UNHRC Develops Refugee Assistance Plans

As the Rohingya crisis continues in Myanmar, 47 delegations to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) are working to find both long-term and short-term solutions.

Since 2006, the UNHRC has ensured that people of all race, gender, sexuality, religion, culture, and socio-economic standing can live peacefully and prosperously. UNHRC says it aims to compromise for the greater good of the world’s people.

Myanmar, previously known as Burma, is facing a massive human rights conflict. Thailand’s delegation described the Rohingya people as “so oppressed it feels like a time warp to the past.”

Rohingya is a mostly Islamic ethnic group that resides in Southeast Asia around the western border of Myanmar. As the Myanmar government has persecuted and denied citizenship to the Rohingyas, they have no home, no opportunities and no basic human rights.

“It’s absolute genocide,” Thailand said. “We are trying to alleviate the influx of refugees into our country by encouraging neighboring states to house refugees,” he added.

Refugees have been fleeing into Thailand for safety, causing more conflict with Thai Buddhists.

Proposed solutions include providing surrounding countries that allow refugees to enter their borders with donations and healthcare benefits.

Still, some delegates expressed concern this would not be enough to restore human rights to the oppressed Rohingya.

Thailand encouraged delegations to take action quickly, instead of focusing too much on long-term decisions. By providing clean water, food, health care and work VISAs for displaced Rohingya people, Thailand believes they can provide the oppressed group with new opportunities.

“Long term solutions are imperative to resolve this issue,” Venezuela’s delegation said. “In the end, we would like to return the Burmese people back to their country, but before we can do that, we need to provide the care and resources these oppressed people deserve.”

Though countries argued diverse angles to attack the persecution of the Rohingya people, each delegation expressed their interest in cooperating to help the refugees.

“Every country has their own internal crisis to deal with right now,” Venezuela’s delegations said. “My country is suffering right now, but that does not make it any less our duty as human beings to fight for the common good of others.”