Myanmar&#39;s de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi has immunity from prosecution, Australia&#39;s attorney general said Sunday after a legal bid was launched to hold her responsible for &quot;crimes against humanity&quot;.

A group of five Australian lawyers have filed a private application in the Melbourne Magistrates Court seeking to prosecute her over the treatment of the Muslim-minority Rohingya.

It coincides with the Nobel laureate attending a special summit of Southeast Asian leaders in Sydney.

Nearly 700,000 Rohingya have fled Myanmar&#39;s troubled Rakhine state for Bangladesh since authorities launched a brutal crackdown six months ago that the UN has called &quot;ethnic cleansing&quot;.

Myanmar has vehemently denied the allegations, insisting it was responding to attacks by Rohingya militants in late August.

Attorney General Christian Porter said Suu Kyi cannot be prosecuted in Australia, nor arrested or detained.

&quot;Aung San Suu Kyi has complete immunity,&quot; he said in a statement.

&quot;This includes from being served with court documents because, under the customary international law, heads of state, heads of government and ministers of foreign affairs are immune from foreign criminal proceedings and are inviolable.&quot;

Suu Kyi has come under intense global criticism for her public silence on the atrocities in Myanmar, which include claims of rape, murder and arson.

The private prosecution alleges she committed crimes against humanity by the deportation and forcible transfer of the Rohingya people.

One of the lawyers involved, Alison Battison, told the Sydney Morning Herald that Porter&#39;s decision was appealable.

&quot;The Attorney General is yet to respond to us, but when he does, we&#39;ll address that then,&quot; she said.

&quot;We wouldn&#39;t have done it if we didn&#39;t think we had a chance ... it&#39;s a textbook example of crimes against humanity.&quot;

Suu Kyi has not commented publicly since arriving in Australia on Saturday for the regional summit but is scheduled to take questions at a media event on Tuesday.

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak ramped up pressure on her Saturday when he said the Rohingya issue could threaten regional security.

Speaking in Sydney with Suu Kyi sitting just metres away, he warned that many desperate people could fall prey to extremist groups like Islamic State.

&quot;Because of the suffering of Rohingya people and that of displacement around the region, the situation in Rakhine state and Myanmar can no longer be considered to be a purely domestic matter,&quot; he said.

&quot;In addition, the problem should not be looked at through the humanitarian prism only because it has the potential of developing into a serious security threat to the region.&quot;

He added that Malaysia was ready to assist in finding &quot;a just and durable solution&quot;, but did not spell out what that might involve.

Suu Kyi is due in Canberra on Monday for bilateral talks with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull before an address to Sydney&#39;s Lowy Institute on Tuesday.

A group of five Australian lawyers have filed a private application in the Melbourne Magistrates Court seeking to prosecute her over the treatment of the Muslim-minority Rohingya

Myanmar's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi has immunity from prosecution, Australia's attorney general said Sunday after a legal bid was launched to hold her responsible for "crimes against humanity". A group of five Australian lawyers have filed a private application in the Melbourne Magistrates Court seeking to prosecute her over the treatment of the Muslim-minority Rohingya. It coincides with the Nobel laureate attending a special summit of Southeast Asian leaders in Sydney. Nearly 700,000 Rohingya have fled Myanmar's troubled Rakhine state for Bangladesh since authorities launched a brutal crackdown six months ago that the UN has called "ethnic cleansing". Myanmar has vehemently denied the allegations, insisting it was responding to attacks by Rohingya militants in late August. Attorney General Christian Porter said Suu Kyi cannot be prosecuted in Australia, nor arrested or detained. "Aung San Suu Kyi has complete immunity," he said in a statement. "This includes from being served with court documents because, under the customary international law, heads of state, heads of government and ministers of foreign affairs are immune from foreign criminal proceedings and are inviolable." Suu Kyi has come under intense global criticism for her public silence on the atrocities in Myanmar, which include claims of rape, murder and arson. The private prosecution alleges she committed crimes against humanity by the deportation and forcible transfer of the Rohingya people. One of the lawyers involved, Alison Battison, told the Sydney Morning Herald that Porter's decision was appealable. "The Attorney General is yet to respond to us, but when he does, we'll address that then," she said. "We wouldn't have done it if we didn't think we had a chance ... it's a textbook example of crimes against humanity." Suu Kyi has not commented publicly since arriving in Australia on Saturday for the regional summit but is scheduled to take questions at a media event on Tuesday. Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak ramped up pressure on her Saturday when he said the Rohingya issue could threaten regional security. Speaking in Sydney with Suu Kyi sitting just metres away, he warned that many desperate people could fall prey to extremist groups like Islamic State. "Because of the suffering of Rohingya people and that of displacement around the region, the situation in Rakhine state and Myanmar can no longer be considered to be a purely domestic matter," he said. "In addition, the problem should not be looked at through the humanitarian prism only because it has the potential of developing into a serious security threat to the region." He added that Malaysia was ready to assist in finding "a just and durable solution", but did not spell out what that might involve. Suu Kyi is due in Canberra on Monday for bilateral talks with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull before an address to Sydney's Lowy Institute on Tuesday.

Bid to prosecute Aung San Suu Kyi in Australia rejected

A Myanmar official in Rakhine state said today that Rohingya refugees who return will not be held in newly-built camps &quot;forever,&quot; as concerns mount over a vexed repatriation process and efforts to reshape communities in the crisis-hit state.

Ye Htut, the administrator of Maungdaw district, was speaking to reporters on a government-chaperoned trip to northern Rakhine, the site of a military crackdown last August that has emptied the region of some 700,000 Rohingya Muslims.

Myanmar has been trumpeting its readiness to take back refugees, who are massed across the border in Bangladesh, and built reception centres and transit camps for returnees.

But not a single Rohingya has crossed the border, with the United Nations sounding the alarm that Myanmar must do far more to ensure the safety of a minority that was targeted in an army-led campaign the UN branded &quot;ethnic cleansing&quot;.

Rights groups have also raised concerns about how Buddhist-majority Myanmar is reconstructing Rakhine in the Rohingyas&#39; absence, with authorities bulldozing over their burned villages and building new settlements and security posts.

An AFP reporter witnessed a flurry of construction in the region on Saturday, with work crews erecting prefabricated houses along a road leading to Maungdaw town.

Speaking to reporters from his office, Ye Htut insisted that any Rohingya returnees would eventually be resettled close to their original villages after staying in transit camps.

&quot;I can&#39;t ask them to live (at the camps) forever...We don&#39;t have any vision or intention to keep them long,&quot; he said.

The government &quot;will return them back to their native villages or close by,&quot; he added.

But a visit to one of the resettlement sites intended for Rohingya, whom a government official referred to only as Muslims, showed slow progress.

Only three squat houses with concrete and brick foundations had been built in a field covered in churned up dirt and tread marks from heavy machinery.

The site, which lies two hours north of Maungdaw town by car, was chosen for its proximity to the original village, which lay in charred ruins within view.

Myint Khaing, Maungdaw township administrator, said about 100 families were supposed to live in the new site and that it would be completed in two months.

Asked why its construction was not as far along as a settlement 30 minutes away intended for an internally displaced ethnic minority called the Mro, he suggested priority was given to communities that had not fled to Bangladesh.

&quot;They didn&#39;t run away,&quot; he said.

Myanmar has vehemently denied accusations that is trying to erase the Rohingya&#39;s ties to Rakhine, insisting the army crackdown was a targeted assault on Muslim militants.

But the UN and rights groups have pointed to the country&#39;s long history of marginalising and persecuting the Muslim minority, who are denied citizenship and loathed by the Buddhist majority.

More than 100,000 are still languishing in a squalid refugee camp in southern Rakhine state after being displaced by communal violence in 2012.

Yesterday the head of the UN&#39;s refugee agency, Filippo Grandi, said the conditions for the Rohingyas&#39; safe return were not yet in place and that discussions with Myanmar on repatriation &quot;have been pretty basic, not very frequent (and) not very advanced&quot;.

Myanmar and Bangladesh signed a deal that was supposed to see repatriation begin in January.

But Myanmar has so far agreed to accept only 374 of 8,000 refugees whose names have been put forward by Dhaka for the initial batch of returnees.

Myanmar has been trumpeting its readiness to take back refugees, who are massed across the border in Bangladesh

A Myanmar official in Rakhine state said today that Rohingya refugees who return will not be held in newly-built camps "forever," as concerns mount over a vexed repatriation process and efforts to reshape communities in the crisis-hit state. Ye Htut, the administrator of Maungdaw district, was speaking to reporters on a government-chaperoned trip to northern Rakhine, the site of a military crackdown last August that has emptied the region of some 700,000 Rohingya Muslims. Myanmar has been trumpeting its readiness to take back refugees, who are massed across the border in Bangladesh, and built reception centres and transit camps for returnees. But not a single Rohingya has crossed the border, with the United Nations sounding the alarm that Myanmar must do far more to ensure the safety of a minority that was targeted in an army-led campaign the UN branded "ethnic cleansing". Rights groups have also raised concerns about how Buddhist-majority Myanmar is reconstructing Rakhine in the Rohingyas' absence, with authorities bulldozing over their burned villages and building new settlements and security posts. An AFP reporter witnessed a flurry of construction in the region on Saturday, with work crews erecting prefabricated houses along a road leading to Maungdaw town. Speaking to reporters from his office, Ye Htut insisted that any Rohingya returnees would eventually be resettled close to their original villages after staying in transit camps. "I can't ask them to live (at the camps) forever...We don't have any vision or intention to keep them long," he said. The government "will return them back to their native villages or close by," he added. But a visit to one of the resettlement sites intended for Rohingya, whom a government official referred to only as Muslims, showed slow progress. Only three squat houses with concrete and brick foundations had been built in a field covered in churned up dirt and tread marks from heavy machinery. The site, which lies two hours north of Maungdaw town by car, was chosen for its proximity to the original village, which lay in charred ruins within view. Myint Khaing, Maungdaw township administrator, said about 100 families were supposed to live in the new site and that it would be completed in two months. Asked why its construction was not as far along as a settlement 30 minutes away intended for an internally displaced ethnic minority called the Mro, he suggested priority was given to communities that had not fled to Bangladesh. "They didn't run away," he said. Myanmar has vehemently denied accusations that is trying to erase the Rohingya's ties to Rakhine, insisting the army crackdown was a targeted assault on Muslim militants. But the UN and rights groups have pointed to the country's long history of marginalising and persecuting the Muslim minority, who are denied citizenship and loathed by the Buddhist majority. More than 100,000 are still languishing in a squalid refugee camp in southern Rakhine state after being displaced by communal violence in 2012. Yesterday the head of the UN's refugee agency, Filippo Grandi, said the conditions for the Rohingyas' safe return were not yet in place and that discussions with Myanmar on repatriation "have been pretty basic, not very frequent (and) not very advanced". Myanmar and Bangladesh signed a deal that was supposed to see repatriation begin in January. But Myanmar has so far agreed to accept only 374 of 8,000 refugees whose names have been put forward by Dhaka for the initial batch of returnees.

Rohingya returnees won't be kept in camps 'forever': Myanmar official

A quick agreement to return Rohingya refugees to Myanmar is looking less and less likely, the U.N. refugee chief said on Friday as he launched an almost $1 billion appeal to support the stateless Muslims in camps in Bangladesh for the rest of 2018.

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The United Nations says 671,000 Rohingya fled from Myanmar&#39;s Rakhine state after militant attacks in August sparked a crackdown led by security forces, which a U.N. investigator said bore &quot;the hallmarks of genocide&quot;.

Filippo Grandi, head of the U.N. refugee agency UNHCR, said the Rohingya must be allowed to return to their homes in Myanmar, but returns could only take place voluntarily and if their rights were guaranteed.

&ldquo;The odds are growing against a solution, an early solution anyway, but this is not a reason for me as High Commissioner for Refugees to give up on this issue,&rdquo; he told a news conference.

&quot;We are very mindful of the fact that this situation may take a long time, and therefore we need to plan for this.&quot;

Asked how long the Rohingya might stay in their camps in Bangladesh at the minimum, Grandi said: &ldquo;I wish I knew.&rdquo;

Last year he had visited another part of Myanmar where displaced people had been stuck in camps for six or seven years. He said the Rohingya could not be subjected to the same fate on a much larger scale.

Myint Thu, permanent secretary at Myanmar&#39;s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said on Wednesday that a first batch of 374 refugees could be repatriated.

He also said Myanmar now considered it was appropriate to invite UNHCR and the U.N. Development Programme into the repatriation process.

Grandi said he still did not have agreement for UNHCR&#39;s involvement, which he said was &quot;crucial, essential and indispensable&quot;.

&quot;The discussions with Myanmar have been pretty basic, not very frequent, not very advanced, but they have continued. This is the way it goes in this situation. It&rsquo;s very difficult,&rdquo; Grandi said.

The government does not recognise the Rohingya as citizens, and Grandi said their rights needed to be established, including citizenship, freedom of movement and access to services.

But first of all the violence had to stop. Although movements into Bangladesh have decreased massively since the flood late last year, they continue to come in smaller numbers, suggesting the situation has still not stabilised, he said.

He also said that other governments should only invest in development projects in Rakhine if they ensured it supported the presence of Rohingyas and did not perpetuate the situation.

Filippo Grandi, head of the UN refugee agency UNHCR, said the Rohingya must be allowed to return to their homes in Myanmar, but returns could only take place voluntarily and if their rights were guaranteed.

