The Office of the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC) has urged the international community to strengthen support for the Rohingyas as their displacement crisis enters its 10th year.
In a statement, the RRRC Office said it takes note of the statement issued by Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for UN Secretary-General António Guterres, on August 24, marking nine years since the forced mass displacement of Rohingya and other communities from Myanmar.
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The statement brings into sharp relief the deepening insecurity, shrinking protection space and diminishing prospects for a durable solution confronting the Rohingya in Myanmar, Bangladesh and across the region.
It also underscores the increasingly precarious humanitarian landscape, compounded by dwindling international funding for life-saving assistance.
The RRRC Office welcomes the UN Secretary-General’s renewed call to protect civilians, uphold international law, strengthen regional cooperation on search and rescue, and push back against human trafficking, misinformation, disinformation and hate speech targeting the Rohingya.
Bangladesh continues to shoulder its humanitarian responsibility with remarkable generosity and steadfastness.
Yet, after nine years of protracted displacement, the burden has grown increasingly onerous. “The international community must step up, rather than step back, from its collective responsibility towards the Rohingya and their host communities.” The RRRC Office said.
The Secretary-General’s call for an inclusive and comprehensive political solution that addresses the root causes of the crisis also merits sustained international engagement, it said. “Until conditions allow for voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable return, humanitarian assistance, livelihood opportunities and self-reliance support must continue without interruption.”
The RRRC Office remains committed to working with the government of Bangladesh, the United Nations, humanitarian partners and the international community to uphold the dignity and aspirations of the Rohingya while advancing conditions conducive to their safe, dignified and sustainable return to Myanmar.
The message from the UN Secretary-General comes at a critical juncture: the world must not look away from the Rohingya crisis; it must step up, stand firm and see through a durable solution.