Dhaka - Rohingya refugees continue to flee
Myanmar for Bangladesh even though both countries set up a
timetable last month to allow them to start to return home, the
U.N. refugee agency (UNHCR)said on Thursday.
The number of refugees appears to have slowed. 625,000 have
arrived since Aug. 25. 30,000 came last month and around 1,500
arrived last week, UNHCR said.
"The refugee emergency in Bangladesh is the fastest-growing
refugee crisis in the world," said deputy high commissioner
Kelly Clements. "Conditions in Myanmar's Rakhaine state are not
in place to enable a safe and sustainable return ... refugees
are still fleeing."
"Most have little or nothing to go back to. Their homes and
villages have been destroyed. Deep divisions between communities
remain unaddressed and human access is inadequate," she said.
Bangladesh and Myanmar agreed on Nov. 23 to start the return
of Rohingya within two months. It did not say when the process
would be complete.
Myanmar's security forces may be guilty of genocide against
the Rohingya Muslim minority, according to the top U.N. human
rights official this week. Mainly Buddhist Myanmar denies the
Muslim Rohingya are its citizens and considers them foreigners.
UNHCR would make a fresh appeal to donors for funds after
the end of February in next year, Kelly said.