The United States has expressed concern over pushing back the Rohingyas seeking refuge after fleeing the ethnic and religious violence in Myanmar and urged to allow the refugees.
“We are concerned that Bangladeshi authorities appear to have intercepted and turned back persons fleeing the ethnic and religious violence in Burma,” said U.S. Department of State Spokesperson Victoria Nuland.
Replying to a question at a daily press briefing in Washington, DC on June 13, the spokesperson said, “So we have been urging the Government of Bangladesh to respect its international obligations under the relevant refugee conventions and tocontinue its longstanding policy of non-refoulement of refugees.
“We are continuing to make the point to all sides in Burma that it is important to settle these issues not through violence but through dialogue, and to put down their arms and start talking to each other.”
Asked whether this issue has come up now upstairs with the Indian foreign minister as far as situation in Myanmar is concerned, the spokesperson said they did talk about Myanmar and they did talk about the ethnic issues and the Rohingya issues when U.S. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton had her brief meeting with Indian External Affairs Minister SM Krishna before starting the broader Security Dialogue.
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