Strange are the ways of the world and of some world bodies. During the last Ramadan, standing beside UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres in a refugee camp, Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus expressed his hope that the Rohingya community would be able to offer their next Eid prayers in their homeland of Arakan. His words had rekindled a ray of hope among the persecuted people. With less than two months to go before the next Eid, that promise now rings hollow. Far from returning, nearly 200,000 more Rohingya have crossed into Bangladesh in the last 18 months alone, bringing the total number of refugees in the country to some 1.7 million.
The question is what steps the UN has taken to kick-start the repatriation process since the UN Secretary-General's visit to the refugee camps? There has been not a word about the refugees' return, no censure of Myanmar and not even any pressure on that country, even though the issue is genocide and crime against humanity. Instead, the pressure is on Bangladesh to keep the border open and accept more refugees. Now, in the face of steep fund cut by developed countries, the UNHCR is reportedly looking for donations from alternative countries and sources, including Bangladesh. Accordingly, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) suggested the Ministry of Finance (MoF) to annually contribute $10,000 to the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR). It is said that direct contribution to the UNHCR would enable Bangladesh to effectively participate in the decision-making process of the agency as a donor country.
This country has shown as much sympathy and support for the Rohingya as possible. Bangladesh is neither a signatory to the 1951 Convention on Status of Refugees nor its 1967 Protocol and has made no law on giving asylum to refugees. Yet, the country on its own accord gave shelter to Rohingya refugees and collaborated with the UNHCR as a humanitarian obligation. It has been fulfilling that obligation steadfastly to the point where the country's economy and social stability are now imperilled. This has unfortunately created the impression that it can go on doing so, or even more, indefinitely.
Estimates suggest Bangladesh spends well over a billion dollars a year in direct and indirect costs related to the Rohingya presence. Against this backdrop, asking the host country to donate to UNHCR is not only illogical but ethically wrong. The primary responsibility to mobilise funds and political pressure lies with the UN and major donors, not with a developing country like Bangladesh already stretched to its limits. There is also a growing concern over how Rohingya aid funds are being used. Allegation has it that a large share of international NGO budgets goes into management costs. In the face of a worsening funding crisis, it is imperative for UNHCR to adopt cost-cutting measures in its operations. One practical step would be to engage local NGOs to run programmes in refugee camps in a more cost-effective manner. Above all, charity cannot replace justice. Without serious international pressure on Myanmar and a clear roadmap for repatriation, the crisis will only deepen.
