Bangladeshi leader demands justice for Rohingya, ‘safe return’ to Myanmar

Al Jazeera English

Tens of thousands of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh mark the eighth anniversary of their forced exodus from Myanmar with a mass march through the world's largest refugee camp.  The demonstration highlights their ongoing plight and desire to return home, even as they face persecution and dwindling international support.  With an estimated 1.5 million people now residing in the camps, Bangladesh's interim leader warns that the country can no longer bear this burden alone. As international donors gather to address the forgotten needs of the Rohingya, the refugees themselves continue to call for justice and repatriation.  However, with a 60 percent shortfall in funding from international donors this year and schools in the camps closing due to lack of resources, the future remains uncertain for this displaced community.   Al Jazeera’s Tony Cheng reports from Cox's Bazar in southern Bangladesh.  Subscribe to our channel: http://bit.ly/AJSubscribe Follow us on X: https://twitter.com/AJEnglish Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera Check our website: http://www.aljazeera.com/ Check out our Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/aljazeeraenglish/ Download AJE Mobile App: https://aje.io/AJEMobile  #Bangladesh #Rohingya #Myanmar #RohingyaRefugees #CoxsBazar #JusticeForRohingya #RohingyaSafeReturn #RohingyaCrisis #HumanRights #MuhammadYunus #AlJazeeraEnglish  # news #breaking #24x7

Transcript

00:00Tens of thousands of Rohingya refugees marched through the camps in Bangladesh.

00:05They're home now for eight years.

00:08This is the anniversary of the genocide that forced more than 700,000 across the border,

00:14and in the years that followed, hundreds of thousands more.

00:18For those who fled Myanmar on that fateful day, the memory is still fresh, as is the desire to return home.

00:26Yes, we're helpless. We thank Bangladesh for giving us shelter,

00:29but we're under persecution here as well.

00:32We're scolded a lot with comments like,

00:34you Burmese people go back to your country.

00:36From the air you can see the mass of humanity.

00:40But this is just a small fraction of the Rohingya here.

00:43It's estimated these camps now support one and a half million people,

00:47the largest refugee camp in the world.

00:50That, says Bangladesh's interim leader, is a burden his country can no longer bear.

00:55This conference of international donors is supposed to highlight the forgotten needs

00:59of the Rohingya refugees, needs that aren't being met.

01:03It will be a historic blunder if we wait for seeing the very last Rohingya leave in Dakar.

01:11We cannot let it happen.

01:13As the conference progressed, workshops and discussions,

01:17the complex issues of how to deliver aid,

01:20and the reality of financial budget cuts.

01:23So far this year, there's been a 60% shortfall in funding from international donors.

01:29Back in the camps, they continue to march.

01:32This is one of the few opportunities the Rohingya have had to highlight their calls.

01:36There is a lot of expectation for the conference that's taking place just kilometres up the road,

01:42but the calls here are the things that are much simpler.

01:45They want justice and they want to go home.

01:48But at this stage, that's very unlikely.

01:52Away from the marches, a group of boys play Myanmar's national sport, Chinlong.

01:57A game of dexterity and skill.

01:59And with all schools now closed because of a shortage of funds,

02:02one of the few ways they have to pass the time.

02:06Tony Cheng, Al Jazeera, Cox's Bazaar, Bangladesh.

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