UNHCR high level delegation from Geneva visits Burmese refugee camp

UNHCR high level delegation from Geneva visits Burmese refugee camp
by -
Kaladan Press

Teknaf, Bangladesh. A UNHCR high level delegation from Geneva visited Burmese refugee camp yesterday at about 10:00 am and met with refugees and observed the situation of the camp, said a refugee committee leader from the camp.

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“One senior policy making adviser of UNHCR from Geneva named Ms Genian  Lirost led the delegation composed of four-member visited the Nayapara refugee camp.”

“After arrival at the camp, the delegation collected 14 women and 14 men who are over 40, from the camp and sat for a meeting at Technical Assistant Incorporate (TAI) in the camp after collecting two women and two men from each Block.”

In the meeting, the delegation asked five questions to the refugees, which are:- 

“Why do most of the people are still living inside Arakan out of the refugees who take shelter in Bangladesh?”, the delegation asked to the refugee and the refugee said, “Most of the people want to flee from Arakan, but they do not get exit to flee and getting many difficulties. But some of the families are secretly coming to Bangladesh so far. Our lands are confiscated, settle Natala villagers in our land and setup between two Rohingya villages, movement restriction, taking forced labor, marriage restriction, and totally destroyed our earning sources.”

“Bangladesh is a small country and over populated, so it will be burden for the Bangladesh,” said a refugee while the delegation asked “Do you want to live in Bangladesh, if the refugees are provided Bangladeshi citizenship?” 

“When we get citizenship right and the political situation is favorable to us or democracy is established in Burma, we will go back to our country,” while asked,” Do you want to go back to the motherland?”

When the delegation asked about the youngers’ education situation in the camp? The refugee described that education system in the camp is bad, so we want to send our children to third country to make our children better future immediately. Now, our children have no access to higher education in Bangladesh. Their valuable and golden lives are being ruined without higher education.

Refugees explained about their ration  which is not sufficient and the situation is worse than before while the delegation asked about the ration.

“Refugee children held a rally holding with banners and festoons in front of the delegates seeking urgent and durable solution for bright future,” said a student from refugee camp.

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The delegates replied to a question of a refugee who asked about the resettlement in third country, the delegation said the resettlement in third country is not totally stopped, but it is temporarily suspended due to diplomatic policy said a woman refugee. 

“On 1:00 pm, they oversee the refugee camp, and returned to their destination at around 2:00 pm.”