Foreign-Affairs
Rohingya Repatriation: Momen reiterates Dhaka’s call for expediting verification process
Welcoming the resumption of talks between Bangladesh and Myanmar, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen on Wednesday reiterated Dhaka’s call to expedite the verification process of the Rohingyas to begin their repatriation to their place of origin in Rakhine State of Myanmar.
“It’s good news that they (Myanmar) have started discussion,” he said, adding that there have been three meetings at various levels recently.
While taking to reporters in a city hotel, Momen said the Bangladesh side handed over a list of 8.30 lakh individuals containing biometric data but they have only verified 58000.
He said Bangladesh wants to begin repatriation of the Rohingyas but no date has been fixed yet to make that happen.
Momen, however, said the two sides had a good meeting on Tuesday in which Bangladesh laid emphasis on expediting the verification process and begin the repatriation of the Rohingyas as soon as possible.
Bangladesh and Myanmar on Tuesday held “substantive discussions” on all issues related to voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable repatriation of the Rohingyas to their homeland.
Also read: Pursuing economic diplomacy to contribute to timely attainment of SDGs: FM
At a meeting held virtually, Bangladesh stressed on the need for early commencement of repatriation to lessen the colossal burden of hosting the displaced people, expeditious verification of eligibility for return, and security, livelihood and wellbeing of the returnees.
Foreign secretary Masud Bin Momen and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Myanmar Chan Aye led the respective sides at the fifth meeting of the Joint Working Group (JWG) on the repatriation of the Rohingyas temporarily sheltered in Bangladesh.
Five years have passed since the Rohingyas fled home in one of the largest exoduses in recent history.
The promise of safe return remains unfulfilled, says Bangladesh, noting that not a single Rohingya has been able to return home.
Also read: FM Momen rues long delay in Teesta deal with India
Both sides agreed to work on addressing verification related problems and holding regular meetings of the JWG and technical working group for early commencement of repatriation.
JCC with India
Asked about the next round of Joint Consultation Commission (JCC) meeting between Bangladesh and India, the foreign minister said all the issues including border management, issues related to joint rivers and energy security will be discussed.
Bangladesh was seeking the long-delayed meeting of the Joint Rivers Commission but it is not taking place before the JCC.
“We wanted to have the JRC meeting first,” Momen said, adding that Bangladesh will discuss the rivers’ issues in the JCC.
The JCC is scheduled to take place in New Delhi on June 19 and the foreign minister is likely to leave here for Delhi on June 18 if there is no last minute change.
Foreign minister Momen and his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar had a meeting while attending the third edition of Asian Confluence River Conclave-2022 (NADI) in Guwahati last month.
The JCC will be co-chaired by Momen and Jaishankar.
The two foreign ministers also met in Dhaka recently and stressed on following up the decisions taken at the highest level for their effective implementation for mutual benefit.
The sixth meeting of the JCC was held on September 29, 2020. Although Dhaka was scheduled to host the meeting, the meeting was held on a virtual platform due to Covid-19 pandemic.
Bangladesh and India noted that 2021 was a landmark year for their relationship as the president and the prime minister of India visited Bangladesh in a single year. The countries celebrated the 50th years of diplomatic ties through the joint celebration of a number of landmark events across the world.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is likely to visit India this year.
Myanmar military junta continues its attempts to hide truth: UN expert
The Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, Tom Andrews, will conduct a mission to Malaysia from June 17 to 23.
“As conditions continue to deteriorate in Myanmar, and the military junta continues its attempts to hide the truth, I remain steadfast in pursuing my mandate to document and report on the situation of human rights in Myanmar. I will continue to meet with people from Myanmar including those who have fled the country since the coup,” Andrews said.
The Special Rapporteur will visit Kuala Lumpur, where he will meet representatives of Government, Members of Parliament, UN officials, experts who work on Myanmar and ASEAN foreign policy, as well as representatives of civil society and community-based organisations.
Read: Myanmar Crisis: US, ASEAN urged to increase pressure on Myanmar military junta
“This visit is the beginning of a project of deeper regional engagement with the ASEAN region in relation to the crisis in Myanmar,” said the expert.
