KALADAN NEWS

Dated: June 21, 2004

Standoff still continues in Rohingya Refugee Camp in Bangladesh

Cox’s Bazar, June 21: After 12-days of standoff between the Bangladesh camp officials and the Rohingya refugees of Kutupalong camp, Bangladesh, a small team of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Cox’s Bazar sat with refugees this morning but nothing comes out from their discussion, said a refugee leader who participated in the discussion. 

At around 11:00 am a small team of UNHCR with Mr. Bunchan, the Head of Sub-Office, Mr. Agadjan (Protection staff), Mr. Bitika (WFP staff), Ms. Rekha (NGO staff from Concern), Mr. Abu Hurairah, the Camp-in-Charge of the camp and 2 UNHCR field assistants together with Bangladeshi camp officials started a meeting with 7 Rohingya refugee leaders at the women center of the camp, he further said 

The discussion continued up to 1:00 pm but no positive result has come out in 2 hours due to non-acceptance of demands put by the refugees. One of the main demands of the refugees is to withdraw the false and fabricated cases framed against 49 refugees and others, said another participant of the meeting. 

They also put up serious concern fro their security and have asked the authorities to ensure that no action would be taken against any refugees. But their demands were rejected by both of the UNHCR and the Bangladeshi camp officials, he added. 

Instead, the Camp-in-Charge, Mr. Abu Huraira has insulted and misbehaved with refugees in presence of the UNHCR staff. It makes the refugees angry and are continuing their strike to realize the demands for a peaceful solution of the standoff. 

Regarding to continuous standoff since 9^th June 2004, the concerned authorities have no headache to solve the crisis. So, the refugees once and again appeal to the high officials of UNHCR, Govt. of Bangladesh and the international community to take appropriate measures to resolve the current standoff in a peaceful manner, ensuring their adequate protection and security in host country. # # 

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