Kaladan News

 

Date: Wednesday, August 04, 2004

 

Additional Recommendation Suggested by the Participants of the Dhaka Seminar On 5th July 2004

 

Recommendations to the Government of Bangladesh and to the International Community:


Chittagong, August 04: A Seminar on the recent published Amnesty International Report on Rohingya Minority of Myanmar was at the VIP Lounge of National Press Club of Bangladesh on 5th July 2004.


Ignoring minor difference of opinions, participants in the Seminar supported and agreed to the Amnesty International report titled “Myanmar: Rohingya Minority, Fundamental Rights Denied,” and the participants adopted all the recommendations made by Amnesty International, according to CDS-BLA-HRF Human Rights Campaign Program.


Participants further suggested to add the following Recommendations of the Seminar to the recommendations made by Amnesty International: -

  1. It is recommended that the Rohingya Refugees should not be sent back to Myanmar until the Myanmar Government recognizes to the Rohingya Nationality as one of the nationalities of that country and agrees to the full nationality and citizenship right of Rohingyas, and until Human Rights situation inside Myanmar improves significantly.

  2. It is recommended that the Rohingya Refugees, who are staying outside Myanmar, should not be sent back to Myanmar against their will and until causes of insecurity exist in that country. It is also recommended that all programs for necessities and maintenance of refugees be continued.

  3. It is reminded that Rohingya Refugees cannot be a burden only of Bangladesh. This is a burden of international community.

  4. Call is made to international community to put pressure on Myanmar Government to return to the Rohingyas their homesteads, land and properties unfairly confiscated by the Myanmar authorities.

  5. It is recommended that appropriate facilities for education of the Rohingya children and youth staying in Bangladesh as Refugees be made and that the level of education they received in Myanmar be identified and recognized and hindrances in the way of their admission in educational institutions in Bangladesh be removed. Further they be offered opportunities for higher education.

  6. It is recommended that Specific Health and Educational programs be implemented for the Rohingya females staying as refugees.
     
  7. It is recommended that international voluntary organizations experienced in providing specialized services to the refugees, particularly those who in past served the Rohingya Refugees, be re-engaged in the services of the Rohingya Refugees in Bangladesh.

  8. The participants of this Seminar recommend to the Government of Bangladesh that a specific national refugee law be enacted under the provision of the Constitution of Bangladesh.


Recommendations to the Myanmar Government


1.      Participants of this Seminar expressing their concern that the Myanmar Government’s move to abolished the age-old name Arakan and re-name the territory as Rakhine State, is indicative of their intention to replace the Rohingya nationality by re-setting the Rakhine nationality. Therefore, the participants of this Seminar call the Myanmar Government to reinstate the name of the Arakan State and recognize the Rohingya nationality.


2.Participants of this Seminar are calling to the Myanmar Government for removing all government obstructions in maintenance, reconstruction and construction of Rohingyas’ prayer places and religious institutions.


3.Participants of this seminar are calling to the Myanmar Government for ensuring unhindered equal opportunities for education and higher education of the Rohingya Children and youth and for this purpose all restrictions on their travel from village to town and to foreign countries be removed.


4.Participants of this Seminar are calling to the Myanmar government for ensuring unhindered movement of Rohingyas from village to village, village to town and to foreign countries for their purpose of employment, business, treatment and other reasonable needs.


5.Information received from various sources indicates that due to Government oppression and deprivation Rohingyas had to leave Myanmar and take shelter in various countries. The number of such Rohingyas staying outside Myanmar seems to be as follows: -


  (a) In Bangladesh       600,000+


  (b) In Saudi Arabia     400,000+


  (c) In Pakistan            350,000+


  (d) Other countries      200,000+


Participants of this Seminar are calling to the Myanmar Government to recognize the right of above ethnic Rohingya to return to their homeland. ##


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