A quick agreement to return Rohingya refugees to Myanmar is looking less and less likely, the U.N. refugee chief said on Friday as he launched an almost $1 billion appeal to support the stateless Muslims in camps in Bangladesh for the rest of 2018. × The United Nations says 671,000 Rohingya fled from Myanmar's Rakhine state after militant attacks in August sparked a crackdown led by security forces, which a U.N. investigator said bore "the hallmarks of genocide". Filippo Grandi, head of the U.N. refugee agency UNHCR, said the Rohingya must be allowed to return to their homes in Myanmar, but returns could only take place voluntarily and if their rights were guaranteed. “The odds are growing against a solution, an early solution anyway, but this is not a reason for me as High Commissioner for Refugees to give up on this issue,” he told a news conference. "We are very mindful of the fact that this situation may take a long time, and therefore we need to plan for this." Asked how long the Rohingya might stay in their camps in Bangladesh at the minimum, Grandi said: “I wish I knew.” Last year he had visited another part of Myanmar where displaced people had been stuck in camps for six or seven years. He said the Rohingya could not be subjected to the same fate on a much larger scale. Myint Thu, permanent secretary at Myanmar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said on Wednesday that a first batch of 374 refugees could be repatriated. He also said Myanmar now considered it was appropriate to invite UNHCR and the U.N. Development Programme into the repatriation process. Grandi said he still did not have agreement for UNHCR's involvement, which he said was "crucial, essential and indispensable". "The discussions with Myanmar have been pretty basic, not very frequent, not very advanced, but they have continued. This is the way it goes in this situation. It’s very difficult,” Grandi said. The government does not recognise the Rohingya as citizens, and Grandi said their rights needed to be established, including citizenship, freedom of movement and access to services. But first of all the violence had to stop. Although movements into Bangladesh have decreased massively since the flood late last year, they continue to come in smaller numbers, suggesting the situation has still not stabilised, he said. He also said that other governments should only invest in development projects in Rakhine if they ensured it supported the presence of Rohingyas and did not perpetuate the situation.

UNHCR chief pessimistic on deal for Rohingya returns to Myanmar

Myanmar is building security installations on top of razed Rohingya villages, Amnesty International said Monday, casting doubt on the country&#39;s plans to repatriate hundreds of thousands of refugees.

Nearly 700,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled northern Rakhine state to Bangladesh since Myanmar launched a brutal crackdown on insurgents six months ago that the US and UN have called ethnic cleansing.

Myanmar rejects that accusation, saying it was responding to attacks by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army in late August.&nbsp;

But critics accuse the military of using the insurgent attacks to launch disproportionate, scorched-earth &quot;clearance operations&quot; as a pretext to push out the loathed minority.

The new Amnesty report, &quot;Remaking Rakhine State,&quot; uses satellite imagery and interviews to point to a rapid increase in military infrastructure and other construction since the start of the year that researchers say amounts to a &quot;land grab&quot;.

&quot;The new evidence and the rebuilding that Amnesty has documented in our latest research shows that the Myanmar authorities are building over the top of the very places the Rohingya need to return to,&quot; Tirana Hassan, Amnesty&#39;s crisis response director, told AFP ahead of the report&#39;s release on Monday.

&quot;In some instances there has been the destruction of existing homes.&quot;

Though admitting the images only paint a partial picture, the rights group says structures for security forces, helipads and even roads have been built in and around torched Rohingya properties.

Satellite imagery of one village called Kan Kya on the outskirts of Rakhine&#39;s Maungdaw town taken two months after the August attacks shows a settlement scarred by fire.

But by early March buildings could be seen on the revamped land. Amnesty believes they are part of a new base for security forces.&nbsp;

Similar building activity was also detected in Inn Din village, where Myanmar has admitted that its security forces took part in the killings of 10 Rohingya residents in September.&nbsp;

Rakhine state has been largely sealed off from rights groups, the media and UN investigators.

Myanmar and Bangladesh were supposed to start repatriating Rohingya refugees in late January but many are reluctant to return to a place without guarantees of basic rights and safety.

The report also highlights concerns that abandoned Rohingya land will be set aside for ethnic Rakhine Buddhists and other non-Muslim groups in the area, and that alterations to the landscape will erase evidence of alleged atrocities by the military.

Myanmar officials could not immediately be reached for comment.

Myanmar has denied claims it is covering up evidence, saying it is improving the standard of living in one of the poorest states in the country.

Myanmar rejects that accusation, saying it was responding to attacks by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army in late August

Myanmar is building security installations on top of razed Rohingya villages, Amnesty International said Monday, casting doubt on the country's plans to repatriate hundreds of thousands of refugees. Nearly 700,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled northern Rakhine state to Bangladesh since Myanmar launched a brutal crackdown on insurgents six months ago that the US and UN have called ethnic cleansing. Myanmar rejects that accusation, saying it was responding to attacks by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army in late August. But critics accuse the military of using the insurgent attacks to launch disproportionate, scorched-earth "clearance operations" as a pretext to push out the loathed minority. The new Amnesty report, "Remaking Rakhine State," uses satellite imagery and interviews to point to a rapid increase in military infrastructure and other construction since the start of the year that researchers say amounts to a "land grab". "The new evidence and the rebuilding that Amnesty has documented in our latest research shows that the Myanmar authorities are building over the top of the very places the Rohingya need to return to," Tirana Hassan, Amnesty's crisis response director, told AFP ahead of the report's release on Monday. "In some instances there has been the destruction of existing homes." Though admitting the images only paint a partial picture, the rights group says structures for security forces, helipads and even roads have been built in and around torched Rohingya properties. Satellite imagery of one village called Kan Kya on the outskirts of Rakhine's Maungdaw town taken two months after the August attacks shows a settlement scarred by fire. But by early March buildings could be seen on the revamped land. Amnesty believes they are part of a new base for security forces. Similar building activity was also detected in Inn Din village, where Myanmar has admitted that its security forces took part in the killings of 10 Rohingya residents in September. Rakhine state has been largely sealed off from rights groups, the media and UN investigators. Myanmar and Bangladesh were supposed to start repatriating Rohingya refugees in late January but many are reluctant to return to a place without guarantees of basic rights and safety. The report also highlights concerns that abandoned Rohingya land will be set aside for ethnic Rakhine Buddhists and other non-Muslim groups in the area, and that alterations to the landscape will erase evidence of alleged atrocities by the military. Myanmar officials could not immediately be reached for comment. Myanmar has denied claims it is covering up evidence, saying it is improving the standard of living in one of the poorest states in the country.

Myanmar erects security structures atop burned Rohingya land: Amnesty

Myanmar is allegedly building military bases on the top of razed Rohingya villages, where the Rohingyas once lived before their persecution by the country&#39;s security forces in August last year.

The development has raised questions over the safety of hundreds of thousands of persecuted Rohingyas due to be repatriated from neighbouring Bangladesh to Myanmar.

According to detailed satellite images published by Amnesty International on Monday, it appeared to show &quot;new security infrastructure&quot; replacing the burnt homes of the refugees, after Myanmarese forces launched a brutal campaign against the Rohingyas, which the United Nations has described the violence as &quot;ethnic cleansing&quot;.

Tirana Hassan, Amnesty&#39;s crisis response director, said, &quot;The remaking of Rakhine State (in Myanmar) is taking place in a shroud of secrecy. The authorities cannot be allowed to continue their campaign of ethnic cleansing in the name of &#39;development&#39;.&quot;

Amnesty&#39;s analysis of new satellite imagery appears to prove that at least three new security bases have been built in Rakhine since January, while more were found to be under construction, The Telegraph reported.

Hassan added, &quot;What we are seeing is a land grab by the military on a dramatic scale. New bases are being erected to house the very same security forces that have committed crimes against humanity against Rohingyas.&quot;

The images also show new refugee reception centres surrounded by the new security fences and a heavy presence of military forces, raising concerns that Myanmar is preparing to restrict the freedom of the Rohingya refugees returning home to safety.

In January, Bangladesh and Myanmar have agreed on a two-year timeframe for the repatriation of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees.

An estimated 7,00,000 Rohingyas have fled the country in an attempt to escape the atrocities committed by Myanmar&#39;s military forces against the minority community.

The process, which was supposed to start from January 22 was delayed as some critics of the deal voiced concerns over the lack of security guarantees for those who would return.

Despite the ongoing preparations for repatriation, more than 2,500 Rohingyas have crossed into Bangladesh this year.

According to Bangladesh government&#39;s statistics, an average of 75 Rohingya refugees fled their villages in Myanmar every day between January 1 and February 15.

Rohingyas are a Muslim minority ethnic group in Myanmar. They have been regarded by many majority Buddhists as illegal migrants from Bangladesh.

There are more than 3,00,000 Rohingyas living in Bangladesh, who fled in earlier waves of violence from Myanmar since the last three decades.

Hassan added, "What we are seeing is a land grab by the military on a dramatic scale. New bases are being erected to house the very same security forces that have committed crimes against humanity against Rohingyas."

Myanmar is allegedly building military bases on the top of razed Rohingya villages, where the Rohingyas once lived before their persecution by the country's security forces in August last year. The development has raised questions over the safety of hundreds of thousands of persecuted Rohingyas due to be repatriated from neighbouring Bangladesh to Myanmar. According to detailed satellite images published by Amnesty International on Monday, it appeared to show "new security infrastructure" replacing the burnt homes of the refugees, after Myanmarese forces launched a brutal campaign against the Rohingyas, which the United Nations has described the violence as "ethnic cleansing". Tirana Hassan, Amnesty's crisis response director, said, "The remaking of Rakhine State (in Myanmar) is taking place in a shroud of secrecy. The authorities cannot be allowed to continue their campaign of ethnic cleansing in the name of 'development'." Amnesty's analysis of new satellite imagery appears to prove that at least three new security bases have been built in Rakhine since January, while more were found to be under construction, The Telegraph reported. Hassan added, "What we are seeing is a land grab by the military on a dramatic scale. New bases are being erected to house the very same security forces that have committed crimes against humanity against Rohingyas." The images also show new refugee reception centres surrounded by the new security fences and a heavy presence of military forces, raising concerns that Myanmar is preparing to restrict the freedom of the Rohingya refugees returning home to safety. In January, Bangladesh and Myanmar have agreed on a two-year timeframe for the repatriation of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees. An estimated 7,00,000 Rohingyas have fled the country in an attempt to escape the atrocities committed by Myanmar's military forces against the minority community. The process, which was supposed to start from January 22 was delayed as some critics of the deal voiced concerns over the lack of security guarantees for those who would return. Despite the ongoing preparations for repatriation, more than 2,500 Rohingyas have crossed into Bangladesh this year. According to Bangladesh government's statistics, an average of 75 Rohingya refugees fled their villages in Myanmar every day between January 1 and February 15. Rohingyas are a Muslim minority ethnic group in Myanmar. They have been regarded by many majority Buddhists as illegal migrants from Bangladesh. There are more than 3,00,000 Rohingyas living in Bangladesh, who fled in earlier waves of violence from Myanmar since the last three decades.

Myanmar building military bases in burnt Rohingya villages

UN officials said Sunday that nearly $1 billion will be needed this year to feed and care for the roughly one million Rohingya refugees living in overcrowded camps in southeastern Bangladesh.

The $950 million for this year&#39;s aid effort was &quot;a very legitimate and valid&quot; request given the magnitude of the crisis, the UN resident coordinator in Bangladesh said.

&quot;It&#39;s a new and evolving crisis. The needs are huge. These people came with nothing. We hope the support will continue,&quot; the UN country head Mia Seppo told AFP.

The funding request could be raised this week at a UN conference in Geneva.

In October, nations pledged $345 million in response to the Rohingya crisis. The UN said at the time it needed $434 million to care for the displaced Muslims until February.

Food, shelter and healthcare remain pressing needs for the Rohingya, who fled a Myanmar army crackdown in Rakhine state en masse over the past six months.

But there are other urgent considerations. As the monsoon season nears, aid groups need to relocate an estimated 100,000 refugees living in areas prone to landslides and floods, Seppo said.

The UN-backed Inter Sector Coordination Group has also factored into the relief budget the cost of mass vaccination drives against diseases like cholera, diphtheria and measles, the group&#39;s head Sumbul Rizvi said.

Bangladesh and Myanmar agreed in November to begin repatriating Rohingya who volunteered to return to Rakhine state where the persecuted Muslim minority have lived for generations.

But the process has stalled and it is not clear when it will begin, said Bangladesh&#39;s refugee commissioner Mohammad Abul Kalam.

A quarter of the proposed $950 million funding for the remainder of the year would go to Bangladeshis living in Cox&#39;s Bazar whose lives have been upended by the massive refugee influx.

Nearly 700,000 Rohingya Muslims have crossed the border since August, clearing forests and camping on hillsides already crowded with more than 300,000 refugees from previous waves of migration.

Prices for local goods have skyrocketed and competition for jobs and resources intensified in the largely-rural border district, said Kalam.

&quot;We will try to compensate these farmers,&quot; he said.

Separately, police in Cox&#39;s Bazar briefly detained 39 foreign aid workers Sunday for questioning over alleged visa violations.

Afrujul Haq Tutul, the deputy police chief of Cox&#39;s Bazar, said the aid staff had been working on tourist visas, but were later released.

