United Nations Human Rights chief Volker Turk has called for a coordinated regional approach to protect thousands of Rohingya who are risking their lives by making dangerous sea voyages.
He said, “More than 2,400 Rohingyas have tried to leave Bangladesh and Myanmar in 2022 alone. “I am deeply saddened that more than 200 of them have lost their lives en route.” “Recent reports indicate that overcrowded and unsafe boats carrying Rohingyas have been left running for days without any assistance,” Turk said in a statement issued to the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
“As the crisis at sea continues, I urge countries in the region to establish coordination mechanisms to ensure active search and rescue, disembarkation of Rohingya refugees on their land and their effective protection,” he said. He said that some states have already provided support in this campaign.
The High Commissioner for Human Rights has called on countries in the region and the world to support the more than one million Rohingya refugees who have been seeking protection in Bangladesh since 2017.
He said, “As full and equal citizens of Myanmar, an immediate solution should be found for the voluntary return of all Rohingyas with full respect for their dignity and human rights.
According to the United Nations, there are an estimated 1.473 thousand internally displaced people in Myanmar during the reporting period, of which 1.143 thousand people were displaced after February 1, 2021.
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