KALADAN NEWS

Dated: 13th June 2004

 

More than 8,500 Rohingya Refugees are in Fear of Possible Attack and Arrest in Bangladesh Camp 


Cox’s Bazar, June 13: More than 8,500 Rohingya are in fear of a possible attack and arbitrary arrest at Kutupalong UN refugee camp under Cox’s Bazar of Bangladesh, said a refugee from the camp. 


These refugees have been refusing food ration and staging on hunger strike since Wednesday, the 9th June 2004, demanding adequate protection and full refugee status, he further said. 


Although it has been already four days the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC) and other concerned authorities have not taken any necessary step yet to solve the problem, said another refugee. 


Instead, a number of police have been deployed in the camp, the Arakan Rohingya National Organisation (ARNO), in a press release dated 12th June 2004, appealed to both refugees and authorities concerned to exercise utmost restraint and find out an amicable solution of the crisis. It also appealed to the Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Community to look into the grievances of the Rohingya refugees for immediate redress on humanitarian ground. 


According to the Daily Star of 12th June 2004, Abu Huraira, in-charge of the camp, on June 7 called in police to look for criminals and illegal goods in the camp, which was set up by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). A general diary was lodged with the local police station against the refugees. 


It may be mentioned that in April 1998 when there was similar situation, the Bangladesh camp authorities had arrested more than 100 refugees under fabricated criminal charges of whom 3 are still serving a jail term of 14 years and some of their huts were burned into ashes. 


When asked one of the officials of UNHCR at Cox’s Bazar says, “He will inform us later, but no response has been made until writing of this report.”# # 



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