From: S A Hannan <sahannan@sonarbangladesh.com>
To: dahuk@yahoogroups.com; witness-pioneer@yahoogroups.com; mahdiunite@yahoogroups.com; sahannan@yahoogroups.com; khabor@yahoogroups.com; mukto-mona@yahoogroups.com; 'lutful bari' <lutfulb2000@yahoo.com>; azizbiit@gmail.com; jihpress@gmail.com
Sent: Saturday, June 16, 2012 11:15 PM
Subject: [Shah Abdul Hannan] FW: Eminent citizensand HRW ask PM urged to Let Myanmar refugees in : We support them--editorial
To: dahuk@yahoogroups.com; witness-pioneer@yahoogroups.com; mahdiunite@yahoogroups.com; sahannan@yahoogroups.com; khabor@yahoogroups.com; mukto-mona@yahoogroups.com; 'lutful bari' <lutfulb2000@yahoo.com>; azizbiit@gmail.com; jihpress@gmail.com
Sent: Saturday, June 16, 2012 11:15 PM
Subject: [Shah Abdul Hannan] FW: Eminent citizensand HRW ask PM urged to Let Myanmar refugees in : We support them--editorial
Eminent citizens and HRW ask PM urged to Let Myanmar refugees in : Bangladesh government should comply
Thirty-two eminent citizens of the country appealed to the government for opening the border to Myanmar refugees on humanitarian grounds.In a joint statement, they expressed concern at the outbreak of sectarian violence in the northern Rakhine state of Myanmar leading to the potential influx of the victims across the border seeking refuge in Bangladesh.They called upon the government to review its reported decision to close the border and allow the Rohingyas temporary shelter under special arrangement with the UNHCR.The statement, issued on Wednesday, read, "We make this appeal inspired by our own history and from an understanding that human rights are indivisible, and protection of victims of violation of human rights in one country is a shared responsibility of another, particularly in the immediate neighbourhood. "We recall that as a nation we were beneficiaries of a similar assistance in 1971 during our Liberation War, which saw one of the world's largest influxes of refugees to a neighbouring country."Signatories to the statement include Kamal Lohani, Dr Hameeda Hossain, Advocate Sultana Kamal, Dr Shahdeen Malik, Raja Devasish Roy, Dr Iftekharuzzaman, Prof Imtiaz Ahmed, Shaheen Reza Noor, Barrister Sara Hossain, Muhammad Kamal Uddin, Dr Rownak Jahan and Advocate Sigma Huda.
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Human Rights Watch (HRW) also has urged Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to reconsider Bangladesh government'sposition to close border to asylum seekers fleeing the sectarian violence inArakan state of Myanmar.In a letter to the PrimeMinister, the New York-based human rights organisation said, "Now is notthe time to turn your back, but rather to do the right thing, open yourborders, and call for international solidarity in meeting compelling humanitarianneeds and respecting human rights." "We urge you to provide thosefleeing violence and persecution at least temporary refuge until it is safe forthem to return, in accordance with international legal norms," says theletter written by HRW Executive Director Ken Roth.
Roth also expresseddisappointment over the statement of Foreign Minister Dipu Moni made inParliament on Thursday and termed the statement inaccurate. "We weredismayed, however, to learn that during a parliamentary debate on Thursday,reportedly in your presence, Foreign Minister Dipu Moni said, 'Bangladesh neversigned any kind ofinternational act, convention or law for allowing and giving shelter torefugees," and added, "That's why we are not bound to provide shelterto the Rohingyas."Roth said, this was an inaccuratestatement of Bangladesh 's legal obligations. The Foreign Minister also said,"Some are trying to say that Bangladesh should open the border in linewith the international customary law. But I want to say that Bangladesh doesnot fall under the purview of the law.""This, too, is inaccurate. Customary international law establishes certain peremptory norms for which noderogation is tolerated. Among these, for example, are slavery, torture, and,in the present instance, the forcible return of a person to a place where hisor her life or freedom would be threatened or where he or she would be exposedto torture," Roth explained.
No state, including Bangladesh ,is exempt from these fundamental norms, he added. Closing your border whensectarian violence in Arakan State continues to threaten lives is acontravention of Bangladesh 's international human rights obligations."Your government has a positive obligation to keep your border open topeople fleeing threats to their lives and provide them protection."Roth mentioned that Bangladeshishave been the beneficiary of the generosity of neighbors in times of strife,notably when large numbers fled to India for safety in 1971 during the nationalwar of liberation."We recognise that theinternational community has an obligation to assist with the costs of providingsanctuary. On June 12, Human Rights Watch issued a statement which not onlycalled on your government to open its borders to refugees, but which also said,"Bangladesh needs generous support right now from the internationalcommunity to assist the refugees fleeing Arakan State and to find durablesolutions later on," he said in the letter to the PM.The watchdog body said it wouldremain committed to devoting its energies to enlist the support of theinternational community to support Bangladesh if the government is prepared tomeet its international obligations on behalf of refugees.In the closing remark of the letter, Roth said, "We realize that this places an unwelcome burden onyour country, but if Bangladesh opens its borders to people fleeing for their lives, we believe the international community will come forward toassist."It said, "You can help tomake that possible by asking donor and resettlement countries to help and byinviting humanitarian agencies free and unfettered access to the border areasto provide assistance."
Without much elaboration we want to say that we agree with HRW and eminent citizens on this issue.Dipu Moni is clearly wrong in the matter as HRW has explained.It is an obligation under international norms to give shelter to people whose life are under threat..
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