[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 203 (Wednesday, December 13, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8007-S8008]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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SENATE RESOLUTION 359--COMMENDING THE GOVERNMENT OF BANGLADESH FOR ITS 
COMPASSION DURING THE ROHINGYA HUMANITARIAN CRISIS AND COMMENDING POPE 
                    FRANCIS FOR HIS MESSAGE OF PEACE

  Mr. DURBIN (for himself, Mr. Merkley, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Markey, and 
Mr. Van Hollen) submitted the following resolution; which was referred 
to the Committee on Foreign Relations:

                              S. Res. 359

       Whereas Bangladesh has taken in Rohingya refugees fleeing 
     persecution in Burma since the 1970s;
       Whereas at least 300,000 Rohingya refugees were still in 
     Bangladesh prior to August 25, 2017;
       Whereas an August 25, 2017, attack on security posts in 
     Burma by the military group Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army 
     resulted in a brutal and methodical reprisal by the Burmese 
     military on Rohingya villages;
       Whereas more than 624,000 Rohingya refugees have fled to 
     Bangladesh since August 25, 2017, alone, most located in or 
     near the coastal city of Cox's Bazar;
       Whereas the Rohingya refugee crisis is the fast-growing 
     refugee crisis in the world;
       Whereas the Government of Bangladesh has accepted nearly 
     1,000,000 Rohingya refugees in total despite facing their own 
     domestic challenges;
       Whereas the Government of Bangladesh has notably allowed 
     full access for international relief organizations;
       Whereas, on September 22, 2017, Bangladeshi Prime Minister 
     Sheikh Hasina urged before the United Nations General 
     Assembly an end to the violence against the Rohingya and full 
     implementation in Burma of the recommendations made by Kofi 
     Annan's Advisory Commission on the Rakhine State;
       Whereas, on November 23, 2017, the Government of Bangladesh 
     and the Government of Burma signed a Memorandum of 
     Understating on a repatriation agreement;
       Whereas the Memorandum of Understanding on a repatriation 
     agreement is modeled after a flawed 1992-1993 repatriation 
     pact between Bangladesh and Burma, and does not resolve 
     critical questions on the potential repatriation process for 
     Rohingya refugees, including verification of residency, where 
     refugees would be permitted to return, and whether they would 
     enjoy equal access and rights;
       Whereas, on November 25, 2017, the Bangladeshi Foreign 
     Minister Abdul Hassan Mahmood Ali said that Bangladesh would 
     support the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees 
     being involved in any process to repatriate Rohingya refugees 
     to Burma;
       Whereas Pope Francis, who has been recognized for his 
     humility, dedication to the poor, and commitment to dialogue 
     and reconciliation, has previously denounced the 
     ``persecution of our Rohingya brothers'' who were being 
     ``tortured and killed, simply because they uphold their 
     Muslim faith'';
       Whereas Pope Francis traveled to Burma on November 27, 
     2017, and urged ``a peace based on respect for the dignity 
     and rights of each member of society, respect for each ethnic 
     group and its identity'';
       Whereas Pope Francis, in a visit to Bangladesh on November 
     30, 2017, recognized the generosity of Bangladeshis in caring 
     for Rohingya refugees and called on the international 
     community to ``take decisive measures to address this grave 
     crisis, not only by working to resolve the political issues 
     that have led to the mass displacement of people, but also by 
     offering immediate material assistance to Bangladesh in its 
     effort to respond effectively to urgent human needs''; and
       Whereas the United Nations has estimated a need of 
     $434,000,000 to respond to the Rohingya refugee crisis: Now, 
     therefore be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) commends the Government of Bangladesh for its admirable 
     compassion and tolerance in accepting Rohingya refugees;
       (2) commends the United Nations agencies, nongovernmental 
     organization (NGO) partners, and all aid workers providing 
     relief to Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, and urges the 
     Government of Bangladesh to continue to help coordinate 
     critical humanitarian work and ensure ease of access for 
     those carrying out such efforts;
       (3) urges the Government of Bangladesh and the Government 
     of Burma to consult and coordinate with the United Nations 
     High Commissioner for Refugees, the International 
     Organization for Migration, and NGO partners on any and all 
     safe and voluntary repatriation efforts;
       (4) urges the Government of Bangladesh and the Government 
     of Burma to address the flaws of the November 23, 2017, 
     Memorandum of Understanding on repatriation through 
     consultation and agreement with the United Nations High 
     Commissioner for Refugees;
       (5) urges all parties involved in the repatriation process 
     to reject any actions which could continue or worsen the 
     harsh conditions faced by Rohingya refugees, including the 
     confinement of the Rohingya in camps, contained ghettos, or 
     villages were movement is restricted in Burma, or on the 
     flood-

[[Page S8008]]

     prone Bhashan Char island in the Bay of Bengal in Bangladesh, 
     or any other location that would result in further isolation; 
     and
       (6) commends Pope Francis for his thoughtful remarks about 
     the future of Burma that respects rule of law, the democratic 
     order, and the dignity and rights of all of its people.

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