"I May Be Killed Any Moment" by Fortify Rights - a critique
What It Reveals And What It Misses
Fortify Rights has just published a 78-page report titled “I May Be Killed Any Moment.” Yes, the title is pretty telling. And the report is an indictment of the conditions Rohingya refugees face in Bangladesh. It is a revealing look at the impunity and fear pervading the camps.
The report provides extensive documentation of violence within the camps. It highlights crimes such as killings, abductions, forced recruitment, and torture. These are largely perpetrated by armed groups like the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) and the Rohingya Solidarity Organisation (RSO).
Significantly, the report criticises the U.N. refugee agency for slow and insufficient protection and being far too deferential to the Bangladesh authorities.
Most of all, Fortify Rights points to Bangladesh’s refusal to admit the presence and scale of militancy, as well as its draconian refugee policies (forced encampment, movement restrictions), both of which enable these armed groups to thrive.
It is important to note that Fortify Rights frames the report as guidance for the newly installed authorities following the ouster of Sheikh Hasina. Their documentation centres on abuses that took place under Hasina’s administration. This is quite an interesting parameter they set themselves. And I discuss it further in my Op-ED.
My Op-Ed
In my piece published by DVB English, I raise two important criticisms. This is not a dismissal of Fortify Rights’ work. Rather, it’s intended to spark a broader debate on how humanitarian agencies, international organisations, and the new Bangladeshi leadership can finally break the cycle of violence afflicting the Rohingya.
You can read it here: