Special Correspondent from UN
Bangladesh and the Bangladesh Government and the Bangladeshi people have shown an enormous amount of generosity in opening their borders and their hearts to the hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees.
Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the UN Secretary-General, said this on Thursday in reply to query over recent reports of unrest between the Myanmar military and ethnic Rakhine rebels and Dhaka’s announcement to seal off the border with Myanamar.
In reply to another question over Bangladesh governemnt reaction on UN Secretary-General’s call to political parties for dialoguge Dujarric said he will inform the update on this issue later.
At the noon briefing UN Correspondent M Mushfiqul Fazal asked, “On Rohingya, according to Reuters reports, scores of ethnic minority villagers have crossed from western Myanmar into Bangladesh in recent days and fighting between the Myanmar military and ethnic Rakhine rebels. Many of them are in the no-man’s land already, and Bangladesh authorities say Bangladesh would not accept anyone any further and it is now time for other countries to open their borders. My question is, what is your… UN position that many of people are waiting in the no-man’s land?”
In response the Spokesman said, “Well, I’ll try to get updates from our humanitarian colleagues. Obviously, I think Bangladesh and the Bangladesh Government and the Bangladeshi people have shown an enormous amount of generosity in opening their borders and their hearts to the hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees. But I will check on the particular new outflow that you report to.”
In another follow up question Mushfiqul asked, “As you are aware, Bangladesh experienced a very farcical election in 30 December, and even Secretary-General… I asked that question, and he said it was not perfect election. And he asked for the… called for the dialogue within the political parties, but Government side responded, they said the UN Secretary-General did not ask for any dialogue for the… this peaceful resolution or the stability of the country.”
In reply Spokesman for the UN Secretary-General, said, “I have nothing to add. I’ll see if I can get you some more guidance.”
YS
