Arakan News Desk: The United Kingdom has announced additional humanitarian assistance at the launch of the 2022 Joint Response Plan for the Rohingya Humanitarian Crisis in Bangladesh.
“We remain deeply grateful to Bangladesh for its continued hosting of the refugees. The UK is committed to supporting Bangladesh in managing the refugee crisis while the Rohingya remain,” said UK’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva Ambassador Simon Manley while delivering his statement during the 2022 Rohingya JRP on Tuesday (Mar 29).
“For our current financial year, we originally provided £27.6 million to the response. We are pleased to announce that we have increased this by a further £9m. This brings the UK’s total support since 2017 to £330 million.”
As Rohingya response in Bangladesh is well advanced in its fifth year, the UK envoy said they must inject renewed energy to address both its causes and symptoms.
“We need a long-term solution that enables the Rohingya to return voluntarily and safely to Myanmar, as soon as conditions allow. And we must make progress on accountability for the atrocities committed in Myanmar.”
He said the UK will continue to press for these objectives in New York at the UN Security Council and here in Geneva at the Human Rights Council. “We will not allow this crisis and its causes to be forgotten.”
UK support for this year includes a new contribution to the UN’s response on Bhasan Char, which now forms part of the overall response. In providing UK support, Simon Manley said “we welcome the commitment for relocations to be voluntary and for the Rohingya to be able to travel between the island and Cox’s Bazar.”
At the same time, he said there is a need for the Rohingya to lead safe, dignified and purposeful lives both on Bhasan Char and in the Cox’s Bazar camps, where the vast majority will continue to live. “There should be equal opportunities in both locations.”
He noted that last year they emphasised the importance of education and livelihoods but progress on both issues has sadly been frustrated, including of course by the impact of COVID.
“Thankfully, schools are now open. We hope to see a step change this year in access to quality education, particularly for girls, and some form of recognition or certification for their studies. And we hope a skills framework will be launched in the coming months and linked to livelihood opportunities,” said the British envoy.
He further said these are critical ingredients to prepare the Rohingya for their eventual return home but also to combat worsening criminality and insecurity in the camps. “These issues are particularly affecting women and girls, many of whom suffer appalling abuse and exploitation.”
