Bangladesh Minister Accuses Myanmar Of 'Genocide': World's Double Standard Silence

02 September 2017

Bangladesh's minister Monday called the Myanmar's persecution of its Rohingya Muslims minority an "indirect attack" on his country.

"Yes, it is an attack on Bangladesh. This is Burmese [Myanmar's] indirect attack on Bangladesh by rogue government and it must be resisted," said Abul Maal Abdul Muhith, Bangladesh's finance minister, while talking to journalists.

Rohingya, described by the UN as the world's most persecuted people, have faced heightened fears of attack since dozens were killed in communal violence in 2012.

Fresh violence erupted in Myanmar's Rakhine state nearly two weeks ago when security forces launched an operation against the Rohingya community.

Bangladesh, which already hosted around 400,000 Rohingya refugees, has faced a fresh influx of refugees since the security operation was launched.

According to UN on Monday, over 310,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled to Bangladesh since Aug. 25.

Bangladesh's rights chief also condemned the Myanmar government over "genocide" of Rohingya Muslims.

"Myanmar security forces violate the United Nations' rules. They carried out genocide. To bring them under trial, the government of Bangladesh will have to file a case at international court," Riazul Hauqe, chief of Bangladeshi National Human Rights Commission, told Anadolu Agency.

"Turkish President Erdogan took the issue of human rights violations [in Myanmar] very seriously. He spoke to the president of Bangladesh and said the issue would be raised at United Nations," Haque added.

He hoped Turkey and Bangladesh would be able to form a public opinion on the subject to pressure Myanmar's authorities.

Haque called on all international organizations to cooperate with them to fulfill the basic needs of Rohingya.

He said that the rights commission has dispatched a letter to international groups including United Nations Commission on Human Rights, Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and Association of Southeast Asian Nations, seeking their role on the issue.

Turkey launches new aid campaign for Rohingya Muslims

Turkey launched a new aid campaign Monday for Rohingya Muslims who have sought refuge in neighboring Bangladesh amid new waves of violence in Myanmar, in an effort to move beyond condemnation messages and take concrete humanitarian steps in the ongoing tragedy. The aid initiative will build temporary tent camps and offer psychosocial support to families.

Speaking at a press conference introducing the new campaign, Deputy Prime Minister Recep Akdağ said that a large number of NGOs and other organizations involved in the initiative, including the Turkish Red Crescent, Presidency of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) and the Health Ministry, would accept donations as part of the campaign.

"As the Turkish government, we do not approve the United Nations' approach to the crisis where U.N. officials set up meetings, releasing condemnations and extend the solution over a long period of time. We will not adopt such approach," Akdağ said.

Akdağ added that the humanitarian aid and services would be provided after agreements with the Bangladesh government.

Mehmet Güllüoğlu, head of the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), said the number of Rohingya Muslims who have fled to Bangladesh since Aug. 25 has reached 300,000.

Güllüoğlu added that the camps set up by the UN were insufficient in accommodating such a large influx of refugees.

Last week, Turkey's first lady Emine Erdoğan and a delegation including Turkish politicians and heads of Turkish aid agencies arrived in Bangladesh to visit a refugee camp hosting Rohingya Muslims and to deliver aid.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh has agreed to free land for a new camp to shelter some of the hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims who have fled recent violence in Myanmar, an official said Monday.

The new camp will help relieve some pressure on existing settlements in the Bangladeshi border district of Cox's Bazar, where nearly 300,000 Rohingya have arrived since Aug. 25.

"The two refugees camps we are in are beyond overcrowded," said U.N. refugee agency spokeswoman Vivian Tan.

Other new arrivals were being sheltered in schools, or were huddling in makeshift settlements with no toilets along roadsides and in open fields. Basic resources were scarce, including food, clean water and medical aid.

Still, more refugees were arriving. An Associated Press reporter witnessed hundreds streaming through the border at Shah Puri Dwip on Wednesday.

Myanmar security forces launched a fresh crackdown in Rakhine on August 25 in response to renewed attacks by Rohingya militants, creating a new wave of Rohingya refugees heading toward Bangladesh.

The new arrivals have reported widespread killing by security forces and Buddhist mobs, with homes looted and whole villages razed.

Rohingya, described by the UN as the world's most persecuted people, have faced heightened fears of attack since dozens were killed in communal violence in 2012. 

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