Burma
(asked on 1st December 2014) - View Source
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to the Burmese government on the implications for that country's international legal obligations of the internment of Rohingya people who do not meet that country's citizenship criteria.
This question was answered on 4th December 2014
We have raised our concern at the issues surrounding the Rohingya community in all of our recent Ministerial contacts with the Burmese government. Most recently, I discussed this with the Minister for Immigration and the Rakhine Chief Minister during their visit to the UK in October. We have been clear in our communications with the Burmese government that we expect them to adhere to their international human rights obligations regarding the treatment and welfare of those that do not meet the country’s citizenship criteria. While we welcome the limited citizenship verification in Taungpaw for internally displaced people that has seen some individuals from the Rohingya community granted citizenship status, we continue to urge the Burmese authorities to follow a transparent, inclusive and consistent process in establishing the status of inhabitants of Rakhine State. We are also clear that, regardless of citizenship status, the human rights of all individuals in Rakhine must be fully respected.
We have raised our concern at the issues surrounding the Rohingya community in all of our recent Ministerial contacts with the Burmese government. Most recently, I discussed this with the Minister for Immigration and the Rakhine Chief Minister during their visit to the UK in October. We have been clear in our communications with the Burmese government that we expect them to adhere to their international human rights obligations regarding the treatment and welfare of those that do not meet the country’s citizenship criteria. While we welcome the limited citizenship verification in Taungpaw for internally displaced people that has seen some individuals from the Rohingya community granted citizenship status, we continue to urge the Burmese authorities to follow a transparent, inclusive and consistent process in establishing the status of inhabitants of Rakhine State. We are also clear that, regardless of citizenship status, the human rights of all individuals in Rakhine must be fully respected.