Rohingyas to observe ‘Genocide Remembrance Day’

The displaced Rohingyas from Myanmar, who are now sheltered in Bangladesh, will observe “Genocide Remembrance Day” today.
Around a million Rohingya people fled ethnic cleansing by the Myanmar junta troops to take refuge in Bangladesh following military crackdown in Rakhine State on August 25, 2017.
Since then, they have been living in camps of Ukhiya and Teknaf of Cox’s Bazar.
Meanwhile, no less than 20,000 Rohingyas crossed Naf river and entered Bangladesh to take shelter in the refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar in a fresh exodus amid violent clashes between Arakan Army and Myanmar troops since August 4-5 this year, said Rohingya leaders at the camps.
Kamal Hossain, chairman of the Forcibly Displaced Myanmar National Representative Committee, termed the recent attacks on the community as the second wave of genocide.
“Over 20,000 Rohingays have come to Bangladesh after the Arakan Army launched brutal attacks on the community recently. They are now living at the camps in Cox’s Bazar with their relatives or acquaintances. The previously sheltered Rohingyas are sharing food with the newcomers despite suffering from shortage due to limited rations,” he said.
However, government officials have no specific data about the number of new arrivals.
Contacted, Mohammad Mizanur Rahman, Refugee, Relief and Repatriation Commissioner, said they have no specific data on how many new Rohingyas have come to the camps recently when Bangladesh was facing a troubled situation.
At present, Bangladesh’s stance is not to allow any more Rohingyas in the country, Mizanur said. However, he said they are contacting their high-ups to arrange food for the new arrivals on humanitarian ground.
Rashida Begum, a Rohingya woman who arrived on August 8, said she and her family members had taken shelter at a relative’s house in Rakhine’s Maungdaw Township for 15 days before entering Bangladesh.
The Arakan Army had tried to stop them from leaving the country to use them as human shields, she added.
Meanwhile, at least 100 bodies of Rohingyas were recovered from river bank and sea coast in Teknaf and were later buried on different graveyards and other areas on the shore stretching from Lada to Shahporir Dwip between August 4 and August 21.
They were assumed to have died after their boats capsized on the way to Teknaf.
Confirming the matter, Adnan Chowdhury, UNO of Teknaf, said, “As far as I know, over 100 bodies were recovered and buried by locals and Rohingyas on different shores.”
Khin Maung Thein, a Rohingya human rights activist, said he along with Rohingya volunteers had arranged for burial of 20 bodies of Rohingya people, including one of a pregnant woman.
“The bodies bore numerous injury marks. Some had amputated legs,” he added.