File photo of Canadian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Benoit Préfontaine Collected
The causes and solutions to the crisis lie in Myanmar, Benoit Préfontaine said
Canada has said they are using all tools at their disposal, including sanctions, against Myanmar leaders and companies as well as diplomatic efforts to help find a solution to Rohingya crisis.
Canada has said they are using all tools at their disposal, including sanctions, against Myanmar leaders and companies as well as diplomatic efforts to help find a solution to Rohingya crisis.
“We fully agree that the causes and
solutions to the crisis lie in Myanmar, and this is why we are using all
tools at our disposal to help,” Canadian High Commissioner to
Bangladesh Benoit Préfontaine.
The High Commissioner was addressing a
symposium titled “Bangladesh-Canada Relations: Prognosis for
Partnership” at a Dhaka hotel organized by Cosmos Foundation, the
philanthropic arm of Cosmos Group, as part of its Ambassador’s Lecture
Series on Saturday.
Highlighting Canada’s supports over
Rohingya issue, Foreign Secretary (Senior Secretary) Md Shahidul Haque,
who spoke at the event as the chief guest, termed Bangladesh-Canada
relation a trouble-free one which is growing on all fronts, reports UNB.
Chairman of the Cosmos Foundation
Enayetullah Khan delivered the welcome speech at the symposium chaired
by Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, the Principal Research Fellow at the
Institute of South Asian Studies, National University of Singapore, and
former foreign affairs Adviser to Bangladesh’s previous caretaker
government.
High Commissioner Préfontaine said Canada
has a long history of helping and welcoming refugees and their citizens
deeply care about what the Rohingya and Cox’s Bazar host communities
are going through.
He said Canada recognizes the immense
generosity that the people and government of Bangladesh have
demonstrated in welcoming Rohingya refugees and in keeping their borders
open to those seeking refuge.
The high commissioner said Canada was one
of the first countries to respond to the crisis, and continues to be a
top humanitarian donor.
“We place crucial importance on
addressing the urgent needs of crisis-affected populations in Cox’s
Bazar, both refugees and those living in the affected host communities,”
said Préfontaine.
Canada is engaged in “extensive advocacy”
and continues to work with the international community to find a way to
bring to justice those responsible for gross human rights violations
and abuses in Myanmar.
Appreciating Canada’s support on Rohingya
issue, Foreign Secretary Haque said it has been an “exceptional
relationship” not only in terms of helping Rohingyas and their basic
needs, but also in terms of the whole issue of “accountability track”.
Canada’s resolution
Canada acted “very decisively” including
passing a very strong resolution in the Senate, which subsequently
stripped of Aung San Suu Kyi, of her honorary Canadian citizenship over
her inaction on military violence against the country’s Rohingya
Muslims, he said.
“That’s a very decisive, very
significant, and very encouraging decision,” said the foreign secretary,
adding that it was beyond description.
In October 2017, Canadian Prime Minister
Justin Trudeau appointed Bob Rae as Canada’s Special Envoy to Myanmar
and he released his report in April 2018, outlining the underlying
causes of the Rohingya crisis.
“Bob Rae has been very instrumental on
the accountability track,” said the foreign secretary, mentioning that
Bangladesh and Canada are working very closely and trying to find out
how best the two countries can collaborate in the coming days in The
Hague.
Dr Iftekhar also recognized Canada’s
support over the Rohingya issue since the beginning of the crisis that
affected Bangladesh largely.
Myanmar accused of genocide
On November 11, Gambia filed a case at
the United Nations’ highest court, accusing Myanmar of genocide in its
campaign against its Rohingya Muslim minority.
Gambia, filing the case on behalf of the
Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), asked the International Court
of Justice (ICJ) to urgently order measures “to stop Myanmar’s
genocidal conduct immediately.”
Gambia Attorney General and Justice
Minister Abubacarr Marie Tambadou and Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San
Suu Kyi will lead the lawyers on behalf of their respective countries
during the December 10-12 hearing at the court in The Hague.
On November 14, the pre-trial Chamber III
of the International Criminal Court (ICC) authorized the Prosecutor to
proceed with an investigation into the alleged crimes within the ICC’s
jurisdiction committed against the Rohingya people from Myanmar.
ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said her
investigation will seek to uncover the truth. “My office will now focus
on ensuring the success of its independent and impartial investigation.”
Meanwhile, Suu Kyi is among several top
Myanmar officials named in a case filed in Argentina for crimes against
Rohingya Muslims and it shows the Nobel laureate, for the first time,
has been legally targeted over the crisis.
Diplomats stationed in Dhaka, former
ambassadors and experts shared their views on global, regional, and
bilateral issues, including the Rohingya crisis.
Bangladesh has been hosting over 1.1
million Rohingyas, most of whom entered Cox’s Bazar since August 25,
2017 amid military crackdown on Rohingyas in Rakhine State.
Not a single Rohingya has been
repatriated over the last two years due to Myanmar’s “failure” to build
confidence among Rohingyas and lack of a conducive environment in
Rakhine State, officials here said.
Bangladesh has so far handed over names
of over 1 million Rohingyas to the Myanmar authorities for verification
and subsequent repatriation efforts but Myanmar is yet to take back its
nationals from Bangladesh, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
in Dhaka.
Link :https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/rohingya-crisis/2019/12/07/canada-using-all-tools-against-myanmar-for-solution-to-rohingya-crisis
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