Report of abuse to a Refugee by Police as Foreign Minister and UNHCR plans to visit Bangladesh camp

Andrew Day

RB News 

August 16, 2013

Cox's Bazaar, Bangladesh - 50 year old Haidor Ali from Block-D of the Nayapara refugee camp, was mercilessly beaten by a Police Nike.

The altercation occurred on August 13, when the police came to his home after an unfounded complaint from a 17 year old boy from a different block. 

The Police Nike, who's name is Jahangir, beat the man until he collapsed, then continued to beat him with a shoe.

The unconscious man was brought to the CIC Camp in Charge (CIC) office. The CIC was absent at that time. After waiting, a CIC clerk eventually took him to a doctor. 

The doctor refused his treatment saying that Ali simply had an asthma attack. According to the refugees, This is common practice, doctors writing false reports to protect government forces from abuse cases.

This is one report of many in the wake of a visit from Foreign Minister DR Dipu Moni. She along with UNHCR Country Representatives has a visit planned for August 17-18. 

5 people from each block will be elected to by The Camp Management Committee (CMC) and the Block Management Committee (BMC) to relay to the visiting group, the conditions within the camp. The GOB and UNHCR will elect a geoup to protect the camp for a one year contract.

As usual, a wide berth from the visitors will be enforced to students and other educated Refugees. 

For the occasion of this visit the refugee community within the camp has written a plea to the Foreign Minister. 

RB News has acquired a copy: 

Her Excellency 

To, 

The Honorable Dr. Dipu Moni 

Foreign Affair and Permanent Parliament Members 

Dhaka, Bangladesh 

Subject: Conditions for repatriation. 

We the refugees of Nayapara Camp would like to draw your kind attention to the following conditions of us placed before you on what we will be willing to go back to our native land Arakan Burma. 

(1) To recognize Rohingya as an indigenous ethnic minority of Myanmar and issue full citizenship ID, Cards. 

(2) To ensure safety and full protection of the returnees upon their return to Arakan, Burma.

(3) To ensure our full human rights in our country. 

(4) To return all of the confiscated properties, lands of the returnees and provide compensations. 

(5) To ensure equal rights as political rights, employment’s rights according to his/her qualification like other indigenous ethnic group of Burma. 

(6) To stop human rights violation, racial stubborn discrimination, religious discrimination extortions, force labor and arbitrary arrest especially on Rohingyas. 

(7) To stop brutal oppression against Rohingya Muslims. 

(8) To continue existence of UN office on Human rights Watch, with full power as per p-s wise and district wise. Especially on Rohingya dominated area. 

(9) We urge for a legal durable solution according to 1951 convention and 1967 protocol as well as international law. 

As all above mentioned factors are elements that directory contributes to uproot and displaced hundreds of thousands of Rohingyas from Arakan, unless and until developing the situation in Arakan, the repatriation. 

We therefore pray and hope that your Excellencies would be kind enough to consider and do the needful as mentioned above and obliged thereby. 

Your Excellency sincerely 

Refugee CMC Chairman 

For Banner 

Welcome to the Refugees Camp 

We would like to request your Excellency to continue endeavor for our immediate durable solution according to 1951 Geneva conventions and 1967 protocol and as per 2nd 3rd Refugee option. 

We are very honored upon your visit to our camp and we feel proud as well as happy to have you amid us. We are grateful to you and the Government as well as its kind hearted people for giving shelters to us in your country and continuum assistances. 

We urge you and GOB to talk with the Government of Myanmar on decades-long ethnic violence to the minority Rohingyas. 

We urge you and your Government to have an attempting which could yield a durable solution for the most persecuted Rohingya Refugee. 

We would like to end our miserable lives through your congenial initiatives and entreat your help to build up our lives with dignity and rights. 

Our warmest and hearty thanks to you and your Government for raising your voice to propagate our plight to the world. 

We ask the GOB, UN, EU, OIC, UN, agencies and International Communities to increase constantly the diplomatic discussion to solve refugee issues with the Myanmar. We are very grateful and thanks to Bangladesh; UN; UNHCR; all the donor countries and all the operating organization for supporting us throughout our camp journey. 

For Placard 

1. Raise voice to stop genocide and stubborn discrimination on muslim in Burma. 

2. Raise voice to communal violence and arm force on Rohingya muslim in Burma. 

3. Raise voice to stop discrimination on Rohingya muslim religion and radically opposed in Burma. 

4. Raise voice to stop raping plundering arson arbitrary arrest human rights violation. 

5. Kidnapping and assassination on Rohingya muslim in Burma. 

We are honored upon your visit to our camp. 

Thanks to GOB and its kind hearted people. 

We ask to end our miserable shed lives. 

Thanks to GOB for long time humanitarian assistances. 

We are one of the most persecuted ethnic minorities on earth. 

We are very uncertain with our future. 

Can’t we be given a hope of new life for the sake of humanity? 

We would not like to be any more burden to GOB. 

We need your help to build up our new life.