Rohingya returns only ‘at their freely expressed wish’: UN

Agencies

November 13, 2018

United Nations, Nov 13: Returns of Rohingya refugees, forced to flee their homes due to widespread and systematic violence in northern Myanmar, 'should only take place at their freely expressed wish' the United Nations top refugee official has stressed, amid concerns that conditions at places of origin are not yet conducive to safe, dignified and sustainable returns.

In a statement, on Sunday, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi, said that repatriation of refugees' is premised upon the free and informed decision by refugees … to return.'

Since late August 2017, widespread and systematic violence against Myanmar’s mainly-Muslim minority Rohingya, has forced hundreds of thousands to flee their homes in Rakhine state and seek refuge across the country’s border, in Bangladesh. Prior to that, well over 200,000 Rohingya refugees were sheltering in Bangladesh due to earlier displacements, United Nations news reported.

According to estimates, there are currently some 925,000 Rohingya refugees sheltering in Bangladesh.

“Returns should only take place at their freely expressed wish based on relevant and reliable knowledge of the conditions within the country of origin and the area of return,” said Mr Grandi, noting that the 'best way' to provide that knowledge to allow refugees 'to go and see the conditions in Myanmar for themselves.'

“Before making a choice of whether to return or not, the refugees reportedly verified by Myanmar as having the right to return should be allowed to visit their places of origin in Rakhine state, or other places to which they might choose to return.”

According to media reports, some 4,355 people have been placed on a list approved for return by Myanmar. However, not everyone on the list has been informed and it is unclear how it was compiled. The first repatriations are said to start on Thursday.

High Commissioner Mr Grandi also said that the responsibility rests with Myanmar, to ensure that conditions are conducive for voluntary, safe, dignified, and sustainable returns from Bangladesh.

At present, these conditions are not present, Mr Grandi stated, adding that his Office, UNHCR, 'remains committed' to supporting the Myanmar’s efforts to create such conditions, under the terms of a tripartite agreement signed by UNHCR, the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and Myanmar in June.

An Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar, established by the UN Human Rights Council, has concluded that violence against the Rohingya community by Myanmar’s security forces amounted to 'the gravest crimes under international law' and called for referring the situation to the International Criminal Court (ICC) or to an ad hoc tribunal for investigations and prosecutions.

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US braces for historic showdown: Harris vs. Trump in razor-tight presidential clash

News Network

November 5,2024

Washington: The race between Democratic leader Kamala Harris and her Republican rival Donald Trump for the White House has been truly unprecedented as it saw drama, tragedy, political comebacks, fierce rhetoric and a historically razor-tight contest.

As the fight reaches its crescendo with the big election day just a few hours away, many political observers billed the unpredictable race for the 47th President of the US as the most consequential one in decades while appearing to project a grim picture for the country’s future under a Trump presidency.

In her final days of campaign, Vice President Harris focused on a message of hope, unity, optimism and women rights whereas Trump remained fiercely combative in targeting his Democratic rival and even suggested that he may not accept the election outcome in case of a defeat.

Overall, it has been a roller-coaster ride for both 60-year-old Harris and 78-year-old Trump.

Trump received his party’s nomination in March and formally at the Republican National Convention (RNC) in July — in a historic comeback after remaining in political wilderness for months following several court cases.

In effect, he became the first former president to get the nomination for the top office on the planet after being convicted of a felony.

“Trump has made one of the biggest political comebacks since Richard Nixon’s in terms of the political struggles that he has had in the last four years,” Communication Strategist Anang Mittal said.

Just days ahead of the RNC, Trump was shot at during a rally in Pennsylvania. He suffered an upper ear injury. Minutes later, a bleeding Trump raised his fist in defiance, images that drew a lot of emotional support from his die-hard supporters.

For Harris too, it has been a dramatic ride after Biden ended his re-election campaign in July, nearly weeks after he came under severe scrutiny following his incoherent performance at a televised debate with Trump.

While dropping out from the race, Biden, 81, endorsed Harris to succeed him as the Democratic candidate.

Finally in August, the Democratic National Convention formally nominated Harris as the party’s candidate for the presidential election.

The presidential election will be a chance to “move past the bitterness, cynicism and divisive battles of the past”, she said in a powerful speech at the Convention.

If Harris wins, she will become the first woman, first Black woman and first person of South Asian descent to become the US President.

In the overall campaign, Harris has been projecting the election as the one to protect the country’s fundamental freedoms, safeguard constitutional values and ensure women’s rights.

On his part, Trump has maintained his signature aggressive rhetoric and promising to rebuild the economy and rid the US from illegal immigrants.

However, there has been strong criticism of the Republican leader’s roadmap to repair the economy.

"Donald Trump is offering a vision of crony rentier capitalism that has enticed many captains of industry and finance,” said Joseph E Stiglitz, a Nobel laureate economist, in a column in Project Syndicate.

"In catering to their wishes for more tax cuts and less regulation, he would make most Americans’ lives poorer, harder, and shorter,” he said.

With election day just a few hours away, there is no clarity on who has a better chance of winning the race.

"The elections are very close. They (the outcome) may change on the basis of a few thousands votes here or there. I think the big issue will be voter turnout tomorrow. That will determine the outcome in certain swing states,” said Executive Director of the US chapter of Observer Research Foundation Dhruva Jaishankar.

Kapil Sharma, a non-resident senior fellow at Atlantic Council’s Middle East Programmes, also echoed similar views.

“This election is probably one of the closest elections that I can remember. I have been working in Washington for over 30 years and I don’t recall an election being this tight,” he said.

More than 78 million Americans have already cast their votes as of Sunday, according to the University of Florida’s Election Lab that tracks early and mail-in voting across the US.

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