UN officials said that nearly $1 billion will be needed this year to feed and care for the roughly one million Rohingya refugees living in overcrowded camps in southeastern Bangladesh

UN officials said Sunday that nearly $1 billion will be needed this year to feed and care for the roughly one million Rohingya refugees living in overcrowded camps in southeastern Bangladesh. The $950 million for this year's aid effort was "a very legitimate and valid" request given the magnitude of the crisis, the UN resident coordinator in Bangladesh said. "It's a new and evolving crisis. The needs are huge. These people came with nothing. We hope the support will continue," the UN country head Mia Seppo told AFP. The funding request could be raised this week at a UN conference in Geneva. In October, nations pledged $345 million in response to the Rohingya crisis. The UN said at the time it needed $434 million to care for the displaced Muslims until February. Food, shelter and healthcare remain pressing needs for the Rohingya, who fled a Myanmar army crackdown in Rakhine state en masse over the past six months. But there are other urgent considerations. As the monsoon season nears, aid groups need to relocate an estimated 100,000 refugees living in areas prone to landslides and floods, Seppo said. The UN-backed Inter Sector Coordination Group has also factored into the relief budget the cost of mass vaccination drives against diseases like cholera, diphtheria and measles, the group's head Sumbul Rizvi said. Bangladesh and Myanmar agreed in November to begin repatriating Rohingya who volunteered to return to Rakhine state where the persecuted Muslim minority have lived for generations. But the process has stalled and it is not clear when it will begin, said Bangladesh's refugee commissioner Mohammad Abul Kalam. A quarter of the proposed $950 million funding for the remainder of the year would go to Bangladeshis living in Cox's Bazar whose lives have been upended by the massive refugee influx. Nearly 700,000 Rohingya Muslims have crossed the border since August, clearing forests and camping on hillsides already crowded with more than 300,000 refugees from previous waves of migration. Prices for local goods have skyrocketed and competition for jobs and resources intensified in the largely-rural border district, said Kalam. "We will try to compensate these farmers," he said. Separately, police in Cox's Bazar briefly detained 39 foreign aid workers Sunday for questioning over alleged visa violations. Afrujul Haq Tutul, the deputy police chief of Cox's Bazar, said the aid staff had been working on tourist visas, but were later released.

UN to seek $1billion for Rohingya refugee effort in Bangladesh

An ultra-nationalist Myanmar monk was released from prison on Friday after serving time for inciting unrest in an anti-Rohingya protest in 2016, a rare punishment handed to one of the country`s hardline Buddhist clergymen.

Parmaukkha, who was handed a three-month jail term, has helped peddle a fiery brand of Buddhist nationalism and Islamophobia in Myanmar, a country accused of waging an ethnic cleansing campaign against Rohingya Muslims.&nbsp;

The monk was arrested in November over a rally he held outside the US Embassy in Yangon in April 2016 to protest against America`s use of the word &quot;Rohingya&quot;.&nbsp;

The Buddhist-majority nation refuses to recognise the Rohingya as citizens, referring pejoratively to the community as &quot;Bengalis&quot; and insisting they are illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.

On Friday several dozen supporters cheered and scattered petals in front of Parmaukkha as he walked out of Yangon`s notorious Insein prison at dawn before heading to pray at the city`s iconic Shwedagon Pagoda.

&quot;He has work to do...I love everything he does for religion and the nation,&quot; said Aye Lay, a 32-year-old supporter.

Anti-Muslim hate speech has been brewing in Myanmar for several years, often spilling over into bouts of bloodshed.

Religious hatred has surged in the wake of a ruthless military crackdown that has compelled 700,000 Rohingya to flee the country since August.&nbsp;

The UN says the campaign amounts to ethnic cleansing and possible genocide.

But many in the Buddhist majority support the crackdown, which the army says was needed to crush a Rohingya militant uprising.&nbsp;

Over the past year, religious authorities have taken some steps to curb the influence of ultra-nationalist monks like Parmaukkha.

His release on Friday coincides with the end of a year-long public speaking ban on Wirathu - another firebrand monk known as the face of Myanmar`s Buddhist nationalist movement.&nbsp;

Wirathu, once dubbed the &quot;Buddhist Bin Laden&quot;, was barred from giving public sermons last year by a council of senior monks who said he had &quot;repeatedly delivered hate speech against religions to cause communal strife.&quot;

The monk was also recently kicked off Facebook, where he had amassed a huge following with incendiary anti-Muslim posts.

The social media giant said it took down his page in January in accordance with a policy that prohibits &quot;people dedicated to promoting hatred and violence against others&quot;.

He was arrested in November over a rally he held outside the US Embassy in Yangon in April 2016 to protest against America`s use of the word "Rohingya"

An ultra-nationalist Myanmar monk was released from prison on Friday after serving time for inciting unrest in an anti-Rohingya protest in 2016, a rare punishment handed to one of the country`s hardline Buddhist clergymen. Parmaukkha, who was handed a three-month jail term, has helped peddle a fiery brand of Buddhist nationalism and Islamophobia in Myanmar, a country accused of waging an ethnic cleansing campaign against Rohingya Muslims. The monk was arrested in November over a rally he held outside the US Embassy in Yangon in April 2016 to protest against America`s use of the word "Rohingya". The Buddhist-majority nation refuses to recognise the Rohingya as citizens, referring pejoratively to the community as "Bengalis" and insisting they are illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. On Friday several dozen supporters cheered and scattered petals in front of Parmaukkha as he walked out of Yangon`s notorious Insein prison at dawn before heading to pray at the city`s iconic Shwedagon Pagoda. "He has work to do...I love everything he does for religion and the nation," said Aye Lay, a 32-year-old supporter. Anti-Muslim hate speech has been brewing in Myanmar for several years, often spilling over into bouts of bloodshed. Religious hatred has surged in the wake of a ruthless military crackdown that has compelled 700,000 Rohingya to flee the country since August. The UN says the campaign amounts to ethnic cleansing and possible genocide. But many in the Buddhist majority support the crackdown, which the army says was needed to crush a Rohingya militant uprising. Over the past year, religious authorities have taken some steps to curb the influence of ultra-nationalist monks like Parmaukkha. His release on Friday coincides with the end of a year-long public speaking ban on Wirathu - another firebrand monk known as the face of Myanmar`s Buddhist nationalist movement. Wirathu, once dubbed the "Buddhist Bin Laden", was barred from giving public sermons last year by a council of senior monks who said he had "repeatedly delivered hate speech against religions to cause communal strife." The monk was also recently kicked off Facebook, where he had amassed a huge following with incendiary anti-Muslim posts. The social media giant said it took down his page in January in accordance with a policy that prohibits "people dedicated to promoting hatred and violence against others".

Ultra-nationalist Myanmar monk walks free from prison

Myanmar wants to see clear evidence to support accusations that ethnic cleansing or genocide has been perpetrated against its Muslim minority in Rakhine state, National Security Adviser Thaung Tun said on Thursday.

&quot;The vast majority of the Muslim community that was living in Rakhine remain,&quot; he told reporters in Geneva. &quot;If it was a genocide, they would all be driven out.&rdquo;

Nearly 700,000 Rohingya have fled Rakhine into neighbouring Bangladesh since insurgent attacks sparked a security crackdown in August, joining 200,000 refugees from a previous exodus.

On Wednesday, UN&nbsp;human rights chief Zeid Ra&#39;ad al-Hussein said he strongly suspected &quot;acts of genocide&quot;, while Myanmar&#39;s military published a lengthy response to widespread allegations over its campaign in Rakhine, saying its investigations had cleared troops of almost all alleged abuses.

Zeid told the UN&nbsp;Human Rights Council that reports of bulldozing of alleged mass graves were a &quot;deliberate attempt by the authorities to destroy evidence of potential international crimes, including possible crimes against humanity&quot;.

Thaung Tun said charges of ethnic cleansing and genocide were very serious and should not be bandied about lightly.

&quot;We have often heard many accusations that there is ethnic cleansing or even genocide in Myanmar. And I&rsquo;ve said it before and I&rsquo;ll say it again &ndash; it is not the policy of the government, and this we can assure you. Although there are accusations, we would like to have clear evidence,&quot; he said.

&quot;We should look into that before making a pronouncement on whether there is ethnic cleansing or genocide.&quot;

Myanmar has not allowed UN&nbsp;investigators into the country to investigate. A U.N. fact-finding mission is due to report on Monday on its initial findings, based on interviews with victims and survivors in Bangladesh and other countries.

Thaung Tun added that Myanmar was willing to accept back people who had fled and provide safety and dignity for them, showing that it did not want them out of the country, and that only a minority of Rakhine&#39;s population of 3 million had left.

He said the Muslims who fled largely did so because the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) armed group had sowed fear. He accused ARSA of having forced villagers to join their attacks on the security forces and had insisted on a scorched earth policy, burning villages in retreat.

Rohingya trace their presence in Rakhine back centuries. But most people in majority-Buddhist Myanmar consider them to be unwanted Muslim immigrants from Bangladesh. The army refers to the Rohingya as &quot;Bengalis,&quot; and most lack citizenship.

Thaung Tun said former residents would be welcomed back if they were willing to &quot;participate in the life of the nation&quot;, for example by learning the Burmese language.

&quot;Those who want to become citizens of Myanmar, we are happy to welcome them, but they have to go through a process. There cannot be automatic citizenship,&quot; he said.

On Wednesday, UN human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein said he strongly suspected 'acts of genocide'

Myanmar wants to see clear evidence to support accusations that ethnic cleansing or genocide has been perpetrated against its Muslim minority in Rakhine state, National Security Adviser Thaung Tun said on Thursday. "The vast majority of the Muslim community that was living in Rakhine remain," he told reporters in Geneva. "If it was a genocide, they would all be driven out.” Nearly 700,000 Rohingya have fled Rakhine into neighbouring Bangladesh since insurgent attacks sparked a security crackdown in August, joining 200,000 refugees from a previous exodus. On Wednesday, UN human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein said he strongly suspected "acts of genocide", while Myanmar's military published a lengthy response to widespread allegations over its campaign in Rakhine, saying its investigations had cleared troops of almost all alleged abuses. Zeid told the UN Human Rights Council that reports of bulldozing of alleged mass graves were a "deliberate attempt by the authorities to destroy evidence of potential international crimes, including possible crimes against humanity". Thaung Tun said charges of ethnic cleansing and genocide were very serious and should not be bandied about lightly. "We have often heard many accusations that there is ethnic cleansing or even genocide in Myanmar. And I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – it is not the policy of the government, and this we can assure you. Although there are accusations, we would like to have clear evidence," he said. "We should look into that before making a pronouncement on whether there is ethnic cleansing or genocide." Myanmar has not allowed UN investigators into the country to investigate. A U.N. fact-finding mission is due to report on Monday on its initial findings, based on interviews with victims and survivors in Bangladesh and other countries. Thaung Tun added that Myanmar was willing to accept back people who had fled and provide safety and dignity for them, showing that it did not want them out of the country, and that only a minority of Rakhine's population of 3 million had left. He said the Muslims who fled largely did so because the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) armed group had sowed fear. He accused ARSA of having forced villagers to join their attacks on the security forces and had insisted on a scorched earth policy, burning villages in retreat. Rohingya trace their presence in Rakhine back centuries. But most people in majority-Buddhist Myanmar consider them to be unwanted Muslim immigrants from Bangladesh. The army refers to the Rohingya as "Bengalis," and most lack citizenship. Thaung Tun said former residents would be welcomed back if they were willing to "participate in the life of the nation", for example by learning the Burmese language. "Those who want to become citizens of Myanmar, we are happy to welcome them, but they have to go through a process. There cannot be automatic citizenship," he said.

Myanmar says it would like to see 'clear evidence' of genocide

A senior Bangladesh cabinet minister has accused Myanmar of obstructing efforts to repatriate roughly 750,000 Rohingya refugees, saying it was unlikely the displaced Muslims would ever return to their homeland.

Finance minister AMA Muhith said the repatriation deal signed between Myanmar and Bangladesh in November would likely fail despite his government&#39;s official stance that the refugees must eventually go back.

&quot;I do not believe that the Rohingya can be sent back,&quot; Muhith, an outspoken minister from the ruling party, told reporters late Tuesday in Dhaka after meeting with a British charity.

&quot;You can speculate that very few will return to Burma. The first reason is that Burma will only take a few and secondly is that the refugees will never return if they fear persecution,&quot; he added, using another name for Myanmar.

Bangladesh insists the repatriation process will go ahead, last month submitting to Myanmar the names of 8,000 refugees expected to return to Rakhine state where the Muslim minority has been persecuted for generations.

But the plan has courted controversy from the outset.

Rights groups and the UN have warned that conditions for their return are not close to being in place.

Refugees living in camps in southeastern Bangladesh have also resisted the idea, fearing they will not be safe if they return to Rakhine.

Close to one million refugees from the persecuted Muslim minority live in squalid camps in Cox&#39;s Bazar, having fled successive waves of violence in Myanmar&#39;s westernmost region.

Under the agreement, the first of a proposed 750,000 returnees were scheduled to begin crossing the border in late January.

But the process stalled, with Myanmar and Bangladesh blaming the other for a lack of preparedness for the huge undertaking.

Muhith said Myanmar would &quot;take 15 a day when there is one million&quot;, referring to the Rohingya in camps strung along the border.

&quot;They (Myanmar) are absolute evil,&quot; he added.

A UN human rights envoy said on Tuesday that Myanmar was continuing its &quot;ethnic cleansing&quot; of the Rohingya with a &quot;campaign of terror and forced starvation&quot; in Rakhine state.

Rohingya are still streaming across the border from Rakhine state more than six months after a Myanmar army crackdown sparked a massive refugee crisis.&nbsp;

"I do not believe that the Rohingya can be sent back," Muhith

A senior Bangladesh cabinet minister has accused Myanmar of obstructing efforts to repatriate roughly 750,000 Rohingya refugees, saying it was unlikely the displaced Muslims would ever return to their homeland. Finance minister AMA Muhith said the repatriation deal signed between Myanmar and Bangladesh in November would likely fail despite his government's official stance that the refugees must eventually go back. "I do not believe that the Rohingya can be sent back," Muhith, an outspoken minister from the ruling party, told reporters late Tuesday in Dhaka after meeting with a British charity. "You can speculate that very few will return to Burma. The first reason is that Burma will only take a few and secondly is that the refugees will never return if they fear persecution," he added, using another name for Myanmar. Bangladesh insists the repatriation process will go ahead, last month submitting to Myanmar the names of 8,000 refugees expected to return to Rakhine state where the Muslim minority has been persecuted for generations. But the plan has courted controversy from the outset. Rights groups and the UN have warned that conditions for their return are not close to being in place. Refugees living in camps in southeastern Bangladesh have also resisted the idea, fearing they will not be safe if they return to Rakhine. Close to one million refugees from the persecuted Muslim minority live in squalid camps in Cox's Bazar, having fled successive waves of violence in Myanmar's westernmost region. Under the agreement, the first of a proposed 750,000 returnees were scheduled to begin crossing the border in late January. But the process stalled, with Myanmar and Bangladesh blaming the other for a lack of preparedness for the huge undertaking. Muhith said Myanmar would "take 15 a day when there is one million", referring to the Rohingya in camps strung along the border. "They (Myanmar) are absolute evil," he added. A UN human rights envoy said on Tuesday that Myanmar was continuing its "ethnic cleansing" of the Rohingya with a "campaign of terror and forced starvation" in Rakhine state. Rohingya are still streaming across the border from Rakhine state more than six months after a Myanmar army crackdown sparked a massive refugee crisis.

