US to significantly increase resettlement of Rohingya refugees: Secretary Antony Blinken

The United States will significantly increase the resettlement of Rohingya refugees from the region including from Bangladesh so that they can rebuild their lives in the US, said a press release issued by the State Department of the US on the occasion of five years since the forced exodus of Rohingya people from Myanmar.

Secretary Antony Blinken said the United States will continue to support Rohingya and the people of Burma in their pursuit of freedom and inclusive democracy by advancing justice and accountability, increasing economic and diplomatic pressure, and safeguarding the human rights and human dignity of all individuals in Burma.

Expressing solidarity with the government of Bangladesh and other Rohingya hosting governments in the region, Secretary Blinken said that US has provided over USD 1.7 billion to assist those affected by the crisis in Burma, Bangladesh, and elsewhere in the region.

The US extended its support to the case brought against Myanmar by Gambia under the Genocide Convention at the International Court of Justice. The United States also supports measures by the UN Security Council to promote justice and accountability for the military’s actions in line with its mandate to promote international peace and security, said the US Home Department statement.

Meanwhile, in the refugee camps at Cox’s Bazar area in Bangladesh on Thursday, the Rohingya people observed the fifth anniversary of their forced exodus from the Rakhine province in Myanmar. They brought out rallies demanding safe, dignified and voluntary return to Myanmar with full citizenship of the country.

More than 7.4 lakh Rohingya people had fled their homes in the Rakhine province after the crackdown by the Myanmar military that started on 25 August 2017. The Rohingya people took refuge in Bangladesh and they are housed at refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar and nearby areas. Currently, the number of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh is over one million as the exodus continued for a period of time beyond August 2017.