Angelina Jolie Visits Rohingya Camps, Calls Refugees’ Plight a ‘Shame for Us All’ – Reuters

By Poppy McPherson

COX’S BAZAR – U.N. refugee agency special envoy Angelina Jolie visited refugee camps in Bangladesh for Muslim Rohingya who fled Myanmar, condemning the global failure to prevent the crisis that forced 730,000 people from their homes.

During her visit to the Kutapalong camp, the largest refugee settlement in the world, located in Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar district, Jolie expressed her humility and pride in standing with the Rohingya.

“You have every right not to be stateless, and the way you have been treated shames us all,” she stated, highlighting that the crisis stems from decades of unaddressed discrimination. She lamented, “What is most tragic about this situation is that we cannot say we had no warning.”

Jolie’s visit coincided with an announcement from the United Nations regarding a new appeal for $920 million aimed at supporting the refugees, who escaped a violent military crackdown in neighboring Rakhine state, Myanmar, following militant attacks in August 2017.

U.N. investigators have alleged that Myanmar’s military committed mass killings and rapes with intentions of genocide during the brutal campaign that devastated numerous Rohingya villages in western Rakhine. The Myanmar government has denied these allegations, asserting that the offensive was a necessary response to insurgent threats, and has expressed a willingness to welcome back the refugees.

However, the U.N. has indicated that conditions in Myanmar are not conducive for their safe return. The Rohingya individuals have voiced their desire for assurances regarding their safety and recognition as citizens prior to any potential return.

Jolie recounted her conversations with stateless Rohingya who described their treatment in Myanmar as comparable to “being treated like cattle.” She shared the story of a woman who had survived rape in Myanmar, saying the woman asserted, “You would have to shoot me where I stand before I would go back to Myanmar.”

The actress called on Myanmar’s authorities to demonstrate a genuine commitment to ending the ongoing cycle of violence and displacement, and to improve conditions for all communities in Rakhine state, including the Rohingya.

Myanmar government spokesperson Zaw Htay did not respond to a request for comment.

Jolie traveled to Bangladesh to assess the humanitarian needs of Rohingya refugees and the challenges facing Bangladesh as a host nation. She is scheduled to meet with Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen in the capital, Dhaka.

Many refugees gathered to listen to Jolie, with some recognizing her as a notable figure. Mohammed Shakir, a 22-year-old who fled Rakhine after the 2017 violence, expressed respect for her humanitarian efforts. “When I saw her, I was very excited because she has special words for our Rohingya,” he said.