UN resolution on Rohingyas carries political value: Momen

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Thursday said the adaptation of UN resolution on Rohingyas by consensus for the first time has a political value as it showed interest of all countries, including Russia and China, in resolving the protracted crisis.

“It (UN resolution) has a pressure on that particular country (Myanmar),” he told journalists after attending a discussion at Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) in Dhaka, BSS reports.

The United Nations (UN) has adopted the resolution on “The situation of human rights of Rohingya Muslims and other minorities in Myanmar” by consensus in New York on Wednesday.

“It’s a great day for us. We are very happy,” Dr Momen said, adding that it showed all countries want a peaceful solution to the Rohingya crisis.

“The countries those created obstacles (over the issue) earlier … like China, Russia… this time they didn’t create barrier, which means all want solution of the crisis,” he said.

The foreign minister said he had discussions with Russia over the issue while China has already made some interventions.

Dr Momen expressed his hope to see progress on resolving the Rohingya crisis at the UN Security Council (UNSC) as the resolution of UN General Assembly is not a mandatory one.

In June, Bangladesh had decided to abstain from an UN resolution on Myanmar as the Rohingya issue was not included.

“(That time), we said resolution will be meaningless if you don’t talk about the Rohingyas,” Dr Momen said regarding that resolution which highlighted restoration of democracy but no mention about return of Rohingyas.

The foreign minister said the forcibly displaced Rohingya people must go back to their country Myanmar for a better future.