Standing behind handwritten placards inside the crowded Rohingya camps of Ukhiya, displaced Rohingyas carried a message they have repeated for years but have yet to see fulfilled: they want to go home.
“We have been living an uncertain life in the camps for years. Our only demand is to return to our own country with citizenship rights, security and dignity. We do not want to spend our lives as displaced people anymore,” they told visiting US officials.
Holding signs that read, “You have your home! We miss our home!” and “Enough is Enough!”, the Rohingyas appealed to the international community to take effective steps for a safe, voluntary and dignified repatriation to Myanmar.
The appeal came during a visit by a 14-member high-level US delegation led by Sergio Gor, the US special envoy for South and Central Asian affairs, to Rohingya camps in Ukhiya on Friday.
The visit came amid continued uncertainty over the repatriation of Rohingyas who fled Myanmar during the 2017 military crackdown and have been living in Bangladesh.
Despite years of diplomatic efforts, a large-scale repatriation has yet to begin, with security concerns and the ongoing situation in Myanmar remaining key challenges.
On the second day of his three-day official visit to Bangladesh, Gor arrived at the Ukhiya camps on Friday afternoon along with US Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent T Christensen and other officials. The delegation travelled directly to the camps from Cox’s Bazar airport.
During the visit, the delegation first observed the overall situation at the camps from the watchtower of Camp-8.
They later visited an International Rescue Committee (IRC)-run hospital, a food distribution centre operated by the World Food Programme (WFP) in Camp-4, Camp-4 Extension, Camp-8W and Camp-6.
The officials gathered information about the living conditions of Rohingyas, food assistance programmes, education, healthcare services and other humanitarian activities from representatives of aid organisations.
Rohingya leader Master Syed Ullah said Bangladesh’s support was appreciated, but no one wanted to live away from their homeland forever.
“We are grateful to Bangladesh. But no person wants to remain dependent on another country’s shelter for their entire life. The international community must take effective steps so that we can return safely to our homeland,” he said.
Another Rohingya, Abdul Wahab, said they peacefully displayed placards to demand safe and dignified repatriation.
“Even after living in camps for years, our only expectation is to return to our own country,” he said.
After visiting the camps throughout the day, the US delegation held a meeting with Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC) Mohammad Mizanur Rahman, government officials and development partners at North End Coffee House and Restaurant in Ukhiya South Station around 5pm.
The meeting discussed the Rohingya crisis, ongoing humanitarian support, international assistance and the prospects of repatriation.
Speaking to journalists after the meeting, RRRC Mohammad Mizanur Rahman said the US special envoy thanked Bangladesh for sheltering the Rohingyas and observed the conditions of displaced people firsthand.
“Sergio Gor said US humanitarian assistance for the Rohingyas will continue. Support will also continue for the local Bangladeshi communities affected by the crisis,” Mizanur Rahman said.
The US delegation left Cox’s Bazar for Dhaka on Friday evening after completing the camp visit.
