Lindau, Germany. Aug. 23, 2019: In a joint statement issued by Religions for Peace leaders from India’s neighbours Myanmar and Bangladesh holding Track II Consultations on the Rohingya refugee problem affecting their two countries endorsed the bilateral agreement at the Religion for Peace (RfP) 10th World Assembly held in Lindau, Germany 20-23 August, 2019.

The Rohingya people are a stateless ethnic group who resided in Rakhine State, Myanmar. There were an estimated 1 million Rohingya living in Myanmar before the 2016–17 crisis. By December 2017, an estimated 625,000 refugees from Rakhine, Myanmar, had crossed the border into Bangladesh since August 2017.

In a statement released at the meeting the religious leaders expressed serious concern over the tragedy fallen upon their fellow human beings and firm determination to build confidence, and strive to find a peaceful and just solution to the tragedy of the refugees compelled to flee to Bangladesh and sheltered in different refugee camps there.

The statement further said, “We sincerely appreciate the humanitarian services rendered thus far by Bangladesh and the International community to this suffering people.”

The leaders hailed the proposed implementation of the bilateral agreement signed between the governments of Myanmar and Bangladesh on the return of the refugees, and the tripartite agreements with UNHCR and UNDP respectively as fundamentals for a peaceful and just resolution of the problem.

They considered the recommendations of the Kofi Annan Commission Report to be vital for resolving this humanitarian issue.

The RfP leaders of both countries rsaid, “we ecognize that it is necessary to create conditions needed for the voluntary return of the refugees. We reiterated our support that returnees be settled in the places of origin or nearby places, be given access to basic services, freedom of movement, and sustainable livelihood conditions.”

They supported, “the planned, dignified, voluntary and safe return of the refugees from Bangladesh with due protection and accompaniment by reputable agencies such as ICRC and UNHCR.”

The RfP leaders of Myanmar recognized the need to consider and address the complex issues of citizenship.

They expressed their sincere appreciation to RfP and the Foundation Peace Dialogue for jointly convening the Assembly with the support of the German Federal Foreign Office. Furthermore, we appeal to these organizations to continue rendering the invaluable support towards the resolution of this humanitarian crisis.

The leaders earnestly appealed to the leaders of RfP International to play, in response to this “people to people dialogue”, its positive role for permanent peace building through conflict transformation in this region.

In order to prevent such a tragedy from recurring, the leaders said, “we firmly commit to continue our endeavors to combat hate speech, misperceptions, prejudices so as to reach sustainable reconciliation and peace.”

Religions for Peace convenes an assembly every 5-7 years for the purpose of forging a moral consensus on contemporary challenges, electing new leadership and advancing multi-religious action across and beyond the Religions for Peace network, of which the World Council of Churches is a part.

This year’s theme was “Caring for our Common Future ̶ Advancing Shared Well-being.”