UN's innitiatives urged to redouble for Rohingya repatriation

Cox’s Bazar CSO NGO Forum (CCNF) a network of more than 50 CSO NGOs working in Rohingya response have organized a press conference on the eve of incoming donor conference to be held on Thursday (22nd October). UK, USA, UN and Japan took the initiative of holding the conference.

The CCNF have urged, “There should have government and UN joint led single line and single pot fund in response management with the participation of local government, local CSO and refugee representatives along with RRRC, Deputy Commissioner and ISCG. They have also criticised the role of donor and developed countries and urged to redouble their effort for an early repatriation of Rohingya refugees’’.

The virtual press conference was moderated by Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, co-chair CCNF and ED COAST. Other speakers are--Rashed Mahmud Ali, chairman, Hnila Union, Teknaf; Abu Morshed Chowdhury, co-Chair CCNF, ED PHALS and president Cox’s Bazar Chamber of Commerce and Industries; Bimal Dey Sarker, chief executive officer, Mukti Coxsbazar; Johirul Alam, ED, IDF, Chottogram; Abul Kashem, ED HELP, Ukhiya; Neelima Akhter Chowdhury, president, Agrajattra, Cox’s Bazar; and Jahangir Alam, member secretary of the CCNF.

Rashed Mahmud Ali said, “The authorities have good attention on host community. But the fisherman community of Naf River is still suffering. I urged for full transparency of support to the host community.”

Abu Morshed Chowdhury said that since long time the CCNF was pleading for pooled fund to promote sustainable local CSO/NGOs and direct funding in view of the Grand Bargain commitment, which has also accepted in localization task report drafted under the leadership of UN agencies, but it is being delayed.

He also said that since 2018, the CCNF was urging the Joint Response Planning have to be security and conflict sensitive, in the backdrop of recent violence in camps he urged for involvement of local government and local CSOs for peace building.

Jahirul Alam of IDF said, “Like Rohingya issue, Bangladesh is fully innocent of climate change problems too. But the country is the worst sufferer. I urged the donor to give a proportionate approach to the country and redouble their effort for repatriation as the only sustainable solution.

Bimal Dey Sarker said that, so far, $ 2.63 billion aid has come for Rohingya which is around per family per month $ 432. Study shows that only one third direct benefit has gone in field. He praise UN and INGO for doing a lot of good work. But due to the lack of aid transparency there are confusion among public.

Jahangir Alam praised the effort of UN and INGOs especially of UNHCR and IoM especially during COVID 19 pandemic. He said to optimize the use of aid resources, there should single line and single pot fund management led by jointly both government and UN agencies.

Neelima Akhter Chowdhury urged for full access of local government and CSO / NGOs access in ISCG (Inter Sectoral Coordination Group).

Abul Kashem said that response management have to be bottom up with the participation of local actors and refugee representatives.

MK/TF