UNHCR Chief was greeted and welcomed by Burmese Urban Refugees

UNHCR Chief was greeted and welcomed
by Burmese Urban Refugees


Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh: On 26th May 2008, from 8: 30 AM to 2: 30 PM, around the 30 personals, including woman and children, of Burmese political (Urban) refugees have greed and welcomed for Mr. António Guterres, head of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), who is visiting to Cox’s Bazarr, Bangladesh as a two days visit.
According to them (Burmese political refugees), they have been waiting for their head to hand over for their statement (which was attached with this as an attached file). They said, they have held a big size banner in which mentioned that ;
“WARMLY WELCOME FROM MYANMARESE URBAN REFUGEES”
“PLEASE HELP US FOR RESETTLEMENT! while awaiting for their head.
Among of them (of urban refugees), two personals were chosen by them to meet with their head. And when they met they have handed over for their statement to their head, and said they have unveiled for their suffering in brief that they are facing with so hardship like in a hell, etc, according to them.
Accordance to the GMA, Burmese political refugees are living in this country Bangladesh as a scatter spreading position like in Dhaka, Chittagong, Chittagong three hill Dists, and Cox’s Bazaar, boarder town of Bangladesh – Burma, etc for majority percent of them were stopped Subsistence Allowance –SA by UNHCR, Dhaka since 1998. So, they are facing with so hardship neither provide SA nor provide resettlement and also they can’t go back for their homeland for most tyranny rule of Burmese military junta, they said, Burmese political refugees said.


The GMA news cell
For contact mobile & phone numbers: 01199081074, 04437142255


----------
UNHCR chief arrives today
To talk with govt on Rohingya issue
Staff Correspondent

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) António Guterres is scheduled to arrive in Dhaka today on a two-day visit that will highlight the need to find a lasting solution to the issue of around 27,000 Rohingya refugees living in the country.

During his first visit to Bangladesh as high commissioner, Guterres plans to discuss with the government the long-running plight of the Rohingya refugees as part of the high commissioner' s initiative to place a spotlight on the issue and to resolve some of the world's most protracted refugee situations, said a press release.

These refugees who fled Myanmar have been staying in two refugee camps--Nayapara and Kutupalong in Cox's Bazar--for more than 16 years.

Guterres will spend a day in Kutupalong Refugee Camp, home to almost 10,800 refugees, and meet refugees, visit medical and feeding centres as well as inspect new housing units that are being built for the refugees.

During the last two years, the government allowed the UN refugee agency, other UN agencies and non-governmental organisations to make many improvements there, the release said.

António Guterres, former Portuguese prime minister, has led UNHCR since June 15, 2005. The UN General Assembly had elected him for a five-year term and he is the UN refugee agency's 10th high commissioner.

As high commissioner, he heads one of the world's principal humanitarian agencies.

UNHCR has twice won the Nobel Peace Prize and it works in over 110 countries providing protection and assistance to nearly 33 million refugees and others of concern. The agency's total budget for 2008 is more than $1.6 billion.