“Given the central role of ASEAN regarding Myanmar, I hope to visit a number of other ASEAN member states in the coming months.”
The Special Rapporteur will hold a press conference to share his preliminary observations with the media on June 23 in Kuala Lumpur.
A former member of the US Congress from Maine, Andrews is a Robina Senior Human Rights Fellow at Yale Law School and an Associate of Harvard University’s Asia Center.
International Chamber of Commerce gets 1st woman Chair
The 212th World Council of International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) has unanimously been elected first vice chair of ICC Maria Fernanda Garza as ICC Chair for a two years term from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2024.
The Council of the world business organization was held in Mexico on Tuesday.
ICC Bangladesh President Mahbubur Rahman, Vice President AK Azad and Secretary General Ataur Rahman attended the Council virtually, ICC,B said on Wednesday.
Read: Rokia, Azad re-elected Vice Presidents of ICC,B
Maria is the first woman Chair of ICC.
She is a Mexican businesswoman, CEO of Orestia, a manufacturing home improvement solutions company, with exports to USMCA region, Latin-America and Asia and was the Chair of ICC Mexico from 2014-2020.
The Council also elected Philippe Varin as first Vice Chair of ICC, who is the Chair of ICC France; and Prof. Dr. Nayla Comair-Obeid, Partner, Obeid Law Firm in Lebanon; and Harsh Pati Singhania, Vice Chair & Managing Director of J. K. Paper Ltd in India as Vice Chairs of ICC.
Bangladesh urges Japan to recruit skilled IT professionals
Bangladesh Ambassador in Tokyo Shahabuddin Ahmed urged the Japanese IT companies to explore business opportunities in Bangladesh and recruit skilled IT professionals as Bangladesh is offering various facilities and support to the investors in the IT sector such as tax benefits, one-stop service, etc. in high-tech parks.
He made the urge while speaking at the Bangladesh-Japan IT Business Collaboration Networking programme at the embassy’s Bangabandhu Auditorium on Tuesday, said a media release of the Bangladesh mission in Tokyo.
The Bangladesh embassy organised the event intending to promote Bangladesh’s ICT industry in Japan as part of celebrations of Bangladesh-Japan 50 years of diplomatic relation this year.
Shahabuddin Ahmed assured all possible support from the embassy to start a business in Bangladesh.
He said emphasizing the export of ICT and digital devices and diversification of export products Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina declared ‘ICT Products and Services’ as ‘National Product of the Year 2022’.
Also Read: Japanese Ambassador visits Bandarban to see development project
Officials from government entities like the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI), and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), embassy officials as well as other agencies like the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDIDO) ITPO Tokyo, and Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industries (JCCI) actively participated.
Top-level executives from Japanese IT companies, NRB established IT companies in Japan, Bangladeshi IT professionals working in prominent Japanese companies, and Bangladeshi researchers in Japan in this field also participated.
Dr. Ariful Haque, Minister (Commerce) of the embassy delivered a presentation on Bangladesh-Japan IT Business Collaboration and moderated the programme.
The event was supported by UNIDO ITPO Tokyo and NRB-established IT companies in Japan.
Dhaka, Tokyo to explore possibility of FTA
Bangladesh and Japan have discussed issues related to initiating a joint study towards concluding a free trade agreement (FTA) between the two countries.
The two countries also discussed cooperation in different multilateral fora, including supporting each other’s candidatures.
Ambassador of Japan to Bangladesh Ito Naoki met Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen at his office on Tuesday and discussed the issues of mutual interest.
READ: Dhaka, Tokyo to work together to resolve Rohingya crisis
The Foreign Minister and the Japanese Ambassador discussed issues of common interest, including exchange of high-level visits on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of bilateral relations between the two countries, Rohingya repatriation, increasing bilateral trade and Japanese investment in Bangladesh.
Rohingyas: Dhaka asks Nay Pyi Taw to expedite verification for early repatriation
Bangladesh and Myanmar on Tuesday held “substantive discussions” on all issues related to voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable repatriation of the Rohingyas to their homeland.
At a meeting held virtually, Bangladesh stressed on the need for early commencement of repatriation to lessen the colossal burden of hosting the displaced people, expeditious verification of eligibility for return, and security, livelihood and wellbeing of the returnees.
