US urges Dhaka to allow refugees

[Major Shaheb]

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The United States has expressed concern over pushing back the Rohingyas seeking refuge after fleeing the ethnic and religious violence in Myanmar and urged Bangladesh to allow the refugees.


“We are concerned that Bangladeshi authorities appear to have intercepted and turned back persons fleeing the ethnic and religious violence in Myanmar,” said US State Department Spokesperson Victoria Nuland.


Replying to a question at a daily press briefing in Washington, DC on June 13, the spokesperson said, “So we have been urging the Government of Bangladesh to respect its international obligations under the relevant refugee conventions and to continue its longstanding policy of non-refoulement of refugees.


“We are continuing to make the point to all sides in Myanmar that it is important to settle these issues not through violence but through dialogue, and to put down their arms and start talking to each other.”


Asked whether this issue has come up now upstairs with the Indian foreign minister as far as situation in Myanmar is concerned, the spokesperson said they did talk about Myanmar and they did talk about the ethnic issues and the Rohingya issues when US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton had her brief meeting with Indian External Affairs Minister SM Krishna before starting the broader Security Dialogue


http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesig....php?nid=38396

[protest]

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Bangladesh should provide refuge to these people. Imagine had we done the same with Bangladeshis in 1971. There were 10 million of them.