US special envoy visits Rohingya camps, refugees appeal for support to facilitate repatriation

US Special Envoy for South and Central Asian Affairs Sergio Gor visited the Rohingya refugee camps in Ukhiya, Cox's Bazar, on Friday.

The US envoy toured various humanitarian and relief operations in the camps from 1:45 pm until 4:45 pm, spoke with Rohingya refugees, and enquired about their current living conditions.

Sergio Gor was accompanied by a US Embassy delegation led by the United States Ambassador to Bangladesh, Brent T. Christensen.

Speaking about this visit, Mohammad Mizanur Rahman, Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC) and Additional Secretary, told Prothom Alo that the United States is one of the largest donors supporting humanitarian assistance in the Rohingya camps.

He further said the delegation had visited primarily to observe first-hand the programmes funded by the US government. In addition to touring various service centres, the delegation climbed an observation tower to gain an overview of conditions across the camps.

Mohammad Mizanur Rahman said the Rohingya appealed to the delegation for US support in ensuring their safe, voluntary, sustainable and dignified repatriation. They also expressed their desire to return to Myanmar's Rakhine State as soon as possible.

Following the visit, the delegation held a brief meeting with officials at the RRRC office in Cox's Bazar on Friday afternoon.

He added that members of the delegation enquired whether Rohingya refugees were still entering Bangladesh, whether anyone was returning to Myanmar, what the current situation in Rakhine State was, and how relations between the Rohingya and the local host community had evolved.

In response, he said that an average of seven to 10 Rohingya continue to enter Bangladesh each day, fleeing conflict and persecution in Rakhine State or seeking medical treatment.

He also noted that the prolonged suspension of repatriation and the involvement of some Rohingya in criminal activities have fuelled growing resentment among members of the local community.

More than 1.4 million registered Rohingya refugees are currently living in 33 camps across Ukhia and Teknaf. Of them, nearly 800,000 fled to Bangladesh in the months following 25 August 2017.

Despite the passage of nine years, not a single Rohingya refugee has been repatriated to Myanmar. Instead, around 152,000 more Rohingya have crossed into Bangladesh from Rakhine State over the past 18 months.

According to sources, the delegation visited Camps 4, 6 and 8 West in Ukhia, where they observed healthcare services, food distribution, refugee registration and LPG distribution programmes.

At a primary healthcare centre in Camp No. 6, delegation members exchanged views with officials on maternal and child healthcare, immunisation, nutrition, emergency medical treatment, the availability of medicines, and specialised health services.

The delegation also visited a UNHCR-funded data registration centre, observed the registration process for newly arrived Rohingya, inspected LPG distribution supported by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and reviewed the World Food Programme's (WFP) e-voucher-based food distribution system.

During the visit to Camp No. 4, several hundred Rohingya welcomed the delegation holding placards calling for safe, voluntary and dignified repatriation to Myanmar.