UN Chief Hears ‘Unimaginable’ Accounts of Atrocities against Rohingya Muslims
"They want justice and a safe return home," he tweeted from the Rohingya refugee camp on Monday, Bangladeshi daily The Independent reported.
In another tweet ahead of reaching the camp, the UN Chief said the Rohingyas are one of the most discriminated and vulnerable communities on earth.
"The Rohingya refugee crisis is a humanitarian and human rights nightmare. I thank Bangladesh for its generosity in hosting the refugees," he said.
He said he is along with Jim Yong Kim in Cox’s Bazar on a mission of solidarity with Rohingya refugees and the communities supporting them.
"The compassion generosity of the Bangladeshi people shows the best of humanity and saved many thousands of lives," he said in another tweet message.
Antonio Guterres and World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim arrived in Bangladesh on Monday morning to visit Rohingya communities and humanitarian workers in Cox’s Bazar district to advocate for increased donor support.
Bangladeshi Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi, among others, are accompanying the UN chief, an official said.
They will review the situation of the newly arrived Rohingyas in Bangladesh, and assess progress towards a safe, voluntary and dignified return of refugees, in line with international standards, according to UN officials.
The visit also aims to lay the groundwork for further dialogue with the government of Bangladesh on medium-term planning for the refugee situation and to reiterate the UN and the World Bank’s support for finding comprehensive solutions to the situation of the Rohingya people, said the UN.
Ahead of the Rohingya camp visit, WB President Kim on Sunday said, “We’re all extremely concerned about the situation of Rohingyas.”
Since August last year, more than 700,000 Rohingya have taken shelter from violence in Myanmar in the Cox’s Bazar district, making it the world’s largest and fastest growing refugee camp, and putting pressure on the environment, existing infrastructure, and social services that were already constrained.
