‘A global problem requires a global solution’
President M Abdul Hamid urged on Thursday the international community to increase the pressure on Myanmar to repatriate the Rohingya refugees being sheltered by Bangladesh in Cox’s Bazar.
Addressing the 20th Homeland and Global Security Forum in Geneva, Switzerland, the Bangladesh president described the crisis as a “test case” for any future international cooperation on peace and security, reports BSS.
“The case of the Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar may be considered an acid test for the global community on collectively dealing with an international problem,” the president said.
“A global problem requires a global solution. I urge all members of the international community to arrive at a durable solution and stop the process of impunity by identifying the persons responsible for the acts of violence (in Myanmar).”
President Hamid was addressing the opening session of the Homeland and Global Security Forum, which was held on the sidelines of the World Investment Forum 2018 in the Grand Hotel Kempinski.
He said Bangladesh has been doing all it can to provide food, shelter, clothing, healthcare, childcare, and – above all – a sense of security to the displaced Rohingyas.
“We all are appalled by what we have seen in the UN reports on the horrifying atrocities committed against them (Rohingyas), which are tantamount to genocide and crimes against humanity,” he said.
The president said third party countries often took sides in regional conflicts around the world, instead of putting pressure to end them.
He stressed the need for “concerted and collective efforts” among all countries, to face down new security threats such as cyberattacks and to tackle the adverse impacts of climate change-induced disasters.
He said: “Peace has now become more than just absence of war, and the traditional definition of security has changed forever. Now, we also have powerful non-state actors who influence international politics to make matters worse.
“The Fourth Industrial Revolution has presented us with unparalleled prospects in development, but at the same time, humanity is also facing probably the greatest dangers and existential threats in its known history.
“The rise of nationalist identity based politics set by different countries, along with lack of trust, is directly impacting the activities of different multilateral organisations and their peace-building efforts. Both at the global and regional levels, an absence of trust and lack of collaboration are on the rise.
“The rise of terrorism and extremism, along with the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and transnational crimes, are pushing humanity to the edge.”
Noting that the world will have to feed more than nine billion people by 2050, Abdul Hamid said malnutrition and hunger are still ruling many parts of the world.
Other speakers at the Homeland and Global Security Forum in Geneva included Armenian President Armen Sarkissian, Montenegro President Filip Vujanovic, and Lesotho Prime Minister Thomas Motsoahae Thabane.
Jean-Paul Carteron, the honorary chairman and founder of Crans Montana Forum, served as chair.
First Publihsed on Dhaka Tribune