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UNHCR calls on Bangladesh to open borders to Rohingya refugees
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In crisis: This picture taken on Aug. 25 shows ethnic Rakhine people fleeing from a conflict area in the Yathae Taung township in Rakhine State in Myanmar. The impoverished western state of Rakhine, which neighbors Bangladesh, has become a crucible of religious hatred focused on the stateless Rohingya Muslim minority, who are reviled and perceived as illegal immigrants in Buddhist-majority Myanmar. (Agence France -Presse/STR)
T
he United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has communicated with the Bangladesh government about its readiness to support the country in helping Rohingya refugees fleeing across the border.
It was estimated that, as of Sunday, some 5,200 people had entered Bangladesh from Myanmar since Thursday. Several thousands were reported to be in locations along the Myanmar side of the border.
UNHCR spokesperson Adrian Edwards said that in Bangladesh, some people were in cordoned-off areas near the border while others were in the Kutupalong area.
“Most of them are women, children, or the elderly, and there have been reports of wounded people among them,” said Edwards in a statement posted on the UNHCR official website on Tuesday.
UNHCR underscores UN Secretary General António Guterres’s statement on Monday, in which he condemned the violence in Rakhine State.
Aid efforts involving Bangladeshi authorities, local communities, UNHCR partners and NGOs have been underway, including getting food, water and medical help to the new arrivals, he said.
“Rapid needs assessments are being planned. However, with the precarious situation inside Myanmar, we are concerned that numbers of people needing help may rise further over the coming days,” Edwards said.
Separately, UNHCR Jakarta data shows that, currently, there are 13,800 refugees in Indonesia, five percent of whom are Rohingya. They live in several cities, with some staying in immigration detention centers (Rudenim) while others live in community housing. (yon/ebf)