Bangladesh minister says Rohingya repatriation unlikely to succeed

UN Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights Andrew Gilmour said that Myanmar&#39;s &#39;ethnic cleansing&#39; continues. Gilmour&#39;s comments came after a four-day visit to refugee camps in Cox&#39;s Bazar, Bangladesh on Tuesday.&nbsp;

&quot;The ethnic cleansing of Rohingya from Myanmar continues. I don&#39;t think we can draw any other conclusion from what I have seen and heard in Cox&#39;s Bazar,&quot; Gilmour said.&nbsp;

&quot;It appears that widespread and systematic violence against the Rohingya persists,&quot; Gilmour added in a statement.

&quot;The nature of the violence has changed from the frenzied blood-letting and mass rape of last year to a lower intensity campaign of terror and forced starvation that seems to be designed to drive the remaining Rohingya from their homes and into Bangladesh.&quot;&nbsp;

Insurgent attacks in Myanmar, carried out almost six months back, sparked a security response that has driven nearly 700,000 people into Bangladesh.

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

Insurgent attacks in Myanmar, carried out almost six months back, sparked a security response that has driven nearly 700,000 people into Bangladesh

UN Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights Andrew Gilmour said that Myanmar's 'ethnic cleansing' continues. Gilmour's comments came after a four-day visit to refugee camps in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh on Tuesday. "The ethnic cleansing of Rohingya from Myanmar continues. I don't think we can draw any other conclusion from what I have seen and heard in Cox's Bazar," Gilmour said. "It appears that widespread and systematic violence against the Rohingya persists," Gilmour added in a statement. "The nature of the violence has changed from the frenzied blood-letting and mass rape of last year to a lower intensity campaign of terror and forced starvation that seems to be designed to drive the remaining Rohingya from their homes and into Bangladesh." Insurgent attacks in Myanmar, carried out almost six months back, sparked a security response that has driven nearly 700,000 people into Bangladesh. (With inputs from agencies)

Myanmar's 'ethnic cleansing' of Rohingya continues: UN human rights official

Myanmar`s &quot;ethnic cleansing&quot; of Rohingya Muslims is continuing, a senior UN human rights official said on Tuesday, more than six months after insurgent attacks sparked a security response that has driven nearly 700,000 people into Bangladesh.

Andrew Gilmour, the UN assistant secretary-general for human rights, made the comment after a four-day visit to the Cox`s Bazar district in neighboring Bangladesh, where he met people who have fled from Myanmar recently.

&quot;I don`t think we can draw any other conclusion from what I have seen and heard in Cox`s Bazar,&quot; Gilmour said in a statement.&nbsp;

After Rohingya insurgents attacked 30 police posts and an army base on August 25, Myanmar soldiers and police swept through villages in what the government says was a legitimate operation to root out &quot;terrorists&quot;.

Rohingya who sought shelter in Bangladesh have reported rape, killings, and arson by security forces. The United Nations and the United States have concluded the campaign amounted to ethnic cleansing.

Gilmour spoke to refugees who recounted abductions by security forces and at least one apparent death of a Rohingya man in custody in February, the statement said.

&quot;It appears that widespread and systematic violence against the Rohingya persists,&quot; Gilmour said.

&quot;The nature of the violence has changed from the frenzied blood-letting and mass rape of last year to a lower intensity campaign of terror and forced starvation that seems to be designed to drive the remaining Rohingya from their homes and into Bangladesh.&quot;&nbsp;

Despite Myanmar saying it was ready to accept back refugees under a pact signed with Bangladesh in November, he added, &quot;Safe, dignified and sustainable returns are, of course, impossible under current conditions&quot;.

Myanmar government spokesman Zaw Htay said he had not seen the UN statement published on Tuesday, but that Myanmar was not committing ethnic cleansing.

&quot;We don`t drive out the refugees,&quot; he said.

Separately, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said it was concerned about people living just inside Myanmar at its border with Bangladesh.

The office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is monitoring developments after several thousand people living in a makeshift camp &quot;were reportedly ordered to vacate the area by the Myanmar authorities&quot;, the agency said.

Residents of what is called &quot;no-man`s land&quot;, as it sits outside Myanmar`s border fence but on its side of a creek that separates the two countries, say Myanmar officials have warned them on loudspeakers that their presence on the borderline is illegal.

&quot;UNHCR underscores that everyone has the right to seek asylum, just as they also have the right to return home when they deem the time and circumstances right,&quot; it said in a statement late on Monday.

&quot;People who have fled violence in their country must be granted safety and protection and any decision to return must be voluntary and based upon a free and informed choice.&quot;

Zaw Htay said Myanmar had the right to move people from its territory and part of an agreed &quot;buffer zone&quot; with Bangladesh. Authorities had received information that &quot;terrorists&quot; linked to the August attacks on Myanmar`s security posts were sheltering there, he added.

&quot;According to procedure security forces have to clear the area for security reasons,&quot; he said.

Zaw Htay said he believed the people were staying on the border to &quot;trap&quot; Myanmar into conducting a &quot;clearance operation&quot;, which he said media and the United Nations would label as ethnic cleansing.

Bangladesh last week protested to Myanmar`s ambassador in Dhaka after Myanmar security personnel, estimated to number more than 200, gathered near the border.

&quot;Troop movements so close to them are making things even worse,&quot; said Major Iqbal Ahmed of Bangladesh`s border guard. &quot;They are now ev en more reluctant to go back to their homeland.&quot;

Myanmar`s "ethnic cleansing" of Rohingya Muslims is continuing, a senior UN human rights official said on Tuesday, more than six months after insurgent attacks sparked a security response that has driven nearly 700,000 people into Bangladesh

Myanmar`s "ethnic cleansing" of Rohingya Muslims is continuing, a senior UN human rights official said on Tuesday, more than six months after insurgent attacks sparked a security response that has driven nearly 700,000 people into Bangladesh. Andrew Gilmour, the UN assistant secretary-general for human rights, made the comment after a four-day visit to the Cox`s Bazar district in neighboring Bangladesh, where he met people who have fled from Myanmar recently. "I don`t think we can draw any other conclusion from what I have seen and heard in Cox`s Bazar," Gilmour said in a statement. After Rohingya insurgents attacked 30 police posts and an army base on August 25, Myanmar soldiers and police swept through villages in what the government says was a legitimate operation to root out "terrorists". Rohingya who sought shelter in Bangladesh have reported rape, killings, and arson by security forces. The United Nations and the United States have concluded the campaign amounted to ethnic cleansing. Gilmour spoke to refugees who recounted abductions by security forces and at least one apparent death of a Rohingya man in custody in February, the statement said. "It appears that widespread and systematic violence against the Rohingya persists," Gilmour said. "The nature of the violence has changed from the frenzied blood-letting and mass rape of last year to a lower intensity campaign of terror and forced starvation that seems to be designed to drive the remaining Rohingya from their homes and into Bangladesh." Despite Myanmar saying it was ready to accept back refugees under a pact signed with Bangladesh in November, he added, "Safe, dignified and sustainable returns are, of course, impossible under current conditions". Myanmar government spokesman Zaw Htay said he had not seen the UN statement published on Tuesday, but that Myanmar was not committing ethnic cleansing. "We don`t drive out the refugees," he said. Separately, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said it was concerned about people living just inside Myanmar at its border with Bangladesh. The office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is monitoring developments after several thousand people living in a makeshift camp "were reportedly ordered to vacate the area by the Myanmar authorities", the agency said. Residents of what is called "no-man`s land", as it sits outside Myanmar`s border fence but on its side of a creek that separates the two countries, say Myanmar officials have warned them on loudspeakers that their presence on the borderline is illegal. "UNHCR underscores that everyone has the right to seek asylum, just as they also have the right to return home when they deem the time and circumstances right," it said in a statement late on Monday. "People who have fled violence in their country must be granted safety and protection and any decision to return must be voluntary and based upon a free and informed choice." Zaw Htay said Myanmar had the right to move people from its territory and part of an agreed "buffer zone" with Bangladesh. Authorities had received information that "terrorists" linked to the August attacks on Myanmar`s security posts were sheltering there, he added. "According to procedure security forces have to clear the area for security reasons," he said. Zaw Htay said he believed the people were staying on the border to "trap" Myanmar into conducting a "clearance operation", which he said media and the United Nations would label as ethnic cleansing. Bangladesh last week protested to Myanmar`s ambassador in Dhaka after Myanmar security personnel, estimated to number more than 200, gathered near the border. "Troop movements so close to them are making things even worse," said Major Iqbal Ahmed of Bangladesh`s border guard. "They are now ev en more reluctant to go back to their homeland."

Myanmar's 'ethnic cleansing' of Rohingya continues, UN rights official says

Satellite imagery shows Myanmar authorities have bulldozed at least 55 Rohingya villages in northern Rakhine in recent months, Human Rights Watch said Friday, condemning the government for erasing evidence at sites where troops are accused of atrocities.

Northern Rakhine has been nearly emptied of its Rohingya population since last August, when a military crackdown drove some 700,000 of the persecuted group across the border to Bangladesh.&nbsp;

The UN has accused Myanmar of waging an ethnic cleansing campaign against the Muslim minority, who face acute discrimination in the mainly Buddhist nation.

Myanmar denies the charge but has blocked UN investigators from investigating an area where thousands of Rohingya are believed to have been killed.&nbsp;

Hundreds of Rohingya villages were already damaged by fire during the initial months of violence last year, when soldiers and Buddhist vigilantes terrorised communities with arson, gunfire and rape, according to refugees.&nbsp;

Since November Myanmar authorities have further demolished at least 55 villages with heavy machinery, clearing out all structures and vegetation, satellite images obtained by Human Rights Watch showed.

At least two of the flattened villages were previously undamaged by fires, the watchdog said.

&quot;Many of these villages were scenes of atrocities against Rohingya and should be preserved so that the experts appointed by the UN to document these abuses can properly evaluate the evidence to identify those responsible,&quot; said HRW&#39;s Asia director Brad Adams.

&quot;Bulldozing these areas threatens to erase both the memory and the legal claims of the Rohingya who lived there,&quot; he added.

Myanmar&#39;s government spokesman could not be reached for comment. Haunting images of levelled villages first circulated on social media earlier this month after they were posted by an EU diplomat.

At the time Myanmar&#39;s Social Welfare Minister Win Myat Aye told AFP the demolition was part of a plan to &quot;build back&quot; villages to a higher standard than before.

Myanmar has trumpeted a government effort to rebuild violence-gutted Rakhine and welcome back refugees under a repatriation agreement with Dhaka that was supposed to commence in January.

But many Rohingya refuse to return without the guarantee of basic rights and safety.

Analysts have also sounded the alarm over the government&#39;s rehabilitation projects, calling the sweeping destruction of villages, mosques and property only the latest move to erase the Rohingya&#39;s ties to their ancestral lands, and prevent them returning.

On Thursday UN agencies said they had struck a partnership with Myanmar and Japan governments to provide $20 million for humanitarian and development projects in Rakhine state, where authorities have restricted access for aid groups since the crisis.

Food and other assistance would be provided to &quot;people of all communities in Rakhine state,&quot; the UN agencies said in a statement, adding that access had improved but remained restricted in some areas.

The 1.1-million strong Rohingya have been systematically stripped of their legal rights in Myanmar in recent decades.

They have also been targeted by bouts of communal violence with ethnic Rakhine Buddhist neighbours and corralled into grim displacement camps in other parts of the state.

