Australian delegation visits Rohingya refugee camp

Teknaf, Bangladesh: A two-member Australian delegation led by Australian High Commissioner of Bangladesh  Dr Justin Lee visited the Nayapara official refugee camp on December 8, at about 11:00 am, said a refugee leader on condition of anonymity.

“The delegation observed the whole camp including schools and cottage industry of soap center and also met with refugees and refugee teachers in the camp after arrival at camp. The delegation more wanted to know about the opinion of refugees whether the refugee want to go home or not after Bangladesh PM’s visit to Burma.”

“We are not willing to go back until we are not accorded citizenship rights with ethnicity,” a refugee teacher said. “We more wanted to return our confiscated lands, to stop human rights violations and racial discrimination, to get compensation of our properties, to withdraw army and Nasaka from northern Arakan , to withdraw Natala (model) villages from northern Arakan and to ensure rights as par other nationalities.”

One of the refugee teachers named Habib asked to the High Commissioner to consider for providing opportunity for refugee children’s higher education along with the cooperation of Bangladesh government. In fact, in the camp, there is no higher education and the informal education is existed up to class V.

The delegation also participated in “a 16-day long activism”, in the camp, which include, sport, drama, cleaning environment and in making local Phita (local sweets), which was held since November 25 to December 8.  The extraordinary performers were award by the camp authority.

This programs were supervised by RTM, PAI, ACF and RIB and United Nations Higher Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), said another refugee teacher from the camp.    

At about 12:00 noon, the delegation left from the camp. The Camp-in-Charge (CIC) Kamaruzzaman warmly welcomed the delegation.