The UN and concerned governments should take a strong stand so that Bangladesh
ensures that individuals are not at risk on the island, that the rights of refugees are
respected, and that security force personnel who commit abuses are held to account. The
UN has told Human Rights Watch and confirmed in the recently launched Joint Response
Plan that it has sought discussions with the Bangladesh government on any future
humanitarian operational engagement on Bhasan Char.
The Bangladesh government often stalls and delays such engagement with the UN and
should instead immediately hold these consultations both at the policy and technical
level. It should follow through on its promises for an independent assessment of the
habitability and emergency preparedness of the island and make any necessary
adjustments, including returning refugees to Cox’s Bazar if it is deemed unsafe or
unsustainable. In the meantime, any refugees who wish to return to Cox’s Bazar should be
allowed to do so immediately.
The Rohingya: A History of Suffering
While the burden of dealing with this mass influx of Rohingya refugees has mostly fallen
on Bangladesh, responsibility for the crisis lies with Myanmar. The Myanmar military’s
large-scale campaign of killings, rape, arson, and other abuses amounting to crimes
against humanity and acts of genocide caused the ongoing humanitarian crisis. And
Myanmar’s failure to take any meaningful actions to address either recent atrocities
against the Rohingya or put an end to the decades-long discrimination and repression
against the population, including the crimes against humanity of apartheid and
persecution, is at the root of delays in refugee repatriation.
Since 2017, the Bangladesh government has demonstrated a commitment to the principle
of nonrefoulement—not returning refugees to a place where they would face persecution.
Refugees who have spoken to Human Rights Watch overwhelmingly express a desire to
return to their homes in Myanmar once it is safe, they have citizenship and freedom of
movement, and there is genuine accountability for atrocities. “Bangladesh is not my
country,” said Kadir Ahmed, 24. “I want to go back to our land. If the Myanmar government
had not killed and tortured us, we would not have left.”
“AN ISLAND JAIL IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SEA”
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