope to end cycle of abuse, exploitation by smugglers
5 May 2014 ... conditions and acute needs of Rohingya arrivals in Malaysia after long periods of abuse and deprivation in the hands of smugglers. Since last November, some 120 Rohingya have approached UNHCR in ...... -
Racing to avert a monsoon catastrophe in Bangladesh
29 Mar 2018 ... Rohingya crisis: Seeking safety on higher ground Their few belongings packed into rice sacks, Momena ... More than 670,000 Rohingya refugees have fled to Bangladesh since August to escape killings, arson ...... -
Six months on, Rohingya in Thailand struggle to keep hope afloat
2 Aug 2013 ... "I still cry when I remember the difficulties on the boat," said the young Rohingya about his 16-day ... Kamal, Saifullah and Zaeed are among some 2,000 Rohingya men, women and children who have been ...... -
Rohingya in Malaysia open doors to newcomers
28 Apr 2014 ... has driven tens of thousands of Rohingya in Rakhine state to seek refuge in the region. In Malaysia, the UN refugee agency has registered more than 35,000 Rohingya over the years, and believes ...... -
Joint Bangladesh/UNHCR verification of Rohingya refugees gets underway
6 Jul 2018 ... UN Refugee Agency, have launched a joint verification exercise for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. ... and infrastructure to build a more sustainable life for Rohingya refugees and their hosts. ...... -
Rohingya refugees and locals help newcomers in need
21 Sep 2017 ... Now a mother, she cooks up large pots of rice over a wood fire to feed famished fellow Rohingya ... refugee emergency the region has seen. #Rohingya refugee children wait for aid in Bangladesh. ......