The United Nations secretary general Antonio Guterres has called on the international community to find “comprehensive, durable and inclusive solutions” to help end the plight over 700,000 Rohingya who fled from Myanmar to Bangladesh to escape a brutal military crackdown.
The secretary general on Thursday issued the statement marking five years since the start of the forced mass displacement of Rohingya and other communities from Myanmar’s Rakhine state.
“Today marks five years since the start of the forced mass displacement of Rohingya and other communities from Myanmar’s Rakhine state. Around one million refugees remain sheltered in Bangladesh, without immediate prospects for return, while more than 150,000 Rohingya people are still confined in camps in Rakhine,” the statement reads.
“The Secretary-General notes the unflagging aspirations for an inclusive future among the country’s many ethnic, and religious groups and underlines that the full and effective participation of the Rohingya people is an inherent part of a Myanmar-led solution to the crisis. Greater humanitarian and development access for the United Nations and its partners to affected areas is crucial,” said the statement.
The UN chief’s statement also said the perpetrators of all international crimes committed in Myanmar should be held accountable.
“Justice for victims will contribute to a sustainable and inclusive political future for the country and its people,” the UN chief added.