Guterres attends iftar for Myanmar's Rohingya Muslims in the world's largest refugee camp

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has broken his silence with Rohingya refugees in the world's largest refugee camp, Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh, to show solidarity with the refugees and the hosts who shelter them.

At the iftar held on Friday, and accompanied by the Bangladeshi government's Senior Advisor Muhammad Yunus, Guterres told the Rohingya Muslim refugees in Myanmar: "I have arrived in Cox's Bazar in this holy month of Ramadan with the intention of showing solidarity."

The United Nations Secretary-General has praised the resilience of the Rohingya Muslims, who fled their homeland in Myanmar after decades of persecution, and stressed their right to return to their homeland in safety and freedom, but confirmed that the security situation in their country, Myanmar, remains dire.

Warning of a severe funding shortfall, Guterres said, "We face a grave risk of having only 40 percent of the resources available in 2024 for 2025. This would be a catastrophe. People will suffer and some will lose their lives."

The UN Secretary-General also praised Bangladesh's generosity in hosting the refugees, but said the challenges of climate change, food shortages, and increasing insecurity continued to be major obstacles.

Guterres also referred to the International Day for Combating Islamophobia, which is observed every March 15, which is today, Friday, and called on the international community to show solidarity and increase assistance to ensure that the Rohingya Muslim refugees are not forgotten. “In this holy month of Ramadan, I call on the international community to show that solidarity in action,” the UN Secretary-General stressed.../