Myanmar&#39;s army says its August crackdown was a proportionate counterstrike against Rohingya rebels who attacked police posts in late August, killing around a dozen officials.&nbsp;

Many in the Buddhist majority revile the Rohingya and brand the group as foreign interlopers, despite their having lived in Rakhine for generations.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Northern Rakhine has been nearly emptied of its Rohingya population since last August

Satellite imagery shows Myanmar authorities have bulldozed at least 55 Rohingya villages in northern Rakhine in recent months, Human Rights Watch said Friday, condemning the government for erasing evidence at sites where troops are accused of atrocities. Northern Rakhine has been nearly emptied of its Rohingya population since last August, when a military crackdown drove some 700,000 of the persecuted group across the border to Bangladesh. The UN has accused Myanmar of waging an ethnic cleansing campaign against the Muslim minority, who face acute discrimination in the mainly Buddhist nation. Myanmar denies the charge but has blocked UN investigators from investigating an area where thousands of Rohingya are believed to have been killed. Hundreds of Rohingya villages were already damaged by fire during the initial months of violence last year, when soldiers and Buddhist vigilantes terrorised communities with arson, gunfire and rape, according to refugees. Since November Myanmar authorities have further demolished at least 55 villages with heavy machinery, clearing out all structures and vegetation, satellite images obtained by Human Rights Watch showed. At least two of the flattened villages were previously undamaged by fires, the watchdog said. "Many of these villages were scenes of atrocities against Rohingya and should be preserved so that the experts appointed by the UN to document these abuses can properly evaluate the evidence to identify those responsible," said HRW's Asia director Brad Adams. "Bulldozing these areas threatens to erase both the memory and the legal claims of the Rohingya who lived there," he added. Myanmar's government spokesman could not be reached for comment. Haunting images of levelled villages first circulated on social media earlier this month after they were posted by an EU diplomat. At the time Myanmar's Social Welfare Minister Win Myat Aye told AFP the demolition was part of a plan to "build back" villages to a higher standard than before. Myanmar has trumpeted a government effort to rebuild violence-gutted Rakhine and welcome back refugees under a repatriation agreement with Dhaka that was supposed to commence in January. But many Rohingya refuse to return without the guarantee of basic rights and safety. Analysts have also sounded the alarm over the government's rehabilitation projects, calling the sweeping destruction of villages, mosques and property only the latest move to erase the Rohingya's ties to their ancestral lands, and prevent them returning. On Thursday UN agencies said they had struck a partnership with Myanmar and Japan governments to provide $20 million for humanitarian and development projects in Rakhine state, where authorities have restricted access for aid groups since the crisis. Food and other assistance would be provided to "people of all communities in Rakhine state," the UN agencies said in a statement, adding that access had improved but remained restricted in some areas. The 1.1-million strong Rohingya have been systematically stripped of their legal rights in Myanmar in recent decades. They have also been targeted by bouts of communal violence with ethnic Rakhine Buddhist neighbours and corralled into grim displacement camps in other parts of the state. Myanmar's army says its August crackdown was a proportionate counterstrike against Rohingya rebels who attacked police posts in late August, killing around a dozen officials. Many in the Buddhist majority revile the Rohingya and brand the group as foreign interlopers, despite their having lived in Rakhine for generations.

Myanmar bulldozed scores of Rohingya villages since November: Human Rights Watch

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India today successfully&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/agni-v-test-fired-successfully-10-things-about-the-nuclear-capable-missile-29955">test-fired&nbsp;the nuclear-capable</a>&nbsp;ballistic missile &#39;Dhanush&#39; from a naval ship off Odisha coast. An anti-ship missile, Dhanush is a variant of &nbsp;Prithvi III developed by the Indian Navy.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi held bilateral talks with his Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau on Friday.&nbsp;

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Satellite imagery shows Myanmar authorities have bulldozed at least 55 Rohingya villages in northern Rakhine in recent months, Human Rights Watch said Friday, condemning the government for erasing evidence at sites where troops are accused of atrocities.

&nbsp;

India successfully test-fires nuclear-capable Dhanush missile from naval ship India today successfully test-fired the nuclear-capable ballistic missile 'Dhanush' from a naval ship off Odisha coast. An anti-ship missile, Dhanush is a variant of Prithvi III developed by the Indian Navy. China equipping soliders with US style digital combat gear along India border: Report After reports of China upgrading its air defence along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), a report said it has equipped one its Army branch stationed at the border with US-style integrated individual soldier combat system to prepare for "informatised warfare". Now, India, Pak, Afghan officials bond over TAPI gas pipeline India's minister of state for external affairs M J Akbar today joined Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to open Tapi gas pipeline section in Afganistan. No space for those who misuse religion for political motives & separatism: PM Modi Prime Minister Narendra Modi held bilateral talks with his Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau on Friday. Myanmar bulldozed scores of Rohingya villages since November: Human Rights Watch Satellite imagery shows Myanmar authorities have bulldozed at least 55 Rohingya villages in northern Rakhine in recent months, Human Rights Watch said Friday, condemning the government for erasing evidence at sites where troops are accused of atrocities.

WION Evening News brief, February 23, 2018

Calling for continued efforts to scale up health services for nearly 1.3 million Rohingya refugees living in Bangladesh&#39;s Cox&#39;s Bazar, the WHO today said the &quot;vulnerable&quot; people remain at risk of diseases and in need of critical services for survival even though six months have passed since the crisis began.

Rohingya Muslims fled Myanmar&#39;s violence-hit Rakhine state to neighbouring Bangladesh in August when the military cracked down against alleged militant outfits of the community.

Though immense efforts have been made by the Bangladesh government and partner agencies to provide health services, prevent diseases such as cholera and rapidly control outbreaks of measles and diphtheria, the challenges are huge, multiple and evolving, Poonam Khetrapal Singh, regional director for WHO southeast Asia, said.

&quot;The magnitude of the crisis requires continued efforts and generous contributions by all partners to scale up health services for the vulnerable population,&quot; Singh said.

According to a WHO statement, an estimated 688,000 Rohingya people crossed over to Cox&#39;s Bazar from Myanmar beginning August 25, 2017, joining nearly 212,500 others who arrived earlier, in one of the largest population movement in the shortest span.

While majority of the refugees are living in Kutapalong and Balukhali mega camps and 11 other clusters of small and big settlements, about 79,000 are living with the host population.

The health needs of this population continue to be immense. Women and young mothers need reproductive health services, Singh said.

The statement stated that an estimated 60,000 children are expected to be born in the camps in the next one year.

Besides newborns, pregnant and young mothers, children, adults and the elderly need basic health services and that for injuries, trauma and various non-communicable diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and importantly, psychosocial support.

&quot;Water and sanitation, and shelter continue to be far from optimum, increasing the risk of rapid spread of several communicable and water-borne diseases,&quot; the regional director said, stressing the need to accelerate efforts to address the key determinants of health on a priority.

For keeping a close watch on the situation, WHO established the Early Warning and Response System (EWARS), early as the crisis started, to rapidly detect and respond to disease outbreak to minimise death and disease.

Additionally, WHO has been periodically carrying out risk assessments to enable Ministry of Health and partners take measures to detect potential health risks and take timely and appropriate measures. &nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

An estimated 688,000 Rohingya people crossed over to Cox's Bazar from Myanmar beginning August 25, 2017

Calling for continued efforts to scale up health services for nearly 1.3 million Rohingya refugees living in Bangladesh's Cox's Bazar, the WHO today said the "vulnerable" people remain at risk of diseases and in need of critical services for survival even though six months have passed since the crisis began. Rohingya Muslims fled Myanmar's violence-hit Rakhine state to neighbouring Bangladesh in August when the military cracked down against alleged militant outfits of the community. Though immense efforts have been made by the Bangladesh government and partner agencies to provide health services, prevent diseases such as cholera and rapidly control outbreaks of measles and diphtheria, the challenges are huge, multiple and evolving, Poonam Khetrapal Singh, regional director for WHO southeast Asia, said. "The magnitude of the crisis requires continued efforts and generous contributions by all partners to scale up health services for the vulnerable population," Singh said. According to a WHO statement, an estimated 688,000 Rohingya people crossed over to Cox's Bazar from Myanmar beginning August 25, 2017, joining nearly 212,500 others who arrived earlier, in one of the largest population movement in the shortest span. While majority of the refugees are living in Kutapalong and Balukhali mega camps and 11 other clusters of small and big settlements, about 79,000 are living with the host population. The health needs of this population continue to be immense. Women and young mothers need reproductive health services, Singh said. The statement stated that an estimated 60,000 children are expected to be born in the camps in the next one year. Besides newborns, pregnant and young mothers, children, adults and the elderly need basic health services and that for injuries, trauma and various non-communicable diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and importantly, psychosocial support. "Water and sanitation, and shelter continue to be far from optimum, increasing the risk of rapid spread of several communicable and water-borne diseases," the regional director said, stressing the need to accelerate efforts to address the key determinants of health on a priority. For keeping a close watch on the situation, WHO established the Early Warning and Response System (EWARS), early as the crisis started, to rapidly detect and respond to disease outbreak to minimise death and disease. Additionally, WHO has been periodically carrying out risk assessments to enable Ministry of Health and partners take measures to detect potential health risks and take timely and appropriate measures.

Urgent need to scale up health services in Cox's Bazar: WHO

The Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) supremo Bhim Singh today demanded early deportation of foreigners, including Rohingya and Bangladeshis, illegally settled in the winter capital of the state.

&quot;The presence of these foreign nationals especially in the municipal limits of Jammu is posing a threat to peace in the region. The Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) and Home Minister (Rajnath Singh) should make their stand (regarding deportation) clear,&quot; he told reporters here.

Singh said, &quot;My statement is neither linked to politics nor against any religion or community. It is for our rights, justice and peace for which the people of the state have rendered huge sacrifices.&quot;

The JKNPP leader said the people would not allow settlement of foreigners on their soil and &quot;it is better that these people are deported from here.&quot;

Accusing the ruling PDP-BJP coalition, of maintaining &ldquo;deliberate silence&rdquo; on the issue and misleading the people by giving wrong figures about the number of these illegal settlers, he said, &quot;The number of Bangladeshi and Myanmarese in the city is over 23,000, while the government is claiming that they are only 5,000 thus misleading the public.&quot;

'The presence of these foreign nationals especially in the municipal limits of Jammu is posing a threat to peace in the region. The Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) and Home Minister (Rajnath Singh) should make their stand (regarding deportation) clear,' party supremo of the JKNPP said

The Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) supremo Bhim Singh today demanded early deportation of foreigners, including Rohingya and Bangladeshis, illegally settled in the winter capital of the state. "The presence of these foreign nationals especially in the municipal limits of Jammu is posing a threat to peace in the region. The Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) and Home Minister (Rajnath Singh) should make their stand (regarding deportation) clear," he told reporters here. Singh said, "My statement is neither linked to politics nor against any religion or community. It is for our rights, justice and peace for which the people of the state have rendered huge sacrifices." The JKNPP leader said the people would not allow settlement of foreigners on their soil and "it is better that these people are deported from here." Accusing the ruling PDP-BJP coalition, of maintaining “deliberate silence” on the issue and misleading the people by giving wrong figures about the number of these illegal settlers, he said, "The number of Bangladeshi and Myanmarese in the city is over 23,000, while the government is claiming that they are only 5,000 thus misleading the public."

JKNPP demands deportation of illegal Bangladeshi, Rohingyas from Jammu

Representatives from Bangladesh and Myanmar will meet on Tuesday to discuss the repatriation to Myanmar of more than 6,500 Rohingya Muslims trapped on a strip of unclaimed land between the two countries, Bangladeshi officials said.

&quot;It is about taking them back to Myanmar,&quot; Relief and Refugee Repatriation Commissioner Mohammad Abul Kalam, told Reuters on Monday. &quot;They are on the zero line and actually on the Myanmar side.&quot;&nbsp;

However, several officials contacted in neighbouring Myanmar said they were not aware of plans for a meeting, which Kalam said would take place on the &quot;zero line&quot; near a place called Gundum.

A spokeswoman for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which will not be involved in the talks, said the agency was concerned the Rohingya may be forcibly returned to Myanmar without due consideration for their safety.

Nearly 700,000 Rohingya have fled Myanmar&#39;s Rakhine state and crossed into Bangladesh since last August, when attacks on security posts by insurgents triggered a military crackdown that the United Nations has said amounts to ethnic cleansing, with reports of arson attacks, murder and rape.

Buddhist-majority Myanmar denied the charge and says its security forces are fighting a legitimate campaign against &quot;terrorists&quot; it blames for the attacks on the security forces.

The vast majority of Rohingya who fled are in camps at Cox&#39;s Bazar on the southern tip of Bangladesh, but several thousand who arrived in a buffer zone along the border are now stuck.&nbsp;

Bangladesh security forces have been instructed not to let these Rohingya cross the border, and many of them have said they would rather stay there to avoid becoming refugees in Bangladesh.

The no-mans land, which is about the size of 40 soccer pitches, used to be an area of paddy fields but is now dotted with the tarpaulin and bamboo shacks of displaced Rohingya.

No timeline for returns&nbsp;

&quot;We are concerned about the reports of pressures directed at this group of people at the border,&quot; said Caroline Gluck, UNHCR Senior Public Information Officer at Cox`s Bazar.&nbsp;

&quot;People who fled violence and discrimination in Myanmar should not be forced to return against their will,&quot; she told Reuters in a message sent on Saturday.

Bangladesh&#39;s Kalam said there was no timeline for repatriations, that anyone going back must do so voluntarily and that Myanmar must provide a safe environment for their return.

&quot;We cannot send them forcibly,&quot; he said.

Most Burmese consider the Rohingya as unwanted immigrants from Bangladesh, and the army refers to them as &quot;Bengalis&quot;.

Myanmar has said it will accept back people holding &quot;national verification&quot; registration cards. This card, which falls short of offering citizenship, has been rejected by Rohingya community leaders who say it treats life-long residents like new immigrants.

A leader of the Rohingya group in the buffer zone, Dil Mohammed, told Reuters in a text message: &quot;Our no-man&#39;s land camp demands are that there must be a safe return, we need security and all basic rights, including citizenship.&quot;

He said the group would never accept the national verification card, that its members must be allowed to return to their own homes, paid compensation for losses and damage, and provided with protection from a UN&nbsp;mission.

