Staff Reporter:
The Third Committee of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) late on Wednesday adopted a resolution for holding an all-stakeholder high-level conference at the earliest possible time in 2025 to resolve the crisis affecting Rohingya Muslims and other minorities in Myanmar.
The conference would review the overall crisis in order to propose a comprehensive, innovative, concrete and time-bound plan for finding a sustainable solution to the crisis, which would include measures for ensuring voluntary, safe and dignified return of Rohingya Muslims to Myanmar, reports UNB.
Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus called for the conference during the 79th UNGA in September, said the Bangladesh Mission in the UN on Thursday.
Wednesday’s resolution, titled “The situation of human rights of Rohingya Muslims and other minorities in Myanmar”, was jointly tabled by the OIC and the EU in response to Yunus’ call. The resolution was cosponsored by 106 countries.
The resolution, among other issues, called on all concerned to ensure the refugees can enjoy their right to return to respective homelands.
It asked authorities to take concrete actions to create conditions necessary for voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable return and reintegration.
It recognised and highlighted the serious human rights violations and abuses in Myanmar, including killings, destructions and burning of houses, hampering of access to humanitarian assistance, forced recruitment of the civilians, particularly Rohingya Muslims and other minorities including children.
It also reaffirmed commitment to support all accountability processes to bring the perpetrators to justice.
The resolution further emphasises the critical role of ASEAN as a regional organisation and highlighted its initiatives in fulfilment of the five-point consensus in its entirety.
At Wednesday’s UNGA Third Committee session, Muhammad Abdul Muhith, permanent representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations, described how the prolonged presence of the Rohingyas in Bangladesh, has created a complex and worrisome situation.
He expressed disappointment that no real progress has been made in the last seven years to address the root causes of the Rohingya crisis.
Referring to the Security Council resolution and the resolution adopted in the Third Committee of the General Assembly, he urged the international community to take necessary actions in creating conditions necessary for the return of Rohingya Muslims.
He also emphasised adequate funding support for the Rohingya Muslims, awaiting their safe return to Myanmar.
The adoption of the resolution by consensus is a significant step forward, demonstrating the strong commitment of international community towards a durable resolution of the crisis.
