Support Dhaka on Rohingya crisis: Guterres

India must support Bangladesh in dealing with the Rohingya crisis and put pressure on Myanmar for their return, Antonio Guterres, on his first official visit to India as the United Nations Secretary-General, said here on Tuesday.

Making a strong pitch for India to play a bigger role “according to its capacity” on the problems of nearly a million refugees who fled violence to live in camps in Cox’s Bazaar in Bangladesh, Mr. Guterres said the violence they faced from Myanmar security forces was “unacceptable”.

“What can India do now? First, support Bangladesh with the huge humanitarian problem it faces now. Second, India must put pressure on Myanmar, not just in reconstruction of Rohingya villages, but in creating the environment for these people to go back,” Mr. Guterres said at a “town hall event”, taking questions from students, journalists and officials from the United Nations and the NITI Aayog. 

He described India as a “fundamental pillar of multilateralism”.

Mr. Guterres, who visited the Cox’s Bazaar camps along with the World Bank chief in July, warned that terror groups trying to recruit Rohingya refugees could threaten the region, including India. 

“Fortunately, there aren’t many Rohingya who have been recruited, and we have been able to avoid the situation so far, but discrimination and unresolved problems facilitate [the aims of] terrorist groups,” he said.

During her visit to Myanmar in May this year, Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had offered to help in safe, speedy and sustainable return of Rohingyas. India has also been helping Bangladesh in providing humanitarian assistance to Rohingyas.

Source: The Hindu