Rohingya hopes reignite as Guterres returns after 6 years to brand new challenges

Summary:

• Guterres' 2018 visit highlighted Rohingya crisis, pressured global action, secured humanitarian aid
• Myanmar resisted repatriation; UN Security Council failed due to China, Russia opposition
• US aid cuts severely impact Rohingya food, nutrition, and community stability
• Global funding crisis threatens Rohingya children's lives without urgent, sustainable support
• Upcoming UN conference on Rohingya aims to galvanize international cooperation and aid

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres returns to Bangladesh today (13 March), six years after he paid a visit to the Rohingya camps in Cox's Bazar. 

The feeling at the time was different – Bangladesh had just started to play host to over 700,000 Rohingyas in the wake of a brutal military crackdown in Myanmar's Rakhine State. 

It was hoped that the Guterres visit would help break a wall of silence from much of the world centring on the Rohingya issue.

The visit did yield some results. 

It brought global media focus on the Rohingya crisis, highlighting the dire conditions in the camps, while his strong words against Myanmar's actions – calling it "ethnic cleansing" – put pressure on the international community to act.

The World Bank pledged $480 million in grants to support Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. His visit influenced further humanitarian aid from the UN and other donor countries.

Bangladesh, in turn, also won his praise, with Guterres urging the international community to properly support the country in regards to the Rohingya issue.

But, Myanmar did not move for repatriation or justice. 

The UN Security Council, meanwhile, also failed to hold Myanmar accountable – mainly due to the resistance by Russia and China. 

The Council's last open meeting on Myanmar was held in April. Britain is the "penholder" on Myanmar, which means it takes the lead on all statements or resolutions in the Council and bears unique responsibility to galvanize the members. The Council has allowed paralysis at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) level around Myanmar to influence its approach, leading to paralysis at the international level too. The Council has also failed to follow up on its December 2022 resolution on Myanmar, the body's first since the country's independence in 1948.

In contrast, both the UN Human Rights Council and the UN General Assembly have adopted a series of stronger but nonbinding resolutions on Myanmar, including calls for an embargo on arms and jet fuel to the military junta. The crisis presents a key test for the UK's new Labour government, which has claimed the mantle of "progressive realism" and defense of international law.

Meanwhile the issue of repatriation has almost died down – aside from a few hastily put together shows by Myanmar. 

In 2023, there were reports of a pilot repatriation project and discussions for a broader plan, but due to lack of assurances of safety and right to a dignified life, the project has since stalled.

The Rohingyas, meanwhile, have also been spread out – with around 100,000 members of the community now housed in Bhashan Char, an island in Hatiya. 

When Guterres returns, the situation is expected to be quite different this time around.

One of the most important talking points – a new one – is going to be the US decision to cut aid as it hits where it hurts the most. 

US President Donald Trump abruptly stopped most foreign aid and dismantled the US Agency for International Development, which has significantly hampered the global humanitarian sector. 

The World Food Program, the main UN food agency, recently announced that cuts to food rations will take effect starting April 1 in Cox's Bazar.

"We received a letter that (says) previously it was $12.50, and now it is $6. They used to get $12.50 per month, and from now $6, this will greatly affect them," Shamsud Douza, additional refugee relief and repatriation commissioner of Bangladesh, told The Associated Press.

"As the food is cut, they will get less nutritious food, which may lead to a lack of nutrition. There will be social and mental pressure created amongst the Rohingya people in their community. They will have to look for an alternative for the food," he said.

In this regard, the United Nations warned Tuesday that the global aid funding crisis could be paid in children's lives in Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh, unless sustainable funds emerge fast.

Food is, however, only one aspect. 

The United States had been the largest donor of humanitarian assistance to those affected by the Rohingya crisis since August 2017, having provided nearly $2.4 billion in funding. 

Now, that fund is drying up and alternatives are also slim to none.

This is the backdrop Guterres' visit comes against, following an invitation from Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus.

Meanwhile, at Muhammad Yunus's request, an international conference on the Rohingya issue, organised by the United Nations, is scheduled to be held in the second half of this year, reports local media. 

Discussions are ongoing regarding holding this conference in Doha, the capital of Qatar.

Guterres will undoubtedly have a key role to play once again in the Rohingya crisis. 

The UN secretary general's, however, isn't defined by his role. 

It's the reputation he has built over the years, a sole voice of reason in an increasingly chaotic world.

In September, António Guterres took a rare step by sending a formal letter to the UN Security Council—the first of its kind in 28 years since the 1989 Lebanon conflict—urging decisive action on Myanmar. However, his appeal was ignored.

Guterres has consistently demonstrated extraordinary leadership and a commitment to humanitarian causes. During his second term as Portugal's prime minister, he chose to step down rather than cling to power when his government faced challenges.

True to his principles, the socialist leader later made an unusual decision for a former prime minister—he spent time in Lisbon's slums, teaching math to underprivileged children suffering from malnutrition.

Guterres didn't undertake this effort for publicity—he deliberately kept journalists and photographers away from his work in the slums. His approach to leadership has always been guided by both compassion and logic, reflected in his 1995 campaign slogan, "Heart and Reason."

So, the last time he spoke up for the Rohingya children,  people were moved. His credibility was undoubted. 

"When I see the young boys and girls, I remember my own granddaughters and I imagine what it would be like to see my granddaughters living in these conditions," he said. 

He then called upon the international community to ramp up their own efforts and put pressure on Myanmar. 

His call was heeded to and answered, resoundingly. 

This time around, he is also expected to join some 100,000 Rohingyas for iftar, slated to take place on Friday.

At the least, he can compare what he saw in 2018 to what he sees now and hopefully, he'll notice some progress. 

He will also notice how the refugee numbers have swelled. And how many wear a starved look on their faces. 

And that, it is hoped, can add a spring to the battle-hardened Guterres' step, amplifying his voice and reaching those who can contribute – financially and diplomatically – to finally making a lasting difference.