US urges Myanmar to create conditions for Rohingyas' safe return

The United States has urged Myanmar to create the conditions that would allow for "voluntary, safe, dignified, and sustainable" returns, based on the informed consent of those who have been forcibly displaced.

The US also encouraged the government of Myanmar to work with the government of Bangladesh to facilitate the use of the Burmese curriculum to teach Rohingyas in Bangladesh.

This will help facilitate the reintegration of Rohingya youth who choose to return to Myanmar, according to US Department of State.

The US made the fresh call while announcing more than $127 million in additional humanitarian assistance on Tuesday in New York for Rohingyas and host communities in Bangladesh and internally displaced Rohingya and members of other affected communities in Myanmar.

This funding will help address the emergency needs of some of the more than 900,000 Rohingyas in Bangladesh, many of whom are Rohingya women and children from Rakhine State, Burma, as well as the related needs of Bangladeshi host communities.

This funding will also provide life-saving assistance to internally displaced persons, including Rohingya, and members of other affected communities in Myanmar, including those affected by the fighting between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army.

The United States remains the leading contributor to the humanitarian response to this crisis in Myanmar and Bangladesh, providing more than $669 million since the outbreak of violence in August 2017.

"We welcome the contributions that some Member States have made to this humanitarian response in recent months, and we encourage them to do more and call on other countries and stakeholders to contribute," reads a statement issued by the US Department of State.

US assistance provides protection, emergency shelter, food, nutrition, health, psychosocial support, education, and water, sanitation, and hygiene support for people affected by the crisis, among other activities, it said.

This funding also includes programs to improve disaster preparedness and bolster access to education for Rohingya in Bangladesh, which will be key to preventing instability in the camps and preparing Rohingya for voluntary repatriation when conditions are conducive to such returns.

The United States commended the government of Bangladesh's generosity in responding to this humanitarian crisis and appreciates its continued efforts to ensure assistance reaches the affected populations.

The US government said it remains committed to ensuring that humanitarian and development assistance continues to reach the Bangladeshi communities who have so generously hosted Rohingya refugees.

Bangladesh is now hosting over 1.1 million Rohingyas and most of them entered Cox's Bazar since August 25, 2017.