Asked by: Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of any consultation that has taken place between the government of Bangladesh and Rohingya refugees about the proposed relocation of up to 100,000 refugees to the silt island of Bhasan Char.
Answered by Lord Bates
The UK Government is clear that any relocation of refugees must be safe, dignified and meet international humanitarian principles and standards.
Asked by: Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what reports they have received from UN personnel who have visited the silt island of Bhasan Char about the suitability of the island for accommodating up to 100,000 Rohingya refugees.
Answered by Lord Bates
We have made clear to the government of Bangladesh that any relocation of refugees must be safe, dignified and meet international humanitarian principles and standards. The Government of Bangladesh and humanitarian agencies have formed a working group. A UN led technical assessment of the island is a priority to understand the viability of the relocation proposal.
Asked by: Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the suitability for large scale human habitation by refugees of the silt island of Bhasan Char in the River Meghna.
Answered by Lord Bates
We have made clear to the government of Bangladesh that any relocation of refugees must be safe, dignified and meet international humanitarian principles and standards. The Government of Bangladesh and humanitarian agencies have formed a working group. A UN led technical assessment of the island is a priority to understand the viability of the relocation proposal.
Asked by: Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what UK aid resources are being used for the construction of accommodation for Rohingya refugees on the silt island of Bhasan Char in the River Meghna; and whether, and if so what, conditions of suitability for human habitation are provisos for such support.
Answered by Lord Bates
The UK Government has provided no support for the proposed relocation of refugees to Bhasan Char Island. We have raised concerns about the island’s fitness for this purpose with the Government of Bangladesh.
Asked by: Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Bangladesh about the construction of accommodation for Rohingya refugees on the silt island of Bhasan Char in the River Meghna.
Answered by Lord Bates
The UK Government has provided no support for the proposed relocation of refugees to Bhasan Char Island. We have raised concerns about the island’s fitness for this purpose with the Government of Bangladesh.
Asked by: Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the statement by Marzuki Darnsman, Chair of the UN fact-finding mission on Myanmar, that an "ongoing genocide" of Rohingya people is taking place; and what action they are taking to discourage the government of Bangladesh from pursuing its recent agreement with the government of Burma to repatriate Rohingya refugees.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK proposed the briefing by the Chair of the Fact-Finding Mission to the UN Security Council on 24 October. In response to his briefing, the UK's Permanent Representative told the Council that the UK would press for progress on the creation of conditions for refugees to return, and on accountability to end Burmese military impunity. The Minister for Asia and the Pacific called the Bangladeshi State Minister of Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam on 1 November to stress the UK's serious concern at Bangladesh and Burma's announcement on 30 October that refugee repatriation would commence in mid-November.
Asked by: Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to ensure the proper implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding between the UN and the government of Myanmar signed in June under which the government of Myanmar undertook to create “safe and dignified” conditions, including guaranteed security, freedom of movement, and citizenship pathways, for Rohingya refugees returning to Rakhine State from Bangladesh.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The British Ambassador raised the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in his meeting with Burma's Minister for Social Welfare on 9 August. He called for progress on the issues covered by the MoU and pressed the Burmese authorities to grant UN Development Programme (UNDP) and UNHCR unfettered access to northern Rakhine State. The UK's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, speaking during the 24 October meeting of the UN Security Council, raised the UK's concern that UNDP and UNHCR continue to be denied access to large parts of Rakhine. We will continue to press for full implementation of the MoU and the creation of conditions in northern Rakhine to allow the safe, voluntary and dignified return of refugees.
Asked by: Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the (1) political rights, and (2) living conditions of Rohingya people in (a) Burma, and (b) refugee camps in Bangladesh; and what estimate they have made of the prospects for the safety and security of Rohingya people, whether continuing to live in Burma or returning from Bangladesh.
Answered by Lord Bates
The conditions in the camps in Bangladesh and in northern Rakhine remain extremely difficult for the Rohingya people. The Government of Bangladesh do not recognise Rohingya as refugees, making them more vulnerable and increasing their risk of exploitation.
In Burma, the Rohingya people suffer from systematic discrimination and persecution, with freedom of movement and access to basic services restricted. DFID’s work in Rakhine aims to improve fundamental freedoms and paths to citizenship for the Rohingya.
The UK has agreed publicly with the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) that the conditions for safe and dignified returns of Rohingya people to Rakhine State do not yet exist.
Asked by: Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they are making to the governments of Bangladesh and Burma regarding the need for consultation with, and agreement from, (1) the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and (2) displaced Rohingya people before commencing implementation of the recent agreement between those governments to repatriate refugee Rohingya people from Bangladesh to Burma.
Answered by Lord Bates
The Rt Hon Mark Field MP, Minister of State for Asia and the Pacific, has raised our concerns with the Bangladeshi and Burmese foreign ministers following their Governments’ announcement on the 30 October that the repatriation of over 2,000 refugees to Rakhine State would start in mid-November.
We have stated publicly that we agree with the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) that the conditions for safe and dignified returns do not yet exist. UNHCR continue to engage closely with the Rohingya community in Bangladesh to understand their views about returning to Rakhine.
Asked by: Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of the United States to press for the reuniting of refugee children with their parents from whom they have been separated at the United States border in recent months.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Prime Minister was clear that the separation of children from their parents at the border was disturbing and wrong. President Trump has now signed an Executive Order aimed at ending the separation policy and US authorities are in the process of implementing this change. Of course, we hope the children will soon be reunited with their families.