Ethnic Rohingya and Rakhine Refugees Fleeing Burma in Danger in Bangladesh Border

Human rights ambassador calls on Bangladesh to allow entry of refugees fleeing sectarian violence in Burma.

(SALEM) - Bangladeshi border guards have turned back three boats carrying approximately 100 human beings; they are refugees from Myanmar fleeing sectarian violence, as the UN refugee agency called for the border to be opened.

Bangladesh is obligated by the customary international law principle of nonrefoulement not to reject asylum seekers at its border when they are fleeing threats to their lives or freedom.

The Bangladeshi government is not following these established laws; it must do this immediately and also begin allowing independent humanitarian agencies free and unfettered access to the border areas.

By closing the section of the border when violence in Arakan State is out of control, Bangladeshi officials are in effect, putting the lives of many refuges at grave risk.

The deadly violence in Arakan State between Buddhists and Muslims that erupted on 3 June 2012, has intensified since then. Security forces are said to have shot and killed an unknown number of Rohingya, and sectarian mobs from both groups have burned down the homes and businesses of the other.

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June 13, 2012

Mrs. Sheikh Hasina
Prime Minister
Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh
Office of the Prime Minister
Tejgaon, Dhaka
BANGLADESH
Fax: +880 2 811 3244 / 3243 / 1015 / 1490
E-mail: pm@pmo.gov.bd

Re: Ethnic Rohingya and Rakhine Refugees Fleeing Burma in danger in Bangladesh border

Dear Sheikh Hasina,

I am William Nicholas Gomes, Human Rights Ambassador for Salem-News.com.

I am writing to express my serious concern over the Bangladeshi government, anticipating an influx of refugees fleeing sectarian violence between Buddhists and Muslims in western Burma, this month reportedly ordered its border guards and naval services to prevent Burmese from crossing the border into Bangladesh, according to human rights watch.

Brutal violence in Arakan State between Buddhists and Muslims erupted on June 3, 2012, and has intensified since then. Security forces have shot and killed an unknown number of Rohingya, and sectarian mobs from both groups have burned down the homes and businesses of the other. On June 10, Burmese President Thein Sein issued a state of emergency in the area, ceding authority for law enforcement to the Burmese army, according to human rights watch.

Bangladeshi border guards have turned back three more boats carrying about 100 Rohingya fleeing sectarian violence in Myanmar, officials said on Tuesday, as the UN refugee agency called for the border to be opened,

According to media reports , Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) yesterday set up a temporary camp and started special monitoring at Monkhali point in Cox's Bazar while the local administration decided to check all the boats plying on the St Martin's Island-Teknaf-Monkhali Bazar route to prevent intrusion.

Movements of engine boats and fishing trawlers in the Naf river between Bangladesh and Myanmar have remained suspended for the last few days.

Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Cox's Bazaar Jainul Bari said all engine boats and fishing trawlers coming from the sea would be thoroughly checked.

Maj Shafiqur Rahman, second-in-command of BGB 42 Battalion, said they had information that after failing to enter the Bangladesh territory through Shah Pori Island and Teknaf points on Monday, the Myanmar intruders could try to cross the border through Monkhali point at Cox's Bazar.

BGB Sector Commander Col Golam Farooque Chowdhury yesterday visited the nine observatory posts along the Teknaf border and talked to border guards.

Although Bangladesh is not a party to the 1951 Refugee Convention or its 1967 Protocol, it is obligated by the customary international law principle of nonrefoulement not to reject asylum seekers at its border when they are fleeing threats to their lives or freedom.

I call on Bangladeshi government to allow independent humanitarian agencies free and unfettered access to the border areas.

I call on your government please allow immediate and full access to humanitarian agencies so they can provide life-saving assistance to desperate refugees.

I want to remind you by closing its border when violence in Arakan State is out of control, you are putting lives many refuges at grave risk.

I want to remind you that Bangladesh has an obligation under international law to keep its border open to people fleeing threats to their lives and provide them protection.

I want to remind you that Rohingya are a stateless people described by the United Nations as one of the world's most persecuted minorities. The Myanmar government considers the Rohingya to be foreigners, while many citizens see them as illegal immigrants from Muslim-majority Bangladesh and view them with hostility.

In a situation like this I call on you government immediately open the borders for the Refugees Fleeing Burma.

I look forward to your swift and adequate intervention on this case.

Yours sincerely,

William Nicholas Gomes

Human Rights Ambassador for Salem News.com
Salem-News.com
P.O. Box 5238
Salem, Oregon 97304

www.williamgomes.org

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Salem-News.com Human Rights Ambassador William Nicholas Gomes is a Bangladeshi journalist, human rights activist and author was born on 25 December, 1985 in Dhaka. As an investigative journalist he wrote widely for leading European and Asian media outlets.

He is also active in advocating for free and independent media and journalists’ rights, and is part of the free media movement, Global Independent Media Center – an activist media network for the creation of radical, accurate, and passionate telling of the truth. He worked for Italian news agency Asianews.it from year 2009 to 2011, on that time he was accredited as a free lance journalist by the press information department of Bangladesh. During this time he has reported a notable numbers of reports for the news agency which were translated into Chinese and Italian and quoted by notable number of new outlets all over the world.He, ideologically, identifies himself deeply attached with anarchism. His political views are often characterized as “leftist” or “left-wing,” and he has described himself as an individualist anarchist.