Rohingya refugees claim Myanmar delegation dismissed tales of violence
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| The Myanmar delegation at a Rohingya refugee camp in Cox's Bazar on March 20, 2017 |
By Abdul Aziz
March 20, 2017
Following the visit of the Myanmar delegation, Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar claim their harrowing tales of violence were dubbed lies by the envoys.
Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar have claimed that a Myanmar delegation that spoke to them had dismissed their claims of murder, torture and rape at the hands of Myanmar army.
A 10-member Myanmar government delegation met refugees from the Kutupalong, Balukhali and Leda camps on Sunday and Monday.
According to the Rohingyas, they asked them why the community had fled to Bangladesh. When the refugees unanimously explained the military operations in the Rakhine state, the envoys reportedly dismissed the claims.
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| According to UN officials, at least 70,000 Rohingyas fled to Bangladesh from Myanmar from October to January (Photo: Dhaka Tribune) |
Anwar Kamal, a Rohingya refugee, alleged a Myanmar envoy called him a liar after Anwar described the atrocities he witnessed.
Whenever a refugee would speak, they would interrupt and say they were lying, he said.
“I heard a delegation member say ‘These Rohingyas are making things up after fleeing to Bangladesh,’ which makes it clear that they’re just for show,” he added.
The delegation met with the deputy commissioner of Cox’s Bazar after their arrival on Sunday. Afterwards, they met with some Rohingyas who are part of a fresh influx of refugees at the Kutupalong camp.
On Monday morning, they visited the Balukhali camp for unregistered refugees in Ukhiya, and then the Leda camp in Teknaf in the afternoon.
Farida Akhter and Yasmin Akhter, two refugees from the Balukhali camp said they shared their own horrific accounts of being tortured at the hands of Myanmar soldiers.
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| Numerous Muslim-majority countries have called out Aung San Suu Kyi on her stance regarding the Rohingya crisis (Photo: Dhaka Tribune) |
However, the 10-member delegation has not spoken to the media at all during their visit. Members of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and other aid agencies accompanying the delegation also refused to make any statements.
Hafez Ahmed, another Rohingya refugee, who claims to have spoken to the delegation said the envoys were all for show.
When Hafez and some other Rohingyas expressed their desire to go back to Myanmar after the Rakhine state is made safe for them, the delegation refrained from making any remarks, he said.