Foreign secretary Masud Bin Momen and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Myanmar Chan Aye led the respective sides at the fifth meeting of the Joint Working Group (JWG) on the repatriation of the Rohingyas temporarily sheltered in Bangladesh.
Five years have passed since the Rohingyas fled home in one of the largest exoduses in recent history.
The promise of safe return remains unfulfilled, says Bangladesh, noting that not a single Rohingya has been able to return home.
Both sides agreed to work on addressing verification related problems and holding regular meetings of the JWG and technical working group for early commencement of repatriation.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh has called upon the special envoy of the UN secretary general to Myanmar to work towards an early implementation of the bilateral return arrangements for the Rohingyas
"The most durable solution to the Rohingya crisis lies in their safe, sustainable and dignified return to Myanmar," said Ambassador Rabab Fatima at the UN.
READ: UN envoy on Myanmar urged to work towards early repatriation of Rohingyas
She urged the UN to scale up its programmes in Rakhine State to support the Rohingyas on their return.
Ambassador Fatima was addressing the General Assembly on Monday following the briefing by Dr. Noeleen Heyzer, the Special Envoy of the Secretary General on Myanmar.
The Ambassador called upon the UN, especially the Security Council, to respond with urgency to the recurrent and protracted Rohingya crisis including by addressing the root causes of the crisis.
Referring to the efforts of Bangladesh in providing food, shelter, education, health care and protection to the Rohingyas, she called upon the international community to focus on creating the right conditions in Myanmar.
Actions Required Inside Myanmar
“Efforts on our side alone will not bring about any lasting solution to the problem. What are needed are actions and programmes in Myanmar, to create the conditions conducive for the return of this population, in dignity, to their homes. And that is the most desired durable solution and the aspiration of the Rohingyas themselves,” she added.
Bangladesh stressed the importance of ensuring accountability for all violations and abuses in Myanmar and called upon the Security Council to monitor compliance of the Provisional Measures issued by the International Court of Justice in the case initiated by the Gambia on behalf of the OIC.
“My government is doing everything in its power to ensure justice to the Rohingya victims. We are providing full support to the International Criminal Court (ICC), and to the Independent Investigative Mechanism on Myanmar (IIMM) in their efforts.”
Ambassador Fatima urged all countries, especially the regional countries, to provide access and cooperation to all the ongoing accountability mechanisms to ensure justice to the Rohingya Muslims; and prevent future recurrence.
The Ambassador expressed appreciation to ASEAN for its efforts to find a resolution to the crisis in Myanmar including by early and full implementation of the five-point consensus concluded between the ASEAN and the Myanmar authorities. She called upon the Special Envoy to continue her engagement with the ASEAN member states, and other countries in the region, in securing a sustained political solution to the protracted Rohingya crisis.
The Special Envoy in her briefing expressed concerns at the current situation in Myanmar, which continues to remain volatile with grave impacts on the civilians including the Rohingya Muslims.
While acknowledging the generosity of the Government of Bangladesh, she reminded the international community of its responsibility towards the Rohingyas.
She shared her future work plan in Myanmar which represents a multipronged approach involving the peace, development and humanitarian actors and engagements at both vertical and horizontal level.
Following the briefing, the member States delivered remarks, in which they expressed their full support to the efforts of the Special Envoy as well as the complementary role of the ASEAN.
The member States commended the exemplary humanitarian leadership of the Government of Bangladesh and expressed their commitment to support Bangladesh in its efforts to forge a lasting solution to the Rohingya crisis.
Bangladesh thanks Kuwait for providing free vaccines to Bangladeshi expats
Bangladesh has expressed gratitude to the government of Kuwait for providing free vaccines and treatments to Bangladeshi expatriates living in Kuwait during the Covid-19 pandemic and for extending humanitarian support for the Rohingyas.
Outgoing Ambassador of Kuwait Adel Mohammed AH Hayat met Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday.
During the meeting, Momen mentioned that Kuwait can recruit more medical professionals including nurse, medical technicians from Bangladesh, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The foreign minister appreciated the ambassador for his hard work and sincere efforts in strengthening bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Kuwait.