Gluck said the UNHCR was concerned that conditions in Rakhine state were not yet safe for voluntary returns, adding, &quot;We urge both governments to ensure that any return is based on informed consent and takes place in safety and dignity.&quot;&nbsp;

Buddhist-majority Myanmar denied the charge and says its security forces are fighting a legitimate campaign against 'terrorists'

Representatives from Bangladesh and Myanmar will meet on Tuesday to discuss the repatriation to Myanmar of more than 6,500 Rohingya Muslims trapped on a strip of unclaimed land between the two countries, Bangladeshi officials said. "It is about taking them back to Myanmar," Relief and Refugee Repatriation Commissioner Mohammad Abul Kalam, told Reuters on Monday. "They are on the zero line and actually on the Myanmar side." However, several officials contacted in neighbouring Myanmar said they were not aware of plans for a meeting, which Kalam said would take place on the "zero line" near a place called Gundum. A spokeswoman for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which will not be involved in the talks, said the agency was concerned the Rohingya may be forcibly returned to Myanmar without due consideration for their safety. Nearly 700,000 Rohingya have fled Myanmar's Rakhine state and crossed into Bangladesh since last August, when attacks on security posts by insurgents triggered a military crackdown that the United Nations has said amounts to ethnic cleansing, with reports of arson attacks, murder and rape. Buddhist-majority Myanmar denied the charge and says its security forces are fighting a legitimate campaign against "terrorists" it blames for the attacks on the security forces. The vast majority of Rohingya who fled are in camps at Cox's Bazar on the southern tip of Bangladesh, but several thousand who arrived in a buffer zone along the border are now stuck. Bangladesh security forces have been instructed not to let these Rohingya cross the border, and many of them have said they would rather stay there to avoid becoming refugees in Bangladesh. The no-mans land, which is about the size of 40 soccer pitches, used to be an area of paddy fields but is now dotted with the tarpaulin and bamboo shacks of displaced Rohingya. No timeline for returns "We are concerned about the reports of pressures directed at this group of people at the border," said Caroline Gluck, UNHCR Senior Public Information Officer at Cox`s Bazar. "People who fled violence and discrimination in Myanmar should not be forced to return against their will," she told Reuters in a message sent on Saturday. Bangladesh's Kalam said there was no timeline for repatriations, that anyone going back must do so voluntarily and that Myanmar must provide a safe environment for their return. "We cannot send them forcibly," he said. Most Burmese consider the Rohingya as unwanted immigrants from Bangladesh, and the army refers to them as "Bengalis". Myanmar has said it will accept back people holding "national verification" registration cards. This card, which falls short of offering citizenship, has been rejected by Rohingya community leaders who say it treats life-long residents like new immigrants. A leader of the Rohingya group in the buffer zone, Dil Mohammed, told Reuters in a text message: "Our no-man's land camp demands are that there must be a safe return, we need security and all basic rights, including citizenship." He said the group would never accept the national verification card, that its members must be allowed to return to their own homes, paid compensation for losses and damage, and provided with protection from a UN mission. Gluck said the UNHCR was concerned that conditions in Rakhine state were not yet safe for voluntary returns, adding, "We urge both governments to ensure that any return is based on informed consent and takes place in safety and dignity."

Bangladesh says to meet with Myanmar on Rohingya trapped at border

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pnb-scam-top-gitanjali-gems-officials-quit-33382" target="_blank">PNB scam: Amid nationwide raids, top Gitanjali Gems officials quit</a>

Senior management officials at Gitanjali Gems have called it quits. In a regulatory filing on Monday, the company revealed that CFO Chandrakant Karkare, company&rsquo;s vice-president (compliance) and a company secretary have resigned.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/priya-prakash-varrier-moves-supreme-court-against-case-filed-against-oru-adaar-love-33377" target="_blank">Priya Prakash Varrier moves Supreme Court over case filed against Oru </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/priya-prakash-varrier-moves-supreme-court-against-case-filed-against-oru-adaar-love-33377" target="_blank">Adaar</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/priya-prakash-varrier-moves-supreme-court-against-case-filed-against-oru-adaar-love-33377" target="_blank"> Love</a>

Actor<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/entertainment-priya-prakash-varrier-wants-to-work-with-shah-rukh-khan-ranveer-singh-32852">&nbsp;Priya Prakash Varrier and director Omar Lulu&nbsp;have filed a plea</a>&nbsp;in Supreme Court over the case registered against her film &quot;Oru Adaar Love&quot;&nbsp;in Telangana.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/cbi-registers-case-against-rotomac-directors-for-cheating-seven-banks-33364" target="_blank">CBI registers case against </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/cbi-registers-case-against-rotomac-directors-for-cheating-seven-banks-33364" target="_blank">Rotomac</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/cbi-registers-case-against-rotomac-directors-for-cheating-seven-banks-33364" target="_blank"> directors for cheating seven banks</a>

The Central&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/case-of-loan-default-not-fraud-vikram-kotharis-lawyer-33359">Bureau of Investigation(CBI) has</a>&nbsp;registered a case against Rotomac directors alleging that the conspirators cheated seven banks by syphoning off bank loans worth Rs 2,919 crore.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/bangladesh-says-to-meet-with-myanmar-on-rohingya-trapped-at-border-33378" target="_blank">Bangladesh says to meet with Myanmar on Rohingya trapped at border</a>

Representatives from Bangladesh and Myanmar will meet on Tuesday to discuss the repatriation to Myanmar of more than 6,500 Rohingya Muslims trapped on a strip of unclaimed land between the two countries, Bangladeshi officials said.

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The Iran aviation authorities have not confirmed the<a href="http://www.wionews.com/wethevoice/remains-of-iranian-passenger-plane-found-in-central-iran-reports-33375" target="_blank">&nbsp;wreckage of the Iranian plane</a>&nbsp;that was found in the search operation on Monday.&nbsp; The confirmation was released by Iran`s Civil Aviation Organisation few minutes after the&nbsp;deputy governor of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province said to a state media&nbsp;that the remains of the planes were&nbsp;found in Central Iran.&nbsp;

PNB scam: Amid nationwide raids, top Gitanjali Gems officials quit Senior management officials at Gitanjali Gems have called it quits. In a regulatory filing on Monday, the company revealed that CFO Chandrakant Karkare, company’s vice-president (compliance) and a company secretary have resigned. Priya Prakash Varrier moves Supreme Court over case filed against Oru Adaar Love Actor Priya Prakash Varrier and director Omar Lulu have filed a plea in Supreme Court over the case registered against her film "Oru Adaar Love" in Telangana. CBI registers case against Rotomac directors for cheating seven banks The Central Bureau of Investigation(CBI) has registered a case against Rotomac directors alleging that the conspirators cheated seven banks by syphoning off bank loans worth Rs 2,919 crore. Bangladesh says to meet with Myanmar on Rohingya trapped at border Representatives from Bangladesh and Myanmar will meet on Tuesday to discuss the repatriation to Myanmar of more than 6,500 Rohingya Muslims trapped on a strip of unclaimed land between the two countries, Bangladeshi officials said. Cannot confirm 'wreckage' found in search operation of crashed plane: Iran The Iran aviation authorities have not confirmed the wreckage of the Iranian plane that was found in the search operation on Monday. The confirmation was released by Iran`s Civil Aviation Organisation few minutes after the deputy governor of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province said to a state media that the remains of the planes were found in Central Iran.

WION Evening News brief, February 19, 2018

Bangladesh Friday handed over a list of more than 8,000 Rohingya to Myanmar as it moves to kick-start their repatriation weeks after the process was halted due to lack of preparation.

Dhaka&#39;s home minister Asaduzzaman Khan formally gave the list to his Myanmar counterpart Lieutenant General Kyaw Swe after officials of the two nations held a meeting in the Bangladeshi capital.

&quot;We&#39;ve today handed over a list of 8,032 people from 1,673 families to them. The (Myanmar) delegation received it very cordially and told us they would start processing their repatriation,&quot; Khan told reporters.

Bangladesh reached a deal with Myanmar late last year to repatriate nearly 700,000 Rohingya who have fled across the border since August to escape a brutal military crackdown.

That was meant to start last month, but was delayed by a lack of preparation and protests by Rohingya refugees, most of whom say they do not wish to return without guarantees of safety.

Khan said more than one million Rohingya now live in squalid camps in Bangladesh&#39;s southeast and Dhaka hoped all of them would be repatriated to Myanmar.

&quot;We discussed how would they repatriate these people. The Myanmar delegation was very cordial about it and said they will take them back gradually,&quot; he said.

Bangladesh&#39;s refugee commissioner Abul Kalam told AFP Dhaka had already started construction of a transit camp and would start building another next week to facilitate the return of the Rohingya.

This week Bangladesh&#39;s junior foreign minister said they had signed a deal to involve the United Nations in the process of returning Rohingya refugees to Myanmar.

He said the government was involving the UN refugee agency so that it could not be accused of sending anyone from the stateless Muslim minority back against their will.

He gave few details, but said refugees would be asked to fill out repatriation forms in the presence of UN officials.&nbsp;

But Rohingya refugees are still entering Bangladesh with claims of rights abuses by Buddhist mobs and the military in their native Rakhine state.

Home minister Khan acknowledged people were still crossing the border.&nbsp;

&quot;The (Myanmar) delegation has admitted it and told us they will try their best to stop it as soon as possible,&quot; he said

Many Rohingya have lost their homes to arson attacks in their villages, where witnesses and rights groups say entire Rohingya settlements have been burned to the ground.

New arrivals have brought harrowing tales of rape, murder and torture.

The Rohingya also want guarantees of citizenship before returning to Myanmar, which views them as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh even though many have been there for generations.

Khan said there was no specific timeframe to start the repatriation but he hoped it would start soon.

&quot;No specific date came for repatriation but they showed sincerity and are taking preparations to take their nationals back,&quot; he said

He urged Myanmar to ensure the refugees&#39; return was &quot;sustainable&quot;, adding the Rohingya &quot;may face difficulties in resettling back into their land&quot;.&nbsp;

The two sides also discussed the fate of some 6,000 Rohingya refugees who have been stranded in no man&#39;s land on the Bangladesh-Myanmar border since September.

&quot;They said they have started processing repatriation of those refugees living on the (border&#39;s) zero line,&quot; Khan said, adding Myanmar has &quot;requested&quot; a joint meeting on their repatriation on February 20.

Last week a Myanmar government minister told refugees stranded on the border that they should take up a government offer to return, warning they will face &quot;consequences&quot; if they stay where they are.

A video circulated on social media apparently shows Myanmar&#39;s Deputy Minister for Home Affairs Aung Soe addressing a group of refugees through a barbed wire fence last Friday.

Dhaka's home minister Asaduzzaman Khan formally gave the list to his Myanmar counterpart Lieutenant General Kyaw Swe after officials of the two nations held a meeting in the Bangladeshi capital

Bangladesh Friday handed over a list of more than 8,000 Rohingya to Myanmar as it moves to kick-start their repatriation weeks after the process was halted due to lack of preparation. Dhaka's home minister Asaduzzaman Khan formally gave the list to his Myanmar counterpart Lieutenant General Kyaw Swe after officials of the two nations held a meeting in the Bangladeshi capital. "We've today handed over a list of 8,032 people from 1,673 families to them. The (Myanmar) delegation received it very cordially and told us they would start processing their repatriation," Khan told reporters. Bangladesh reached a deal with Myanmar late last year to repatriate nearly 700,000 Rohingya who have fled across the border since August to escape a brutal military crackdown. That was meant to start last month, but was delayed by a lack of preparation and protests by Rohingya refugees, most of whom say they do not wish to return without guarantees of safety. Khan said more than one million Rohingya now live in squalid camps in Bangladesh's southeast and Dhaka hoped all of them would be repatriated to Myanmar. "We discussed how would they repatriate these people. The Myanmar delegation was very cordial about it and said they will take them back gradually," he said. Bangladesh's refugee commissioner Abul Kalam told AFP Dhaka had already started construction of a transit camp and would start building another next week to facilitate the return of the Rohingya. This week Bangladesh's junior foreign minister said they had signed a deal to involve the United Nations in the process of returning Rohingya refugees to Myanmar. He said the government was involving the UN refugee agency so that it could not be accused of sending anyone from the stateless Muslim minority back against their will. He gave few details, but said refugees would be asked to fill out repatriation forms in the presence of UN officials. But Rohingya refugees are still entering Bangladesh with claims of rights abuses by Buddhist mobs and the military in their native Rakhine state. Home minister Khan acknowledged people were still crossing the border. "The (Myanmar) delegation has admitted it and told us they will try their best to stop it as soon as possible," he said Many Rohingya have lost their homes to arson attacks in their villages, where witnesses and rights groups say entire Rohingya settlements have been burned to the ground. New arrivals have brought harrowing tales of rape, murder and torture. The Rohingya also want guarantees of citizenship before returning to Myanmar, which views them as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh even though many have been there for generations. Khan said there was no specific timeframe to start the repatriation but he hoped it would start soon. "No specific date came for repatriation but they showed sincerity and are taking preparations to take their nationals back," he said He urged Myanmar to ensure the refugees' return was "sustainable", adding the Rohingya "may face difficulties in resettling back into their land". The two sides also discussed the fate of some 6,000 Rohingya refugees who have been stranded in no man's land on the Bangladesh-Myanmar border since September. "They said they have started processing repatriation of those refugees living on the (border's) zero line," Khan said, adding Myanmar has "requested" a joint meeting on their repatriation on February 20. Last week a Myanmar government minister told refugees stranded on the border that they should take up a government offer to return, warning they will face "consequences" if they stay where they are. A video circulated on social media apparently shows Myanmar's Deputy Minister for Home Affairs Aung Soe addressing a group of refugees through a barbed wire fence last Friday.

Bangladesh hands over list of 8,000 Rohingyas, Myanmar says will start repatriation

Myanmar today unveiled its three-stage plan for return and rehabilitation of around 700,000 minority Rohingya Muslims, who fled to neighbouring Bangladesh in what the UN called &quot;ethnic cleansing&quot; by the Myanmar Army.

Myanmar Home Minister Kyaw Swe, who is on a three-day visit to Dhaka, today met his Bangladeshi counterpart Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and discussed along with senior officials the repatriation plan for Rohingya refugees.

&ldquo;Myanmar said they planned a three-stage process &ndash; taking them (Rohingyas) back, ensuring their livelihood and then awarding them with the nationality,&rdquo; Kamal told a news briefing following a meeting with his Myanmar counterpart.

He said Naypyidaw (Myanmar capital) appeared to be sincere in their comments as they acknowledged to the facts involving the situation what Bangladesh side pointed out and &ldquo;we are getting some confidence they will take their nationals back in line with the Kofi Annan Commission Report&rdquo;.

