Resolution on Myanmar, notably the situation of the Rohingya

The European Parliament adopted by 546 votes to 12, with 94 abstentions, a resolution on Myanmar, notably the situation of the Rohingya.

The resolution was tabled by the EPP, S&D, Renew, Greens/EFA, ECR and GUE/NGL groups.

Since 2017, more than 700 000 Rohingya have fled Myanmar for safety in neighbouring Bangladesh following repression, continued serious human rights violations, including widespread killings, rape and the burning of villages committed by the Myanmar armed groups in Rakhine State, which had been home to over 1 million Rohingya.

Some 600 000 Rohingya are estimated to remain in Rakhine State, who are being subjected to ongoing discriminatory policies and practices. Since June 2019, the authorities of Myanmar have imposed a telecommunications blackout on northern and central Rakhine State and Paletwa in Chin State. There are tight military controls in place limiting access to and media coverage in Rakhine State.

Parliament reiterated its strong condemnation of all past and present human rights violations and the systematic and widespread attacks, including killings, harassment, rape and the destruction of property which according to the UN Office of the High Commission on Human Rights amounts to genocide and crimes against humanity, perpetrated by the armed forces of Myanmar against the country’s minority Rohingya population.

The Government of Myanmar, under the leadership of Aung San Suu Kyi and the security forces, is called on to:

- put an immediate stop to the ongoing violations, killings, and sexual and gender-based violence against Rohingya people and other ethnic groups;

- allow full and unhindered access to Rakhine, Kachin and Shan States for international observers;

- create conditions and guarantees for the safe, voluntary, dignified and sustainable return, under the oversight of the UN, of those Rohingya who wish to return to their native land;

- acknowledge and recognise the full citizenship of the Rohingya, including the corresponding rights and constitutional safeguards;

- enter into dialogue with Rohingya officials and to recognise the Rohingya as one of the 135 ethnic groups recognised by law in Myanmar;

- allow credible and independent investigations into the alleged serious and systematic human rights violations and for the perpetrators of such crimes to be brought to justice without delay;

- cooperate with the International Criminal Court (ICC) following the decision to open a preliminary investigation into crimes committed against the Rohingya population under the court’s jurisdiction since October 2016.

Parliament commended the efforts undertaken by the Government and people of Bangladesh to provide refuge and security for Rohingya refugees and encourages them to continue to provide humanitarian assistance to refugees from Myanmar. However, the resolution stated that financial responsibility for assisting the refugee population should not fall disproportionately on Bangladesh.

Whilst welcoming the EU’s disbursement, in early September 2019, of EUR 2 million in food aid to the UN World Food Programme for the Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar, Parliament asked the Council and the Commission, in view of the needs on the ground, to continue their efforts in this regard. It also called for further international support for those communities hosting the refugees, including by addressing domestic social, educational, economic and healthcare challenges.