Commonwealth MPs express solidarity with Rohingyas

Several parliamentarians from different Commonwealth countries on Sunday expressed solidarity with Rohingyas—the ethnic minority community who fled violence in Rakhine State of Myanmar. 
They proposed to adopt a resolution at the conference of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association in Dhaka seeking to resolve the Rohingya crisis for ending violence in Rakhine State and expedite their return to their home in Myanmar.
The proposal was made at the general assembly of the on-going 63rd conference of Commonwealth Parliamentary Association inaugurated in Dhaka on the day.
The general assembly of the 63rd CPC will be held on Tuesday.
The lawmakers came up with the proposals at a question-answer session after 
Bangladesh foreign minister AH Mahmood Ali briefed the delegates participating in the CPC on Rohingya issue at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre.
Terming the ongoing atrocities on Rohingyas in Myanmar as genocide, they said it would be intolerable if the incident is left unsolved.
United Kingdom House of Lords member George Foulkes termed the incidents at Rakhine state as genocide.
‘It would be intolerable, it would be impossible, if we leave Bangladesh without passing a resolution on the issue on Tuesday,’ he said.
‘The whole UK delegation will ask the conference to visit Cox’s Bazar to experience the exact situation of the displaced Rohingyas,’ he said.
Many lawmakers supported the proposal by giving a big hand.
 CPA executive committee chairperson Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury in her concluding remarks at the briefing amid clappings said CPA would ‘seriously consider’ proposal put forward by the lawmakers of various parliaments and countries for adoption of a resolution on Rohingya crisis in the general assembly of the 63rd CPC.
Shirin, also Bangladesh Parliament Speaker, requested the commonwealth parliamentarians to raise the issue of Rohingyas in their respective countries’ parliament for adoption of resolution to this end.
 Shirin also sought support of the participating countries to the resolution on Rohingya issue   placed by Bangladesh in the third committee of UN Security Council voting on it on November 16.
Around 12 parliamentarians from countries including Canada, United Kingdom, Malaysia, Pakistan, Uganda and Cameroon took part in the question-answer session. 
Foreign minister AH Mahmood Ali at the briefing recalled the history of Rohingyas in Myanmar and the episode of Rohingyas fleeing   persecution by Myanmar government and its military into Bangladesh, sheltering the ethnic minority and giving them security, food and medicare and steps taken so far by Bangladesh to resolve the Rohingya crisis.
Mahmood said Bangladesh believes in peaceful settlement of international disputes saying even on the issue of Rohingyas, ‘we have been persistently engaged with Myanmar for a permanent solution to this protracted problem’.
He said the international community must maintain the persuasion with Myanmar, in order to ensure that the bilateral engagement bears fruit.
‘We would urge the esteemed members of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association to take a united stand against all discriminatory polices and activities that run counter to human rights and good relations between countries,’ the foreign minister said.
Malta House of Representatives Speaker Angelo Farrugia first placed the proposal to adopt the resolution on the issue.  
Pakistan MP Nafisa Shah said Pakistani parliament, both Senate and national assembly, passed resolutions showing extreme concern over Rohingya issue.
‘We also completely stand with Bangladesh’s position that it is the government of Myanmar which has to take back the Rohingyas, give them citizenship and place them on equal status with other citizens,’ she said.  
Mohammad Asghar, Wales MP, proposed for reaching a consensus to condemn the Myanmar government.
A  Cameron lawmaker said, ‘We are united with you (Bangladesh) as a country and as a nation.’
Margaret Quirk, member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly, wanted to know stances of India and China over the Rohingya issue.
In reply, foreign minister Mahmood said Indian external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj during her recent visit to Dhaka conveyed India’s solidarity with Bangladesh. ‘They are with us.’ he said.
He said, China sent aid assistance for the Rohingya people but ‘their language is different.’ 
Replying to another query, the foreign minister said it is difficult to say how many Rohingys are left behind.
‘Over 1.1 million Rohingyas entered Bangladesh so far. They arrived here before and after August 25,’ he said, adding that one hundred thousand may be left over there (Myanmar).
Canadian MP Salma Ataullahjan said they had an emergency debate in Canada and decided to call it ‘genocide’ as it is.
CPA secretary general Akbar Khan moderated the question-answer session of the briefing. State minister for foreign affairs Shahriar Alam was present at the dais.  
Prime minister Sheikh Hasina, also vice-patron CPA, on Sunday formally inaugurated the 63rd CPC at South Plaza of Jatiya Sangsad in the morning. 44 countries out of 52 countries are participating the CPC. 

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net