Since the beginning of the Rohingya crisis, Myanmar has been shirking responsibility. Ever since the ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya population, victims of genocide have been pouring into Bangladesh. Responding to the call of world leaders, Bangladesh has given shelter to the Rohingyas for humanitarian reasons. Myanmar has not repatriated a single person since then.
But despite all this, Myanmar now wants to get into a conflict with Bangladesh. As part of this, mortar shells were fired into Bangladesh. One Rohingya was killed. Earlier, a Bangladeshi youth was injured in a land mine explosion on the Myanmar border at Naikshyongchari in Bandarban. The explosion took place on the border of Ghumdhum on Friday afternoon.
Early in the Rohingya crisis, Myanmar also staged several border provocations. Bangladesh faced the situation with patience. Now again the Myanmar authorities are firing mortar shells and dispatching helicopters inside Bangladesh, according to media reports. Even in this difficult situation Bangladesh Border Guard Force is dealing with the situation with utmost patience.
Since the beginning of the Rohingya crisis, Bangladesh has been showing humanity vis-à-vis Myanmar’s brutality and extremism. The international community is trying to deal with the crisis in a law-abiding manner. However, these new provocations are not acceptable in any way, and the international community should take a strong stand to stop Myanmar now.
From it’s very beginning, the Rohingya crisis has been Myanmar’s creation, and it’s ultimately up to Myanmar to solve it. But due to the laxity of the international community, Myanmar’s woes continue to grow. Firing mortar shells inside Bangladesh, planting land mines along the border and firing from helicopters are not neighborly behavior by any means. We call upon all concerned to give a strong diplomatic response to Myanmar and ensure the safety of the local people along the border, including raising the issue at the United Nations.
The UN has been speaking out against Myanmar since the beginning of the Rohingya crisis. But those words are not backed up with deeds. The international organization has yet to take any effective action to stop the inhuman activities of the Burmese generals. The United Nations human rights office has said that countries around the world should do more to stop the flow of revenue and weapons to the military in the wake of the persecution of people in Myanmar.
The UN has accused Myanmar’s military junta of indiscriminate killings and crimes against humanity. According to media reports, they have engaged in war near the border of Bangladesh. Casualties have also occurred on the Bandarban border due to mortar shells and land mine explosions. The country’s military junta says it is fighting “terrorists” determined to harm the country.
Bangladesh does not harbor enmity toward any country, neighboring or otherwise, as per its foreign policy. This is in keeping with the home minister’s declaration that Bangladesh does not want war over the Myanmar issue; rather, it wants a peaceful solution, and if necessary, it will be under the auspices of the United Nations. Myanmar bullets should stay within their borders. Bangladesh has issued a warning at the level of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Bangladesh will not engage in war under any provocation.
In the words of the United Nations Human Rights Office, the Burmese generals have failed to govern the country in a meaningful and sustainable way. For this, Myanmar’s military needs to be further isolated. The international community should do everything in its power to support the people of Myanmar and respond to calls for financial isolation of the country’s military.
However, the major obstacle in isolating Myanmar is its closeness to China, Russia, and India. The UN human rights office says Russia has provided fighter jets and armored vehicles to Myanmar; China has provided fighter and transport aircraft; Serbia has provided rockets and ammunition; and India has helped build a remote air defense station. In addition, the United Nations has been unable to take any measures against Myanmar due to a string of vetoes.
The abovementioned three countries are close allies of Bangladesh. Bangladesh should have no issues regarding its friendship with Myanmar. However, abusing this support, the country created the Rohingya crisis and the recent provocation of war will not be accepted by the people of Bangladesh.
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