Federal Foreign Office on the fifth anniversary of the attacks against Rohingya communities in Myanmar and the refugee crisis they triggered
A Federal Foreign Office Spokesperson issued the following statement today (25 August) on the fifth anniversary of the attacks against Rohingya communities in Myanmar and the refugee crisis they triggered:
Five years ago, Myanmar’s military carried out large-scale violent attacks against the Rohingya ethnic minority. Thousands of men, women and children were mistreated or killed, while hundreds of thousands had to flee their homes and are living to this day in refugee camps, often under difficult conditions.
Our thoughts are with the victims and their families. At the same time, we support the international efforts to investigate these crimes. The judgment by the International Court of Justice of late July on the admissibility of the application by The Gambia regarding the genocide proceedings against Myanmar is an important step in that direction. We ask others to condemn Russia’s war of aggression as a breach of international law and to protect the international legal order. And now we support The Gambia in order to enforce international law and to strengthen it in the fight against human rights violations. Therefore, Germany will intervene in the proceedings before the International Court of Justice.
Furthermore, we stand in solidarity with the refugees. We are grateful for the generous support of the governments and people of Bangladesh and of other host countries. The German Government will continue to support the refugees and people in Myanmar, both politically and financially. In 2021/2022, more than 38 million euros in humanitarian assistance is being provided and implemented. In particular, we are calling for the safe, voluntary and permanent return of the Rohingya, as soon as conditions allow.
One of the major factors hindering the return of the Rohingya to Myanmar is the violence unleashed on the population by the military junta and the continuing repression of ethnic and religious minorities. The junta needs to adhere to its commitments under ASEAN’s Five-Point Consensus and swiftly end the violence, release political prisoners, allow unhampered humanitarian access and facilitate a peaceful solution through an inclusive dialogue.
