44 Bangladesh, Burma and the Rohingya crisis • On Tuesday 8 May, in response to the UN coordinated Joint Response Plan, the Secretary of State announced a further package of humanitarian aid for Bangladesh and the Rohingya of £70 million (bringing the running total up to £129 million). The aid was described as aiming to deliver: materials to strengthen shelters; food and clean water; nutrition for pregnant and new mothers; access to midwifery care; bathing facilities; and access to healthcare services.128 • A UN Security Council mission (with the UK represented by Karen Pierce, UK Ambassador to the UN), has visited the Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh and Burmese leaders (including Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Commander-in-Chief) and had some access to Rakhine state, overflying it and visiting some repatriation facilities. The resulting bland UNSC press statement, and subsequent US criticism of the process,129 leaves us in no doubt that the UN Security Council remains hamstrung by the refusal of, at least, China’s refusal to support action against Burma.130 Conclusions 101. We stand by our two previous reports and the conclusions and recommendations we set out there. Alongside many other members of both Houses, we are increasingly horrified as more and more evidence and testimony emerges about the violent expulsion of the Rohingya by Burmese military forces. Yet, this is almost eclipsed by the threat to the Rohingya’s fraught and fragile foothold in Bangladesh as the monsoon season comes ever closer. At the same time, we would urge that the grave concerns we have identified over the longer term future of the Rohingya are not ignored in seeking solutions to this more imminent further chapter in the crisis. 102. We very much welcome the £70 million of new aid allocated by the UK to bolster the on-going work in Cox’s Bazar to prepare for the monsoon season. These resources will make a substantial difference and we trust that further donors will be inspired to follow suit. 103. We can only interpret the UNSC press statement of 9 May, issued following the visit by UN Security Council representatives to Bangladesh and Burma, as meaning that China, at least, threatens to veto any proposal for collective action in response to the Rohingya crisis. 104. In addition, to our previous work, there are two points to repeat and one to make at this juncture: 128 129 130 • The Bangladesh Prime Minister, government, other services, and the people and authorities of Cox’s Bazar, must be thanked and commended for the way sanctuary was provided to the Rohingya. • While in Bangladesh (in March), we heard grave and convincing concerns from many quarters that a substantial proportion of the Rohingya refugees’ accommodation (and services) was extremely vulnerable to the heavy rainfall This contribution will see the UK providing 10.5% of the total budget set out in the JRP of March 2018. U.S. criticises China for shielding Myanmar from U.N. action, Reuters, 15 May 2018 UN Security Press Statement, 9 May 2018, SC/13331