Int'l Community Urged to Make Adequate Financial Contributions for Rohingyas

The Human Rights Council has urged the international community to continue providing adequate financial support for the temporarily housed Rohingya who have been forcibly displaced, in order to prevent the devastating effects of actions like the World Food Programme's ration reductions until they are able to return to Rakhine State.

In order to increase the base of support and foster an atmosphere of international solidarity and cooperation, it also urged States and other stakeholders to participate in burden- and responsibility-sharing. It also recognized and expressed gratitude for the government of Bangladesh's efforts to date in providing humanitarian aid to the displaced Rohingya Muslims and other minorities.

This was highlighted in a resolution on the Rohingyas that was recently approved by the UN Human Rights Council during its 53rd session in Geneva.

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) presented the resolution titled "Human Rights Situation of Rohingya Muslims and Other Minorities of Myanmar".

This was adopted without a vote after an intense negotiation where the Bangladesh delegation made significant contributions.

The Council urged humanitarian partners to come forward to reduce the gap between the pledged amount and the received amount, notably under the joint response plan for the Rohingya humanitarian crisis, and prioritize sectors covering basic necessities such as food, health, site management and shelter as part of their contributions.

It called upon United Nations agencies and regional bodies to conduct extended humanitarian operations, and for full humanitarian access to be granted to all humanitarian actors in Rakhine State, according to the text of the resolution.

The Council urged the relevant United Nations bodies to continue to make concrete recommendations for action to resolve the humanitarian crisis, promoting the “safe, dignified, voluntary and sustainable” return of Rohingya refugees and forcibly displaced persons and ensuring accountability for those responsible for mass atrocities and human rights violations and abuses in this regard.

The Council decided to remain seized of the matter on the basis of, inter alia, the reports of relevant United Nations mechanisms.

It expressed deep concern that prolonged uncertainty over the repatriation has been leading Rohingya Muslims temporarily sheltered in Bangladesh to despair, and may be having spillover effects on regional peace and stability.

The Council encouraged the international community, in the true spirit of interdependence and equal burden- and responsibility-sharing, to continue to assist Bangladesh in the provision of humanitarian assistance to forcibly displaced Rohingya Muslims and other minorities until their return to Myanmar.

It also urged the international community to assist Myanmar in the provision of humanitarian assistance to all affected persons of all communities displaced internally in Myanmar, including in Rakhine State, taking into account the vulnerable situation of women, children, older persons and persons with disabilities.