Read: Kuwait can recruit more medical professionals from Bangladesh: Shahriar Alam
He highlighted that Bangladesh and Kuwait enjoy excellent bilateral relations in the fields of manpower, trade and commerce, defense and energy sectors.
The envoy expressed his gratitude to the foreign minister for the cooperation and support he received during his tenure in Bangladesh.
He expressed hope that in the coming days, economic cooperation will be further strengthened for the mutual benefit of two countries.
Myanmar military killed at least 142 children in past 16 months: UN expert
The Myanmar military junta has brutally killed children and systematically abused their human rights, a UN expert said in a report released on Tuesday, noting that over the past 16 months, the military has killed at least 142 children in Myanmar.
The report called for immediate coordinated action to protect the rights of children and safeguard Myanmar’s future.
Over 250,000 children have been displaced by the military’s attacks and over 1,400 have been arbitrarily detained, said the report received from Geneva.
At least 61 children, including several under three years of age, are reportedly being held as hostages. The UN has documented the torture of 142 children since the coup.
“The international community’s approach to the coup and the junta’s atrocities has failed,” said Tom Andrews, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, adding that States must take immediate coordinated action to address an escalating political, economic and humanitarian crisis that is putting Myanmar’s children at risk of becoming a lost generation.
He said the junta’s relentless attacks on children underscore the generals’ depravity and willingness to inflict immense suffering on innocent victims in its attempt to subjugate the people of Myanmar.
The Special Rapporteur said it was clear from the evidence that the children of Myanmar were not only being caught in the crossfire of escalating attacks, but that they were often the targets of the violence.
“During my fact-finding for this report, I received information about children who were beaten, stabbed, burned with cigarettes, and subjected to mock executions, and who had their fingernails and teeth pulled out during lengthy interrogation sessions,” Andrews said.
The junta’s attacks on children constitute crimes against humanity and war crimes, he said, adding that Junta leader Min Aung Hlaing and other architects of the violence in Myanmar must be held accountable for their crimes against children.
READ: War crimes, crimes against humanity committed daily in Myanmar: UN expert
“For the sake of Myanmar’s children, Member States, regional organisations, the Security Council, and other UN entities must respond to the crisis in Myanmar with the same urgency they have responded to the crisis in Ukraine.”
Andrews urged Member States to work in coordination to alleviate the suffering of children by systematically increasing pressure on the junta.
He urged States that have already imposed sanctions on the military and military-linked companies to take stronger coordinated action that will inhibit the junta’s ability to finance atrocities.
“States must pursue stronger targeted economic sanctions and coordinated financial investigations. I urge Member States to commit to a dramatic increase in humanitarian assistance and unequivocal regional support for refugees,” he said.
“It is scandalous that the international community has committed only 10 percent of the funds required to implement the Myanmar Humanitarian Response Plan 2022, causing lifesaving programs for children to be shelved,” he said.
The Special Rapporteur’s report describes the impact of the 1 February 2021 coup on the human rights of children in Myanmar and details the alarming, underreported facts of the violence being perpetrated against them.
Soldiers, police officers and military-backed militias have murdered, abducted, detained and tortured children in a campaign of violence that has touched every corner of the country, the report said.
The junta has intentionally deprived children of their fundamental human rights to health, education and development, with an estimated 7.8 million children out of school.
Following the collapse of the public health system since the coup, the World Health Organization projects that 33,000 children will die preventable deaths in 2022 because they have not received routine immunizations.
Andrews said the lack of action by Security Council was a moral failure with profound repercussions for children in the country.
“World leaders, diplomats and donors should ask themselves why the world is failing to do all that can reasonably be done to bring an end to the suffering of the children of Myanmar,” the expert said.
Myanmar’s people deserve return to democracy ending systemic discrimination: Bachelet
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet has said Myanmar’s future depends on addressing the root causes of the crisis with immediate cessation of the systemic discrimination.
“Its people deserve a return to democracy, an end to impunity and the immediate cessation of the systemic discrimination that has persecuted minorities – in particular the Rohingya - for decades,” she said on Tuesday in Geneva.