Kamal, however, said the Bangladesh side repeatedly expressed concerns about the hostile situation in Myanmar&rsquo;s Rakhine state, the scene of atrocities, and said unless the safety and food supplies for the refugees were ensured, the Rohingyas would again come back while the number of these forcibly displaced Myanmar people in Bangladesh now stood at more than a million.

&ldquo;We also told them till now nearly 150 of them (Rohingyas) are entering into Bangladesh daily while some 6,500 Rohingyas have taken refuge at a makeshift camp on the Myanmar side of the border,&rdquo; he said.

The Bangladesh minister said his counterpart acknowledged the fact and &ldquo;we planned a meeting on February 20 in a bordering Myanmar district to make immediate arrangements at least to ensure the return of the Rohingyas languishing on borders&rdquo;.

Swe yesterday called on Bangladesh president Abdul Hamid and apprised him that Naypyidaw was ready to take back Rohingyas under a deal the countries signed late last year.

The repatriation was scheduled to begin last month but Bangladesh said it needed more time to prepare and the security situation was a concern while Khan told reporters that Dhaka earlier handed over Myanmar a complete list of

Rohingyas and &ldquo;today gave another list as they sought seeking the names on the basis of the areas they lived in (Rakhine)&rdquo;.

Myanmar ambassador to the UN Hau Do Suan said it had given Bangladesh a list of 508 Hindus and 750 Muslims &ldquo;verified as Myanmar residents, to be included in the first batch of repatriation&rdquo; and set up two reception centers and a transit camp to accommodate them before permanent resettlement.

About 700,000 Rohingya refugees fled their home to take refuge in Bangladesh in the latest and biggest spate of exodus since late August when Myanmar&rsquo;s military launched a security crackdown in northern Rakhine state.

Myanmar has said it launched &ldquo;clearance&rdquo; operations against terrorists and has dismissed as false allegations from witnesses and survivors that troops and Buddhist mobs engaged in killings and rapes of Rohingya and set fires that wiped out villages.

The bilateral meeting came three days after UN refugee chief Filippo Grandi told the Security Council that conditions were not right for the voluntarily return of Rohingyas as Myanmar did not address their exclusion and denial of rights and citizenship.

Grandi said Rohingyas continued to flee Myanmar and thousands more were expected still to try to leave.

Bangladesh had appealed to the international community to mount a sustained pressure on Myanmar for a safe, dignified and immediate return of the Rohingyas as the international aid for the refugees appeared to be dwindling ahead of the monsoon season when flooding will also pose a threat and water-borne diseases could become more prevalent.

Myanmar Home Minister Kyaw Swe, who is on a three-day visit to Dhaka, today met his Bangladeshi counterpart Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and discussed along with senior officials the repatriation plan for Rohingya refugees

Myanmar today unveiled its three-stage plan for return and rehabilitation of around 700,000 minority Rohingya Muslims, who fled to neighbouring Bangladesh in what the UN called "ethnic cleansing" by the Myanmar Army. Myanmar Home Minister Kyaw Swe, who is on a three-day visit to Dhaka, today met his Bangladeshi counterpart Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and discussed along with senior officials the repatriation plan for Rohingya refugees. “Myanmar said they planned a three-stage process – taking them (Rohingyas) back, ensuring their livelihood and then awarding them with the nationality,” Kamal told a news briefing following a meeting with his Myanmar counterpart. He said Naypyidaw (Myanmar capital) appeared to be sincere in their comments as they acknowledged to the facts involving the situation what Bangladesh side pointed out and “we are getting some confidence they will take their nationals back in line with the Kofi Annan Commission Report”. Kamal, however, said the Bangladesh side repeatedly expressed concerns about the hostile situation in Myanmar’s Rakhine state, the scene of atrocities, and said unless the safety and food supplies for the refugees were ensured, the Rohingyas would again come back while the number of these forcibly displaced Myanmar people in Bangladesh now stood at more than a million. “We also told them till now nearly 150 of them (Rohingyas) are entering into Bangladesh daily while some 6,500 Rohingyas have taken refuge at a makeshift camp on the Myanmar side of the border,” he said. The Bangladesh minister said his counterpart acknowledged the fact and “we planned a meeting on February 20 in a bordering Myanmar district to make immediate arrangements at least to ensure the return of the Rohingyas languishing on borders”. Swe yesterday called on Bangladesh president Abdul Hamid and apprised him that Naypyidaw was ready to take back Rohingyas under a deal the countries signed late last year. The repatriation was scheduled to begin last month but Bangladesh said it needed more time to prepare and the security situation was a concern while Khan told reporters that Dhaka earlier handed over Myanmar a complete list of Rohingyas and “today gave another list as they sought seeking the names on the basis of the areas they lived in (Rakhine)”. Myanmar ambassador to the UN Hau Do Suan said it had given Bangladesh a list of 508 Hindus and 750 Muslims “verified as Myanmar residents, to be included in the first batch of repatriation” and set up two reception centers and a transit camp to accommodate them before permanent resettlement. About 700,000 Rohingya refugees fled their home to take refuge in Bangladesh in the latest and biggest spate of exodus since late August when Myanmar’s military launched a security crackdown in northern Rakhine state. Myanmar has said it launched “clearance” operations against terrorists and has dismissed as false allegations from witnesses and survivors that troops and Buddhist mobs engaged in killings and rapes of Rohingya and set fires that wiped out villages. The bilateral meeting came three days after UN refugee chief Filippo Grandi told the Security Council that conditions were not right for the voluntarily return of Rohingyas as Myanmar did not address their exclusion and denial of rights and citizenship. Grandi said Rohingyas continued to flee Myanmar and thousands more were expected still to try to leave. Bangladesh had appealed to the international community to mount a sustained pressure on Myanmar for a safe, dignified and immediate return of the Rohingyas as the international aid for the refugees appeared to be dwindling ahead of the monsoon season when flooding will also pose a threat and water-borne diseases could become more prevalent.

Myanmar outlines 3 stages for Rohingya repatriation: Bangladesh minister

Portugal striker Cristiano Ronaldo appealed for Rohingya refugee children and has shared two contrasting images one image of Rohingya man carrying a baby in his hand and the second image of him with his kids.

The image captioned &quot;One ???? where we all ❤ our children. Please help. #Rohingya #Refugee @SavetheChildren.&quot;

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One ???? where we all ❤ our children. Please help. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Rohingya?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Rohingya</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Refugee?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Refugee</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/SavetheChildren?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SavetheChildren</a> <a href="https://t.co/t2eJN244Jl">https://t.co/t2eJN244Jl</a> <a href="https://t.co/9ZPwe5olJC">pic.twitter.com/9ZPwe5olJC</a>
&mdash; Cristiano Ronaldo (@Cristiano) <a href="https://twitter.com/Cristiano/status/964093317997826048?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 15, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/conditions-not-conducive-for-voluntary-repatriation-of-rohingyas-un-high-commissioner-for-refugees-32814">Recently, UN High Commissioner for Refugees</a> Filippo Grandi informed the Security Council on Tuesday that Myanmar has failed to put in place conditions for the safe return of Rohingyas.

&quot;Let me be clear: conditions are not yet conducive to the voluntary repatriation of Rohingya refugees,&quot; the UN High Commissioner for Refugees said.

Real Madrid star Ronaldo is the brand ambassador of a world&#39;s leading NGO &#39;Save the Children&#39; which aims to provide a better life and creates hope for a brighter future to those children who are in utter need.

The UN predicts over 8,50,000 Rohingyas have crossed over to Bangladesh since August 25th last year ever since the Myanmar Army allegedly started persecuting them.

The Rohingya refugees are currently living in despair, especially the children, their basic needs are not fulfilled, every day they are facing new challenges, the supply of food and medicines are limited and they are dealing with political turmoil.

Bangladesh had reached a deal with Myanmar in December last year to repatriate nearly 700,000 Rohingyas but reports said several refugees did not wish to return without guarantees of safety.

Ronaldo has come up to lend his voice and visibility to spotlight issues faced by Rohingya children.

There are other celebrities also who volunteer&nbsp;for this great cause like Dakota Fanning, Jennifer Garner, Bridgit Mendler and Rachel Zoe.

The foundation is fighting for children&#39;s rights since 1919 and in 2016 they reached more than 157 million children through their global movement.

&nbsp;

Cristiano Ronaldo has come up to lend his voice and visibility to spotlight issues faced by Rohingya children

Portugal striker Cristiano Ronaldo appealed for Rohingya refugee children and has shared two contrasting images one image of Rohingya man carrying a baby in his hand and the second image of him with his kids. The image captioned "One ???? where we all ❤ our children. Please help. #Rohingya #Refugee @SavetheChildren." One ???? where we all ❤ our children. Please help. #Rohingya #Refugee @SavetheChildren https://t.co/t2eJN244Jl pic.twitter.com/9ZPwe5olJC — Cristiano Ronaldo (@Cristiano) February 15, 2018 × Recently, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi informed the Security Council on Tuesday that Myanmar has failed to put in place conditions for the safe return of Rohingyas. "Let me be clear: conditions are not yet conducive to the voluntary repatriation of Rohingya refugees," the UN High Commissioner for Refugees said. Real Madrid star Ronaldo is the brand ambassador of a world's leading NGO 'Save the Children' which aims to provide a better life and creates hope for a brighter future to those children who are in utter need. The UN predicts over 8,50,000 Rohingyas have crossed over to Bangladesh since August 25th last year ever since the Myanmar Army allegedly started persecuting them. The Rohingya refugees are currently living in despair, especially the children, their basic needs are not fulfilled, every day they are facing new challenges, the supply of food and medicines are limited and they are dealing with political turmoil. Bangladesh had reached a deal with Myanmar in December last year to repatriate nearly 700,000 Rohingyas but reports said several refugees did not wish to return without guarantees of safety. Ronaldo has come up to lend his voice and visibility to spotlight issues faced by Rohingya children. There are other celebrities also who volunteer for this great cause like Dakota Fanning, Jennifer Garner, Bridgit Mendler and Rachel Zoe. The foundation is fighting for children's rights since 1919 and in 2016 they reached more than 157 million children through their global movement.

Soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo appeals for Rohingya refugee children

UN High Commissioner for <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-urges-un-to-hold-myanmar-military-accountable-for-ethnic-cleansing-32784">Refugees Filippo Grandi informed the</a> Security Council on Tuesday that Myanmar has failed to put in place conditions for the safe return of Rohingyas.

&quot;Let me be clear: conditions are not yet conducive to the voluntary repatriation of Rohingya refugees,&quot; the UN High Commissioner for Refugees said.

Grandi statement comes as US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said the Myanmar government has denied &quot;ethnic cleansing&quot; in Rakhine State.

&quot;The causes of their flight have not been addressed, and we have yet to see substantive progress on addressing the exclusion and denial of rights that has deepened over the last decades, rooted in their lack of citizenship,&quot; Grandi told the Security Council.

The UN refugee chief said that while Rohingyas&#39; exodus had significantly decreased, however, the &quot;flow&quot;&nbsp;continued as some 1,500 refugees arrived in Bangladesh this month.

The UN predicts over 8,50,000 Rohingyas have crossed over to Bangladesh since August 25th last year ever since the Myanmar Army allegedly started persecuting them.

Bangladesh had reached a deal with Myanmar in December last year to repatriate nearly 700,000 Rohingyas but reports said several refugees did not wish to return without guarantees of safety.

Meanwhile, French UN ambassador Francois Delattre told the United Nations Security Council that the massacre of Rohingyas &quot;could constitute crimes against humanity.&quot;

French UN ambassador Francois Delattre told the United Nations Security Council that the massacre of Rohingyas "could constitute crimes against humanity."

UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi informed the Security Council on Tuesday that Myanmar has failed to put in place conditions for the safe return of Rohingyas. "Let me be clear: conditions are not yet conducive to the voluntary repatriation of Rohingya refugees," the UN High Commissioner for Refugees said. Grandi statement comes as US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said the Myanmar government has denied "ethnic cleansing" in Rakhine State. "The causes of their flight have not been addressed, and we have yet to see substantive progress on addressing the exclusion and denial of rights that has deepened over the last decades, rooted in their lack of citizenship," Grandi told the Security Council. The UN refugee chief said that while Rohingyas' exodus had significantly decreased, however, the "flow" continued as some 1,500 refugees arrived in Bangladesh this month. The UN predicts over 8,50,000 Rohingyas have crossed over to Bangladesh since August 25th last year ever since the Myanmar Army allegedly started persecuting them. Bangladesh had reached a deal with Myanmar in December last year to repatriate nearly 700,000 Rohingyas but reports said several refugees did not wish to return without guarantees of safety. Meanwhile, French UN ambassador Francois Delattre told the United Nations Security Council that the massacre of Rohingyas "could constitute crimes against humanity."

Conditions not conducive for voluntary repatriation of Rohingyas: UN High Commissioner for Refugees

Attacks on Rohingya Muslims appear to be continuing in Myanmar and it is not yet safe for the hundreds of thousands living in refugee camps in Bangladesh to begin returning home, a senior United Nations official said.

Many Rohingya want to return eventually to their villages in Myanmar, UNICEF deputy executive director Justin Forsyth said on Wednesday during a visit to the immense Kutupalong refugee camp. But they fear for their safety if they were to go back now, he said.

&ldquo;The situation isn&rsquo;t safe for the returns to begin,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I spoke to one young woman who had been on the phone to her aunt in Rakhine in Myanmar. And they were attacking villages even today.&rdquo;

More than 680,000 Rohingya fled Myanmar&rsquo;s Rakhine state beginning in August, after Myanmar security forces began &ldquo;clearance operations&rdquo; in their villages in the wake of attacks by Rohingya insurgents on police posts.

