Rohingya citizens gathered in a rally at the camps of Ukhiya and Teknaf in Cox’s Bazar on Sunday, as part of their campaign for returning to their own homes in Myanmar.
Large rallies were held at Lambashiya and Jamtali camps in Ukhiya. Separate rallies were held in 31 other camps of these two upazilas. A seven point demand was forwarded from these rallies.
The programme was held in the camps on Sunday, on the occasion of the World Refugee Day on Monday, 20 June. Mohib Ullah, chairman of Arakan Rohingya Society for Peace and Human Rights (ARHPH) who was shot dead by miscreants, had started this campaign, ‘Go Home’.
An on-the-spot visit there saw several thousand Rohingyas had gathered on the Lambashiya football field within 10.00am.
Their ‘Go Home’ rally started amid the intermittent rain. The rally was organised under the banner of ‘Nirjatita Rohingya Janogosthi (Persecuted Rohingya Community)’.
Members of the law and order agencies including the Armed Police Battalion (APBN) were active on the field to avert any type unpleasant occurrence.
At the same time, several thousand more Rohingyas gathered on the open field at SIM card area of Jamtali (Camp-18) shelter.
The seven-point demand raised by the Rohingya people at the rally includes, cancellation of the Citizenship Act of 1982, quick repatriation of the Rohingya people to their respective villages (Rakhaine state), guarantee of civil rights and safety, closure of the camps made for the Internally Displaced People (IDP) in the Rakhine state and end of repression on innocent people (Rohingyas) in Myanmar.
ARSPH leader Abul Kalam asked the Rohingyas present at the rally of Lambashiya, “Do you want to return to Rakhine state or not?”
Then thousands of the Rohingya citizens who were present there raised their hands up and chanted loudly in unison, “We want to return to Rakhaine.”
Naimul Haque, superintendent of police and captain of 14 Armed Police Battalion (APBN) said, the rally of the ‘Go Home’ campaign of the Rohingyas ended peacefully within 12.00pm.