British foreign secretary Boris Johnson is the latest politician to show up in Bangladesh to push the Burma-Bangladesh forced deportation plan for Rohingya refugees. The Dhaka Tribune reported that he urged a “quick repatriation” claiming “any delay might complicate the issue.” This dirtball politician had the temerity to compare the Rohingya “exodus” to that of Palestinians in 1948. The ethnic cleansing comparison is not inapt at all but it is odious coming from Johnson, a Tory known for his racism, a strong supporter of Israel, & a voluble opponent of BDS. On a trade mission trip to Israel & the West Bank in November 2015, he was disinvited from meeting with Palestinian business groups after publicly ridiculing BDS in Israel. It comes as no surprise that officials from the Palestinian Authority proceeded to meet with him since they officially opposed BDS until recently.
After meeting with Sheikh Hasina, Johnson proceeded on to meet with Aung San Suu Kyi in Burma. He later tweeted that he urged Suu Kyi to back a “full & independent investigation” into Rohingya claims of “persecution” & to create safe conditions for refugees forced to return to Burma. He also spent a few hours touring a torched village in Arakan state before returning to the UK. Does Johnson want another “independent” investigation like the Kofi Annan whitewash? Did he tour the concentration camps (without sanitation facilities) the Suu Kyi civilian government is building to house forcibly returned Rohingya refugees? Did he investigate the mass graves? Were nearby torched villages still smoldering? Is he actually so stupid as to believe the Rohingya will be safe in the killing fields of Burma whilst they continue to pour across the border into Bangladesh? Or does he just not give a rat’s ass about human life? At least more than he’s concerned about protecting British trade & investments in Burma which are among the highest of any other nation?
Stand with the Rohingya people & demand no forced deportation & asylum in any countries they choose with visas & full refugee rights.
(Photo of Johnson & Hasina from February 9th Dhaka Tribune)