Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said she is going to place a four-point proposal at the ongoing United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to end the Rohingya crisis.
“Let me reiterate the following points which I shall be presenting to the (current) 74th UNGA Session,” said the prime minister.
The proposals, she said, are:
1) Myanmar must express clear political will manifested by concrete actions for sustainable return and reintegration of Rohingyas to Myanmar.
2) Myanmar must build trust among the Rohingyas by discarding discriminatory laws and practices and allowing “go and see” visit to the Northern Rakhine by the Rohingya representatives.
3) Myanmar must guarantee security and safety of the Rohingyas, among others, by deploying civilian monitors from international community in the Rakhine state.
4) International community must ensure that the root causes of Rohingya problem are addressed and atrocity crimes committed against the Rohingyas are accounted for. OIC initiative to take the issue to ICJ is indeed a significant step towards that direction.
Sheikh Hasina made the announcement while addressing a “High-level Event on the Situation of Rohingya Minority in Myanmar” in New York on Tuesday afternoon local time, reports BSS.
The Permanent Mission of Bangladesh to the UN and the OIC Secretariat organised the event at the UN Headquarters.
Sheikh Hasina mentioned that in the past, she had offered a five-point proposal to the United Nations during the 72nd UN General Assembly.
“The proposals included full implementation of recommendations of Kofi Annan Commission, and establishment of a “civilian monitored safe zone” in the Rakhine State,” she said.
The prime minister reiterated that the Rohingya crisis is a political one deeply rooted in Myanmar and thus, its solution has to be found inside Myanmar.
“I reiterate, the root of the Rohingya problem lies in Myanmar and the solution has to be found in Myanmar,” she said.
Malaysian Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohammad, OIC Secretary General Dr. Yousef bin Ahmed Al-Othaimeen and Saudi Foreign Minister Dr Ibrahim bin Abdulaziz Al-Assaf also spoke at the event.
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen delivered the welcome address, while Chairperson of Bangladesh National Advisory Committee for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders Saima Wazed Hossain, Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Md Shahab Uddin, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam and Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs Ministry Muhammad Faruk Khan were present on the occasion.
Besides, ministers and representatives of different countries including the USA, the UK, Canada, Germany, Belgium, European Union, Sweden, the Netherlands, Turkey, Sweden, Singapore, Kuwait, Serbia, the Philippines and Gambia also joined the event.