While giving update at the 50th session of the Human Rights Council on Myanmar, Bachelet also called for continued support to the efforts underway to pursue accountability for the ongoing and past serious human rights violations, as well as alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity, through all available tracks.
She urged all Member States, particularly those with the highest-level access and influence, to intensify their pressure on the military leadership.
Read: UN envoy on Myanmar urged to work towards early repatriation of Rohingyas
“Available measures include placing increased restrictions targeting military-controlled financial holdings and business interests, and limiting their access to foreign currencies to restrict their ability to purchase military equipment and supplies,” Bachelet said.
In Rakhine State, she said, the situation is critical, with the Arakan Army and Tatmadaw seemingly on the verge of renewing armed conflict.
Since last November, there have been regular ripples of violence between the two parties and public verbal exchanges have been increasingly hostile.
“Members of the Rohingya Muslim community are caught in the middle,” ,” Bachelet said, adding that there have been no concrete and systematic efforts to work with the Rohingya to solve the longstanding human rights abuses, discrimination and exclusionary practices that have plagued their communities for decades.
Added to this, she said, conditions in Rakhine State remain far from adequate for Rohingya who fled to Bangladesh, or for those who have been living in internal displacement camps in Myanmar for 10 years now, to return to their homes.
Instead, the military has continued to use hostile and derogatory language to threaten and marginalize the Rohingya and to implement strict discriminatory limitations on their movement.
Read: Mandate of UN peacekeeping mission in Mali should be extended, Security Council hears
In the past weeks, Bachelet said, over 300 Rohingya have been arrested for traveling, what they call, ‘illegally’ outside their communities. “Hundreds have been prosecuted and sentenced to prison terms up to two years for exercising their basic right to freedom of movement.”
On 21 May, she said, another boat capsized near the coast of Pathein township, just south of Rakhine State, resulting in at least 17 deaths, many of whom were children.
UNHCR has reported that since the beginning of the year, at least 630 Rohingya have attempted desperate sea journeys to escape violence, the vast majority women and children, Bachelet said.
Since her last update to this Council in February this year, the human rights situation in Myanmar has continued to rapidly decline.
Still suffering from the devastating consequences of the February 2021 military coup, the people of Myanmar remain trapped in a cycle of poverty and displacement, human rights violations and abuses.
Since February 2021, at least 1,900 killings by the military have been reported. The humanitarian situation is dire.
One million individuals have been registered by the UN as internally displaced while some 14 million remain in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.
The military coup has crippled Myanmar’s economy, with millions losing their jobs or sources of income in the last year. The value of the national currency has plummeted, and prices of essential goods have surged.
Despite the commitments made by the military to ASEAN, she said, senseless violence in Myanmar has intensified, with scant provision for civilian protection or respect for international human rights and humanitarian laws by the military.
Asia-Pacific Regional Forum on minority issues to spotlight stronger protection for minorities
The two-day online Asia-Pacific Regional Forum is scheduled to begin in Geneva on Tuesday with a focus on building stronger protection mechanisms for minorities in the region.
The Forum marks the 30th anniversary of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities.
UN Special Rapporteur on minority issues Fernand de Varennes is scheduled to convene the Regional Forum in collaboration with the Tom Lantos Institute.
“Review-Rethink-Reform is the theme of this year’s Regional Forum. The time has come to reflect on the challenges facing minorities in Asia and the Pacific, the extent their situation has evolved in the last 30 years, and what is needed to build stronger rights protection mechanisms for minorities,” de Varennes said.
Read: Hasina urges joint Asia-Pacific action to meet water-related challenges
The Regional Forum will bring together 152 representatives from 25 countries, UN and regional organisations, academics, civil society groups specializing in minority issues and representatives of minorities from different parts of Asia and the Pacific.
Speakers will include Shigeru Aoyagi, Director of the UNESCO Bangkok, Ambassador Nassima Baghli, Permanent Observer of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva, Cynthia Veliko, Regional Representative of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in South-East Asia, and Stefano Sensi, Deputy Regional Representative of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in the Pacific.
The Regional Forum for Asia and the Pacific is the second of four regional fora convened by the UN expert in 2022.
Discussions will inform the work and recommendations of the 15th session of the UN Forum on Minority Issues which will take place in Geneva in December 2022.