Necessary dialogue must take place with Arakan Army: Guterres

A necessary dialogue must take place with the Arakan Army but it would be extremely difficult to have an immediate dignified return of the Rohingya refugees amid their heavy fighting with the Myanmar Army, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said today.

"I think it is important to engage with the Arakan Army for full respect of the rights of the Rohingya population in Rakhine," he said while responding to a question at a joint media briefing with Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain.

Guterres said it is essential to increase the pressure of the international community and all the neighbours of Myanmar in order to guarantee that fighting ends and democracy is finally reestablished there.

The UN chief said it is absolutely essential to mobilise the whole of the international community, all the neighbours of Myanmar, not just Bangladesh, to make things move to find a solution, starting by seizing the violence and at the same time creating the mechanisms leading to a true democratic solution in Myanmar that would naturally facilitate the return of the Rohingya refugees.

"At the same time, we need to intensify the humanitarian aid inside Myanmar to create a condition for that return to be successful," Guterres said.

He also referred to the possibility of having a humanitarian aid channel from Bangladesh, if circumstances allow. "But that is obviously a matter that would require authorization and cooperation….."

The government of Bangladesh and the Arakan Army (AA) should immediately facilitate humanitarian aid and cross-border trade to reach war-affected civilians in Myanmar's Rakhine State, Fortify Rights said on 12 March.

"Rights-respecting countries should explore all possibilities to facilitate the delivery of life-saving aid to communities in need in Myanmar," said Ejaz Min Khant, human rights associate at Fortify Rights. 

"A humanitarian corridor between Bangladesh and Myanmar would enable vital aid and trade for all communities. Failure to act will cost lives."    

Asked whether the issue of establishing a humanitarian corridor was discussed during the UN chief's visit, Foreign Adviser Hossain said these are the things that actually have been going on in their interactions with the international community and particularly in the UN.

In particular, he said, this issue was not discussed with the UN secretary general. "This is much more of an operational matter which we will of course deal with the local offices of the UN."    

The adviser said the government of Bangladesh wants to see the Rohingyas return to their homeland with dignity and safety and the solution lies with Myanmar.

"It is time that we unify our efforts to put pressure on Myanmar authorities – I am not saying only authority because of the new realities on the border – we have to convince all of them – put appropriate pressure – so that they (Rohingyas) can go back to their rightful place," Hossain said.

Responding to a question on sanctions, Guterres said he believes that sanctions are one possible instrument and it is difficult to obtain UN Security Council's approval for imposing sanctions and those sanctions not being possible.      

The UN secretary general, during his visit to the Rohingya refugee camps on Friday, vowed to do everything in his power to prevent further hardship as drastic aid cuts threaten food supplies and other critical relief efforts.

UN aid efforts are in jeopardy following funding reductions announced by major donors, including the United States and several European nations.

Guterres described Cox's Bazar as "ground zero" for the impact of these cuts, warning of a looming humanitarian disaster if immediate action is not taken. "We are at risk of cutting the food rations in this camp," he said.

"That would be an unmitigated disaster that we cannot accept because people will suffer and even people will die."

Guterres emphasised that his visit, which took place during the holy month of Ramadan, was a mission of solidarity with the Rohingya refugees and the Bangladeshi people who generously host them.

"I am here to shine a global spotlight on the plight – but also the potential – of Rohingya refugees," he said.

"The more than one million Rohingya refugees here are proud. They are resilient. And they need the world's support."

He praised the support offered by Bangladesh and local communities who have shared their land, forests, water and resources with the refugees, calling it nothing short of "enormous."

Bangladesh is hosting over one million Rohingya refugees who fled violence in neighbouring Myanmar. The largest exodus followed brutal attacks by Myanmar security forces in 2017, a series of events that the then UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein described as "textbook example of ethnic cleansing."

The secretary general emphasised that the international community cannot turn its back on the Rohingya crisis.

"We cannot accept that the international community forgets about the Rohingyas," he said, adding that he will "speak loudly" to world leaders that more support is urgently needed.