A diverse group of leaders from Canada and the U.S. has written to the foreign minister of Bangladesh asking him to stop the relocation of some Rohingya refugees to an island 60 km from the mainland.
In 2017, more than 700,000 Rohingya Muslims fled murder, rape and arson by security forces in their homeland of Myanmar. They fled to Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh where their numbers grew to 860,000 people living in what became the world’s largest refugee settlement.
Canada sent a special envoy to assess the violent events in Myanmar and, based on his report, the Canadian government declared the crimes against the Rohingya constituted genocide. It also revoked the honorary citizenship of Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar’s civilian leader.
Bangladesh has built housing for thousands of Rohingya refugees and it has begun relocating them to this remote island despite calls by human rights groups to stop. (Saleh Noman/AP Photo)
Imams say some refugees were not consulted
The government of Bangladesh has built housing for 100,000 refugees on Bhasan Char. The island has often been submerged during monsoon season but Bangladesh says it has been reinforced to avoid flooding.
In their letter, the 120 imams and other leaders say that more than a dozen families have been placed on the relocation list without their consultation.
“Though Bangladesh has been very generous in welcoming so many Rohingya fleeing for their lives, recent policies of relocations, without UN’s assessment of the island, appear counterproductive and distract from the ultimate goal: restoration of Rohingya rights and homes in Myanmar,” said Shwe Maung, Rohingya leader and former MP in the Parliament of Myanmar.
Rohingya refugees board a ship on their way to Bhasan Char, or floating island on Dec.4, 2020. (Saleh Noman/AP Photo)
Imams want access for UN investigators
In their letter, the North Americans imams demand a halt to the relocation and that UN investigators be allowed to come and determine if the relocation is non-coercive and safe. They are also calling for a role for Bangladesh-based civil society to assess what the refugees need and prefer.
Among the signatories to the letter, Shaykh Abdul Bari of Detroit, Michingan stated: “We support the rights of the Rohingya people, and call on your responsible parties to respect the dignity and rights of those who have fled horrible injustice in their homeland and are now in your nation’s care as refugees.”
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