Irene Khan urges UN, global powers to find Rohingya solution

Bangladesh Permanent Representative and Ambassador to the UN Irene Khan has reiterated Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s call for stronger international action to resolve the Rohingya crisis and facilitate the safe and dignified return of more than 1.2 million forcibly displaced people to Myanmar.

“What is really failing is the international commitment to, first of all, assist these 1.2 million Rohingyas and, secondly, support the Bangladesh government during a very difficult time in the country. And thirdly, to find a solution for the people," Irene Khan told BBC World Service in an interview from New York.

Asked whether the international response was failing the Rohingyas as funding declined and global attention shifted elsewhere, she said the problem was a lack of commitment to support the refugees, Bangladesh and efforts to find a lasting solution.

She described the Rohingyas in Bangladesh as the world's largest displaced population currently living in a refugee setting, with the refugees confined to crowded camps in a densely populated country.

"Aid is badly needed, but the aid is shrinking. Humanitarian aid is shrinking at this time," she said.

The Rohingyas have been living in the camps for nine years, she said, with children growing up there and around 30,000 babies being born in the camps each year.

"Where do they go? Nine years is a long time to stay in a camp," she said.

Irene Khan said this was why Prime Minister Tarique Rahman had appealed to the international community, the UN and interested parties within and beyond the region to work towards a solution.

"The problem of the Rohingyas, the source is inside Myanmar, and we believe that the solution also lies there," she said.

She said the Rohingyas wanted to return home but would do so only "in safety and dignity".

Asked what concrete commitments Bangladesh wanted from the international community, Irene Khan called for the UN and other countries to bring all relevant stakeholders to the table.

These should include Bangladesh, Myanmar, other countries affected by the crisis and countries capable of influencing Myanmar or providing resources, she said.

"What we want is a political process where the Myanmar government will be reminded of its responsibilities, its legal responsibilities to take back its people, but also assistance inside Myanmar that could make it safe for people to return," she said.

On the UN's ability to address major global crises, Irene Khan said member states needed to take greater responsibility, particularly countries with veto power on the Security Council.
"We really need those governments to work better together," she said, adding that Bangladesh and the vast majority of countries believed in multilateralism and resolving global problems through diplomacy and dialogue.