Refugees International Statement on UNHCR-Bangladesh Deal on Bhasan Char
Please see the following statement from Refugees International’s Senior Advocate for Human Rights Daniel Sullivan:
“The newly signed Memorandum of Understanding between UNHCR and the government of Bangladesh on Bhasan Char leaves much room for skepticism. No doubt, a formal agreement that allows UNHCR monitoring and includes real commitments to protect refugees on the island would be a welcome change. However, serious questions remain about the safety and feasibility of moving tens of thousands of refugees to an isolated island.
Bhasan Char lies in the historical path of cyclones, and its remote location creates challenges for the delivery of humanitarian aid. But most concerning is whether any relocations of Rohingya refugees to the island will be truly voluntary, evidenced by the fact that hundreds of refugees relocated there have already tried to flee.
UNHCR must use its newly formalized role to ensure that these moves are truly voluntary, and must help ensure the rights of relocated refugees to move back to the main camps if they choose. It must also ensure that remaining safety and feasibility questions are answered before any more refugees are relocated.
As Refugees International has warned in the past failure to properly assess conditions and inform refugees about the move will result in policies more akin to detention than refuge.
This agreement should also be a stepping stone toward similar lifting of restrictions for the vast majority of refugees who will remain in the main camps. They too should have access to education, skills-training, and livelihood opportunities made available to those on Bhasan Char.”
For more information or to schedule an interview, please contact Sarah Sheffer at ssheffer@refugeesinternational.org or +1 202 540 7029.
COVER PHOTO: A Rohingya refugee stands in the Hakinpara refugee camp near Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh on August 10, 2018. Photo Credit: ED JONES/AFP via Getty Images.t