Forsyth&rsquo;s comments came as former New Mexico governor Bill Richardson resigned suddenly from an advisory panel on the crisis, calling it a &ldquo;whitewash and a cheerleading operation&rdquo; for Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

&ldquo;She blames all the problems that Myanmar is having on the international media, on the UN, on human rights groups, on other governments, and I think this is caused by the bubble that is around her, by individuals that are not giving her frank advice,&rdquo; Richardson, once a close friend of Suu Kyi, said on Wednesday in an interview with The Associated Press in Yangon, Myanmar&rsquo;s largest city.

Richardson said Suu Kyi appeared to want the 10-member international advisory group, one in a string of Rohingya commissions set up by the Myanmar government, to endorse her policies.

&ldquo;I&rsquo;m not going to be part of it because I think there are serious issues of human rights violations, safety, citizenship, peace and stability that need to be addressed,&rdquo; said Richardson, who often works as an international troubleshooter. &ldquo;I just felt that my advice and counsel would not be heeded.&rdquo;

Gradual repatriations of Rohingya were to begin on Tuesday under agreements signed by Myanmar and Bangladesh, but Bangladeshi officials delayed the returns at the last minute, saying more time is needed amid questions about safety and whether the refugees were returning voluntarily.

Forsyth noted that international organisations do not have access to many areas affected by the crisis in Myanmar.

&ldquo;As well as security, we need to be able to provide humanitarian support for people when they return. And at the moment those conditions aren&rsquo;t in place,&rdquo; he said.

Rohingya have long faced repression in Myanmar. They are widely dismissed as having migrated illegally from Bangladesh and are denied some of the most basic rights, including the freedom of movement. In 1982, nearly all Rohingya were stripped of their citizenship rights.

Gradual repatriations of Rohingya were to begin on Tuesday under agreements signed by Myanmar and Bangladesh, but Bangladeshi officials delayed the returns at the last minute

Attacks on Rohingya Muslims appear to be continuing in Myanmar and it is not yet safe for the hundreds of thousands living in refugee camps in Bangladesh to begin returning home, a senior United Nations official said. Many Rohingya want to return eventually to their villages in Myanmar, UNICEF deputy executive director Justin Forsyth said on Wednesday during a visit to the immense Kutupalong refugee camp. But they fear for their safety if they were to go back now, he said. “The situation isn’t safe for the returns to begin,” he said. “I spoke to one young woman who had been on the phone to her aunt in Rakhine in Myanmar. And they were attacking villages even today.” More than 680,000 Rohingya fled Myanmar’s Rakhine state beginning in August, after Myanmar security forces began “clearance operations” in their villages in the wake of attacks by Rohingya insurgents on police posts. Forsyth’s comments came as former New Mexico governor Bill Richardson resigned suddenly from an advisory panel on the crisis, calling it a “whitewash and a cheerleading operation” for Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi. “She blames all the problems that Myanmar is having on the international media, on the UN, on human rights groups, on other governments, and I think this is caused by the bubble that is around her, by individuals that are not giving her frank advice,” Richardson, once a close friend of Suu Kyi, said on Wednesday in an interview with The Associated Press in Yangon, Myanmar’s largest city. Richardson said Suu Kyi appeared to want the 10-member international advisory group, one in a string of Rohingya commissions set up by the Myanmar government, to endorse her policies. “I’m not going to be part of it because I think there are serious issues of human rights violations, safety, citizenship, peace and stability that need to be addressed,” said Richardson, who often works as an international troubleshooter. “I just felt that my advice and counsel would not be heeded.” Gradual repatriations of Rohingya were to begin on Tuesday under agreements signed by Myanmar and Bangladesh, but Bangladeshi officials delayed the returns at the last minute, saying more time is needed amid questions about safety and whether the refugees were returning voluntarily. Forsyth noted that international organisations do not have access to many areas affected by the crisis in Myanmar. “As well as security, we need to be able to provide humanitarian support for people when they return. And at the moment those conditions aren’t in place,” he said. Rohingya have long faced repression in Myanmar. They are widely dismissed as having migrated illegally from Bangladesh and are denied some of the most basic rights, including the freedom of movement. In 1982, nearly all Rohingya were stripped of their citizenship rights.

Not safe yet for Rohingya to return to Myanmar, UN official says

Pakistan today said Kashmir and Rohingya issues are among the &quot;causes of a fractured world&quot; being witnessed today and they also need to be discussed at the international level.

Addressing a press conference along with his several cabinet colleagues who are here for the World Economic Forum (WEF), Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said his country expects relationships to remain strong with China as well as the US.

He, however, acknowledged that the relationship with China has improved in recent past due to projects like Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

In reply to a question, Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said, &quot;Kashmir and Rohingya are also among the causes of the fractured world and they also need (to be) addressed at international level&quot;.

His comments were in reference to the theme of this year&#39;s WEF annual meeting -- &#39;Creating a shared future in a fractured world&#39;.

Asked whether Pakistan was feeling the warmth of friendship from the East or the West, Abbasi said, &quot;For our country warmth has been blowing from both East and from the West and we hope it continues to blow from both sides. We have excellent relationships with China and with the US also.&quot;

He said the relationship with China has further strengthened with BRI and CPEC.

Asif said these relationships have been there since the birth of the country.

The Chinese initiatives in a region that is politically and otherwise fractured is something that shows and manifests China&#39;s commitment to strive for a shared future, the foreign minister said.

He also noted that Pakistan has praised China&#39;s BRI and President Xi Jinping&#39;s vision at every platform in Davos.

&quot;We would like our friends to view their relationship with Pakistan as an independent relationship and not through the prism of a third country. I am referring to our relationship with the US and they have (been) in the last few years viewing the relationship through the prism of Afghanistan,&quot; Asif said.

The prime minister and his cabinet colleagues also listed out various steps being taken to attract investments and how the government was trying to improve the country&#39;s global image.

Abbasi said Pakistan is an open market and ready to do business as he invited global businesses to come and invest in the country.

The decision to attend the WEF annual meeting was mainly driven by its theme, shared future in a fractured world, he said.

&quot;In Pakistan, we are carving out a shared future for everyone without leaving any one and we are doing this despite facing fractures internally and externally,&quot; he noted.

Pakistan is at the cusp of making history by making a peaceful transition by completing a decade of continued democracy, he said.

According to him, the country is playing a key role in connecting people of the region also by participating in the CPEC which is part of the BRI project of China.

&quot;Here at the WEF, we have engaged with leaders of various sectors and the platform has allowed us to present our potential,&quot; Abbasi said.

He also said BRI would benefit the region and the world at large for decades and millenniums to come.

Abbasi said Pakistan is an open market and ready to do business as he invited global businesses to come and invest in the country.

Pakistan today said Kashmir and Rohingya issues are among the "causes of a fractured world" being witnessed today and they also need to be discussed at the international level. Addressing a press conference along with his several cabinet colleagues who are here for the World Economic Forum (WEF), Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said his country expects relationships to remain strong with China as well as the US. He, however, acknowledged that the relationship with China has improved in recent past due to projects like Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). In reply to a question, Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said, "Kashmir and Rohingya are also among the causes of the fractured world and they also need (to be) addressed at international level". His comments were in reference to the theme of this year's WEF annual meeting -- 'Creating a shared future in a fractured world'. Asked whether Pakistan was feeling the warmth of friendship from the East or the West, Abbasi said, "For our country warmth has been blowing from both East and from the West and we hope it continues to blow from both sides. We have excellent relationships with China and with the US also." He said the relationship with China has further strengthened with BRI and CPEC. Asif said these relationships have been there since the birth of the country. The Chinese initiatives in a region that is politically and otherwise fractured is something that shows and manifests China's commitment to strive for a shared future, the foreign minister said. He also noted that Pakistan has praised China's BRI and President Xi Jinping's vision at every platform in Davos. "We would like our friends to view their relationship with Pakistan as an independent relationship and not through the prism of a third country. I am referring to our relationship with the US and they have (been) in the last few years viewing the relationship through the prism of Afghanistan," Asif said. The prime minister and his cabinet colleagues also listed out various steps being taken to attract investments and how the government was trying to improve the country's global image. Abbasi said Pakistan is an open market and ready to do business as he invited global businesses to come and invest in the country. The decision to attend the WEF annual meeting was mainly driven by its theme, shared future in a fractured world, he said. "In Pakistan, we are carving out a shared future for everyone without leaving any one and we are doing this despite facing fractures internally and externally," he noted. Pakistan is at the cusp of making history by making a peaceful transition by completing a decade of continued democracy, he said. According to him, the country is playing a key role in connecting people of the region also by participating in the CPEC which is part of the BRI project of China. "Here at the WEF, we have engaged with leaders of various sectors and the platform has allowed us to present our potential," Abbasi said. He also said BRI would benefit the region and the world at large for decades and millenniums to come.

Kashmir, Rohingya issues among 'causes of a fractured world': Pakistan at Davos

Myanmar blamed Bangladesh on Tuesday for delays to a huge repatriation programme for Rohingya refugees, as the deadline passed for starting the return of the Muslim minority to strife-torn Rakhine state.

More than 680,000 Rohingya fled to Bangladesh after a brutal Myanmar army crackdown began last August, while a further 100,000 fled a previous bout of violence in October 2016.

Myanmar agreed that from January 23 it would start taking them back from the squalid camps in the Cox`s Bazar district of Bangladesh where they have sought shelter.

But a Bangladeshi official said Monday the programme would not begin as planned.

Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner Mohammad Abul Kalam said there was much more work to be done.

The complex process of registering huge numbers of the dispossessed has been further cast into doubt by the refugees, who are too afraid to return to the scene of what the UN has called &quot;ethnic cleansing&quot;.

Myanmar authorities are also accused of drawing out the process by agreeing to take back just 1,500 people a week.

It has prepared two reception camps on its side of the border.

Myanmar officials said that by Tuesday afternoon no Rohingya had crossed back into Rakhine, the scene of alleged widespread atrocities by Myanmar`s army and ethnic Rakhine mobs.

&quot;We are right now ready to receive... we are completely ready to welcome them according to the agreement,&quot; Kyaw Tin, Minister of International Cooperation told reporters in Naypyidaw, Myanmar`s capital.

&quot;We have seen the news that the Bangladesh side is not ready, but we have not received any official&quot; explanation, he added.

National Security Adviser Thaung Tun said &quot;it is our hope that this will commence today as agreed.&quot;

With hundreds of Rohingya villages torched and communal tensions still at boiling point in Rakhine, rights groups say Rohingya returnees will be at best corralled into long-term camps.

Those who return must sign a form verifying they did so voluntarily and pledging to abide by Myanmar laws.

Myanmar has sent a list of more than 1,000 &quot;wanted&quot; alleged Rohingya militants to Bangladesh, while headshot photos of the suspects have been widely circulated inside the country.

In a sign of the tensions attached to the repatriation issue, a second Rohingya leader was killed in Bangladesh camps on Monday -- allegedly after endorsing the returns programme.

Bangladesh, one of Asia`s poorest countries, has been besieged by an influx of Rohingya since communal violence flared in 2016.

Dhaka has tried to use the global outcry over the crisis to press Myanmar into taking back the refugees before they settle -- joining an estimated 200,000 Rohingya stuck in Cox`s Bazar camps since a previous bout of violence in the 1990s.

&nbsp;

Myanmar agreed that from January 23 it would start taking them back from the squalid camps in the Cox`s Bazar district of Bangladesh where they have sought shelter. But a Bangladeshi official said Monday the programme would not begin as planned

Myanmar blamed Bangladesh on Tuesday for delays to a huge repatriation programme for Rohingya refugees, as the deadline passed for starting the return of the Muslim minority to strife-torn Rakhine state. More than 680,000 Rohingya fled to Bangladesh after a brutal Myanmar army crackdown began last August, while a further 100,000 fled a previous bout of violence in October 2016. Myanmar agreed that from January 23 it would start taking them back from the squalid camps in the Cox`s Bazar district of Bangladesh where they have sought shelter. But a Bangladeshi official said Monday the programme would not begin as planned. Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner Mohammad Abul Kalam said there was much more work to be done. The complex process of registering huge numbers of the dispossessed has been further cast into doubt by the refugees, who are too afraid to return to the scene of what the UN has called "ethnic cleansing". Myanmar authorities are also accused of drawing out the process by agreeing to take back just 1,500 people a week. It has prepared two reception camps on its side of the border. Myanmar officials said that by Tuesday afternoon no Rohingya had crossed back into Rakhine, the scene of alleged widespread atrocities by Myanmar`s army and ethnic Rakhine mobs. "We are right now ready to receive... we are completely ready to welcome them according to the agreement," Kyaw Tin, Minister of International Cooperation told reporters in Naypyidaw, Myanmar`s capital. "We have seen the news that the Bangladesh side is not ready, but we have not received any official" explanation, he added. National Security Adviser Thaung Tun said "it is our hope that this will commence today as agreed." With hundreds of Rohingya villages torched and communal tensions still at boiling point in Rakhine, rights groups say Rohingya returnees will be at best corralled into long-term camps. Those who return must sign a form verifying they did so voluntarily and pledging to abide by Myanmar laws. Myanmar has sent a list of more than 1,000 "wanted" alleged Rohingya militants to Bangladesh, while headshot photos of the suspects have been widely circulated inside the country. In a sign of the tensions attached to the repatriation issue, a second Rohingya leader was killed in Bangladesh camps on Monday -- allegedly after endorsing the returns programme. Bangladesh, one of Asia`s poorest countries, has been besieged by an influx of Rohingya since communal violence flared in 2016. Dhaka has tried to use the global outcry over the crisis to press Myanmar into taking back the refugees before they settle -- joining an estimated 200,000 Rohingya stuck in Cox`s Bazar camps since a previous bout of violence in the 1990s.

Myanmar blames Bangladesh for delayed Rohingya return

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